- Joined
- Nov 1, 2014
- Messages
- 3,505
- Location
- Gaston, SC
- Tagline
- Victim of the record bug since age five
what are you listening to?
- Thread starter stuwee
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 74,873
- Location
- Gillette, Wyo.
- Tagline
- Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2010
- Messages
- 9,921
Test Recording On Denon Super Cassette
I bought a bunch of premium cassettes from the same seller on Canuck Audio Mart. Many of the tapes are recorded to and in nice condition. I bought the bunch for $300 CAD. That seems like a lot of cashola for old cassette tapes until you find out what prices are being fetched for even one used Sony Super Metal Master 90.
Anyhow, I never have used a Denon MG-X for recording, so I did a test recording on it a couple of days ago. I dubbed from a MiniDisc Master of my latest project. I used my Pioneer CT-A9X for the recording and recorded at +5dB without NR. The two tracks are very different in musical style. Then, I played backed the recording on my CT-A9X and recorded in WAV file with my Tascam DR-05 Version 2 portable Linear PCM Recorder.
And the music - enjoy!
Denon MG-X 100 No NR.wav
Nando.
I bought a bunch of premium cassettes from the same seller on Canuck Audio Mart. Many of the tapes are recorded to and in nice condition. I bought the bunch for $300 CAD. That seems like a lot of cashola for old cassette tapes until you find out what prices are being fetched for even one used Sony Super Metal Master 90.
Anyhow, I never have used a Denon MG-X for recording, so I did a test recording on it a couple of days ago. I dubbed from a MiniDisc Master of my latest project. I used my Pioneer CT-A9X for the recording and recorded at +5dB without NR. The two tracks are very different in musical style. Then, I played backed the recording on my CT-A9X and recorded in WAV file with my Tascam DR-05 Version 2 portable Linear PCM Recorder.
And the music - enjoy!
Denon MG-X 100 No NR.wav
Nando.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2010
- Messages
- 9,921
Hi Jim: I had the C3-X serviced a few weeks back. I had bought it in non-working condition. A couple of days ago, I received two Teac tone generators, I purchased, from a friend and fellow tape enthusiast. Now, I can dial it in as per the calibration process. So, I will be finding out more about it as I go. I did a mix tape recording (without tape calibration) on it using the same cassette the technician used in testing it and the recipient was quite happy with it.
Nando.
Nando.
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2014
- Messages
- 3,505
- Location
- Gaston, SC
- Tagline
- Victim of the record bug since age five
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2010
- Messages
- 9,921
@BlazeES: The Denon MX-G is a superlative cassette. In the bunch of Type IV tapes, I got in my previously-mentioned post, one of the TDK MA-R 90 tapes had a nice recording from vinyl. Here are the two consecutive tracks with playback on my Teac C-3X and WAV file recorded with Tascam DR-05 Version 2 from the output of my C-3X deck:
TDK MA-R90 Malia & Boris Blank Teac C-3X.wav
Nando.
TDK MA-R90 Malia & Boris Blank Teac C-3X.wav
Nando.
Those test tone generators are like rocking horse poop, which is why you have two of them... Not being able to find those is why I sold my 122 (original version) as it does not have the onboard oscillators the Mk. II and Mk. III have. Nice score!
But to the calibration of your deck: I answered my own question, as I can see Dolby level is at 0dB, so that uses the "consumer" calibration. I don't remember where mine is at, but it is under 0dB somewhere... The Tascam has enough gain to saturate the metal tapes (MA and MA-X anyway- I don't have other metals to test with) if you push it that hard.
But to the calibration of your deck: I answered my own question, as I can see Dolby level is at 0dB, so that uses the "consumer" calibration. I don't remember where mine is at, but it is under 0dB somewhere... The Tascam has enough gain to saturate the metal tapes (MA and MA-X anyway- I don't have other metals to test with) if you push it that hard.
Another interesting diversion is the rack handles. These were on the Teac decks (like yours), and the holes are drilled for the Tascam decks (same plate; different ink), but the Tascam decks didn't have handles, despite being predominantly rack mounted...
EDIT- Does your remote use the old parallel port? If so, you can use a parallel wye, and run two decks off one remote, good for making multiple copies. I did this with my 122 Mk. IIIs, and it works perfectly!
EDIT- Does your remote use the old parallel port? If so, you can use a parallel wye, and run two decks off one remote, good for making multiple copies. I did this with my 122 Mk. IIIs, and it works perfectly!
Johnny Winter...Saints & Sinners
A well worn album I've had since the late 70's.
Has slight high frequency distortion due to wear.
The PL1000S2 has three adjustments that really bring this album alive and sounding good.
1. The Noise Reduction Correlation Threshold pot. Removes the high frequency distortion and surface noise. The pot has a very wide precision sweep and it's very apparent how it affects the frequencies.
2. The Dynamic Expansion pot with the Expander Threshold LED indicator.
Improves the dynamics. "Opens" up the music. Decompresses it.
Adjustment again has a very wide precision sweep and it's very apparent where the best setting is, aided by the pulsating LED.
3. The Low Frequency Calibration pot.
Again, a nice wide precision sweep of adjustment.
Adjust it and you'll know when it's right, the bass will punch when it should, won't when it shouldn't.
I have the unit on the preamps #2 tape loop, so it's easy to switch it in and out with a single button press on the preamp.
A nice sonic improvement on old albums is very apparent, and once adjusted to this specific album, I leave the settings alone. Works well for some FM stations also.
Totally inappropriate for use with digital sources. Old albums shine, it's a great unit once upgraded and aligned.
A well worn album I've had since the late 70's.
Has slight high frequency distortion due to wear.
The PL1000S2 has three adjustments that really bring this album alive and sounding good.
1. The Noise Reduction Correlation Threshold pot. Removes the high frequency distortion and surface noise. The pot has a very wide precision sweep and it's very apparent how it affects the frequencies.
2. The Dynamic Expansion pot with the Expander Threshold LED indicator.
Improves the dynamics. "Opens" up the music. Decompresses it.
Adjustment again has a very wide precision sweep and it's very apparent where the best setting is, aided by the pulsating LED.
3. The Low Frequency Calibration pot.
Again, a nice wide precision sweep of adjustment.
Adjust it and you'll know when it's right, the bass will punch when it should, won't when it shouldn't.
I have the unit on the preamps #2 tape loop, so it's easy to switch it in and out with a single button press on the preamp.
A nice sonic improvement on old albums is very apparent, and once adjusted to this specific album, I leave the settings alone. Works well for some FM stations also.
Totally inappropriate for use with digital sources. Old albums shine, it's a great unit once upgraded and aligned.
Attachments
Stumbled on this gem by pure accident. Had no idea this was even in the works.
Quite a different & better live presentation of America's music vs. the 'Live' album that came subsequent to Dan Peek leaving.
This one is going to need some Sound Forge Pro "uplift" in overall gain & some added bottom-end, but even without - the recording is remarkably pleasing.
It's also noteworthy that George Martin was part of this show's "moment", conducting just the right amount of orchestral layering where needed.
Definitely a Gem in recorded history and I'm thrilled it came out after all these years!
To me, there really isn't America without Dan Peek.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 74,873
- Location
- Gillette, Wyo.
- Tagline
- Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2014
- Messages
- 3,505
- Location
- Gaston, SC
- Tagline
- Victim of the record bug since age five
