danj
modern primitive
I have a CD of test tones that is used by professionals audio technicians. It has tones recorded at 0db or 3dB below Dolby Reference level for cassette decks. Tones range from 20Hz to 20kHz with a 20Hz to 20kHz sweep, pink noise, white noise, and three sets of 400Hz tones at Dolby level for calibrating Dolby B.
My Pioneer CT-S88R is as perfectly calibrated for Dolby B as I can get it (I did that months ago using the tones from a Teac outboard Dolby B unit). Response at 20 Hz is down about 6 dB from that at 32 Hz. Response holds to 16 kHz, according to the meters on the deck but I hear nothing past 12K. At 12 kHz it' still at the 0db level, at 16k it's down 3 dB, at 18k down about 6dB and at 20k it's 10 down. I double checked levels with a precision multimeter and levels were within 1 dB of the deck meter readings at 1kHz and 18kHz. Close enough.
I don't know if I couldn't hear the 16k because of my speakers or the fact that I will turn 65 in a few months. I had a hearing test about 18 months ago and it was strong at 16k but that means nothing 18 months later.
I repeated the tests at -20dB and the results were similar except response at 18k was still strong and at 20k it was down about 6db. All that was expected.
The deck is a 2-head auto-reverse machine about 30 years old. It is in fine mechanical and electrical condition, the heads look like new with no visible wear patterns and it was calibrated and aligned several months ago. I thoroughly cleaned the tape path before the test and used a new (nos) Maxell XLII type 2 C60.
Pretty good results for a two-head machine. A year ago I ran the same test on a late 80s three-head Pioneer, also in good shape and using a new type II tape and got slightly better results. That was expected. I was able to get a more accurate Dolby B calibration on my current Pioneer than on the three-head machine (which I sold to a friend).
All-in-all a good way to spend an hour and a confirmation that one can get excellent performance from a two-head reversing deck. Factory specs (+ or - 3dB) for type II tape is 35Hz - 16kHz at -20db and we easily met that. Specs for 0dB are 30Hz - 10kHz for type II. We exceeded that. Wish I had a good 2-head Nak to test. I'm sure it would exceed the Pioneer's results.
My Pioneer CT-S88R is as perfectly calibrated for Dolby B as I can get it (I did that months ago using the tones from a Teac outboard Dolby B unit). Response at 20 Hz is down about 6 dB from that at 32 Hz. Response holds to 16 kHz, according to the meters on the deck but I hear nothing past 12K. At 12 kHz it' still at the 0db level, at 16k it's down 3 dB, at 18k down about 6dB and at 20k it's 10 down. I double checked levels with a precision multimeter and levels were within 1 dB of the deck meter readings at 1kHz and 18kHz. Close enough.
I don't know if I couldn't hear the 16k because of my speakers or the fact that I will turn 65 in a few months. I had a hearing test about 18 months ago and it was strong at 16k but that means nothing 18 months later.
I repeated the tests at -20dB and the results were similar except response at 18k was still strong and at 20k it was down about 6db. All that was expected.
The deck is a 2-head auto-reverse machine about 30 years old. It is in fine mechanical and electrical condition, the heads look like new with no visible wear patterns and it was calibrated and aligned several months ago. I thoroughly cleaned the tape path before the test and used a new (nos) Maxell XLII type 2 C60.
Pretty good results for a two-head machine. A year ago I ran the same test on a late 80s three-head Pioneer, also in good shape and using a new type II tape and got slightly better results. That was expected. I was able to get a more accurate Dolby B calibration on my current Pioneer than on the three-head machine (which I sold to a friend).
All-in-all a good way to spend an hour and a confirmation that one can get excellent performance from a two-head reversing deck. Factory specs (+ or - 3dB) for type II tape is 35Hz - 16kHz at -20db and we easily met that. Specs for 0dB are 30Hz - 10kHz for type II. We exceeded that. Wish I had a good 2-head Nak to test. I'm sure it would exceed the Pioneer's results.
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