Amps

[~Abstract~]

You should get some of these too!

[BrokenFusion]

I have probably 30 or 40 new in the wrapper I'd sell you. I had a connection at BASF and used to get them dirt cheap to record demos on.

[teemuk]

Also, in before NOS C-cassettes, that sweet, lush tape saturation toan and warm hiss, most definitely the warm hiss :love:
...so unlike cold, sterile compact discs. Also, I heard the vintage ferric oxide coating preserves all those fragile harmonics that the more modern chromium dioxide or [ugh] ferrichrome coating crushes... :lol:

Reputedly Eric Johnson prefers the toan of using Band Aid as write protection instead of those plastic tabs that introduce a "fakey" plastic coloration to toanz.

[maneatingapple]

I have seen a bunch of bands selling tapes again. I actually still have a bunch of old demos on tape that I still listen to.

[kissmyace]

Seriously, why ????

[BuffaloBill66]

The reason why many people buy cassettes is because it is impossible to record your personal music [ie. stuff you play yourself] and demos at a higher quality without spending a LOT more money for different tape machines and tape, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to get better quality through digital, due to the nature of digital.

For people who don't understand the difference, you have some reading ahead of you.

But basically,

analog = water, smooth, complex flows and harmonics

digital=ice cubes.

Digital will never be able to truly represent all the complexities of analog, or be a true representation of the actual sound.

Though I totally agree, I cannot see the reason for making cassette mixtapes from digital files from your computer. That totally defeats the purpose of analog.

[ermghoti II]

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BuffaloBill66 wrote:

The reason why many people buy cassettes is because it is impossible to record your personal music [ie. stuff you play yourself] and demos at a higher quality without spending a LOT more money for different tape machines and tape, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to get better quality through digital, due to the nature of digital.

For people who don't understand the difference, you have some reading ahead of you.

But basically,

analog = water, smooth, complex flows and harmonics

digital=ice cubes.

Digital will never be able to truly represent all the complexities of analog, or be a true representation of the actual sound.

Though I totally agree, I cannot see the reason for making cassette mixtapes from digital files from your computer. That totally defeats the purpose of analog.

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[MadKeithV]

Ah, the golden-eared bats and dogs are allowed to register again at HCAF I see.

[learjeff]

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BuffaloBill66 wrote:

The reason why many people buy cassettes is because it is impossible to record your personal music [ie. stuff you play yourself] and demos at a higher quality without spending a LOT more money for different tape machines and tape, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to get better quality through digital, due to the nature of digital.

For people who don't understand the difference, you have some reading ahead of you.

But basically,

analog = water, smooth, complex flows and harmonics

digital=ice cubes.

Digital will never be able to truly represent all the complexities of analog, or be a true representation of the actual sound.

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Thanks!  That was hilarious.

But just in case you're not joking, have you actually listened to cassette tape and compared the quality with CD audio?  I won't argue vinyl versus CD; I do believe vinyl can be better (but often isn't).  But I grew up with cassettes and learned to love all their numerous flaws, and really appreciate the fact that they're totally obsolete now.  CD audio is far better even than my 1/4" 15 IPS reel deck (except when overdriven for tracking; that nice warm tape oversaturation distortion can be a lovely effect -- but we're talking about reproducing audio here, not adding effects.)

The truth is that neither analog nor digital can exactly recreate any real signal.  The question becomes, not whether analog or digital is better, but for two specific implementations, which is better.  CD is far, far, far better than cassettes, in every way measurable, and in listening tests.

[blue2blue]

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BuffaloBill66 wrote:

The reason why many people buy cassettes is because it is impossible to record your personal music [ie. stuff you play yourself] and demos at a higher quality without spending a LOT more money for different tape machines and tape, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to get better quality through digital, due to the nature of digital.

For people who don't understand the difference, you have some reading ahead of you.

But basically,

analog = water, smooth, complex flows and harmonics

digital=ice cubes.

Digital will never be able to truly represent all the complexities of analog, or be a true representation of the actual sound.

Though I totally agree, I cannot see the reason for making cassette mixtapes from digital files from your computer. That totally defeats the purpose of analog.

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Anyone interested in finding out how digital audio actually works could do worse than to start with this primer (below) on digital audio and a (relatively) quick debunking of some pernicious misunderstandings, demonstrating -- with high end analog test gear -- how properly designed and operating digital audio has the capability of completely accurate capture and playback of signals within a defined frequency bandwidth.

And if one wants to increase the range of that bandwidth for some reason -- say to entertain bats -- all he need do is raise the sample rate of the capture format. This is not science fiction. It is solid fact, demonstratable by both trigonometric math -- and verifiable by measurement with analog test gear.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/02/sound-smart-watch-this-excellent-primer-on-digital-audio/

PS...  though one needn't have bona fides in order to post an a link to educational materials -- let me just point out that I did my first overdub project in 1964, I've owned 10 reel tape decks, five of them multitracks, and literally scores of cassette decks (the infamous dubbing towers). I spent much of the 80s freelancing in (analog) studios. I grew up with analog tape. Ferrous oxide is in my blood. So to speak. (But probably literally on some level.)

[Kid Klash]

You can still buy blank cassettes on Amazon.com.

This is an interesting read : http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/story/2011-10-02/mp3s-cassette-tapes-vinyl-albums/506...

[Caulk Rocket]

www.hipsterdouche.com

[jaytee123]

I always used to tape my CDs so I could listen in the car. Coming from a time before good oversampling could eliminate skips and before (or unable to afford) CD changers, plus the pain in the ass of keeping CDs in your car (or loading the changer)...

THis all seemed just too much to listen to music in the car.Do you really need high fidelity in the automobile? So I would create mix tapes and throw them in the car. Didn't care if they got stomped on or lost. I wouldn't label a lot of them, either (or the label fell off). Always fun playing the mystery tapes, which still pop up to this day in my stash.

[ProToneThinline]

Try Amazon.  I did a quick search and came up with several sources.

Some of you have asked why casette/ why not CD?  The OP is apparently wanting to do some recording.  4 track tape machines are hot right now.  Warm, analog sound is cool.  I see them pop up on CL somewhat frequently.  Two years ago you couldn't give one away.  Now they're selling for better than new prices.

I have an old Vesta-Fire recorder in storage that I'm about ready to retrieve.  I'll probably need to replace the drive belt, but that's an easy fix.

[Wyatt]

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ProToneThinline wrote:

Try Amazon.  I did a quick search and came up with several sources.

Some of you have asked why casette/ why not CD?  The OP is apparently wanting to do some recording.  4 track tape machines are hot right now.  Warm, analog sound is cool.  I see them pop up on CL somewhat frequently.  Two years ago you couldn't give one away.  Now they're selling for better than new prices.

I have an old Vesta-Fire recorder in storage that I'm about ready to retrieve.  I'll probably need to replace the drive belt, but that's an easy fix.

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The OP asked two years ago.

The whole thread was bumped by someone who wanted to make a fidelity argument about cassettes, which was stupid. Cassettes used low abrasive, lubricated tape for longer life, the tradeoff is lower fidelity. Cassettes were probably the lowest fidelity medium since magnetic wire.

[ProToneThinline]

Wyatt wrote:

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ProToneThinline wrote:

Try Amazon.  I did a quick search and came up with several sources.

Some of you have asked why casette/ why not CD?  The OP is apparently wanting to do some recording.  4 track tape machines are hot right now.  Warm, analog sound is cool.  I see them pop up on CL somewhat frequently.  Two years ago you couldn't give one away.  Now they're selling for better than new prices.

I have an old Vesta-Fire recorder in storage that I'm about ready to retrieve.  I'll probably need to replace the drive belt, but that's an easy fix.

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The OP asked two years ago.

The whole thread was bumped by someone who wanted to make a fidelity argument about cassettes, which was stupid. Cassettes used low abrasive, lubricated tape for longer life, the tradeoff is lower fidelity. Cassettes were probably the lowest fidelity medium since magnetic wire.

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I didn't see the original date.  I hate zombie threads......

I agree with you about the questionable fidelity of cassettes, but some people equate that lack of fidelity with warmth.

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