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Ebay Head Scratcher: Spontaneous Tape Erasure?

D

Des_Lab

Active Member
Banned
Check out #220096842155.

It's for a used roll of XLII "EE" tape. Then be sure to read the whole description.

In reading the first paragraph, it sounds like the guy knows what he is talking about and the item is almost home free vís-a-vís seller credibility.

But then read the second paragraph and all of that takes an abrupt turn. Especially the sentence that says: Over a period of years the signal deteriorates and is eventually gone forever. After recording, all tapes lose signal.

So if I am to understand this guy correctly, I can let an archive tape sit for an undisclosed number of years, never playing or recording it. Then one day comes along and the tape will be totally blank????

Even if that was true, talk about an endorsment for NOT buying the product being offered for sale.

Then there's the whole "please check your deck for EE switch....from the late 1990's on.

Geez I only WISH that were even possible. The last deck to feature EE was the Teac X-2000R of which production ceased in early 1994. More like the MID 1990's to me. As it is, most decks from the mid 1980's on did, in fact have EE capability.
 
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So if I am to understand this guy correctly, I can let an archive tape sit for an undisclosed number of years, never playing or recording it. Then one day comes along and the tape will be totally blank????
Click to expand...
I have a 50-year-old tape of Frank Sinatra that sounds incredible. Tell this eBay vendor he's full of baloney.

Edit: I just went and read it. He's not saying all of the signal disappears, let alone spontaneously, but only a little of it. It will never be half gone, let alone all gone. I expect it's related to print-through, where the rate of change drops off very quickly as the recording gets older, so for example the difference between 10 years and 20 is negligible.
 
I am not sure why you would talk your product up in one paragraph then bash it in another. :scratch2:

If properly stored the recording should last as long as the tape lasts. :yes:
 
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