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Post subject: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:42 pm
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Don’t throw away your old toys yet. It appears that some are spreading the love for cassettes one tape at a time. It’s not only old tapes either. New major and minor releases are hitting the shelves and going out the door. It looks like analog has a following that is cult like. 8)
I’m good to go with two three head decks (one with dbx), and a twin Bay auto reverse double recorder. Maybe, tape will get me to put my bi-amp, eq, adjustable speed high end American Concord deck under the dash alongside my Satellite/CD/MP3 unit. Nah! I don’t think that’ll happen. :lol:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcinty ... 46122c1fd0

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:55 pm
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Thanks for the link FSB. :D

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 2:07 pm
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Cassette sales? Who would have thought that would happen again? Oddly enough, I do have a boombox that plays cassettes and also have an old school Tascam 4-track, but it needs to be repaired. The last time I tried to use it, it kept shutting off, so I don't know what's up with that thing.

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 2:50 pm
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Crazy how tape deck repairs can be difficult at times. From a rep who promised me a deal after touring amongst trade shows, I latched onto a rare direct drive Hitachi 3 head deck with a drop down control panel, 28,000 kHz +/- 3db, and a programmed playback that shuttled songs like a CD using both sides of the tape simultaneously, The tape head went and neither a generic or OE tape head could be found even by Hitachi directly. I really miss it (even more thinking today might find a tape head online). :cry:
FSB

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:32 am
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Do you remember those metal cassette tapes, whatever the hell those were suppose to be. All I remember is that Radio Shack used to have cassette players that played them, and they sold them, as well. I never bought any, because of the extra expense and all of that. Although, I would often get TDK tapes, which I actually still have some for my 4 track, that I found online. Either that, or Memorex, if I didn't have the extra cash, or was willing to spend it.

Oh, I'm sure most of you will get this cartoon. :P

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 8:31 am
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I still have cassettes, but nothing to play them on -- not that I'd bother. All my decks eventually failed mechanically. The longest-lasting one was an Akai from the mid '70s. When cassettes came out, and once Dolby was in, I was shocked that format could achieve the fidelity it did at such a slow tape speed. Open-reel at 7.5 ips killed it, but at a higher noise floor. I'd love to see open-reel come back. But I hear all the tape manufacturers are gone, at least the audio ones. Could be bs, though...

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 10:36 am
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Paul, I always found a Bic pen was a slightly better (tighter) fit.

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:21 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Paul, I always found a Bic pen was a slightly better (tighter) fit.
I’ll second that, and the odd eraser on the end of a pencil. As for those metal tapes . . . they were murder on tape heads as I tragically found out. :cry:
FSB
Long live the Elcaset :lol:

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 4:36 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Paul, I always found a Bic pen was a slightly better (tighter) fit.


Oh, definitely. Either way, that's one thing I don't miss about cassettes. :P

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 8:39 am
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PaulLF wrote:
BMW-KTM wrote:
Paul, I always found a Bic pen was a slightly better (tighter) fit.


Oh, definitely. Either way, that's one thing I don't miss about cassettes. :P
True. But, it beats splicing an 8 track and then pulling on the tape forever until it reseats itself on the spool inside the casing.

FSB

I know some are scratching their heads and going “huh?” You had to have skills to listen to recordings back then. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 10:52 am
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Who knows, maybe we'll start seeing 8-tracks making a comeback, too. :P

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:30 pm
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Well . . . broadcasting did use similar but beefed up and shorter tape cartridges for some time. I think that’s history never to return though.

Two great things about 8 tracks. There are many recordings by groups and artists that were never done in any other format. Also, for those of us in the Quad 4 channel arena, they were a great addition where you might never come across that gem of a recording elsewhere.

FSB

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 4:24 am
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I remember often finding 8 track tapes in thrift stores. For some reason, it was usually solo albums by Nils Lofgren. He must have made a bunch of those. :P My sister used to have an 8-track player back in the day, and so did my brother. One of those giant console systems that looked like furniture, that had all of the odds and ends to them, record player, stereo, etc. I think you could even plug your guitar into the thing. That's one thing I miss about the 70's that I remember, the stereo equipment.

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:27 am
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When I converted my cassettes to mp3 format, this thing worked well :

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/contro ... ku=1243986

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Post subject: Re: “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:53 am
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Thanks for the addition of that tape deck, Mike. I laughed when somebody asked how it worked and the answer was it didn’t. :lol:
My first serious deck at home was this one which I traded for a new 10 inch 4 track R2R Quad deck. (Note: Watch video from about -0:20 to end)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1puAcFE37r4

The deck was sweet and played well, but as with most like this the motor noise was prohibitive unless you moved the deck elsewhere. :x Good for headphones though.

FSB

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