First a vinyl revival, now a cassette comeback..

[WayneKerr]

Video 2000.

I had one of those players

 

[Symples]

DAT Tape Recorders

I have one

 

[abacus]

DAT Tape Recorders

Remember them well as they were used in studios and for computer backup.

Bill

 

[abacus]

Me neither. Never had the use for one.

Never heard of Elcaset. (Whoosh)

Basically it was a larger version of the cassette but the tape was much wider and ran at twice the speed, which gave it a performance equivalent a reel to reel recorder at the same speed, but as it had Dolby (Most consumer reel to reels didn't ) it was actually better. (Pro studios used Dolby A with their reel to reel recorders)

Bill

 

[kramer2020]

I do remember the disappointment of playing a music cassette in my first proper deck an Akai CS34D top loader and it was pretty horrible and muffled. I persisted for a few years with various decks but with same outcome. Fast forward to present day and I've recently aquired a rather nice Akai GX -F31 and I've found that home recordings are rather nice and interestingly so are some more recent music cassettes that have been recorded on chrome tape. Also I've noticed that disabling dolby improves the sound quite a bit too, perhaps dolby noise reduction was the cause of my disappointment all those years ago..

 

[matthewpianist]

Dolby B, and even more so Dolby C, were great at reducing hiss levels but also great at sucking the life out of a recording. Dolby S was much better, but on a good deck there is less noise anyway.

 

[abacus]

I do remember the disappointment of playing a music cassette in my first proper deck an Akai CS34D top loader and it was pretty horrible and muffled. I persisted for a few years with various decks but with same outcome. Fast forward to present day and I've recently aquired a rather nice Akai GX -F31 and I've found that home recordings are rather nice and interestingly so are some more recent music cassettes that have been recorded on chrome tape. Also I've noticed that disabling dolby improves the sound quite a bit too, perhaps dolby noise reduction was the cause of my disappointment all those years ago..

If the tape was recorded with Dolby then it needs to be switched on during playback to get a natural sound, (Music cassettes never were very good though) the main problem is that people forget to regularly clean the heads, capstan and pinch wheel as well as demagnetising the heads, which causes the sound to be dull and why it sounds better with Dolby off. (If you ever get the chance have a listen to a Nakamichi cassette recorder, as you will be blown away as to how good cassettes can sound)

Bill

 

[abacus]

Dolby B, and even more so Dolby C, were great at reducing hiss levels but also great at sucking the life out of a recording. Dolby S was much better, but on a good deck there is less noise anyway.

Never had any problems with Dolby B or C as it always sounded like it was recorded, I did however make sure it was setup for optimum performance with the tape in use, other wise it wouldn't sound right. (Maybe this is why you had problems)
There was also Dolby HX which gave an improved treble performance.

Bill

 

[kramer2020]

Dolby B, and even more so Dolby C, were great at reducing hiss levels but also great at sucking the life out of a recording. Dolby S was much better, but on a good deck there is less noise anyway.

I seem to have stirred up the dolby deciples and that said I have no issues with home recordings using dolby B or C as they sound perfect on my deck. Music cassettes I found sound a lot better without noise reduction and there is virtually no hiss, also they sound almost CD like without being too bright, in fact they sound quite neutral. I believe the more expensive decks can alter the head trim to improve dolby playback, but as I say music cassettes on my deck sound fine without dolby depending on the tape quality (chrome)

 

[nopiano]

I seem to have stirred up the dolby deciples and that said I have no issues with home recordings using dolby B or C as they sound perfect on my deck. Music cassettes I found sound a lot better without noise reduction and there is virtually no hiss, also they sound almost CD like without being too bright, in fact they sound quite neutral. I believe the more expensive decks can alter the head trim to improve dolby playback, but as I say music cassettes on my deck sound fine without dolby depending on the tape quality (chrome)

That symptom could mean your head was misaligned. So playing back musiccassettes revealed the misalignment but your own machine would record and play back ok, because it aligns with itself - but your recordings would be ‘off’ with any other machine.

 

[kramer2020]

That symptom could mean your head was misaligned. So playing back musiccassettes revealed the misalignment but your own machine would record and play back ok, because it aligns with itself - but your recordings would be ‘off’ with any other machine.

I must be unlucky as I've had at least 3 'new' decks with misaligned heads. Joking aside my current used deck may well have a misaligned head, but plays fine without dolby so not really an issue for me.

 

[nopiano]

I must be unlucky as I've had at least 3 'new' decks with misaligned heads. Joking aside my current used deck may well have a misaligned head, but plays fine without dolby so not really an issue for me.

Yes, well turning off Dolby B will sound brighter, because (as you probably know) the lower level HF sounds are boosted on record. By not replaying with Dolby on those HF sounds are brighter and clearer.

 

[Gray]

...my current used deck may well have a misaligned head

Presumably you haven't got an azimuth adjustment hole in the casework for a little Philips screwdriver - as some decks have.

 

[kramer2020]

Presumably you haven't got an azimuth adjustment hole in the casework for a little Philips screwdriver - as some decks have.

Not really given it much thought, but now you mention it, is this what you are referring to?

 

[Gray]

Not really given it much thought, but now you mention it, is this what you are referring to?

That's it 👍

 

[roaduck]

I`ve got one cassette deck left - a Technics RSA-Z7 remote control 3-head upstairs which is not bad but nothing like my previous discrete 3-head Nakamichi CR5, NEAL 302, and Tandberg TCD 3014.I have a WMD-6C Pro Sony Walkman but it`s in a coma - aww.
Since 1972 I`ve collected hundreds of LPs, Videos and DVD`s, 3000 cassettes,500 reel to reel tapes and 2000 CD`s I ran out of space so now I have 150 TB on 45-50 Linux redhat and raid 0,1, 6 offline servers with 3-4 million albums, ebooks , documentaries and films.No need for the cloud at all.
I recently bought a Tandberg educational mono cassette recorder for a tenner which is brilliant - it has 7 headphone sockets on it and a DIN speaker socket and it takes batts! It`s mega for voice because it was meant for teaching languages.
I even have new old stock Police C90 NEAL Police interview tapes for it - perfect for voice and acoustic guitar with a cardioid mic.
Upstairs I have a Linn Axis/Basik LVX/K9 which sounds just as good but in a different way to my bespoke upgraded Sugden CD21A CD player - dry fast bass and not bad mid from an old record player - great!
What eats it for breakfast is my Akai 4000 reel to reel , A Revox B77 and my Otari MTR-10 - 30 i/ps R-R.At -120db to -140db analogue is cleaner than digital by thousands of times and of course that is where the soul and ambiance is.Of course upto 0 db digital is cleaner. Plus I have a Nagra portable tape and a Uher portable tape - which sound amazing with a Dolby A/B/C studio NR box, JVC Super ANRS box and another DBX compander box.I have carefully stored TDK MAXG 90 metal tapes recorded on the NAK and NEAL and Tandberg with no drop-outs after 40-odd years.The calibrated cassettes peak at +8 to +10 - not too bad.
A lot of my vintage NAB reels have holographic 3D sound - even now after decades.