On the topic of audio cassettes listening: are you getting them pre-recorded or make them yourself? Off LPs or CDs? Which ones? Thank you for sharing!!!
I do buy alot of pre-recorded cassettes if they are/seem like high quality or are type 2, execpt for Rock and roll only on type 1. I do have alot of my dad's cassettes whic hare recorded off LPs. Alot of my own recordings are from CD's and FLAC's. Most of the time making your own recordings will sound probably better than pre-recorded ones. I hope that answers your question, Have a nice day.
Both I buy pre-recorded audio cassettes and also sometimes record songs on cassettes myself. I record cassettes in 2 different ways: 1- record from LP ( D6C to record) 2- record from my Itune tracks using Audeze DAC and D6C as my recorder
Same Here, D6C as well. Do you any tips to give to a D6C Newbie? I just plug in from my computer to the line-in using a male-to-male 3.5mm aux jack.
I use to buy pre-recorded when I was younger, but I would never buy one now. I make my own recordings from Vinyl which are far superior to any pre-recorded I own. I have far more tapes that I have made myself compared to the pre-recorded ones. I have been entering all my physical media into a database, here is a link to what I have done so far. I still have a load more to enter and I have not even got to the ones I made myself yet. If you click the link, you can also sort them by format to see what is on what format.
You have to use a DAC with laptops . If you are using a desktop then you need a good sound card to gives you line out option instead of headphone jack. The best source for a good recording is on Walkman archive site. Read it and you will learn a lot
I totally agree with BOODOKHAN: you are better off using Line-out of the Pono player than a laptop @TooCooL4 pre-recorded cassettes sounded iffy to me even before I knew what audiophilia means, for almost the same price (3 cassettes or 2 LPs) I always chose LPs. They must have been duplicated at high (double?) speed, what kind of SQ is expected? I bought a few pre-recorded cassettes recently, the ones which manage to produce music (vs. wow and flutter) do not come close to my own recordings. I use Linn Sondek into restored Nakamichi LX-3. @Command8:did you say CrO2 pre-recorded cassettes? I want to try one! Where do you buy them???
I buy pre-recorded chrome cassettes in LA. I am sure there are many places that you can find them in LA. Record surplus is close to you. I find some good cassettes Every time i go there
That is a fresh idea! Something for a new thread: When was your last visit to a Record Store... In my case - years ago. Our awesome LA traffic puts me firmly in my "sweet spot" when I have a day off Will check Record Surplus, thanks for the reminder!!
I go there almost every month. about 2 months ago i found some pre-recorded chrome tapes, some sealed 8 tracks and audio cassettes and a free sony deck. I saw the free sign on this sony deck and asked the guy whether or not the sign belongs to that deck and he told me that i can take it since doesnt work. anyway, I spent couple of hours on the deck and installed 4 belts and it works (with minimal noise when you push the play button on player side due to wrong belt, recorder is fine. So i am going to donate it to somebody who needs a cassette deck. 3 months ago they had a big basket loaded with sealed childrens audio cassettes (winnie the poo, pink panther, ..... ). The cassettes were free and i got about 10 of them So this place is fun to visit.
They seem to have a serious vinyl collection, time for a visit!... Re. tapes, as I said from the start, I am confused... I play LPs when in the mood, have no neighbors or friends with LP collections to make tape copies, pretty satisfied with Pono in balanced mode when "on the go"... So, basically, I am using Nak LX-3 to make tapes to be played on boombox when I am outside barbecuing. Do not have enough courage to stick Metal Master or UX-Pro into boombox, so recorded some PF and Steven Wilson onto them as sentimental mementos
Way better to record your own. Also use D6C out of my SA7500 Pioneer amp with turntable or my Sony 5 disc carousel player. Nothing better than new 180gm vinyl LP recorded on a TDK MA XG cassette through direct line in on the D6C. Some pre recorded cassettes were really good however. Particularly the last releases using Cobalt technology( Type II) but it's hit and miss. Lots of the rarer ones of the rock genre are not great. Collection pieces only. Often nice to keep the sleeve art and make your own cassette to go with it.
@silversurfer that was my experience as well! Could you point some Type II prerecorded cassettes off eBay: I want to buy one for my collection ;-)
Well having looked at them I can't actually see type II anywhere. This is the best of my pre recorded. It states Dolby HX Professional Cobalt Modified which I assumed is a variation on CRO2.
Hopefully that image attached OK. There are several on eBay under Body and The Beat (Polydor Australia 1984). Around $10 AUS. Nice production with the VU metre on my D6C sitting just into the red
Body and the Beat... Well, since i bought a box of "Mercury Living Presence Vol.2" (not my first or second choices in Classical, not for the feeble-minded!) I will try this one ;-)
@Command8 a bit late I realized I have a Krautrock/EM buddy here! ;-) how many TD/KS albums you've got?
Hi Jorge. Not something I'd buy for any other reason. I've got a few good Deutsche Gramephon classical ones but this Aussie one is really well recorded for some reason. I've always kept it as a collection item. Brian
And here is the offender which started this thread: Original cassette is beyond horrible, no highs, no lows, sounds as if someone played with tape speed adjustment during recording. I am not the biggest fan of pre-recorded cassettes, but I never-ever had anything this bad. So, I followed @Silverera advice and made my own recording. LP12 into LX3, no DolbyB. The result was the same! Prior to recording I fully re-winded cassette, twice, LX-3 has dual capstan so rec speed variation is unlikely.... What to do?!? @walkman archive mentioned tape oversaturation in his recording tutorial, now I know how bad it can be. It is not like amp clipping, or smudged peaks, extreme oversaturation is a constant rumble of distorted music. Especially horrible for violin! Lowering Rec. peak level to below zero fixed the problem, with bias turned 90 degrees clockwise (lowered highs) it sounds listenable, but just barely so. Where did they find such a cheap tape? It was 1983, no wonder they lost the fight to CDs
