Ever see a demagger? here's one.............

[vinyldavid]

I've got a Realistic one I use at home, an Ennis Han-D-Mag I use in my studio, and somewhere, buried, a Nakamichi unit with the box.

Also have 3-4 tape erasers.

 

[fortycoats]

I'm not sure I'd go that far. For those who want to know more, here is Jay McKnight's article on demagnetizing a tape recorder:

http://home.comcast.net/~mrltapes/mcknight_demag.pdf

Otto

Interesting read but a long-winded and highly scientific way of saying that there's no real answer. It even starts out with a synopsis that says "here's what we think we know". In terms of user-friendliness, I don't think anyone is willing to go that far with what they were sold as a consumer device.

If, by saying "I'm not sure I'd go that far", you meant "far" as in actual distance, i.e. 3 feet vs the 70mm mentioned in the article, then that's certainly good news, though I took "not sure I'd go that far" to mean "wouldn't say tape decks are un-user-friendly" (which they would be if all this voodoo was true and required (and by "voodoo", I don't mean to say that I think it's not required -- I simply mean to say that it appears to be a black art, which it certainly does!)).

Has anyone here who regularly uses a demagger ever actually heard the need for it beforehand? Anyone ever heard the difference afterwards? I ask those questions because I get the impression that many folks just do it as a regular routine, i.e. in preventative mode. I thought I heard the difference once but I'd done a thorough IPA cleaning at the same time so I didn't really know which did what.

 

[fortycoats]

I should also say that, as mentioned previously, I was unable to hear any difference in a recording by touching my TEAC E-3 demagger directly to the surface of the tape. I also found that it wouldn't even exert the slightest pull on a tiny screw on a very low-friction surface so, despite the fact that it hums when turned on, I'm really not sure it even works.

 

[ofajen]

Interesting read but a long-winded and highly scientific way of saying that there's no real answer. It even starts out with a synopsis that says "here's what we think we know". In terms of user-friendliness, I don't think anyone is willing to go that far with what they were sold as a consumer device.

Sorry, I probably shouldn't have cited Jay's article here. He wasn't writing for a consumer audience. And when I say tape machines aren't among the most user-unfriendly devices, I'm thinking, like Jay, of pro machines and experienced operators who have all the needed tools on hand and experience with the machines they use and maintain.

Otto

 

[pe9ghz]

I should also say that, as mentioned previously, I was unable to hear any difference in a recording by touching my TEAC E-3 demagger directly to the surface of the tape. I also found that it wouldn't even exert the slightest pull on a tiny screw on a very low-friction surface so, despite the fact that it hums when turned on, I'm really not sure it even works.

As a demagger works with AC, a constantly changing / inverting magnetic field is used with an average of zero.
So, there's no pull effectively, maybe just some vibrating force can be expected.

 

[jlb2]

Has anyone here who regularly uses a demagger ever actually heard the need for it beforehand? Anyone ever heard the difference afterwards?

I have, several times. Magnetization is not systematic but I've seen it, on pro and consumer decks alike - why would they follow different physical rules anyway?

I should also say that, as mentioned previously, I was unable to hear any difference in a recording by touching my TEAC E-3 demagger directly to the surface of the tape. I also found that it wouldn't even exert the slightest pull on a tiny screw on a very low-friction surface so, despite the fact that it hums when turned on, I'm really not sure it even works.

I have no experience with a Teac E3, but I know because I tried it that a Han-D-mag is perfectly able to erase a tape. It also shakes pretty well the head shield of a Revox and exerts some serious force when it comes close to metallic parts, including the heads.

Interesting read but a long-winded and highly scientific way of saying that there's no real answer. It even starts out with a synopsis that says "here's what we think we know".

I wonder if we have read the same article What McKnight says in fairly plain terms is that there is no clear explanation of what causes magnetization but that it does not matter since he has found experimentally that magnetization does exist and does cause harm that can be measured, and some considerations on how to demagnetize and make sure the demagnetizer will not cause harm. The absence of identified cause does not mean that the magnetization itself is not proven, actually he says the exact opposite.

 

[melofelo]

the cassette types are perfectly fine to use with servo assisted transport mechanisms.
I've uses the Maxell HE-44 since the 80s with several cassette decks , walkmans and in car cassette units and it works perfectly.
You simply have to ensure that you set the recording levels and any output levels to zero and make sure the amplifier is preferably switched off, or kept at zero volume with the input source set to anything except cassette before you engage the play button.

 

[c1ferrari]

Have to say though, if you do demag, you should probably make it one of your private routines just like performing ablutions. I mean, if you're trying to impress your friends with your system, you don't want them to catch you approaching your tape deck from 3 feet with the stealth of a mountain lion while waving some sort of magic wand in a circular motion!!!

:tresbon: Excellent visual :drunk: