[pravous]

My parents and younger siblings lived in Tokyo from 95-2000. Such a different city than say NY. Horizontal vs vertical. I did a semester commuting an hour and back every day. A lot of hours on my yellow Sony Walkman. My brother and I spent a lot of weekends wandering around Akihabara geeking out on the tech and video games Right about the time that the minidisc was the latest trend. My brother was so bummed when they moved back to the states and he could no longer go out with his friends to Roppongi

 

[L0rdGwyn]

These are some nice memories. See tapes are great speaking of small sleek walkmen, got my Aiwa HS-PC202 today, another top performer, but in a very small package. Maxell UDII for size comparison.



Can't wait for my Revox to arrive so I can make S tier recordings.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

I made a minor change to my PCM63 DAC this morning.

When I spec'd this build, I had intended to use E182CC in the output stage as I preferred their sound over 5687 and 7044 in other circuits. Well as it turned out, the 7044 sound best to my ears in this design. Problem is, they draw almost double the heater current compared to the E182CC, as do the 5687. Everything worked as built, but the transformer heater windings were being run over spec. With the summer heat here, decided I was flying too close to the sun continuing to use 7044.

So I redesigned the DC heater regulator for 12.6V, which brings the heater windings into spec.



Around two hours of work, not too bad.



All done and back in action.



Good thing as I am going to need this DAC to make tube infused recordings when my Revox deck arrives still hunting rare vintage cassettes. I've nailed some pretty good deals buying them from Japan. Here are some 1985 Maxell XLII I just picked up. More tapes on the way!

 

[Xcalibur255]

I lived in Japan in the late 80's and had to take the trains to school every day, back and forth. I would listen to walkmans while traveling, and I remember getting an extremely thin sony walkman in white; barely larger than the cassette that went in it.

I felt like such a boss with that piece of tech . High school heaven. Even better with the Alternative 80's mix a girl gave me.

No City Pop mix?

 

[pravous]

My parents recently gave me their old record collection and I found this. These might be older than the xl2s

 

[L0rdGwyn]

My parents recently gave me their old record collection and I found this. These might be older than the xl2s

Cool!! The tapes on the sleeve are from the early 80s. It's some sort of promo record?

 

[L0rdGwyn]

I'm sorry but I continue to be obsessed with cassettes. Someone help me, I can't stop buying them from Japan...the prices are so good compared to the eBay I can't stop myself...

I have more than enough TOTL tapes to last me a long, long time after the Revox arrives, here is where I stand with different types at the moment.

Axia AU-IX (type I super ferric, Japanese market only)
BASF Pro II (type II true chrome)
Maxell XLI (type I super ferric, Japanese market only)
Maxell XLI-S (type I super ferric, one of the best)
Maxell UDII (type II, mid range type II I found at a thrift store)
Maxell XLII (type II)
TDK AD-X (type I super ferric)
TDK AR (type I super ferric)
TDK AR-X (type I super ferric, one of the best)
TDK MA (type IV)
Sony HF-ES (type I super ferric, one of the best)
Sony ES II (type II)
Sony ES IV Metal (type IV, TOTL metal tape)

68 tapes in total. I think I'm done, but there are still some tempting deals over in Japanland. I'm paying 1/2 to 1/4 the prices you see on US eBay.

I've invested heavily into type I super ferrics. I think these are the most interesting types of tapes. They did not sell well in the USA and Europe, and as such they are relatively uncommon compared to type II and IV. The prevailing theory is that they were snubbed due to their being "normal" bias tapes, and many people associated with type I tapes as being of inferior quality. These "super" ferrics however, are cobalt doped and can take very high levels of signal, close to that of metals. They are also low noise, comparable to that of type II, but maintain the superior low frequency performance of a type I.

Nowadays, these are some of the most sought after tapes, with many believing they are some of the best ever made, having the most natural timbre, even outperforming metal tapes. Also, because they are normal bias, they are compatible with just about any tape deck or walkman, as opposed to many type II tapes that have very finicky biasing requirements to get the best sound out of them, which requires high end gear.

So I hunted down some of the best super ferrics out there, the Maxell XLI and XLI-S, the TDK AR and AR-X, the Sony HF-ES, and the Axia AU-IX.

Here is a set that just arrived, a sealed box of 1988 TKD AR-X. One of the best tapes ever, but they weren't cheap.







This time period was the heyday for cassettes as a format, where companies like TDK, Maxell, Sony, Fuji, That's, BASF were trying to make the best tape possible. Rest assured, 99% of the stuff people were listening to on prerecorded cassettes was not anywhere near this level of quality. Most were made on low quality, noisy, type I tape. I've already experienced that you can get really excellent sound from the format, even with my rinky dink recording setup with a portable two-head recorder. I am dying to get the three-head Revox deck and see what it can do.

Is it the ultimate analog format? No, of course not, but I do think it's very underestimated. Also, it's fun as hell to collect tapes, make recordings, and have a high quality analog rig right in your pocket

 

[funch]

Methinks it be time for 'someone' to contact Cassettes Anonymous.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Methinks it be time for 'someone' to contact Cassettes Anonymous.

How dare you...I can stop any time I want, honest.

 

[funch]

Of course.

 

[LoryWiv]

How dare you...I can stop any time I want, honest.

Stop or at least taper down.

 

[CJG888]

For the best speed stability I used to use C-60 cassettes, which were less prone to stretching (or so it was said at the time).

 

[triod750]

I'm sorry but I continue to be obsessed with cassettes. Someone help me, I can't stop buying them from Japan...the prices are so good compared to the eBay I can't stop myself...

I have more than enough TOTL tapes to last me a long, long time after the Revox arrives, here is where I stand with different types at the moment.

Axia AU-IX (type I super ferric, Japanese market only)
BASF Pro II (type II true chrome)
Maxell XLI (type I super ferric, Japanese market only)
Maxell XLI-S (type I super ferric, one of the best)
Maxell UDII (type II, mid range type II I found at a thrift store)
Maxell XLII (type II)
TDK AD-X (type I super ferric)
TDK AR (type I super ferric)
TDK AR-X (type I super ferric, one of the best)
TDK MA (type IV)
Sony HF-ES (type I super ferric, one of the best)
Sony ES II (type II)
Sony ES IV Metal (type IV, TOTL metal tape)

68 tapes in total. I think I'm done, but there are still some tempting deals over in Japanland. I'm paying 1/2 to 1/4 the prices you see on US eBay.

I've invested heavily into type I super ferrics. I think these are the most interesting types of tapes. They did not sell well in the USA and Europe, and as such they are relatively uncommon compared to type II and IV. The prevailing theory is that they were snubbed due to their being "normal" bias tapes, and many people associated with type I tapes as being of inferior quality. These "super" ferrics however, are cobalt doped and can take very high levels of signal, close to that of metals. They are also low noise, comparable to that of type II, but maintain the superior low frequency performance of a type I.

Nowadays, these are some of the most sought after tapes, with many believing they are some of the best ever made, having the most natural timbre, even outperforming metal tapes. Also, because they are normal bias, they are compatible with just about any tape deck or walkman, as opposed to many type II tapes that have very finicky biasing requirements to get the best sound out of them, which requires high end gear.

So I hunted down some of the best super ferrics out there, the Maxell XLI and XLI-S, the TDK AR and AR-X, the Sony HF-ES, and the Axia AU-IX.

Here is a set that just arrived, a sealed box of 1988 TKD AR-X. One of the best tapes ever, but they weren't cheap.







This time period was the heyday for cassettes as a format, where companies like TDK, Maxell, Sony, Fuji, That's, BASF were trying to make the best tape possible. Rest assured, 99% of the stuff people were listening to on prerecorded cassettes was not anywhere near this level of quality. Most were made on low quality, noisy, type I tape. I've already experienced that you can get really excellent sound from the format, even with my rinky dink recording setup with a portable two-head recorder. I am dying to get the three-head Revox deck and see what it can do.

Is it the ultimate analog format? No, of course not, but I do think it's very underestimated. Also, it's fun as hell to collect tapes, make recordings, and have a high quality analog rig right in your pocket

I love passion!

 

[CJG888]

Same here!

IIRC, I also used to like Ampex 472 cassettes (when I could get them).

Deck was a Nakamichi CR-1E.

 

[goldwerger]

I'm sorry but I continue to be obsessed with cassettes. Someone help me, I can't stop buying them from Japan...the prices are so good compared to the eBay I can't stop myself...

I have more than enough TOTL tapes to last me a long, long time after the Revox arrives, here is where I stand with different types at the moment.

Axia AU-IX (type I super ferric, Japanese market only)
BASF Pro II (type II true chrome)
Maxell XLI (type I super ferric, Japanese market only)
Maxell XLI-S (type I super ferric, one of the best)
Maxell UDII (type II, mid range type II I found at a thrift store)
Maxell XLII (type II)
TDK AD-X (type I super ferric)
TDK AR (type I super ferric)
TDK AR-X (type I super ferric, one of the best)
TDK MA (type IV)
Sony HF-ES (type I super ferric, one of the best)
Sony ES II (type II)
Sony ES IV Metal (type IV, TOTL metal tape)

68 tapes in total. I think I'm done, but there are still some tempting deals over in Japanland. I'm paying 1/2 to 1/4 the prices you see on US eBay.

I've invested heavily into type I super ferrics. I think these are the most interesting types of tapes. They did not sell well in the USA and Europe, and as such they are relatively uncommon compared to type II and IV. The prevailing theory is that they were snubbed due to their being "normal" bias tapes, and many people associated with type I tapes as being of inferior quality. These "super" ferrics however, are cobalt doped and can take very high levels of signal, close to that of metals. They are also low noise, comparable to that of type II, but maintain the superior low frequency performance of a type I.

Nowadays, these are some of the most sought after tapes, with many believing they are some of the best ever made, having the most natural timbre, even outperforming metal tapes. Also, because they are normal bias, they are compatible with just about any tape deck or walkman, as opposed to many type II tapes that have very finicky biasing requirements to get the best sound out of them, which requires high end gear.

So I hunted down some of the best super ferrics out there, the Maxell XLI and XLI-S, the TDK AR and AR-X, the Sony HF-ES, and the Axia AU-IX.

Here is a set that just arrived, a sealed box of 1988 TKD AR-X. One of the best tapes ever, but they weren't cheap.







This time period was the heyday for cassettes as a format, where companies like TDK, Maxell, Sony, Fuji, That's, BASF were trying to make the best tape possible. Rest assured, 99% of the stuff people were listening to on prerecorded cassettes was not anywhere near this level of quality. Most were made on low quality, noisy, type I tape. I've already experienced that you can get really excellent sound from the format, even with my rinky dink recording setup with a portable two-head recorder. I am dying to get the three-head Revox deck and see what it can do.

Is it the ultimate analog format? No, of course not, but I do think it's very underestimated. Also, it's fun as hell to collect tapes, make recordings, and have a high quality analog rig right in your pocket

This bring back memories. My teenage years were filled with TDK cassettes and Sony walkmans…