advice on tape decks for archiving old tapes

[mello]

I'm looking to archive a number of old cassettes. Pioneer and Nakamichi have been suggested as the best decks, any other suggestions? How about Technics? These cassettes are range from 10 to 18 years old. Any things I should be cautious about?

 

[mulester7]

I'm looking to archive a number of old cassettes. Pioneer and Nakamichi have been suggested as the best decks, any other suggestions? How about Technics? These cassettes are range from 10 to 18 years old. Any things I should be cautious about?

.....Mello, as one who experienced the cassette era, I assure you, Nakamichi was considered to be the top machines to own....I currently still have a Dragon and an RX-202....in buying an archieved cassette deck these days, I would say the thing to be most cautious about is the condition of the inner drive-belts, which are usually like thick black round rubber bands....they have a tendency with age to stretch and slip....good hunting.....

 

[MDS]

My opinion is that you should archive the cassettes by recording them to WAV files on your computer. Then you can edit them (noise reduction, compression, fade in, fade out, etc) if need be and burn them to CD.

 

[mtrycrafts]

My opinion is that you should archive the cassettes by recording them to WAV files on your computer. Then you can edit them (noise reduction, compression, fade in, fade out, etc) if need be and burn them to CD.

Yep, this would be the best idea

Less loss with additional analog playback, no more archiving and would be a no brainer from digital to digital and as you indicated, all the processing he could do, probably for less $$$.

 

[mtrycrafts]

You mean O-rings If the size is not unusual, he may be able to replace it at Home Depot?

 

[MacManNM]

You mean O-rings If the size is not unusual, he may be able to replace it at Home Depot?

It's a Nakamichi for crying out loud, one of the best analog recording devices ever marketed. They are belts; you buy the proper replacement part. You go to HD and buy O-rings if you live in a trailer in WV.

 

[mtrycrafts]

It's a Nakamichi for crying out loud, one of the best analog recording devices ever marketed. They are belts; you buy the proper replacement part. You go to HD and buy O-rings if you live in a trailer in WV.

It may be a belt, but mulster said round rubber bands. Sounds like O-rings to me. But it may be flat belt which may also be had at HD.

 

[Votrax]

They definitely use belts and getting the correct size is important. O-rings won't really work for that application. They don't have the elastic properties of belts. If you need belts MCM Electronics carries a wide variety.

MCM Electronics

 

[TapeMaster]

I suggest looking for a KENWOOD KX-W6020 It has Auto Reverse,Dolby B,C Direction Button & lots of other features

 

[bandphan]

I suggest looking for a KENWOOD KX-W6020 It has Auto Reverse,Dolby B,C Direction Button & lots of other features

this thread IS 4 years old

 

[HDPCsound]

this thread IS 4 years old

lol...maybe this was time for a little update