Nakamichi Reference Recording - James Newton Howard & Friends

Another fantastic recording on Nak Reference Recording Cassette.......

Merci

Bleusy

 

De rien
(I hope Google translate is correct with this) LOL

 

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing it! I'd never seen this and it's pure gold!

 

In my stack of oldie audio related magazines, there is an issue of High Fidelity (Aug 1975) that covers broad aspects of cassette tape use. Cover highlights "Special Tape Issue", this one is loaded with how to articles and photos for editing, splicing, rejuvenating cassette and reel tape, plus a tech review of Nakamichi's 550 portable recorder, Marantz 2325 Receiver and a bunch of other interesting reading. Lots of cassette tape adverts too. I wish we could get this issue scanned and included in the google.docs data archive like the Billboard Magazine clippings. Here's a cover page from that 'zine, check it out.....

Bleusy

 

---Mendelssohn's "Trio in D Minor No.1"... Dolbylized with 70usec (CrO2) equalization--- this is one priceless wordplay!!!


Thanks for the link!!!

 

Fantastic resource.... Thanks for posting the web links.

 

Back to the Nak Reference Recordings....

Interesting how the whole thing began, and the Sheffield Lab Studio crew did some live recordings that made it into the Reference Recording library.

Doug Sax was a phenomenal studio recording engineer, and the story of how they collaborated with Nakamichi USA to do the Reference Cassette Series is intriguing. Here's a bit of an article written by Simeon Sandiford about that time and place:

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=275

Another day, Doug Sax, the Sheffield Lab recording guru, came by with a number of open-reel master tapes under his arm. Lee Adams explained that Nakamichi had recently embarked on a joint project with a few audiophile labels "to release some of their recordings on Nakamichi real-time cassettes -- primarily for use by Nakamichi’s esteemed customers on Nakamichi cassette decks, of course!"

Adams ushered me into a production facility, where Sax spent the entire day transferring his master tapes onto cassettes, using two banks of specially tweaked ZX-9 discrete-head decks fed by a pair of two-track open-reel recorders running at 15 ips: one for side A of each cassette, the other for side B. I thought it a fabulous idea, and instantly stored it away in memory.


At the end of that hectic week of business, technology, and more business, I bade farewell to the indefatigably super-gregarious Lee Adams and his staff. I returned to Trinidad poorer by $15,000, but rich in ideas of how to use Nakamichi products to enhance the Sanch brand and expand its precarious niche.

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I have a bit more info about the illustrious and capable Doug Sax, and I'll include that in a future thread posting.....

Cheers,

Bleusy

 

Here's an in-depth background regarding Doug Sax, who engineered and mastered the original vinyl issue of James Newton Howard & Friends on the Sheffield Lab label. Believe that Mr Sax also contributed to the digital remastering versions and transposition of master tapes to Nakamichi Reference Cassette efforts.

Cheers, Bleusy


https://www.analogplanet.com/content/legendary-mastering-engineer-doug-sax-has-passed-away

 

Thanks for the link: Mikey posted that sad note in Stereophile and thats how I knew that the "golden age" is dying out! Nowadays it is not about mastering but the Loudness War which, unfortunately, was won by the Dark Side! Just read through Stereophile (April 2018) hiccup "Moby Fights the Loudness Wars" and cry...

This is one of those moments when I am glad of being old, must have listened to Pink Floyd/Nirvana/Cars/etc. one (thou) times too many and had finally settled onto Classical (and ECM jazz). Imagine Dragons boys I like, but overcompression of their CDs is unbelievable! I use them to test the output power of my resto projects, no need for test-tones, it is a flat-line at Max from the start!!!

 

I agree on changing musical preference as aging progresses, I've shifted to more bebop era jazz and classical piano albums. Of course, transferring quality music to cassette tape is part of the enjoyment, sometimes done into the wee hours for me ..... <grin>

Cheers,

 

Brilliant articles and reporting gents! Thank you!

 

Merci.....

I'm curious Oswaldo, from what I see in the vid clip you shared, you're playing the Nak Ref Cassette with your Nak 680ZX deck. What a great combo !!!

Question - Did you playback the JNH & Friends Cassette (that is noted on j-card as recorded with Dolby C ) with or without the 680ZX's standard Dolby NR? I also possess a 680ZX deck, which shows it does not have Dolby B or C NR capability.

Here's wiki primer info regarding Dolby NR:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_noise-reduction_system


For me, I always playback Nak Reference Cassettes on my 680ZX without any Dolby NR. Usually, with Nak ZX-7, ZX-9 and Dragon decks, I playback with the cassette tape designated Dolby NR.

Enjoy your cassette decks and music, my friend......

Bleus de Nakker

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Dear Bleus,

I am a bit confused. The Nakamichi I used for the JNH & Friends was my BX-300 which does indeed contain Dolby B & C - not my 680ZX. That one only sports Dolby B.

Here's the link again:


Cheers!

Oz

 

Oh, that's only my confusion, Oswaldo.....

Your other Nak Reference Cassette video with Joe Williams, was that also done with BX-300?

Silly me, I mistakenly thought of your recordings, when the 680ZX recording was another nice example:



My apologies.....

Bleusy

 

Nothing to apologize about buddy!

And yes, the Joe Williams/Nakamichi Reference Recording video was also done with my Nakamichi BX-300 because at that time I had not sent the 680X off to Willy Hermann for the overhaul. Actually, since then I have acquired the same Nakamichi/Joe Williams tape but with Dolby C encoding so theoretically that should rule a little more? Lol

I really need to upload more cassette player videos on my YouTube channel actually. I should be highlighting that 680ZX and even my JVC KD-A8 which is also a giant killer!

Cheers!

Oz