Re: [ARSCLIST] Can 78s sound better than LPs?

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In fairness to most reputable manufacturers, their decks were set up to leave the factory running at 
1 7/8 IPS. BUT, most cassette decks employ a belt drive somewhere in the works (and many consumer 
decks employ several belts and one motor). The net result is that the mechanics loosen up over time. 
Then the speed fluxuates. This can happen pretty soon after manufacture if the environment is 
temperature-varient and conducive to rubber deteriorating. Yeah cassettes, just not the highest of 
fi mediums! And we won't even discuss the typical portable cassette recorder, which was probably not 
accurate the day it was made (not talking about higher-end machines like the SuperScope or Nak). 
With home-made cassettes, I like to get the client in and have them control the speed adjust knob on 
my Nak MR-1 deck, to set the pitch where they're happy with it. It's interesting how many kids' 
recitals were recorded faster or slower than 1 7/8IPS, if one is to trust the client's sense of 
pitch. The same is true with old portable small-reel 3.75IPS machines, perhaps to an even greater 
extent. You get where you can tell if something is running slow or fast, just by the timbre of the 
voice or instrument.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "steven c" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 7:01 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Can 78s sound better than LPs?


> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tom Fine" <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Using the original tape machine, especially with cassettes, and a direct
> signal path will beat any
> > claims on any cable any day.
> I learned the hard way that using the original cassette deck (note this
> does NOT mean one of the same make and model!) is a necessity. I had
> two cassette decks, and they had about a 5% speed difference...which
> was VERY audible if I played a tape recorded on machine #1 using
> machine #2! I don't know if top-end cassette machines are specifically
> set up to run at a single fixed speed...but ordinary consumer-grade
> machines most certainly do NOT!
>
> Steven C. Barr