[Onix]

I use tapes now, more often than before, since my PCDP died. Mostly, I play them in the car but sometimes, one of my oldest tapes finds a way into my portable cassette player, which I used mostly as a radio. I am thinking about transfering some of those tapes to CD, since they are no longer available in any format or are recordings I made myself. I also have a bunch of heavy metal and hard rock compilations, some jazz I got at those stores like "McFrugals" in Atlanta or "The big black bag" in New York. If anything, cassettes were also a way for me to find out if I would like something or not. Instead of getting a CD sometimes I would go to the cassette bin and pick up some stuff, if I liked it, I would get the CD. If I didn't, well, I had another tape to use for interviews or recording something.

 

[canhead]

Quote:

can anyone even think of one good thing about tapes, price aside?

well it is an analog format...

thats got to be a good thing right?

 

[Audio Redneck]

Well, I just got another tape closer to the end for me. Yesterday, I picked up Larry Carlton's Last Nite on CD for $2 at my favorite flea market. That was one I've been looking for on CD or Vinyl for several years.

But then again, for the first time in well over two years, I have two tape decks connected to my stereo - had to dub a tape for my wife for her childrens choir.

 

[Beagle]

Since 1999, I have been using MiniDisc for recording and re-recording in the same general way I was doing with cassette. I find it interesting that when I go back (about every six months) and listen to the stuff I recorded on my Walkman Pro, it blows the MD copies out of the water, in terms of fidelity to the original source and musicality. Yet I can no longer accept the flaws of the cassette nor give up the convenience of MD. And CD-R, I cannot re-record on them as many times as I like.

We have sacrificed sound quality and musicality for convenience, the same way we have opted out for fast food over nutrition, microwaves over conventional ovens and stoves. Food now tastes like **** and music sounds like ****. And they call this progress. It's actually a big step backwards.

Bottom line: Don't 'replace' something until you can actually replace it and improve it at the same time.

 

[Onix]

Quote:

Originally posted by Beagle Bottom line: Don't 'replace' something until you can actually replace it and improve it at the same time.

Good point Beagle.

 

[sacriste]

Quote:

Originally posted by Beagle We have sacrificed sound quality and musicality for convenience, the same way we have opted out for fast food over nutrition, microwaves over conventional ovens and stoves. Food now tastes like **** and music sounds like ****. And they call this progress. It's actually a big step backwards.

Hey, man, you're a philosopher. Specially the **** part. **** does sound, but how do you know its taste? Have you tried some?

 

[PAGEFAULT]

I can count the number of tapes I have played on one hand. Really. I have listened to two tapes that I can remember, both in middle school when I found two tapes at a grarage sale. CDs all my life. Boy was it shock to find lp's sound better than cd's

 

[Orpheus]

did you guys know that a good professional reel to reel tape is capable of more dynamic range and less noise than a CD? in fact, it is even possible to have more dynamic range than a 24bit recording, with NO noise reduction technology in the signal path. with dolby SR or something similar, the stats are even more impressive... and since analog is by definition infinite "bit" resolution... all this makes analog tape superior to any modern digital format. it's too bad you also need a $10,000 player/recorder and each tape would weigh a couple pounds and cost 1000* the price of a blank CD.

but em... since most people ain't got one.... i guess CD's the way to go.

 

[Whitebread]

Hey, I have a recording Reel to Reel, actually, it's my dads and I think it records.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I think we're talking about yo average tape that you can play in a walkman...

And I suppose you can say that the resolution of analog is not well defined, but if you try to put an estimate on it, it would vary for different analog formats and never would it be 'infinite'... just hard to measure.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally posted by Orpheus did you guys know that a good professional reel to reel tape is capable of more dynamic range and less noise than a CD? in fact, it is even possible to have more dynamic range than a 24bit recording, with NO noise reduction technology in the signal path. with dolby SR or something similar, the stats are even more impressive... and since analog is by definition infinite "bit" resolution... all this makes analog tape superior to any modern digital format. it's too bad you also need a $10,000 player/recorder and each tape would weigh a couple pounds and cost 1000* the price of a blank CD. but em... since most people ain't got one.... i guess CD's the way to go.

I have an Astrocom Marlux 407 R2R, and while not a pro model (like 1/2" or 1" tape), and having played with other models of R2Rs, I'd agree about its sonic capabilities.

Shoot, even METAL cassettes on a GOOD 3 head deck can be pretty awesome - too bad the music industry almost never put anything out on Metal cassettes.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Did anyone here ever try the incredible Sony Metal Master cassette tape!! When Sony discontinued that my dad nearly cried. That was, bar none, the best cassette tape ever made!!!! That ceramic case they made to house the tape was just a piece of art. Pure white, and cost about $15 each!!! I think he bought the last ones in Maryland once that happened. They also were quite weight, both of which added to improve the sound I'm sure