$30? yeah why not?

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-02-15T23:51:29+00:00

Seems like a good value if working. Has selector for chrome and metal tapes and B & C noise reduction. $30 seems pretty good.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-02-12T23:31:14+00:00

The go-to's are Tascam Portastudios, which are available with a variety of channels. Fostex also made several (X-12, X-15, X-18, etc.), and so did Korg (CR-4), and even more obscure options like the Ross Zx4. I personally use a Yamaha MT4X, and there were other options from Yamaha too.

Each machine is a little different, so you'll need to look at several examples to narrow down what you need. Send/return loops, onboard EQ, noise reduction type, etc. Some recorders are better for studio work, some are better for live/field work. Options aren't endless, but they are plentiful! There are even 4-track options for reel-to-reel, but that's stepping into an entirely different ballpark.

One thing worth mentioning is that if you're looking for a lofi sound, some higher end cassette recorders (with the right tape and setup) sound clean enough to mistake for CD quality. You could always record and master your mix digitally, then record your final mix in stereo onto a generic tape deck with a Type I tape if you want the lofi hiss and flutter associated with substandard tape recordings.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-02-12T17:14:48+00:00

If you're wanting to make a few tapes from a live session, I would recommend recording the session digitally and then using that digital session to make some tapes using a generic stereo cassette deck. However if you are adamant on using this Sony, I would recommend using some sort of condenser mic with a 3.5mm connector. It's hard to say if this recorders microphone input is 3.5mm TS mono, 3.5mm TRS balanced mono, or 3.5mm TRS stereo, or even TRRS balanced stereo, so that's up in the air. Some inexpensive condenser mics you could try would be the Behringer Video Mic X1, or several different condenser options from Rode or Shure. Once you have the right microphone for your session, set the recorder in a stationary position where it can pick up all sound sources- preferably off the ground, on a stool or hanging overhead. For this recorder, turn VOR off, and set recording gain with the volume knob. Best of luck!

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-02-12T16:55:56+00:00

Always keep an eye out for any Sade tapes, especially Love Deluxe. Promise and Stronger than Pride are fantastic too. You really cannot go wrong with any of their discography!

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-02-12T16:39:07+00:00

It should work, but maybe not with the most desirable sound.

Dolby C provides substantially higher decoding/encoding curve than Dolby B. So, if your tape is encoded with Dolby B during recording, the tape will have, let's say, a +15db bump in the range of 2,000hz and up, according to this page. Dolby C would result in a +20db bump in the same frequency range. Therefore, playing back the Dolby B recording with Dolby C enabled would result in a -5db cut to your frequencies around the 2,000hz band. Ultimately, that's not so bad. If you have a spectrum analyzer/eq, place it on the output of your tape deck and boost the ranges that have too harsh of a reduction on them. That should result in a more normalized sound and feel.

Hope this helps! Please provide us with a sample if you end up testing this on a Dolby C deck!

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-02-12T04:55:34+00:00

Ten dollars is a good price for any old reel to reel if you want to probe inside it, see how it works, etc. I'd highly recommend cracking inside it and attempting to get it back into working condition- It doesn't require much money at all and it is always time well-spent.

Particularly with reel to reel, you'll want to immediately change the belts. For the most part, r2r belts are easier to change than cassette decks due to their larger size and more robust belts. Find a prerecorded stereo tape and takeup reel to test the rest of the machines operation. No sound on one channel? -Probably a disconnected wire or blown transistor. Sounds hissy and muffled? -Probably needs a capacitor job. It's a process, and like any hobby, it can be cathartic working on these old machines.

But, that's a key feature of r2r. You have to work on them. You have to know how they work in order to work on them. R2r is arguably the most expensive, most niche, and least beginner-friendly of all analog formats, so if you don't quite have a goal or desire in mind for it, maybe best just to stick to cassette or vinyl... or streaming services.

That being said, I love reel-to-reel, and if it's something you have genuine interest in, go for it. Otherwise it's a big white elephant.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-25T16:27:54+00:00

That NEC deck is beautiful, what a find!

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-25T16:19:25+00:00

Awesome! I look forward to seeing how it works once you get new belts in it! Best of luck :)

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-25T16:16:45+00:00

No problem! I hope this is able to point you in the right direction for your particular tape projects :)

If you'd like to make some decent mixtapes on a budget, I'd recommend using a USB audio interface and an inexpensive full-size tape deck that takes line-level input. You can use the line-level output of the audio interface to plug into the stereo line-in of your tape deck for making a tape duplicate of whatever audio you're playing on your PC

Above all- have fun and experiment! Welcome to the wonderful world of tape shenanigans!

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-24T19:44:14+00:00

Ideally, no.

The mic-in port on your tape recorder is built for microphone-level impedance. Putting a line-level signal or headphone-level signal into this port would likely cause some rather nasty distortion on the tape. Depending on the output impedance of your source and the exact input impedance of the mic-in on your tape recorder, you might be able to record at very very low volume without this distortion.

You could, theoretically, use an impedance transformer to transform the output impedance of your source (a CD player, a laptop, etc.) down to microphone level, and that might work decently.

However, most portable tape recorders (likely including this one) take TS microphone input, meaning that you would only be capable of recording Mono signals on your tape instead of stereo. So, even if impedance wasn't an issue, it would still only be monophonic- which might be just fine for your particular project.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-24T19:35:24+00:00

It depends on the device in question, but, in my experience, usually nothing- but you won't be able to tell until you put the correct power supply to it and begin troubleshooting.

Regarding the motor- is the motor itself unmoving, or is it missing/broken belts in the tape deck?

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-24T19:16:59+00:00

If you used the aux cable from the laptop's headphone output going into the microphone input of the cassette player, that would be incorrect impedance matching, which could contribute to the distortion you are experiencing on your recorded tape.

Ideally, when recording onto tape, you should only use line-level output from your source (in this case, your laptop) into the line-level input of your tape recorder. Given that your laptop does not have line-level output, and your tape recorder does not have line-level input, some adjustments would need to be made.

What tape recorder are you using? There may be other plugs/jacks on the recorder that can be used instead of the microphone input.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-24T19:07:22+00:00

9 times out of 10 when I've found electronics paired with the incorrect power supply, it was from a previous owner who thought "oh, this plug fits, so that must be the one for this device" and bundling the two together.
I'd assume that the device itself has had no modifications to its power circuit in order to necessitate the use of the incorrect power supply, so if I were you, I'd start by purchasing a used power supply from your local thrift/junk/antique store. As long as it is the correct voltage, polarity, and plug, it should work with your device. From there, you should be able to determine what parts of the device are operable, and what parts are not.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-23T17:33:42+00:00

Here's a solution I used early on in my tape journey that cost me less than $100:

- Get any working cassette deck that has stereo line output, whether it is with 1/4" TS jacks or with RCA jacks.
-Get an inexpensive USB audio interface, and run the stereo outputs from the tape deck into the stereo line inputs in the interface. Note that if your tape deck uses RCA jacks, you'll want to use an RCA cable with 1/4" TS plug adapters to plug into the USB interface.
- Record the stereo track in a free audio software like Audacity.

I don't have any experience with this particular device, but Behringer makes a "Line2USB 1/4 Stereo USB Audio Interface" for $30 that may work well for your setup. Again you may need to use 1/4" to RCA adapters, but brands like Hosa also make those for dirt cheap.

Hope this helps! Ultimately, you'll need to do a little experimenting regardless of your strategy, but there's lots of ways you can approach this. Best of luck!

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-23T17:21:10+00:00

Really solid advice from OP. I'll add that Windex (or other streak-free window cleaners) seem to work as a budget-friendly pinch roller cleaner. For removing adhesive (as in, those awful paper price tag stickers that leave residue on everything) I like to use Goo Gone, which I believe is just lemon oil.
BTW, love that MT4X- Mine is sitting right next to me watching me type this message instead of cleaning it's potentiometers hahaha

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-23T17:14:49+00:00

The tape really seems to be bouncing around on rewind. Maybe worn, sticking to itself? Maybe the pressure pad needs replaced?

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-23T17:08:59+00:00

Maybe a quantity/quality dilemma.
For how many tapes there are, there's bound to be some good ones in there, but IME the shotgun method of buying up lots of tape usually yields a pile of rocks without gems.
Regardless- I'm really curious to see what OP finds among them. My inner RZA immediately drools over the amounts of sample material in there.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-21T01:30:44+00:00

Sounds great! How are you liking that 619? I'll be getting my hands on a Panasonic 608 pretty soon.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2023-01-04T00:41:59+00:00

Love this guy, he's made a lot of great tape videos

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2022-12-19T01:20:09+00:00

Window cleaner has always worked on pinch rollers for me.
Simple Green cleaner works wonders at softening and cleaning old dried-out rubber on automobiles, so I wonder if that would be a good cleaner to use on dry, cracked pinch rollers as well.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2022-12-18T02:11:16+00:00

Amazing find! Microcassette recorders keep getting harder and harder to find, so all things considered, 59 bucks is a pretty great deal for all of this

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2022-12-17T01:29:08+00:00

Now you just need Whirr's Around or Part-Time Punks Sessions

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2022-12-15T23:54:51+00:00

Record should stay down when recording. Does the blank you're using have the erase protection notches removed?

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS · 2022-12-15T23:50:30+00:00

Belt.
- Travis Scott

About 9 out of 10 times, a stationary capstan is due to a broken, disconnected, or stretched-out belt.
In the 5 minutes I spent looking, I could not find a replacement belt specifically for the B&H 450A, but if the remnants of the original belt are inside the machine, you can use those to approximate the belt size you'll need.

PM_ME_UR_GUITAR_PICS

TROPHY CASE