Best Cassette Recorder? Hidden Gems?

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I have three options,
OK. The Nr. 1 problem with cassette decks is the mechanism.
Actually, mechanisms came from a small group of manufacturers, so I would recommand you stick to one type of mechanism, so you can replace them when needed. I would settle for the big names, like Technics, Sony, Denon...not the obscure distributor brands.
 
OK. The Nr. 1 problem with cassette decks is the mechanism.
Actually, mechanisms came from a small group of manufacturers, so I would recommand you stick to one type of mechanism, so you can replace them when needed. I would settle for the big names, like Technics, Sony, Denon...not the obscure distributor brands.
Thanks abbey, that helps a lot.

These days I'll go over the archives of folders of downloaded material and look for the one on how cassette decks work and refresh that knowledge, I know I read and studied that subject if you may call it so, and will take it from there. Thanks again.

Any other recommendation or suggestion is deeply welcomed and useful.
 
So bottom line seems to be you have access to plenty of ready mastered tracks and all you need to do is to transfer them to cassette. The one problem I see with doing this using a regular cassette recorder is that you will have to do it in real time. So every 40 minute album is going to take you 40 minutes to create.

Cheers

Ian
 
If you're so strong into Cassettes then you should buy a Nakamichi Dragon,
that's considered the best cassette deck ever made

So bottom line seems to be you have access to plenty of ready mastered tracks and all you need to do is to transfer them to cassette. The one problem I see with doing this using a regular cassette recorder is that you will have to do it in real time. So every 40 minute album is going to take you 40 minutes to create.

Cheers

Ian
lol, yeah, that's true, 40 minutes or so per cassette. I have a vast vast catalogue of tracks that I'm waiting to finish up mixing and they are ready to go to Mastering. I can't Master. Back fifteen years ago I used to be able to provide a decent Master, but my personal school of thought shifted towards or rather stayed in the Philosophy that people who do Masters only Master and people who Mix only Mix. Mostly was like that until the late 90's or so as per rule, as you surely know. Everybody thinks different, I don't mind people who Mix and Master. For me it's a whole different discipline.

I can Mix and record on any environment. Meaning open space, untreated room, etc, once I get accustomed to it, maybe even a couple of hours would do, and deliver a good Mix, but it's not the best scenario, but I can do it. But when attempting Mastering I can't even match volumes for a "internet mixtape" type of release without screwing up and making everything sound harsh. I don't like the sound of Ozone so I do it "manually" with other plugins, using volume reference plugins and so on. And I need to get good speakers and sound treatment if not I go crazy due to the acoustics of my room.

I have used professional studios, so yeah, it actually makes me go crazy, trying to fix the sound when it's impossible in those conditions, looking to fix frequencies that are actually rebounds and so on. So I left all my mixes at 90% done or so. And at the same time I know I can't deliver a sub-product. Patience, patience.

At the beginning I'm only making runs of 12 cassettes or so. I can handle that work. Mostly preorder. Then make 3 or 4 to take to the stores for show and if they like them they can order how many they like. If a music fare or something where I can put a stand comes up I'll figure out how many I'll bring. That's no problem.

I was looking into duplicators long ago thinking ahead in case if I needed them down the road. I've seen duplicators with 6 recorders with a Master In source in good conditions selling in a dedicated tape/cassette online store go for 1,600 bucks or so. As the cassette business grows I'll grow along with it. Don't want to get ahead of myself. I have a bunch of friends that I'm sure will get a kick out of making a song, a single, for a compilation.

Probably will do a special run with full body printings from this site, check it out:

https://www.duplication.ca/quotes/ca/en/cassette-packages.php
There's much to do, and lots of ways of doing it. Just need a little time.

I mean, really all I need if I really wanted to start right away is to get a Sony deck for 300 bucks from an online store and I'm on. But I want and need to spend intelligently, smartly, diligently.

👍
 
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So bottom line seems to be you have access to plenty of ready mastered tracks and all you need to do is to transfer them to cassette. The one problem I see with doing this using a regular cassette recorder is that you will have to do it in real time. So every 40 minute album is going to take you 40 minutes to create.
That's how high-quality (cough) cassettes were duplicated. One reel-to-reel master machine distributed to banks of single-speed recorders, when ordinary cassettes were made on high-speed (16x up to 64x) duplicators.
 
Nakamichi Dragon -- wow, several of them still around in Japan. So should someone need something... but be warned, even spare parts don't go under two, mostly three digits.

[Half joking, how about offering downloads that sound like coming from cassette tape ?? Then buyers can copy to their own tapes, you know, copy of copy of copy of... just like the real thing back then ;) No, I am really just joking. I admire your commitment. Good luck and sounds like you'll have a lot of fun !]
 
Nakamichi Dragon -- wow, several of them still around in Japan. So should someone need something... but be warned, even spare parts don't go under two, mostly three digits.

[Half joking, how about offering downloads that sound like coming from cassette tape ?? Then buyers can copy to their own tapes, you know, copy of copy of copy of... just like the real thing back then ;) No, I am really just joking. I admire your commitment. Good luck and sounds like you'll have a lot of fun !]
Thanks Script! 😃

Actually that idea, recording DAW to cassette and then back to digital is a good one, if you pull it off, or have the proper tools to do it. I tried it myself. With a 90's tower home stereo type but couldn't find zero level of the deck, meaning clipping level of the DAW coming from the deck without overdriving it, and thus pushing the eq's of the deck, and things went south, fast.

Sometimes I sample on a VHS and then back to the DAW. No idea of the levels, I just take my time, and ear-ball it.

Yes, I like and have fun while doing what I like. Sometimes gets very intense or tedious, but it's all part of the job.
 
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Teac C3 might be a good option. I think the bigger limitation is that any reasonable duplication is going to need a whole boatload of decks!
 
... overdriving it, and thus pushing the eq's of the deck, and things went south, fast.
Isn't that what cassette had been all about ? Everything in the red, punching holes... Well, for some of the people I know it sure was ;)
 
There are some obvious mistakes in the article, but the gist is that cassettes are making a comeback:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/trav...-they-are-flying-off-factory-floor-180979417/

But it's just not a competently written article is it ?
tbh the editor/sub-editor who let this make it to publication should be pulled up on it.
Consider these gems:

"Because tapes pick up everything in the room during the recording process, the sound can have a bit of a hiss."

"But in a digital recording, there are no harmonics. You’re listening to the dominant frequency at each millisecond.”
 
Not to throw in a veer but I read in the newspaper that vinyl was on track to log $1B sales. So obsolete technology can come back at least as a huge niche market.

JR
 
Not to throw in a veer but I read in the newspaper that vinyl was on track to log $1B sales. So obsolete technology can come back at least as a huge niche market.

JR

Yeah - vinyl is pretty much loved. People love the 'sound' and the 12" square LP format for artwork. You just can't get the same physical impact on the artwork with a CD and definitely not a cassette. Gatefold Cassette anyone ? And the quality vinyl that is being put out now is in a different league to the flimsy nonsense that was being sold when CDs were taking over.
The remaining record stores where I live are focussed on it now as CD sales decline and vinyl is rather £££s.
Hardly anyone really loves cassettes for the music though. Shed oxide and strewn tape from jammed car players...
Some great imagery around it though - "Ghettoblasters" etc and from my own town:
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Right I'm off to power up a MiniDisc 😊
 
I’ve seen a number of cassette duplicators go by on shopgoodwill some Sony decent ones.
my friends at WGNS release a number of punk albums on cassette only in the 1980s. I still have tapes and decks!
 
If you're so strong into Cassettes then you should buy a Nakamichi Dragon,
that's considered the best cassette deck ever made

True afaik. I had a colleague some years ago who was mad keen to get one. I suggested that he should probably prioritise paying off debts !
But can you get spare parts ?
 
lol, yeah, that's true, 40 minutes or so per cassette. I have a vast vast catalogue of tracks that I'm waiting to finish up mixing and they are ready to go to Mastering. I can't Master. Back fifteen years ago I used to be able to provide a decent Master, but my personal school of thought shifted towards or rather stayed in the Philosophy that people who do Masters only Master and people who Mix only Mix. Mostly was like that until the late 90's or so as per rule, as you surely know. Everybody thinks different, I don't mind people who Mix and Master. For me it's a whole different discipline.
major snippage
I mean, really all I need if I really wanted to start right away is to get a Sony deck for 300 bucks from an online store and I'm on. But I want and need to spend intelligently, smartly, diligently.

👍
I would recommend the Technics RS-B565 I have one myself and it sounds great and is very reliable. Should be available on eBay. Here is a basic spec:

Technics RS-B565 Stereo Cassette Deck Manual | HiFi Engine

Cheers

Ian
 
Marantz, Nakamichi, Tascam 122 etc. are all good decks but if you're looking for something $100 or less, Goodwill might be a good option for you. Old Japanese hifi decks are usually well made. There are even some solid ONKYO hifi decks that are chock full of Nichicon audio grade capacitors that can be found very, VERY cheap... some were made in China but with good components and others in Japan.
 

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