PDA

View Full Version : How I became a cassette convert....



TheVillageIdiot
04-04-2012, 05:00
I've become late-blooming cassette fanatic wannabee.

At first, it was nostalgia that made me dabble in cassettes, that was around 2005. Found a bunch of 80's New Wave Synthpop pre-recorded for $1 each brand new still sealed on a lazy Sunday stroll at the old market.

Got myself a cheapo beaten to death cassette deck from pawnshop for a little virtual 'Back to the Future' time, and was pleasantly surprised music from that beaten to death cassette deck was very soothing and comfortable to my ears, which meant I could listen to it for hours unlike the cd, which caused me ear fatigues.

I didn't know whether it was better, but it sure was very comforting to my ears.

So I started digging in research and found out I could buy some of the TOTL cassette decks from 80's for a pocket change. I could never afford them back then, now if I'm patient I could buy them for a song, and about 20% of the time, it even works without further servicing.

I did further research, and found a few brand that is practically ignored by most cassette connosieurs.

I've found one brand of cassette deck, and the TOTL deck from that brand has the BEST sound quality from cassette deck for the genre of the music I enjoy, which is basically 80's synthpop, but then I read reviews from some very prestigious audiophile society declared that particular model as the the BEST sounding cassette deck even for classical music.

I won't tell you what brand that is, the reason is I've become an avid collector of that model, and I don't want any competition driving up the price. Beside that brand has gone bankrupt a long time ago, and one cannot find any supply parts. So far I've collected 9 of that model for parts so that I won't ever have to worry about parts running out.


No, it's not Tandberg, no, it's not Nak, no, it's not Revox, no, it's not B&O.

It was not very common name even when it was in business.

RochaCullen
04-04-2012, 09:31
AKAI?

ursus262
04-04-2012, 09:52
This is mine, a Philips DCC951 Digital Compact Cassette recorder - backwardly compatible with analogue cassettes of course :)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o8wja0M0C-M/T3sEE03IVkI/AAAAAAAAD9c/AYWsnbQVgsY/s822/IMAG0120

Beechwoods
04-04-2012, 10:01
AKAI?

Highly likely! Sounds like Tony is keeping it close to his chest though :)

Welcome to the forum Tony.

Oops! Meant Aiwa... XKS9000's have very high regard amongst those who have heard them...

wiicrackpot
04-04-2012, 15:16
Highly likely! Sounds like Tony is keeping it close to his chest though :)
Hope he has a chesty cough one day and spit it out.:D

Oh....hi Tony. :wave:

wii.

Reid Malenfant
04-04-2012, 18:39
AKAI?
I picked up a fully functional, perfectly working Akai GXC-760D from a car boot sale for 50p, well I did beat him down from £1 :rfl: The veneer on the wooden case was pretty naff though, so I filled it & painted it black - presto! :D 3 heads, dual capstans & a total beast of a synchronous motor that wouldn't be out of place on an RTR :eek:


Oops! Meant Aiwa... XKS9000's have very high regard amongst those who have heard them...
I have an old Aiwa here that is very good indeed. Odd thing though as it has both analogue VU meters as well as a set of peak reading LED meters :scratch: That was another car booty :lol:

Spectral Morn
04-04-2012, 18:42
Welcome to AOS Tony

I too use tape, both cassette and r to r.


Regards D S D L

ursus262
05-04-2012, 17:10
I picked up a fully functional, perfectly working Akai GXC-760D from a car boot sale for 50p, well I did beat him down from £1

You tight-fisted git! :lol:

Reid Malenfant
05-04-2012, 17:23
Dave, you know as well as I do that you expected to haggle :eyebrows: If you don't they might start wondering how come you are willing to pay full price :scratch:

He was still happy & so was I I might add :lol: You must remember the chap said he couldn't test it, so effectively it may well have been scrap ;)

TheVillageIdiot
05-04-2012, 20:03
AKAI?

Nope, personally I don't like the sonic signature of Akais. I don't even like their flagship 747 or 77 for that matter. I love their looks, though.

TheVillageIdiot
05-04-2012, 20:08
Highly likely! Sounds like Tony is keeping it close to his chest though :)

Yes, I will keep it close to my chest till I run out of space to store. I've even bought sets of floor to ceiling compression shelves so that I could use my limited space with maximum efficiency so that I could store as many of that model as possible. But once I run out of space, I will tell you.





Oops! Meant Aiwa... XKS9000's have very high regard amongst those who have heard them...

No, again, but I did hear good things about Aiwa. Btw. I can buy that model cheaper than Aiwa so long as I am patient.

Actually, that brand is/was even more obscure than Aiwa. I think that is one reason why it's under the radar.

TheVillageIdiot
05-04-2012, 20:17
Welcome to AOS Tony

I too use tape, both cassette and r to r.


Regards D S D L

So do I. Btw. I also found a few favorite open reel decks, both pretty obscure models.

Two are from famous brands, but those two particular TOTL models were not very well known, one reason I've acquired of six of them for a song.

The other deck was a TOTL model from a brand once very famous but has gone bankrupt, quite a long time ago.

No, it's not Tandberg.

As much as I like the sonic signature of Tandberg TOTL open reels, I like the sonic signature of this model better.

Similar to Tandbergs, but deeper, more accurate, more 3 dimensional.

Reid Malenfant
05-04-2012, 20:26
Very nice Tony, unfortunately I don't know what it is :rolleyes: While this game of guess the tape deck may well hold a little bit of interest for a while, I have a feeling that it'll soon die a death...

If you aren't prepared to share then I suggest you don't say anything, after all I think you can understand that we'll soon get tired of guessing what the weasel is & simply not bother :eyebrows:

So why bring it up in the first place?

Sorry fella, but give it a bit of time & I'm sure I won't be the only one thinking the very same thing ;) IMHO that is...

TheVillageIdiot
05-04-2012, 20:38
So why bring it up in the first place?

Because I want people to think for themselves and not just follow the herd for the usual route of Tandbergs, Naks, and Revox. It's good for their pockebooks as well. This will lower the pressure on those three, personally I think they have become way overpriced for what they deliver. I'm not saying they are not good, they are, just a little too much money for what they deliver sonically, especially Naks and Revox.






Sorry fella, but give it a bit of time & I'm sure I won't be the only one thinking the very same thing ;) IMHO that is...

Okay, I won't say anything further till I run out of space to store.

Reid Malenfant
05-04-2012, 20:44
Okay, I won't say anything further till I run out of space to store.
Thank you :) I get enough prick teasing from women :eyebrows:

Tony, I hope you understand where I'm coming from chap. Unless you are willing to spill the beans it's best to shut up & say nothing rather than being a tease :D


No wonder I couldn't see where this was, never thought to look in the welcome section :doh:

By the way, I still hope you enjoy your stay here :cool: