Went a Little Tape Crazy...

[shoggoth80]

Ok, so... this happened. Lol.
I'm not a big cassette collector, but I have found some pretty neat stuff (in my opinion) lately. Between a couple cassette distributors and bandcamp, I've managed to get like 10 new cassettes in the past week or so. Many of them are very limited releases, typically under 300 copies, some as low as 100. Pretty much all of it falling into the metal spectrum.

I notice I tend to binge buy. I'll spend some money and grab a stack of cassettes, CDs, or records... then spend time listening... then wait a while... wash, rinse, repeat. Lol.

My current tape deck is a Yamaha Natural Sound K30. It's a dual cassette deck. 3 kinds of noise cancellation. I like it. It was a cheap grab a few years ago now. In fact my system hasn't really changed in a few years now for that matter. Wondering if it is worth the effort to maybe find a nicer/higher end cassette deck? I know that it won't have the same fidelity as an LP, or a CD with good DAC... but I've gotten really good sound out of my rig.

A. I think I am compulsive. Does anyone else binge collect? Lol.
B. Thoughts on upgrades? Worth the effort? I know there are some well regarded tape decks out there.
C. Anyone else enjoy the fact that there are still new releases put out on cassette? Or is this a seriously fringe section of the audio hobby? I never gave it much thought.

 

[fortycoats]

A: Yes
B : Not sure -- sometimes, if you like what you're hearing, a "better" deck might just ruin it (by showing up more of what's wrong with it)!
C: Yes, it's a passing trend on the fringe.

 

[shoggoth80]

Well, in regards to C. I listen to a lot of different music; that includes varying flavors of underground/extreme metal. There are cassette only labels/distros within that umbrella. Some of it is really good. Also, some of it is only available on cassette. Stuff like this is the primary reason why I included a tape deck in my stereo set up. In instances like bandcamp, I'm able to get a limited edition cassette, which includes the digital download (which I grab in FLAC)...despite having a bit of everything in most formats (vinyl, cassette, CD, and digital)...I am still a sucker for hard copy.

 

[MetalFisher]

A. Does anyone else binge collect?

I have a few things I tend to binge collect. MY problem is that later I ask myself, "Why did I buy so many (whatevers)?" I think that is why I own three sony walkmans and three Pioneer decks. All work excellent.

B. Thoughts on upgrades? Worth the effort? I know there are some well regarded tape decks out there.

If the decks you have are working well and sound good, maybe stick with them. Seems if a deck has any problems, it may not show up right away but sooner or later rears it's head. Kenwood is the worst. OH gyod do not get me started about Kenwood. :thumbsdn:

C. Anyone else enjoy the fact that there are still new releases put out on cassette? Or is this a seriously fringe section of the audio hobby? I never gave it much thought.

Aside the rare find at a thrift store where a tape is still factory sealed, Where the hell do you find brand new ones? Even the ones at the thrift store usually SUCK unless you are into christmas music, Barbara Streisand, musical tributes to Ryan White, or some fat lady singing churchy music. BARF CITY!

Well that's it.

 

[shoggoth80]

I get tapes from a few different places. All online. Wohrt records, Hell's Headbangers, No Visible Scars, Werewolf all have new cassettes.

 

[TheNLOwner]

Yep, I'm a sucker for new releases as well. I am befriended with Jed Shepherd, who runs POST/POP records. He releases new tapes there, and even occasional vinyl records! He also hosts his own show (The Jed Shepherd Show), every Sunday 4-6PM London Time, where he plays most of the music he will release on tape, and just some music he likes.

 

[jhtstone]

Binge collector? On audiokarma? Noooooo!

While not currently running cassettes, I am buying vcr tapes by the box load. They are out of favor and cheap. Looks interesting? Throw it in the box. Same with albums. And, I have picked up a few more cassettes lately. And a player. And my car uses cassettes. Hmmm. :scratch2:

 

[shoggoth80]

Lol.

 

[jbl64]

Tape addict

Not sure if it is a addiction or a passion? I wanna say both. I found today about 1/2 hour ago these 16 sealed TDK-90 normal bias at my local Goodwill for $3.99 for the pack of 16. I have close to 300 sealed various brands. Most are normal bias and maybe 100 high bias tapes. Still playing and recording on my Denon DR-M-10HR cassette deck that i bought new back in 1989. I feel i need more and more. I'm already looking into another bookshelf.







QUOTE=shoggoth80;7973556]Ok, so... this happened. Lol.
I'm not a big cassette collector, but I have found some pretty neat stuff (in my opinion) lately. Between a couple cassette distributors and bandcamp, I've managed to get like 10 new cassettes in the past week or so. Many of them are very limited releases, typically under 300 copies, some as low as 100. Pretty much all of it falling into the metal spectrum.

I notice I tend to binge buy. I'll spend some money and grab a stack of cassettes, CDs, or records... then spend time listening... then wait a while... wash, rinse, repeat. Lol.

My current tape deck is a Yamaha Natural Sound K30. It's a dual cassette deck. 3 kinds of noise cancellation. I like it. It was a cheap grab a few years ago now. In fact my system hasn't really changed in a few years now for that matter. Wondering if it is worth the effort to maybe find a nicer/higher end cassette deck? I know that it won't have the same fidelity as an LP, or a CD with good DAC... but I've gotten really good sound out of my rig.

A. I think I am compulsive. Does anyone else binge collect? Lol.
B. Thoughts on upgrades? Worth the effort? I know there are some well regarded tape decks out there.
C. Anyone else enjoy the fact that there are still new releases put out on cassette? Or is this a seriously fringe section of the audio hobby? I never gave it much thought.[/QUOTE]

 

[hamsterdam]

The Broken Music Business Model

Well, in regards to C. I listen to a lot of different music; that includes varying flavors of underground/extreme metal. There are cassette only labels/distros within that umbrella. Some of it is really good. Also, some of it is only available on cassette. Stuff like this is the primary reason why I included a tape deck in my stereo set up. In instances like bandcamp, I'm able to get a limited edition cassette, which includes the digital download (which I grab in FLAC)...despite having a bit of everything in most formats (vinyl, cassette, CD, and digital)...I am still a sucker for hard copy.

Currently, and probably for some time to come, the "underground" style college bands, such as R.E.M., Violent Femmes, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, Pixies and The Replacements of the 80s and early 90s, are now DIY bands without management, recording 50-100 cassettes...sometimes CDs, then recording a new cassette or CD, doing tours consisting of parties and basement shows, along interstate arteries, or following college town paths.

This is happening waaaaay more than i ever knew, and once the 100 tapes are sold, and you ask a band member if you can buy a copy— you'll likely hear, "Doug's got a copy, have him record it for you, we are making a new one now".

It is amazing how widespread it is, and even if you try, you can't keep up. This is the "New Alternative", and they release most everything on Cassette, so i bet they are hoarding as they can. Most either don't like CDs, or cant afford something like my Korg Mixer w/CD-R mastering, so cassettes are ruling the day for them. Cheap double decks also help this process. i was clueless about this movement until last year, but it explains why there hasn't been a true "musical movement" since the 90s.

The DIY aspect of music, with sites like YouTube is making it possible for several bands to make a living, but you may never hear of them. The days of the big record deal are purty much over, unless you win American Idol or some other dog & pony show.

These be the wages of digital, methinks. Thanks, Napsta!

 

[yardanimal]

old used TOTL decks even to me aint expensive. Got one works great. The tapes- I've had totally satisfying results with old quality tapes from the eightys bulk erased. Last friday at my local pysical music store I grabbed 15 tapes I thought I was gonna pay the 2 to 3 dollar price tag on the owners wife walked in and announced that all tapes are 1 buck and when I went to pay he gives them and all the dollar albs to me for free. three of them were worn out no fidelity, three were just stuff I tried and did not like. hard to go wrong if you have space for the deck and tapes and they are not to cumbersome in your mind.

 

[fortycoats]

Binge collector? On audiokarma? Noooooo!

While not currently running cassettes, I am buying vcr tapes by the box load. They are out of favor and cheap. Looks interesting? Throw it in the box. Same with albums. And, I have picked up a few more cassettes lately. And a player. And my car uses cassettes. Hmmm. :scratch2:

VCR tapes make amazingly good quality analogue recordings. OK, subject to the frequency response of FM encoding (but I know I can't hear above 16Khz anyway), but NO noise. That's due to the effective tape speed of hundreds of inches per second afforded by the rotating heads. 3/6/9 hours per tape too, depending on speed. Even the slowest speed is better (noise-wise) than any conventional tape recorder although I have noticed drop-outs on the slowest speed.

 

[Daunia 70]

I buy second-hand pre-recorded compact cassettes.. It's still a great format!
With regards to a cassette deck upgrade.. It'd be well worth the time,effort,and cost if you really enjoy the format.
I own a couple budget Yamaha decks that sound good on pre-recorded cassettes,but they're not in the same league as say a Nakamichi 681/682ZX,ZX-7,or even a Pioneer CT-F950.. You'll definitely notice a difference in SQ for the better if you decide to upgrade.. In fact,some of my pre-recorded cassettes sound better than their CD equivalents when played back on my best decks.

 

[mrdbdigital]

VCR tapes make amazingly good quality analogue recordings. OK, subject to the frequency response of FM encoding (but I know I can't hear above 16Khz anyway), but NO noise. That's due to the effective tape speed of hundreds of inches per second afforded by the rotating heads. 3/6/9 hours per tape too, depending on speed. Even the slowest speed is better (noise-wise) than any conventional tape recorder although I have noticed drop-outs on the slowest speed.

The Hi-Fi FM audio tracks on VHS are not limited to 15K response. They do not use the same modulation method as FM radio. Those are 2 different things.

Dave

 

[shoggoth80]

Still finding and buying cassettes. Lol. I have some catching up to do at this point, in regards to listening. Got ahead of myself. Then again, it's not hard to catch up with music.

 

[fortycoats]

The Hi-Fi FM audio tracks on VHS are not limited to 15K response. They do not use the same modulation method as FM radio. Those are 2 different things.

Dave

So do you know what they actually go up to then? Curious but not that it actually matters much to me since, as already mentioned, I do know I can't hear above 16. (I keep telling myself I'll figure out a test and environment that'll prove me wrong but I'm in my 40s so...)

 

[mrdbdigital]

So do you know what they actually go up to then? Curious but not that it actually matters much to me since, as already mentioned, I do know I can't hear above 16. (I keep telling myself I'll figure out a test and environment that'll prove me wrong but I'm in my 40s so...)

I don't remember the exact specs, but it's something like 20-20,000 Hz on most hi-fi decks, with s/n on the 70db area. The biggest detraction I've found with audio on the hi-fi tracks is the head switching noise on some decks. Sometimes that can be tweaked out by a good tech.

Here's possibly way more information than you wanted. It does have a section that explains VHS Hi-Fi audio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHS

Dave

 

[shoggoth80]

Got a box of a dozen new ones coming in soon. Maybe I ought to photo archive them for the hive mind...

 

[pe9ghz]

I don't remember the exact specs, but it's something like 20-20,000 Hz on most hi-fi decks, with s/n on the 70db area. The biggest detraction I've found with audio on the hi-fi tracks is the head switching noise on some decks. Sometimes that can be tweaked out by a good tech.

Dave

In the far past (90's, before I got a DAT machine) I have recorded audio on Hifi-VHS for "archiving", for the great sound and low noise, but was later disappointed when I discovererd there was a relatively high level of "line frequency" signal (15625Hz in Europe) on the audio signal.

 

[fortycoats]

I should have said that I wouldn't consider VHS to be of archival quality but I also have to say that I have read people's writings on head-switching noise and line-frequency signal but have never noticed either. Temporarily changing topics back to "normal" tape decks, nor have I ever noticed the 19 KHz FM carrier signal, meaning I can't tell the difference when using the MPX filter function on a cassette deck and, frankly, I doubt most people can. So, I don't even know what anyone is talking about on any of those three topics.

As I said, I have noticed drop-outs at the slowest speed (EP) but, then again, the medium speed (LP) still gives 6 hours on a "standard" 180 tape. In saying that I wouldn't consider it to be of archival quality, I should note that that is based on my experience of rapidly degrading video content. Since video uses much higher frequencies than audio and, since we also know that it is the higher frequencies that degrade first, it may well be that audio survives much longer on VHS even when FM-encoded. The only example I have to reference is one I recorded 3 years ago which, to my ears at least, still sounds great. I hesitate to resort to the much-used "same as the day it was recorded" claim since nobody can ever validate that anyway (in analogue land).