Cassette Recorder

H2O · #1 05-25-2016, 08:17 AM

Good morning,

I am interested in purchasing a cassette recorder and was wondering if someone could help steer me in the right direction. I have looked on Amazon and done a bit of research on the web, but it seems that most of the good products have been discontinued. All I have found so far is rather poorly reviewed devices on Amazon.

Please note that I already have portable digital recording capabilities (cell phone) and an amateur studio setup in my shop. I am interested in cassettes for convenience and ease of use, as well as the analog aspect. I don't require multitracking (and it seems none are being produced anyways). I do have a micro-cassette recorder but would prefer full size.

Any assistance is appreciated.

RRuskin · #2 05-25-2016, 08:40 AM

Whatever you buy will be used & need repairs of some kind before it will work properly. Then you will have top find a source of tape. Used tapes are by and large worthless while new tape will be hard to find, is no longer cheap, and still wears out.

muscmp · #3 05-25-2016, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RRuskin

Whatever you buy will be used & need repairs of some kind before it will work properly. Then you will have top find a source of tape. Used tapes are by and large worthless while new tape will be hard to find, is no longer cheap, and still wears out.

i agree. you may want to think of a different route. i have a cassette deck and i've found that it needs cleaning whenever i use it, and, the cassettes lose their pitch-correctness over time. i've basically given up on it and my idea of dumping those fairly low quality tapes to cd.

play music!

MikeBmusic · #4 05-25-2016, 12:53 PM

I think you're believing the hype about 'analog' recording. Yes, it can provide a 'warmness' if done with good equipment - high end preamps, tape decks that are well-maintained, etc. You won't find any of that in an old cassette deck.
Get yourself a small portable digital recorder like a Zoom.

Rudy4 · #5 05-25-2016, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2O

Good morning,

I am interested in purchasing a cassette recorder and was wondering if someone could help steer me in the right direction. I have looked on Amazon and done a bit of research on the web, but it seems that most of the good products have been discontinued. All I have found so far is rather poorly reviewed devices on Amazon.

Please note that I already have portable digital recording capabilities (cell phone) and an amateur studio setup in my shop. I am interested in cassettes for convenience and ease of use, as well as the analog aspect. I don't require multitracking (and it seems none are being produced anyways). I do have a micro-cassette recorder but would prefer full size.

Any assistance is appreciated.

I had a Tascam 4 track and couldn't give it away for years, then all of a sudden I noticed people where actually BUYING these! I sold it for a a few hundred and was pinching myself.

If convenience is your motivation I suggest you grab a Zoom R8. It's almost as easy to operate as an old cassette recorder. With built-in mics and battery operation you can go record under a shade tree if you want. You don't even have to bring the headphones!

You can set up the input with a compressor preset to simulate analog if you really want, and then have the luxury of dumping tracks to your computer for editing.

It's certainly your choice, but I'm personally glad that tape is out of my life.

MarkF_48 · #6 05-25-2016, 01:44 PM

Quote:

convenience and ease of use, as well as the analog aspect. I don't require multitracking

Although no "analog", this would probably fit what you want...
Zoom H4n
Good battery life and very portable.

HHP · #7 05-25-2016, 01:59 PM

Might be able to find an Edison Wax Cylinder unit around. Can't imagine cassettes still being convenient. If you want simple and convenient, look at Roland's direct to CD recorders. I have a CD2 and it is great for quick recordings, copies are easy to make, and most people have more access to CD players than cassette.

muscmp · #8 05-25-2016, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHP

Might be able to find an Edison Wax Cylinder unit around. Can't imagine cassettes still being convenient. If you want simple and convenient, look at Roland's direct to CD recorders. I have a CD2 and it is great for quick recordings, copies are easy to make, and most people have more access to CD players than cassette.

i have some edison wax cylinders but no machine to play them on! ha!

all physical media are a dying breed including dvd and cd.

play music!

Steev · #9 05-26-2016, 12:06 AM

I rebooted my Denon cassette deck recently and played some of my old tapes that I have kept stored well. I have hundreds of tapes, and obviously haven't played them all again yet, but remarkably so far they have all played fine, haven't gunged up my heads or pinchrollers and sound good. A lot of these are 40 yrs old, the youngest at least 20.

A weird thing is I can still remember what tracks are where and how far to rewind to get to a particular section, like muscle memory.

On the other hand I have CDs I burnt 10 years ago that don't play any more. I don't have any hard drive older than 10 yrs that still spins any more and most of my older USBs are dodgy...
I reckon tape is pretty good! I just need a 2" 24tr machine to play some of my old multi-tracks.

You can find well looked after high end decks that aging audiophiles are moving on all the time online. They are usually bargain priced compared to what they cost new.

DNA storage will be great but it's still pretty expensive...

kkrell · #10 05-26-2016, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2O

Good morning,

I am interested in purchasing a cassette recorder and was wondering if someone could help steer me in the right direction. I have looked on Amazon and done a bit of research on the web, but it seems that most of the good products have been discontinued. All I have found so far is rather poorly reviewed devices on Amazon.

Please note that I already have portable digital recording capabilities (cell phone) and an amateur studio setup in my shop. I am interested in cassettes for convenience and ease of use, as well as the analog aspect. I don't require multitracking (and it seems none are being produced anyways). I do have a micro-cassette recorder but would prefer full size.

Any assistance is appreciated.

Have you checked out these?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...op+Nav-Search=

I have one of the units and a SquareTrade warranty, so I can expect either a good few years service, appropriate repair or refund of original cost.

Cochese · #11 05-26-2016, 08:40 AM

I guess it depends on your purpose? What do you want to record. There are cassette decks out there. I would recommend one with a variable speed control if possible and some type of noise reduction system as it's hard to get the noise level down on most consumer style decks. You might be able to find a good unit used but sometimes the belts dry out from non use.

As someone that has recorded on analog 2" over the years I certainly wouldn't call analog "hype." Truth is, analog tape sounds better. It has a "sound" and imparts something to the process. Digital at it's best won't screw things up if done right. I had the chance to record at a studio about 3 years ago and this place had an analog custom console, 24 track analog 2" tape machine and a vintage McIntosh tube reference amp. I hadn't recorded on that type of gear in years. I was pretty amazed at the sound. Night and day. It was the sound I always remembered from back in the day.

Having said that, an inexpensive cassette deck will in all likelihood not get you that analog type of tone. I used cassette decks for years for multi-tracking and dubbing and it was always hard to get anywhere near the results I've had with digital in a home studio or live application.

MarkF_48 · #12 05-26-2016, 08:53 AM

Glad I stocked up on cassette tapes a few years back (that I don't use much now). This price seems somewhat typical of a good quality branded tape on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.com/Xlii-High-Audi...pe+ii+cassette

paulp1960 · #13 05-26-2016, 11:39 AM

Just buy the cheapest Zoom or Tascam digital handheld recorder.

My Tascam was less than $100 and it sounds great and is easy to use.

No good comparing 2 inch tape with a cassette tape.

MikeBmusic · #14 05-26-2016, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkF_48

Glad I stocked up on cassette tapes a few years back (that I don't use much now). This price seems somewhat typical of a good quality branded tape on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.com/Xlii-High-Audi...pe+ii+cassette

I think I'm going to dig out all my old Maxell party mix tapes and put them on EBay "as is"!

H2O · #15 05-27-2016, 07:25 AM

@All

Thanks all for the suggestions and advice. The sentiment seems to be that ultimately I may have to go with a digital unit simply due to availability. I am not necessarily opposed to that, but thought it might be interesting to use a cassette recorder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochese

I guess it depends on your purpose? What do you want to record. There are cassette decks out there. I would recommend one with a variable speed control if possible and some type of noise reduction system as it's hard to get the noise level down on most consumer style decks. You might be able to find a good unit used but sometimes the belts dry out from non use.

I would be using it to record acoustic guitar. Basically it would be used like a "notepad". Do you have a make in model you would recommend or more information on where to start looking?