Cassette lovers; why?
- Thread starter Makymak
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To make the start, for me it's two reasons.
First, the experience of recording. Fiddling with bias, sensitivity, levels, EQ, Dolby, different types of tape is some kind of ritual. Watching the reels rotate is magic! And some piece of polyester tape with a layer of oxide glued producing music...
Secondly, it's the most convenient (and portable) way to record some pure analog material and keep it analog. I know reel to reel is the king of analog sound but it's quite expensive and bulky for casual use. And no portable at all, I guess. And cassette is still affordable for the average user.
First, the experience of recording. Fiddling with bias, sensitivity, levels, EQ, Dolby, different types of tape is some kind of ritual. Watching the reels rotate is magic! And some piece of polyester tape with a layer of oxide glued producing music...
Secondly, it's the most convenient (and portable) way to record some pure analog material and keep it analog. I know reel to reel is the king of analog sound but it's quite expensive and bulky for casual use. And no portable at all, I guess. And cassette is still affordable for the average user.
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I have been fooling around with the compact cassette format since I was 12, or so. The first deck I used to record with was one of those Lloyds portable shoe box player/recorders. I bet it is still socked away in my mom's old storage trunk full of mothballs and her Italian linen.
I have lots of great memories through my teens - once I got my driver's license - using a Pioneer car audio system. Before I bought my own car, I was using my Dad's 1971 Buick Skylark and I had the cassette deck and amp hidden in the glove compartment and the surface-mount speakers on the rear parcel tray. Guess what... I have those components to this day from 1979. I use the surface-mount speakers in one of my home audio systems.
I have more to share, later. I haven't outgrown cassette tapes.
Nando.
I have lots of great memories through my teens - once I got my driver's license - using a Pioneer car audio system. Before I bought my own car, I was using my Dad's 1971 Buick Skylark and I had the cassette deck and amp hidden in the glove compartment and the surface-mount speakers on the rear parcel tray. Guess what... I have those components to this day from 1979. I use the surface-mount speakers in one of my home audio systems.
I have more to share, later. I haven't outgrown cassette tapes.
Nando.
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Went to cassettes in 2008 tired of copy control on cd's, unplayable cd-rw's after one year, short lived mp3 players...
So I've bought a low end JVC double cassette deck at the thrift store and a pack of five TDK D60 at the supermarket...
Then discovered the audio forums with crazy guys collecting cassettes and decks all over the world
So I've bought a low end JVC double cassette deck at the thrift store and a pack of five TDK D60 at the supermarket...
Then discovered the audio forums with crazy guys collecting cassettes and decks all over the world
Too many reason but I'll pick three big ones:
Creating mixes is like keeping a personal journal, of sorts. It reflects a snapshot in time and is good way to reminisce - sorta like flipping through photo albums, but different. (better because you not sitting, staring at your younger self and knowing the truth )
I'm conditioned now (in a good way...) to listening sessions that are 45 minutes in length (mostly) and it's pretty much a ritual, to pop in a tape. I'm not talking exclusively, but when I'm in a tape-mood, it's a component of the experience.
Vinyl and CD's transferred to a quality cassette bring a transformation & warmth to otherwise harsh leaning content.
Creating mixes is like keeping a personal journal, of sorts. It reflects a snapshot in time and is good way to reminisce - sorta like flipping through photo albums, but different. (better because you not sitting, staring at your younger self and knowing the truth
)I'm conditioned now (in a good way...) to listening sessions that are 45 minutes in length (mostly) and it's pretty much a ritual, to pop in a tape. I'm not talking exclusively, but when I'm in a tape-mood, it's a component of the experience.
Vinyl and CD's transferred to a quality cassette bring a transformation & warmth to otherwise harsh leaning content.
I moved away from them and was doing CDR- music CDs when that was the option. Once that Philips deck died, I moved up to better CD recording decks.
But the tape- the thing, the plastic shell with ‘that’ sound when you flick it with your finger… the filling out the J Card… the ritual as stated above- setting levels and bias, re-packing the tape before you start.
Then the tape exchange… when a seasoned veteran of the format compliments you on a job well done making that tape. There’s no “filter”- here it is. Levels good? No sibilance? Decent bass and upper extension? And doing it without DBX or Dolby?
It’s a challenge. It is a very forgiving media, but when pushed to the limit, is capable of so much more than we “settled” for back in the day. My hearing is not as good but comparing to CD source I’m getting a good duplicate- nothing “left on the table”. It takes a few tries, and is time consuming (and I just don’t have the time now) but it is satisfying and fulfilling when it all comes together.
Yeah, the gear is cool and what draws the new guys in, but once you “get it”, the gear becomes secondary.
But the tape- the thing, the plastic shell with ‘that’ sound when you flick it with your finger… the filling out the J Card… the ritual as stated above- setting levels and bias, re-packing the tape before you start.
Then the tape exchange… when a seasoned veteran of the format compliments you on a job well done making that tape. There’s no “filter”- here it is. Levels good? No sibilance? Decent bass and upper extension? And doing it without DBX or Dolby?
It’s a challenge. It is a very forgiving media, but when pushed to the limit, is capable of so much more than we “settled” for back in the day. My hearing is not as good but comparing to CD source I’m getting a good duplicate- nothing “left on the table”. It takes a few tries, and is time consuming (and I just don’t have the time now) but it is satisfying and fulfilling when it all comes together.
Yeah, the gear is cool and what draws the new guys in, but once you “get it”, the gear becomes secondary.
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- Victim of the record bug since age five
As Nando, I have been using tape media since very young. To be honest; I have never stopped using tape: open reel, cassette and even DAT. I stopped using DAT years ago, but my cassette and open reel decks are fully working and some were fully restored. For those who have the opportunity to own a TOL cassette deck, knows what a good tape recorded on a excellent deck can do. You'll never discover the full potential of this media unless you have these 2 tools. For example: a Nakamichi ZX 9, totally serviced together with a good Metal tape properly recorded, challenge any other media no matter what! I enjoy seeing the expression of my visitors when they realized that the music they are enjoying is coming out of a good old trusted cassette tape instead of an Streamer or CD. They just can't believe it.
We have to take into consideration that what most people remember about the cassette tapes are the poorly duplicated pre-recorded tapes of the 80's, playing it back from a Kraco radio on the father's Ford Pinto after been exposed to hundred of heat degrees. Very, very few could afford a good tape recorder back then and could know how good the cassette tape media could sound. For those few fortunate enough tape users, the cassette was not just an afterthought in audio, but a real and serious playback contender in our hobby. Cassette tape media is far more than a cheap tape with a pencil.
We have to take into consideration that what most people remember about the cassette tapes are the poorly duplicated pre-recorded tapes of the 80's, playing it back from a Kraco radio on the father's Ford Pinto after been exposed to hundred of heat degrees. Very, very few could afford a good tape recorder back then and could know how good the cassette tape media could sound. For those few fortunate enough tape users, the cassette was not just an afterthought in audio, but a real and serious playback contender in our hobby. Cassette tape media is far more than a cheap tape with a pencil.
I'm old enough like many here I suspect, to have been into tape since the 70's/80's. So it's never really been away for me.
I think the attraction and affinity is actually de-coupled from the fact that it is an 'inferior' medium when compared to digital formats. That's a 'given' and obvious, but when you have an appreciation for what goes into how the format works, particularly when it works well, then it becomes clear.
It has a tactile factor that you don't get from digital formats. It's also dynamically adjustable - you can put your own spin on recordings and how the end product sounds.
So the enjoyment I derive from tape is the mechanical-ness, tactility and nostalgia in equal measures.
Diving into the mechanicals is also eminently rewarding - especially when you can repair something and it sounds great! Currently working through a stack of Nakamichi CR decks. Got 4/5 back to factory spec (mostly). Noticing a lot of zinc-pest on the CR capstan flywheels resulting in higher-than-desired w&f.
One more to go however...the big one...the CR4E. Currently building up the courage to tackle it without breaking it. lol
I think the attraction and affinity is actually de-coupled from the fact that it is an 'inferior' medium when compared to digital formats. That's a 'given' and obvious, but when you have an appreciation for what goes into how the format works, particularly when it works well, then it becomes clear.
It has a tactile factor that you don't get from digital formats. It's also dynamically adjustable - you can put your own spin on recordings and how the end product sounds.
So the enjoyment I derive from tape is the mechanical-ness, tactility and nostalgia in equal measures.
Diving into the mechanicals is also eminently rewarding - especially when you can repair something and it sounds great! Currently working through a stack of Nakamichi CR decks. Got 4/5 back to factory spec (mostly). Noticing a lot of zinc-pest on the CR capstan flywheels resulting in higher-than-desired w&f.
One more to go however...the big one...the CR4E. Currently building up the courage to tackle it without breaking it. lol
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Nice. The CR1 and CR2 have the sendust heads while the CR3 and CR4 have the discrete Nak-developed heads with a slightly superior/different presentation. But all are amazing decks and the CR1 would have been an amazing entry-level deck for anyone getting into tape seriously back in the day I think!
What's your experience when comparing your 1 and 4?
The CR4 with DD has of course 0.0% speed deviation and can calibrate any tape you throw at it very well.
Not sure what I'm going to do with them all once finished. Going to A-B-X them all then maybe sell the CR1 and CR2's. There's a Dragon, BX300, BX125 and RX202 in the stable too, so enough toys to play with.
There were 3 Dragons on the bench at one point but I got failure-anxiety and 2 were shown the door. Kept the best-sounding one. Yes, there are different SS's accross the production run. s/n 10k-20k are the best sounding imo.
What's your experience when comparing your 1 and 4?
The CR4 with DD has of course 0.0% speed deviation and can calibrate any tape you throw at it very well.
Not sure what I'm going to do with them all once finished. Going to A-B-X them all then maybe sell the CR1 and CR2's. There's a Dragon, BX300, BX125 and RX202 in the stable too, so enough toys to play with.
There were 3 Dragons on the bench at one point but I got failure-anxiety and 2 were shown the door. Kept the best-sounding one. Yes, there are different SS's accross the production run. s/n 10k-20k are the best sounding imo.
Had reel to reel first for the sound quality and I just loved the look of the 10" decks. A Pioneer RT-1011 for home when I was working in radio. Got a Nak BX-100 later for convenience and car tapes. Replaced the RT-1011 with a Revox A77 and later got out of tape altogether for a while and went with an SACD player I still have, then got back into tape in a big way with several reel to reels (Pioneer RT-1050/Tascam 32/Tascm 38/Teac 3440/Revox B77/Studer PR99) in various configurations, including a small analog home recording studio. After we downsized, the studio had to go and then the reel decks were still out of hand for my small listening space, so I picked up a 482Z Nakamichi for the tape experience. The cassettes take up a whole lot less room than all those reels, which I transferred to digital before selling them off with the decks.
There is certainly an appealing sound to a well produced tape that just isn't found anywhere else. As Jim alluded, it's more difficult to get that sound on a cassette than a big reel, but the challenge is part of the fun.
There is certainly an appealing sound to a well produced tape that just isn't found anywhere else. As Jim alluded, it's more difficult to get that sound on a cassette than a big reel, but the challenge is part of the fun.
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The CR-4 was my first experience with Nakamichi.
Got a broken one ten years ago and tried to fix it, had to replace the cam motor, then the reel motor after a year, then the capstan motor started to make whinning and scratching noises.
After that I got some 480, a 680 and a RX-505 which I prefer in terms of mechanics and sound.
Also got a BX-300 with a dead direct drive board, I remember a guy saying these motors never fails (the same who said cassette decks should't be demagnetised).
The CR-1 makes a good playback deck with a more neutral sound than the 480.
I've replaced the whole dd motor block on the CR-4, it's starting to make whinning noise again so that might ends with a transport swap from a CR-3.
Got a broken one ten years ago and tried to fix it, had to replace the cam motor, then the reel motor after a year, then the capstan motor started to make whinning and scratching noises.
After that I got some 480, a 680 and a RX-505 which I prefer in terms of mechanics and sound.
Also got a BX-300 with a dead direct drive board, I remember a guy saying these motors never fails (the same who said cassette decks should't be demagnetised).
The CR-1 makes a good playback deck with a more neutral sound than the 480.
I've replaced the whole dd motor block on the CR-4, it's starting to make whinning noise again so that might ends with a transport swap from a CR-3.