In article ,
Serge Auckland wrote:
Tape machines had to be aligned to 1dB on Dolby tracking if pumping was
not going to be audible, and the only way of doing that, was to get the
machine aligned to one formulation of tape, and stick to it.

I never bothered much with cassettes - but sticking to one brand and type
of pro open reel tape was no guarantee its sensitivity would be
consistent. For our multitracks we used to test every single tape when new
and mark them - then use them in a batch of the same sensititivily to
reduce line up time. We also used to recycle them for the same reason.

--
*If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) a écrit :

I never bothered much with cassettes

I have a cassette deck, not really expensive, that tests the tape
before writing and ajust the bias

the result seems good at the time I had it, but MD is better, even
with max compression and Zoom H2 much better, now. The standard change
and I'm not sure it's always necessary (laser copy for an invoice...)

jdd

--
http://www.dodin.net
http://valerie.dodin.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-eic8MSSfM

"jdd" wrote in message ...
Dave Plowman (News) a écrit :

I never bothered much with cassettes

I have a cassette deck, not really expensive, that tests the tape before
writing and ajust the bias

the result seems good at the time I had it, but MD is better, even with
max compression and Zoom H2 much better, now. The standard change and I'm
not sure it's always necessary (laser copy for an invoice...)

jdd

--
http://www.dodin.net
http://valerie.dodin.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-eic8MSSfM

Adjusting bias is only one line-up adjustment necessary: Tape sensitivity
varies considerably with different tape manufacturers and will seriously
affect Dolby tracking, azimuth will vary cassette-to-cassette and EQ
adjustment may be necessary as heads wear. Cassette was incredibly capable
considering the narrow track width and slow tape speed, but only if it was
meticulously maintained, which of course very few actually were.

MD was definitely an improvement, in spite of the lossy compression, but
once hard-disc recording became possible, everything else just seems so
difficult.

S.
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