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Analog Audio Tape (metal) vs Digital Audio Tape (DAT)

Discussion in 'Cassettes' started by djeditkut, Jan 9, 2017.

  1. djeditkut

    djeditkut New Member

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    retro likes this.
  2. cmarti

    cmarti New Member

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    I kind of like the brighter sound of the cassette versus the DAT
     
  3. mankamaz

    mankamaz Administrator Staff Member

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    Very interesting article, but I think that would have been better to source the tape from a 3 head deck, it would be more equal with two contents of the same "weight"...
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2017
  4. walkman archive

    walkman archive Administrator Staff Member

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    Thanks for that nice article.
    I agree with Mankamaz that recording such a great tape in a boobmbox doesn't do justice at all. That kind of tape deserves a very good 3-head deck to unveil its full potential.:music:
    Also, using a digital file as source makes the comparison a bit biased towards digital. Using a good vinyl in an excellent turntable for the cassette and the digital source (of the same album) for the DAT would be a fair comparison in my opinion.
    Anyway, thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:
     
  5. CDV

    CDV Well-Known Member

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    The best pre-recorded cassettes have been made from a digital master. The technology arrived by the end of 1980s, while chrome and cobalt-doped tape were out by the end of 1990s when the industry started to collapse, so there was a decade from late 1980s to mid-late 1990s when the cassettes sounded best: great tape, decent shells, HX Pro, Dolby NR, digital master.

    I've researched a bit on the topic and made a video. I figured I post it here. Someone just started the thread and left, so I think it can be revived and reused :)

     
  6. Valentin

    Valentin Well-Known Member

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    You are right CDV ! I think the best comparison would be recording the same track from a good digital source (good DAC or Digital Audio Player combined with a lossless format) on both DAT and a metal tape.

    But there are some things that must be taken into account: many cassette recorders and decks do not have extremely low noise amplifiers inside them.
    DAT on the other hand, being completely noise-free as far as the recording itself goes (in the sense that tape noise will not affect the digital recording in any way in terms of SNR) uses much better amplfiers.

    Given that I have DAT recorders in my collection I can say that in my opinion even a DAT walkman (like a TCD-D7/TCD-D8) can outperform most decks playing a metal tape. DAT cartridges also use metal tape as a matter of fact.

    The analog recording has 3 inherent key problems in my opinion:

    - low signal-to-noise ratio: this can be improved by using noise reduction systems, to the point that using a metal tape with Dolby S or dbx can get the SNR close to a CD or DAT.
    The downside is that the very good noise reduction systems like Dolby S or dbx are only available on a handful of decks and recorders. Even Dolby C is pretty rare on walkmans for example.
    Not to mention that the Dolby levels must be ajusted perfectly for these systems to work as they should.

    - wow and flutter: also inherent to the fact that the analog signal is recorded as-is on the tape and mechanical fluctuations of the tape speed will inevitably distort the signal.
    As opposed to digital when distorsion in the digital signal can only cause errors, which are easily corrected by the Reed-Solomon error-correction system.
    Good decks and players can achieve values of 0.05% WRMS or lower, but keep in mind that this problem is non-existent in any digital format.

    - distorsion: Given the tape magnetic properties are non-linear and the tape-head contact is not perfect, distorsions will be higher than any digital format.
    Given this, amplifiers in most cassette players/recorders do not have the highest specs.

    I appreciate analog cassettes for what they are, I think it's an amazing technology considering its inherent downsides, but I also need to mention that DAT just sounds perfect (no noise, no distorsion, no wow & flutter).
    I also do not agree to the idea that analog has more warmth to it, that being a purely subjective view (it all comes down to the imperfections mentioned earlier that some people like).

    I listen to both formats and appreciate each one for what it is, that's why I think the 2 shouldn't even be compared.
     
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2021

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