Top 10 holy grail cassette decks?
- Thread starter kevinmasters
- Start date
Karl vd Berg
Super Member
That's only to illustrate how engineers could do if Philips had made a wider cassette shell with the possibility to accommodate better 2, 3 or, who knows, 4 heads... :scratch2:
Now, another kind of holy grail, even HOLIER...
Sweet as HELL!!
Now, another kind of holy grail, even HOLIER...
Sweet as HELL!!
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guiller
Toscaninichus Australis
Can you spot something related to this thread on the photo?
It is from the National Audio Show 2012 in the UK. We were using a cassette deck as the second source in that system. No one coming to the room did realise that it was a cassette deck playing when we had it on. No noise reduction, 3.75 ips, about 70dBA dynamic range.
Cheers
Alex
Hi Alex,
Is that a Tascam 122 deck?
PS: wonderful TTs!
Alex Nikitin
Active Member
It is the Tascam 122mkIII-M9. Modified by me to run at 3.75 IPS and without Dolby. Records 20Hz-27kHz at 0dB DIN with Metal cassettes and 20Hz-22kHz at 0dB DIN with a good Type II Pseudo-Chrome. No R2R at 7.5 IPS can compete, only at 15 IPS.
Cheers
Alex
Karl vd Berg
Super Member
Karl vd Berg
Super Member
I'll buy a decent 3-head deck and will modify it to run at a faster speed...
Just for the joy... :yes:
BTW, Alex, where did you modify it to run at that speed?
Just for the joy... :yes:
BTW, Alex, where did you modify it to run at that speed?
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captaingamez
Well-Known Member
I love that tape deck, and that picture.
I have a hard time believing that NO 7.5 ips reel can beat it., were still talking double the tape realestate in two directions width and speed (length)
I believe that almost all 7.5 inch decks it probably does run circles around, but I probably wouldnt pit it against my Akai 747.
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Alex Nikitin
Active Member
It is not easy to modify a deck to work properly at 3.75 IPS.
And to the question of "where" the answer is - in London, in my home lab
. I've made only four of these decks so far, three are still in London and one is in the US.Cheers
Alex
Karl vd Berg
Super Member
Now, that's a respectable R2R! One of the very few I wish to have (with or withou the dbx feature) along the Sony TC-880...
captaingamez
Well-Known Member
you want the one without the DBX, the VU voltages are higher on the non DBX and the DBX model cant be biased for newer tapes apparently.
How on earth did you conclude that NO open reel deck used at 7.5ips can't compete with your DIY cassette deck?
Did you listen to all the thousands of open reel decks able to run at this speed?
Alex Nikitin
Active Member
1) You don't have to listen to all these thousands, only to some which considered among the best and I did.
2) Pure physics - no R2R at 7.5 IPS can record 27kHz at 0dB level.
3) I don't do DIY. I design, make and sell professional quality electronics.
Cheers
Alex
But without equipment of high quality and matched to each other and put into a greatly trimmed listening room, you won't be able to hear difference anyway.
I have heard cassette decks with double speed, I have heard El-Cassette and I have heard many a open reel deck at all speeds.
I am absolutely convinced that several of my open reel decks will eat that DIY cassette deck for breakfast.
;-)
Alex Nikitin
Active Member
In that case you should avoid listening to that modified Tascam. You may lose your faith in open reel decks.... I may say that I am not unfamiliar with a high quality audio equipment. I design it, among other things
.Cheers
Alex
In that case you should avoid listening to that modified Tascam. You may lose your faith in open reel decks.... I may say that I am not unfamiliar with a high quality audio equipment. I design it, among other things
Cheers
Alex
Keep your faith Alex.
I have lots of "Audio Designers" of high end gear among my friends and people I frequently attend.
A lot of these also have rather huge international succes.
Their gear didn't make me change a single detail in my setup.
As someone already wisely stated: There is only ONE holy grail.
kevinmasters
Well-Known Member
Has this reached "sticky status" mods?
captaingamez
Well-Known Member
maybe
the stickies in the tape section have much to be desired though, i mean one of them is totally about bigeriks 682zx, now that doesnt deserve sticky status, but hey neither does my 747.
I think any 7.5 Reel to reel could easily compete with the tascam alex designed, if alex designed the reel to reel...
have you ever considered modding a reel alex? what kind of frequency response do you think you could achieve at 7.5ips after modding it?
im talking 1/4 track of course.
the stickies in the tape section have much to be desired though, i mean one of them is totally about bigeriks 682zx, now that doesnt deserve sticky status, but hey neither does my 747.
I think any 7.5 Reel to reel could easily compete with the tascam alex designed, if alex designed the reel to reel...
have you ever considered modding a reel alex? what kind of frequency response do you think you could achieve at 7.5ips after modding it?
im talking 1/4 track of course.
Alex Nikitin
Active Member
As someone already wisely stated: There is only ONE holy grail.
Yes. And I make it - for cassette decks, that is
.Cheers
Alex
Alex Nikitin
Active Member
Unfortunately, not possible. I did quite a lot of work on R2Rs - since about 1980s. Problem is not in the electronics or parts, it is in the physics. R2R tape magnetic layer is too thick for 7.5 IPS so the tape overloads pretty quickly at HF. Actually a good Metal tape at least equals a R2R at 7.5 IPS in this respect even at 1.875 IPS (4.76 cm/s). A dynamic biasing (i.e. "HX-Pro") may help to a degree. For quality R2R tapes 15 IPS is actually the optimum speed, for a cassette 3.75 IPS is the optimum, at 1.875 IPS it struggles.
Cheers
Alex
Yes. And I make it - for cassette decks, that is
Cheers
Alex
You're a funny guy.
As you state you build (DIY) the holy grail of cassette decks, I have to tell you man, I define the holy grail of cassette decks.