porta 05 'compatibility'

[emolemmo]

Hello, I'm a guitar player, not really conversant with the technology stuff.... so I hope somebody can help me. The thing is me & some other local musicians recorded some stuff on an old Porta 05 a few years ago & didn't have the foresight to make mixed-down versions of all the tracks on to 'normal' cassettes at the time. Now the Porta 05 machine has well & truly 'shot it'. My question is - we still have the original 'master' cassettes, but don't know which, if any, other Tascam machine we would be able to use to mix down these tapes so that we can preserve them as cassettes playable on ordinary players. [Other than finding a working second-hand 05].
Sorry I don't have the technical know-how to explain any more, the only thing I can add is that they were recorded at 'normal' speed, not 'high-speed', with 'dbx'.
Hope somebody can help with suggestions, would really appreciate any advice.
Thanx
Kev

 

[Sennheiser]

Most any older TASCAM four-track should be able to playback your tapes.

I'm not sure of which models had dual speeds and which did not.
I don't think that many of the newer models have the slower speed.

Take your tape down to the music store and "demo" a few units.

 

[sjjohnston]

You've identified the two variables that come into play: tape speed and noise reduction.

I'm not going to guarantee this is complete or completely accurate, but I believe that the following Tascam cassette 4 tracks can play at "normal" (1 7/8 ips) speed and have dbx (working approximately backwards chronologically):

424 (mk3, mk2 or plain)
464
Porta 05, obviously (not the "HS" version)
Porta Two (not the "HS" version)
246
Porta One
234 (just a tape deck, no mixer)

Don't know about the 244 or 144, but those are pretty old.

Other manufacturers also made cassette 4 tracks (Fostex, Yamaha, Marantz, Vesta), but I don't know details on them.

 

[emolemmo]

Thanx very much for replying. Just the kind of pointers I was looking for. Cheers

 

[frederic]

The 234 and the 244 are double speed recorders only, just an FYI. I still have my 244 and believe it or not, its 15 years old and works very well (though its starting to look a little ratty)

234 (just a tape deck, no mixer)
Don't know about the 244 or 144, but those are pretty old.

 

[Osbick Bird]

If it helps add to the list of possibles, my Yamaha MT-120 had normal and double speed and dbx noise reduction...wish I hadn't sold it...