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Cheap mixtape challenge

Discussion in 'Cassettes & Mixtape exchange' started by walkman archive, Nov 6, 2017.

  1. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    Hi fellows!

    Thinking about mixtapes, I thought we can start some sort of challenge for using a very cheap cassette to try making decent recordings. I got this idea inspired by a similar challenge that Nando made at Tapeheads forums.

    I mean: many of us know that there are excellent tapes out there: TDK SA, SONY UX, Maxell XLII (chrome) and even better ones.
    Using a decent 3-head deck it's not hard to make very good recordings, and I have experienced myself by listening to all mixtapes I've received in the last months that came from Europe and outside it that they sound really well.
    But... what about making a good mixtape using a very cheap tape?

    You can use whatever tape you want, except any TDK, SONY, MAxell or any similar well known brand that uses licensed tapes. Also pirated tapes are excluded because of their crappy quality that can leave wear on the head easily.
    Brands like PDM, Raks, Scotch, Supertape... are welcomed... what do you think?
     
  2. Strangelove

    Strangelove Member

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    I have a bunch of older, cheap ferrics from BASF, do they count? :D
     
  3. Chris

    Chris Active Member

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    I've been using Maxell UR90s recently, very cheap but sound pretty good.
     
  4. Elite-ist

    Elite-ist Well-Known Member

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    Both Challenges were fun to do. Miles and I chose Memorex cassettes for both Challenges. The first Challenge was using a ferric tape and the second Challenge was using a Type II tape.

    Here is the tape I used for the first Memorex Challenge:

    [​IMG]

    Nando.
     
  5. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    Can you post a photo of it? BASF tapes, although not as popular as TDK or SONY were very good, specially in terms of particle density and homogeneity...

    Yup, Maxell UR were decent tapes, very similar to TDK D in terms of performance.

    Thanks for the clarification, Nando. I'm just trying to bring here some of the fun you got with that challenge at TH :thumbsup:

    Beautiful photo, Miles.
    I've search over my review repository to find what quality those Memorex tapes had, just for curiosity.
     
  6. Strangelove

    Strangelove Member

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    I should take a look then. But I'm pretty sure they're actually all from the chromdioxid/chromdioxid II line so maybe not as cheap as I initially thought.
     
  7. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    I have a cheap RAKS tape here... I'll start to make my tracklist. I think it will be 80s pop/rock
     
  8. Chris

    Chris Active Member

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    I'd love to see the track list
     
  9. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    I still have to find it; it's not where I thought it should be so a bit of digging through all the cassette boxes it needed...
     
  10. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    Ok, I found some cheap tapes; all already used and one sealed: RAKS, LG, Memorex...
    In fact I guess any simple TDK D or SONY HF could serve as well and will be a better choice for our aged (deck) heads. In fact, if I use anything below the big brands, I think I won't be putting them inside my decks; instead I'll use the Marantz PMD-430.

    As the noise will be high, I think it won't be a bad idea to use some noise reduction...

    Anyone ready to go?
     
  11. Elite-ist

    Elite-ist Well-Known Member

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    It won't be right away, Hugo. I am sorting through some albums to select my tracks for the 12" Vinyl Singles Mix Tape project, I am going to record for you and Shaun. And I plan to use a nice NOS cassette tape for that recording.

    Nando.
     
  12. T-ster

    T-ster Moderator Staff Member S2G Supporter

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    I am in, i have my TCD5 back from Sergei :)
     
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  13. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    I'm not in a hurry, Nando, take your time. Good things take some time :thumbsup:
     
  14. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    Great T-ster. Have you done any test with your D5? Is it a ProII or D5M? I guess D5M.
    If well serviced (and I'm sure it is) it performs admirably, specially for such a small deck. Not very different from full-size decks.
     
  15. T-ster

    T-ster Moderator Staff Member S2G Supporter

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    Its a D5M Hugo, and it performs very well i think. I have so many boomboxes that i do not have room for a full hifi so this is a good space saving alternative. I have made a few tapes so far and have been very happy with the results. I will let you audiophiles be the judges though :)
     
  16. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    The D5M is a great machine! I love it. It has the closest sound to a good high-end deck.
    Don't worry I won't be judging; it's not a competition :wink2
    I enjoyed each and every one of the mixtapes I received so much. Really. And I still keep them close to have a listen often.

    The D5M is, however, a special machine. I guess it is internally calibrated to the standards before IEC and thus a tape recorded on it will sound a bit bright in more modern machines, but it's not a problem for me as I have also a D5M so I'll be playing on it for sure.
    Also recordings done in modern decks will sound a bit dark in the D5M, but their own recordings will sound perfectly!

    I'll go for some 80s pop/rock, probably 100% vinyl. Is it fine for you?
     
  17. T-ster

    T-ster Moderator Staff Member S2G Supporter

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    Sounds great for me, I will probably go for some 80's electro :)
     
  18. autoreverser

    autoreverser Well-Known Member

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    i still have hundreds of Maxell SQ:

    image.jpg

    all new and in triple-packs/sealed. p.m. me if you want some, tell me the amount...
     

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