cassette playback

[Ken Barry]

Greetings, and apologies for asking what is probably a no-brainer question for you audio professionals.

Background:
I have a sizable quantity of decades-old cassettes I intend on transferring into digital format, and they consist of Normal, CrO2, FeCr and Metal tapes.

Question:
How important is it to have playback gear featuring bias switch controls (for CrO2, FeCr and Metal cassettes)?

Thanks,
Ken Barry

[paully]

Hi Ken,

If the stuff was recorded on that machine(assuming that you have one), you're obviously home free. If not, tracks will be different sounding(more/less highs, lows, etc.). If that's OK, again your home free. If this is a serious project, what I'd suggest is to buy a used deck that has the bias switch. They're pretty cheap now. As you flip between bias modes, you'll hear different quality. Then you're free to choose the best sounding one for the digital trip. Know anybody that you can borrow one from?

Best, Paul

[Ken Barry]

Hi Paul,
--Ahh, I get it.

Yes, I do possess the cass. deck equipment featuring the bias switches.

While obvious to me that you need to make a proper bias switch selection for recording mode, I was unclear whether use of said switches was essential for quality playback.

If the equipmnt wasn't needed, I was going to drop it at my local thrift store, but I'll keep them around now. Glad to hear that they are not yet boat anchors!

Thanks for your advice and help.

Ken Barry

[paully]

Hey Ken,

You're right. It really shouldn't make a diff on playback. Give a track a listen and flip the switch to various modes. See what happens. To tell the truth, I was thinking about noise reduction instead of bias when I responded. Forgot to edit. That's what happens when you pile on a few years and your brain gets slightly addled .

Best, Paul

[Johnny B]

Yes, the bias switch needs to be flipped on playback, if it has one. Some decks have sensors that pick up the holes in the cassette shell and "know" which setting to use. For NR, it's best to check both positions and see what sounds better. In some cases, if something was recorded with the NR on has no high end, it's easier to get a better sounding transfer with it off, and then some EQ.

Make sure you clean and align the thing, as well. And if a tape has no high end, adjust the head azimuth to match the tape before doing your transfer.

Speaking of the thrift stores, I've picked up a few decent cassette decks at the thrift stores. Nothing really nice, no 3-head Naks or anything, but for $20...

[paully]

Make sure you clean and align the thing, as well...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Cleaning absolutely, but align only if it's not the machine used to record the original tapes. That will effect the sound, probably in the wrong way.

Best, Paul

[Johnny B]

I guarantee over 10 to 20 years of use, that the heads on a cassette machine have moved. Even if you're playing back something on the recording deck, if it (and the tapes) are that old and you don't regularly set your machine up, it's probably going to be off. Cassette's a pretty narrow format and it doesn't take much head movement for it to sound bad, especially if there's NR in use.

[paully]

Hey Johnny,

All true, but if I were the OP, I'd make temporary transfers first before fooling around with allignment and electronic adjustments. Safe VS. sorry. JMHO .

Best, Paul