Re: [ARSCLIST] Audio cassette woes

[Jeffrey Kane <jeffkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Completely off the wall question. Would this thing (
http://www.gadgetbargains.com/poly-841-558.html ) work in cases where LOL
prevented playback in ANY shell? My eyes may deceive me but in looking at
the blank reels they appear to be 1/8" tape
(http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3272&item=3849210246
&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V). The machine runs at 4.75cm/sec (cassette speed).
Thus, it looks like they simply took cassette parts and made an open reel
out of it for the 'nostalgia' market. Would this not take lubrication out of
the equation?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
> [mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Anonymous SET ARSCLIST DIGEST
> Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 7:39 AM
> To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Audio cassette woes
>
> Having successfully reformatted nearly a thousand cassettes,
> I agree with everyone that the first suspect would be the
> tape itself.  However, having had a couple tapes like you are
> describing I began to think it might be the machine.  I got a
> jig from a tape duplication friend that allowed me to measure
> the tension generated by the deck's take-up motor.  It was
> not nearly to spec.  I tried this in numerous "professional"
> and consumer decks and found none of them to spec.  The
> consumer one's weren't even close.  Of course, the "spec" is
> about 30 years old.  It seems manufacturers have cut corners
> on the quality of the motors over the years.  What that means
> is if there is any friction at all in the cassette mechanism,
> the motor can't pull it.  Your problem could be a combination
> of factors.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Kevin Irelan
>