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Commuting with cassette

jwrosenthal

jwrosenthal

Super Member
Greetings fellows,

I have decided it's time to put the i-pod away, and get back to listening to my vinyl in pure analog while I commute. For years my vinyl has been contained to the home, but the idea of "digitizing" it to take with me just seems counter-productive (plus the i-pod is about as much fun as my television remote control). I thought about using mini-disc, but I don't want to interface with a computer at all, and MD is a digital format, hence I think there would a loss of the analog experience (I want to push record, cue the record, then pop the format out and take it with me...period). I have kept my cassette collection (over 200 cassettes, half of which were recorded on XL-II's) all these years languishing in their Case-Logic boxes after my cars cassette player (1997 VW GTI) met with an untimely demise 10 years ago and was replaced with a CD player.

I am planning to get a home cassette deck to record my current vinyl for transport (foolishly gave my HK cassette deck to a friend 2 years ago thinking I would never use cassette again...HA), and I am leaning towards either the Tascam 112MkII, or the 122MkIII (I love the simplicity, reported built quality, and analog meters though I have never used one).

As for the traveling player, I have done a little research, and it seems that the last "compact" cassette players were the Sony WM-II and the MW10....almost 30 years ago!!! Everything on the market now is cheap plastic crap, and I want a very good, COMPACT cassette player to take with me to work (I have a 1 hour train commute every morning and try to pack as light as possible). The last portable cassette player I had was an Aiwa unit that I recall being rather small, but that was back in 1989. I have no desire to service the thing after I find it other than cleaning heads and a drop of oil in the right places, so a direct drive unit would be preferable (I don't want to rip the thing apart to replace a belt etc.).

First, what do people think of the 2 Tascam units as home recorders (I thought about using a Nak, but I've heard that recordings made on a Nak only sound good on a Nak due to their head gapping or something like that)

...and, what was the last generation "ultra compact", reliable cassette player on the market that actually sounded great?

James R.
 
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jwrosenthal said:
First, what do people think of the 2 Tascam units as home recorders (I thought about using a Nak, but I've heard that recordings made on a Nak only sound good on a Nak due to their head gapping or something like that)

...and, what was the last generation "ultra compact", reliable cassette player on the market that actually sounded great?

James R.
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When I first heard that theory about Naks I didn't believe it, although currently my Naks are not in use because of this. As far as Tascam goes, from working in radio, the 112R mkII or the 122R mkII or mkIII were always reliable and made great tapes. Stay away from their auto reverse decks!!! We had some of the auto reverse units (forgot the model) and those were horrible decks with tons of azimuth problems and speed issues. Any of the three head units with the VU meters are built like tanks and extremely reliable.

That said, some late 70's early 80's Technics decks have been excellent machines with fantastic performance as well as some JVC units from the same era.

As far as "ultra-compact", all the ones I can think of that were any good would now at least be 25 years old and long gone by now.
 
Never bothered to replace the radio/cassette player in my car for a radio/CD player.
Still use my Nak to tape the music I like (old vinyl, like e.g. L.A. Woman from the Doors - new CD's, like e.g. Pariah-Parrot-Delusion from Dredg)
And the music sounds great in my car.
BTW still got a seldomly used Sony WM-FX465 as portable cassetteplayer
 
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Good to hear that there is some positive experience here with the Tascams. I know they are "professional" decks, and they are constantly on auction for pennies on the dollar comapred to MSRP, but finding one that hasn't worn out in a recording studio will be the challenge.

For Portable, I think I may have found my player. The Sony WM-501 was apparently the last of their small, metal chassis tape players (c.1989), and looks like it has the basic options I want, and the slim qualities (simple anodized finish-I prefer the black-, size of a cassette case, very few buttons) ...but I haven't found any at auction, despite the fact that they were sold in such huge quantity.....does this tell me they are all in landfills at this point, or that they were so good that people aren't letting go of them?

http://www.yidio.com/vintage-sony-walkman-wm-501/id/3977735383

Anybody got a WM-501 that they can speak positively or negatively about?

James R.
 
I have both the 122 Mk II and III's and use them on a regular basis. As you I still have all my XL II's and they still sound and play great. I have a combo AM/FM, CD/Cassette player in my car (last year they came that way and a Clairion to boot) and use the tape more than the CD. I love my Tascams and use them both for listening and for recording. I have service and operating manual's for the Tascams if you go that way.
 
BobHicks said:
I have both the 122 Mk II and III's and use them on a regular basis. As you I still have all my XL II's and they still sound and play great. I have a combo AM/FM, CD/Cassette player in my car (last year they came that way and a Clairion to boot) and use the tape more than the CD. I love my Tascams and use them both for listening and for recording. I have service and operating manual's for the Tascams if you go that way.
Click to expand...

What inspired me on this was that I was several years ago, we had the stereo system upgraded in my wife's car (1991 BMW 325is). We were going to change out the entire system, but the tech asked if we ever listened to cassettes because the head-unit in the BMW's of that era were TOTL Alpine decks. As we didn't want to change the appearance of the interior of her car (the stereo blends seamlessly into the console), we had them wire the trunk mounted CD, 2 amps, sub and all new speakers retaining the stock head-unit (cost more than if we just swapped out the thing but well worth it in hindsight). Flash forward to last weekned. She was running a 10 mile race as I waited for her at the finish line. It started pouring, so I went to her car to wait out the rain. As I was bored and fishing around he glove box, I noticed she had taken my CCR's Greatest hits out of one of my tape boxes. I popped it in (not having heard a cassette in several years), and was blown away by how damn good it sounded!

And that was it....I want back in on the cassette listening, and since most of my commuting is done in public transit, I can't think of a better companion than a Walkman.

James R.
 
Instead of getting a portable cassette player, why don't you look for a used late model head unit with cassette for your car? Some of the later ones had Dolby B and Dolby C, and were able to run a CD changer as well. Some also had a built in single CD drive, but those tended to be double height chassis, not sure if that would work for you.
 
He stated he has a 1 hour train commute. For what he wants, it sounds like he needs a last generation Sony Walkman cassette. (I have and use one, and get the strangest stares, like I'm a bag person or something). They actually sound pretty good, and batteries last, though rechargeables might be in order if you find you're using it a lot. They pop up on ebay and go for pennies. I'd dub any important to you cassette recordings to Type 1 tape, rather than chance the XLII's in the Walkman, tho. Type Is are everywhere for much less than a buck a piece. Oh and the "Can't play Nakamichi recorded tapes on non-Nak decks" is a half urban myth. It totally depends on the other deck. I have no issues in any of my car cassette decks, Walkman, or other decent decks I own.
 
perryinva said:
He stated he has a 1 hour train commute. For what he wants, it sounds like he needs a last generation Sony Walkman cassette.
Click to expand...

When you say "last generation", what era does that mean? The one I researched that looked exactly like what I wanted (the WM-501), and remembered as one that I coveted back in the day but was waay too expensive for a high-school student, is from around 1989...is that the generation you're talking about? Sony still makes a "walkman" but it is a plastic piece crap. Are there certain models I should be looking for?

James R.
 
Sorry, wasn't trying to be arrogant, if it came off that way. Yes, late 80s is what I meant. They were always plastic, but I know what you mean..DECENT build, not drop once & toss build. I have a combo Sony fm/cassette one that is bright yellow, water resistant and quite shock proof. I'll get you the model # when I'm back in town. I actually still have the armband/belt attachment..what a crack up, it would drag any shorts I own right off if I tried to run with it on!
 
I listen to a lot of cassettes in the car. Too many to digitize, some of which I have in no other format. I put a new stereo in my '93 Mazda MX-6 a couple years ago after the factory tape deck died, and had to search all over to find a single DIN unit with both CD and cassette. Found a Sanyo that sounds great, appears to be the only one made. It was well worth it.
 
I listen to audio books on my car stereo when I drive around town. Audio tape is still the best format for books on tape. To my constant consternation my local public library is replacing virtually all of its books on cassette with discs or MP3's.
 
The model I have is the WM-FS495. Its a Sports Walkman with digital LCD TV/AM/FM with 5 pre-sets, clock, stop watch, AVLS (auto volume) & Megabass. Takes 2 AA's. It is auto reverse, so dual capstan, but the head does not move, it has 2 sets of play heads in a single head..something I never understood why it wasn't done that way on all auto reverse decks. Sounds quite good to me with head phones. It even has an external antenna connection! ( I assume for TV, but since analog TV is dead now, pretty useless), This and similar ones are all over ebay for $2-20 +S&H. Surprisingly, I saw a nice one with Metal/normal & Dolby B going for $20+. Though who would risk a metal tape (or even a chrome tape) in a Walkman...the tapes are worth more than the Walkmans!
 
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jwrosenthal said:
Greetings fellows,


First, what do people think of the 2 Tascam units as home recorders (I thought about using a Nak, but I've heard that recordings made on a Nak only sound good on a Nak due to their head gapping or something like that)


James R.
Click to expand...

Nakamichi used a older IEC standard for Record and Playback EQ . Some models were released as a 'B' version using the newer IEC EQ standard. For example the MR-2B and the MR-1B. These can be identifed by a white sticker on the deck and original box.
 
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actually..one of the best 'sounding' portable sony walkmans i ever heard was the early-mid 80's sony wm-22... its a bit bulky..but the transport was rock solid..and it could drive a pair of headphones to ear bleeding levels...
 
and for your commute - You'll probably like a Sony WM-F100II like mine. I still love and use it often specially the Radio:banana:

It has auto-reverse playback, Dolby B NR, direct drive ( I believe!! not sure though!) , a built in AM-FM radio, and will run for hours continuously on one "AA" battery.


DSCF2608.jpgDSCF2612.jpg
 
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I'd suggest the WM-D6 or WM-D6C. These decks (yes, I'm calling them decks) are extremely high quality; they equal the performance of most stationary decks. They were frequently used for things like on-site recordings and journalism, and are basically miniaturized versions of the TC-D5. Oh, by the way, the WM-D6C has Dolby C noise reduction :D
 
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