#compactcassette — Public Fediverse posts

Picked up a very mouldy, broken, dirty #cassette in #KualaLumpur: a collection of songs by Frances Yip, an absolute #cantopop legend.

Someone had been inside before, fixing a snapped-off leader tape by just connecting the magnetic tape directly to the reel. The card insert was bent and fox-eared and the jewel case cracked. Parts were covered in insect droppings.

Replaced the felt pad and rusty screws, spliced in a new leader, straightened the tape shell with heat, cleaned, steamed and pressed the card, replaced the case and slip mats, reglued the labels... the mould came off with a few plays and now it looks and sounds great. It has its battle scars but it's alive and kicking, ready for another 46 years.

#fixed #cantonese #CompactCassette #repair

@dryak @argv_minus_one @Timpostma

Yes I've seen that horrible concoction where they put + 5 volts somewhere that you can't protect your equipment if you don't know about that

It's not like 48V phantom power on PA & studio 🎙️ hardware, which does nothing to your equipment if it is wired properly

However this is not the case with all PC sound cards
The ones that I used, only have tip sleeve for the mic input, but I made sure that they were wired that way. I could never use those by the way, an XLR microphone just sounds way better, the balanced input is key here

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one @Timpostma

Yes I've seen that horrible concoction where they put + 5 volts somewhere that you can't protect your equipment if you don't know about that

It's not like 48V phantom power on PA & studio 🎙️ hardware, which does nothing to your equipment if it is wired properly

However this is not the case with all PC sound cards
The ones that I used, only have tip sleeve for the mic input, but I made sure that they were wired that way. I could never use those by the way, an XLR microphone just sounds way better, the balanced input is key here

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one @Timpostma

Yes I've seen that horrible concoction where they put + 5 volts somewhere that you can't protect your equipment if you don't know about that

It's not like 48V phantom power on PA & studio 🎙️ hardware, which does nothing to your equipment if it is wired properly

However this is not the case with all PC sound cards
The ones that I used, only have tip sleeve for the mic input, but I made sure that they were wired that way. I could never use those by the way, an XLR microphone just sounds way better, the balanced input is key here

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one @Timpostma

Yes I've seen that horrible concoction where they put + 5 volts somewhere that you can't protect your equipment if you don't know about that

It's not like 48V phantom power on PA & studio 🎙️ hardware, which does nothing to your equipment if it is wired properly

However this is not the case with all PC sound cards
The ones that I used, only have tip sleeve for the mic input, but I made sure that they were wired that way. I could never use those by the way, an XLR microphone just sounds way better, the balanced input is key here

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one @Timpostma

Yes I've seen that horrible concoction where they put + 5 volts somewhere that you can't protect your equipment if you don't know about that

It's not like 48V phantom power on PA & studio 🎙️ hardware, which does nothing to your equipment if it is wired properly

However this is not the case with all PC sound cards
The ones that I used, only have tip sleeve for the mic input, but I made sure that they were wired that way. I could never use those by the way, an XLR microphone just sounds way better, the balanced input is key here

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one

You have pointed it out correctly, the regular XLR microphone input on a mixing console, has a different level of voltage and current in mili amperes, that it expects, than the line level output of a cassette deck
You have to match those with a direct box.

With home equipment it's also not feasible to use the microphone input of a sound card, which is just tip sleeve, thus unbalanced, and sent the high level line output of a cassette deck to it; you would get extreme levels of distortion.

With professional audio, you always have to match the input levels of the channel strip, with the output levels of the device. With home audio you still have to match the input levels of your recorder with the output levels of your device.

For the best results you still have to get a digitizer which is properly matched with its input levels towards the output levels of the tape deck.

@Timpostma

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one

You have pointed it out correctly, the regular XLR microphone input on a mixing console, has a different level of voltage and current in mili amperes, that it expects, than the line level output of a cassette deck
You have to match those with a direct box.

With home equipment it's also not feasible to use the microphone input of a sound card, which is just tip sleeve, thus unbalanced, and sent the high level line output of a cassette deck to it; you would get extreme levels of distortion.

With professional audio, you always have to match the input levels of the channel strip, with the output levels of the device. With home audio you still have to match the input levels of your recorder with the output levels of your device.

For the best results you still have to get a digitizer which is properly matched with its input levels towards the output levels of the tape deck.

@Timpostma

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one

You have pointed it out correctly, the regular XLR microphone input on a mixing console, has a different level of voltage and current in mili amperes, that it expects, than the line level output of a cassette deck
You have to match those with a direct box.

With home equipment it's also not feasible to use the microphone input of a sound card, which is just tip sleeve, thus unbalanced, and sent the high level line output of a cassette deck to it; you would get extreme levels of distortion.

With professional audio, you always have to match the input levels of the channel strip, with the output levels of the device. With home audio you still have to match the input levels of your recorder with the output levels of your device.

For the best results you still have to get a digitizer which is properly matched with its input levels towards the output levels of the tape deck.

@Timpostma

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one

You have pointed it out correctly, the regular XLR microphone input on a mixing console, has a different level of voltage and current in mili amperes, that it expects, than the line level output of a cassette deck
You have to match those with a direct box.

With home equipment it's also not feasible to use the microphone input of a sound card, which is just tip sleeve, thus unbalanced, and sent the high level line output of a cassette deck to it; you would get extreme levels of distortion.

With professional audio, you always have to match the input levels of the channel strip, with the output levels of the device. With home audio you still have to match the input levels of your recorder with the output levels of your device.

For the best results you still have to get a digitizer which is properly matched with its input levels towards the output levels of the tape deck.

@Timpostma

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

@dryak @argv_minus_one

You have pointed it out correctly, the regular XLR microphone input on a mixing console, has a different level of voltage and current in mili amperes, that it expects, than the line level output of a cassette deck
You have to match those with a direct box.

With home equipment it's also not feasible to use the microphone input of a sound card, which is just tip sleeve, thus unbalanced, and sent the high level line output of a cassette deck to it; you would get extreme levels of distortion.

With professional audio, you always have to match the input levels of the channel strip, with the output levels of the device. With home audio you still have to match the input levels of your recorder with the output levels of your device.

For the best results you still have to get a digitizer which is properly matched with its input levels towards the output levels of the tape deck.

@Timpostma

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

A Couple of hours ago somebody asked me how you would go about digitizing a cassette tape.

In the short run it's simple if you are Sound Engineer like me:

* you take a Dual Channel passive direct-box
* you take an output cable which goes from RCA to quarter inch plugs
* you insert those in the direct box
* you pull two XLR cables to your mixing console

From your mixing console you send the analog audio from the subgroups outputs to one of your many digitizers and you're done.

For a home user there's a challenge; the home user first needs to get a working cassette deck, most Engineers who have been in the profession for years have at least one or two of them. Some Engineers even still have Quarter inch tape decks in running condition.

So the home user will need to buy a brand new cassette deck which has a USB output which is in fact a built-in simple digitizer.

I have a check for those, because I do not wish to play my retro cassettes again, even though they are in perfect condition. Compact cassette always sounded low quality to me.

So in conclusion, you need a running cassette deck with demagnetized Heads, new belts, a pre amp and a digitizer, then you can digitize your analog cassette tape

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

A Couple of hours ago somebody asked me how you would go about digitizing a cassette tape.

In the short run it's simple if you are Sound Engineer like me:

* you take a Dual Channel passive direct-box
* you take an output cable which goes from RCA to quarter inch plugs
* you insert those in the direct box
* you pull two XLR cables to your mixing console

From your mixing console you send the analog audio from the subgroups outputs to one of your many digitizers and you're done.

For a home user there's a challenge; the home user first needs to get a working cassette deck, most Engineers who have been in the profession for years have at least one or two of them. Some Engineers even still have Quarter inch tape decks in running condition.

So the home user will need to buy a brand new cassette deck which has a USB output which is in fact a built-in simple digitizer.

I have a check for those, because I do not wish to play my retro cassettes again, even though they are in perfect condition. Compact cassette always sounded low quality to me.

So in conclusion, you need a running cassette deck with demagnetized Heads, new belts, a pre amp and a digitizer, then you can digitize your analog cassette tape

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

A Couple of hours ago somebody asked me how you would go about digitizing a cassette tape.

In the short run it's simple if you are Sound Engineer like me:

* you take a Dual Channel passive direct-box
* you take an output cable which goes from RCA to quarter inch plugs
* you insert those in the direct box
* you pull two XLR cables to your mixing console

From your mixing console you send the analog audio from the subgroups outputs to one of your many digitizers and you're done.

For a home user there's a challenge; the home user first needs to get a working cassette deck, most Engineers who have been in the profession for years have at least one or two of them. Some Engineers even still have Quarter inch tape decks in running condition.

So the home user will need to buy a brand new cassette deck which has a USB output which is in fact a built-in simple digitizer.

I have a check for those, because I do not wish to play my retro cassettes again, even though they are in perfect condition. Compact cassette always sounded low quality to me.

So in conclusion, you need a running cassette deck with demagnetized Heads, new belts, a pre amp and a digitizer, then you can digitize your analog cassette tape

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

A Couple of hours ago somebody asked me how you would go about digitizing a cassette tape.

In the short run it's simple if you are Sound Engineer like me:

* you take a Dual Channel passive direct-box
* you take an output cable which goes from RCA to quarter inch plugs
* you insert those in the direct box
* you pull two XLR cables to your mixing console

From your mixing console you send the analog audio from the subgroups outputs to one of your many digitizers and you're done.

For a home user there's a challenge; the home user first needs to get a working cassette deck, most Engineers who have been in the profession for years have at least one or two of them. Some Engineers even still have Quarter inch tape decks in running condition.

So the home user will need to buy a brand new cassette deck which has a USB output which is in fact a built-in simple digitizer.

I have a check for those, because I do not wish to play my retro cassettes again, even though they are in perfect condition. Compact cassette always sounded low quality to me.

So in conclusion, you need a running cassette deck with demagnetized Heads, new belts, a pre amp and a digitizer, then you can digitize your analog cassette tape

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

A Couple of hours ago somebody asked me how you would go about digitizing a cassette tape.

In the short run it's simple if you are Sound Engineer like me:

* you take a Dual Channel passive direct-box
* you take an output cable which goes from RCA to quarter inch plugs
* you insert those in the direct box
* you pull two XLR cables to your mixing console

From your mixing console you send the analog audio from the subgroups outputs to one of your many digitizers and you're done.

For a home user there's a challenge; the home user first needs to get a working cassette deck, most Engineers who have been in the profession for years have at least one or two of them. Some Engineers even still have Quarter inch tape decks in running condition.

So the home user will need to buy a brand new cassette deck which has a USB output which is in fact a built-in simple digitizer.

I have a check for those, because I do not wish to play my retro cassettes again, even though they are in perfect condition. Compact cassette always sounded low quality to me.

So in conclusion, you need a running cassette deck with demagnetized Heads, new belts, a pre amp and a digitizer, then you can digitize your analog cassette tape

#RetroComputing #RetroAudio #Audio #AnalogTape #demagnetizer #directBox #CompactCassette #TDK #HighBias #Metallica #MasterOfPuppets

A small study of compact cassette J-cards, found in my friend's attic, from 1975. The date i guessed from the number of track listings for the home-recordings that say things like "top 10 1975" and "xmas hits 1975". That's also how old the house is that my friend bought recently, so i think the cassettes may well have been in attic since the original owner moved in in 1975.

#JCard
#CompactCassette #Cassette #1970s

A small study of compact cassette J-cards, found in my friend's attic, from 1975. The date i guessed from the number of track listings for the home-recordings that say things like "top 10 1975" and "xmas hits 1975". That's also how old the house is that my friend bought recently, so i think the cassettes may well have been in attic since the original owner moved in in 1975.

#JCard
#CompactCassette #Cassette #1970s

Three generations of the Sony Walkman as represented in our Physical Objects Collection:

• Compact Cassette Sports Walkman WM-AF54 (1989)
• MiniDisc MZ-R30 (1996)
• MP3 + AAC Mobile Phone Walkman W800 (2005)

#SonyWalkman #Walkman #Sony #CompactCassette #MiniDisc #MP3 #mobile #PortableSound

Three generations of the Sony Walkman as represented in our Physical Objects Collection:

• Compact Cassette Sports Walkman WM-AF54 (1989)
• MiniDisc MZ-R30 (1996)
• MP3 + AAC Mobile Phone Walkman W800 (2005)

#SonyWalkman #Walkman #Sony #CompactCassette #MiniDisc #MP3 #mobile #PortableSound

Ich konnte wieder 4 Kassetten vor dem Mülleimer retten, darunter auch zwei Typ II Kassetten (Sony UX-S und Maxell UDII-S) und eine TDK FE mit dunklem Band. Auf der Louis Armstrong Kassette ist auch noch Louis Armstrong drauf, sogar in Dolby B. Hat sich gelohnt. 🙂

#Kassetten #CompactCassette #Kassette #Musikkassette #Müllvermeidung