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TEAC 3340S 3340 S REEL MOTOR 21/19W REWIND TAKE UP REEL TO REEL
TEAC 3340S 3340 S REEL MOTOR 21/19W REWIND TAKE UP REEL TO REEL
US $47.49
TEAC A-4300SX AUTO-REV REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER IN NEAR MINT CONDITION
TEAC A-4300SX AUTO-REV REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER IN NEAR MINT CONDITION
US $574.00
Teac Reel-to-Reel Tape Recorder Player A-40105 Original Owner includes AC cord
Teac Reel-to-Reel Tape Recorder Player A-40105 Original Owner includes AC cord
US $71.00
Teac A-6010 Reel to Reel Player Local Pickup Only
Teac A-6010 Reel to Reel Player Local Pickup Only
US $56.00
Teac 4300 Open Reel Deck Ad from 1975,2 pages,color!
Teac 4300 Open Reel Deck Ad from 1975,2 pages,color!
US $7.00
Teac A-2300sd 1975 2 pg Open Reel Ad, Articles, Info
Teac A-2300sd 1975 2 pg Open Reel Ad, Articles, Info
US $11.00
Teac Open Reel Ad, 7030sl, 7010sl, 6010sl, 4010sl, Articles, 1 pg, 1974
Teac Open Reel Ad, 7030sl, 7010sl, 6010sl, 4010sl, Articles, 1 pg, 1974
US $11.00
Teac Open Reel Ad, 3300, 1 pg, Articles, Info, 1974
Teac Open Reel Ad, 3300, 1 pg, Articles, Info, 1974
US $11.00
TEAC A-6300 REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER IN NEAR MINT MECHANICAL CONDITION !!
TEAC A-6300 REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER IN NEAR MINT MECHANICAL CONDITION !!
US $684.00
TEAC-TASCAM SERIES 40-4 REEL TO REEL PLAYER RECORDER
TEAC-TASCAM SERIES 40-4 REEL TO REEL PLAYER RECORDER
US $399.99
Teac X-3 & X-3R  X300 Reel to Reel Tape Deck Belt Kit
Teac X-3 & X-3R X300 Reel to Reel Tape Deck Belt Kit
US $18.99
TEAC TZ-650 REEL TO REEL DUST COVER FOR TEAC X-1000 X-2000R TAPE DECK
TEAC TZ-650 REEL TO REEL DUST COVER FOR TEAC X-1000 X-2000R TAPE DECK
US $99.95
AKAI AS-3 TAPE SPLICER / AKAI HC-500 HEAD CLEANER / TEAC RE-711 REELS PLUS XTRAS
AKAI AS-3 TAPE SPLICER / AKAI HC-500 HEAD CLEANER / TEAC RE-711 REELS PLUS XTRAS
US $73.00
TEAC A-2300SX REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK EXCELLENT 2300SX
TEAC A-2300SX REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK EXCELLENT 2300SX
US $219.00
Teac A-6300 Reel to Reel Tape Deck Capstan Belt w/Instr
Teac A-6300 Reel to Reel Tape Deck Capstan Belt w/Instr
US $10.99
TEAC  A-2340R Reel-to-Reel Owner's Manual on CD ROM in  pdf. Format
TEAC A-2340R Reel-to-Reel Owner's Manual on CD ROM in pdf. Format
US $7.99
Teac A-6300 Reel to Reel Tape Deck Counter Belt
Teac A-6300 Reel to Reel Tape Deck Counter Belt
US $7.99
Output Level Knobs for Teac 3340S 4 Track Reel Tape Deck
Output Level Knobs for Teac 3340S 4 Track Reel Tape Deck
US $14.95
Split Input Level Knobs for Teac 3340S 4 Track Reel Tape Deck
Split Input Level Knobs for Teac 3340S 4 Track Reel Tape Deck
US $14.95
Counter for Teac 3340S 4 Track Reel Tape Deck
Counter for Teac 3340S 4 Track Reel Tape Deck
US $12.95
(1) TEAC EM 1448 X-7R X-10R X-7 X-1000R X-2000R REWIND TAKE UP TAKEUP REEL MOTOR
(1) TEAC EM 1448 X-7R X-10R X-7 X-1000R X-2000R REWIND TAKE UP TAKEUP REEL MOTOR
US $39.99
Teac 5300 Pro-Quality Reel-to-Reel Owner's Manual R2R
Teac 5300 Pro-Quality Reel-to-Reel Owner's Manual R2R
US $15.99
Teac A-3340 series Reel to Reel Tape Deck Capstan Belt
Teac A-3340 series Reel to Reel Tape Deck Capstan Belt
US $10.99
Vintage Teac A-1500U Automatic Reverse reel to reel Tape Deck Recorder Player
Vintage Teac A-1500U Automatic Reverse reel to reel Tape Deck Recorder Player
US $149.99
TEAC X-1000 / X-1000M reel to reel deck service manual
TEAC X-1000 / X-1000M reel to reel deck service manual
US $115.00
TEAC X3 REEL STEREO PAIR VU METERS LAMPS
TEAC X3 REEL STEREO PAIR VU METERS LAMPS
US $20.00
TEAC REEL X-10 X-10R X-20R X-1000 X-2000 NEW ORIGINAL FACTORY CAPSTAN BELT
TEAC REEL X-10 X-10R X-20R X-1000 X-2000 NEW ORIGINAL FACTORY CAPSTAN BELT
US $19.00
Teac X-700R Reel to Reel DBX Noise Reduction Unit Untested
Teac X-700R Reel to Reel DBX Noise Reduction Unit Untested
US $76.00
TEAC A-2340R Auto Reverse 4 Track Stereo Tape Reel Deck 2340 Series
TEAC A-2340R Auto Reverse 4 Track Stereo Tape Reel Deck 2340 Series
US $159.95
TEAC X-1000R OPEN REEL-TO-REEL STEREO TAPE DECK+EXTRAS~RECENTLY RE-CONDITIONED!
TEAC X-1000R OPEN REEL-TO-REEL STEREO TAPE DECK+EXTRAS~RECENTLY RE-CONDITIONED!
US $749.99
TEAC RE-702 VINTAGE PLASTIC 7
TEAC RE-702 VINTAGE PLASTIC 7" X 1/4" TAKE UP REEL TO REEL
US $12.00
Teac A-4010 SL Reel to Reel  Unit Untested Vintage Teac Reel to Reel
Teac A-4010 SL Reel to Reel Unit Untested Vintage Teac Reel to Reel
US $51.00
TEAC PLASTIC TAKE UP REEL
TEAC PLASTIC TAKE UP REEL
US $12.50
Minty TEAC A-3440 Simul-Sync Discrete 4-Channel Reel to Reel QUAD DECK, ORIG BOX
Minty TEAC A-3440 Simul-Sync Discrete 4-Channel Reel to Reel QUAD DECK, ORIG BOX
US $699.00
TEAC X-7R PCB-116 PCB116 116 CIRCUIT BOARD FROM REEL TO REEL
TEAC X-7R PCB-116 PCB116 116 CIRCUIT BOARD FROM REEL TO REEL
US $37.98
TEAC X-1000R REEL TO REEL POWER SWITCH BUTTON GUARANTEED PART
TEAC X-1000R REEL TO REEL POWER SWITCH BUTTON GUARANTEED PART
US $36.09
TEAC A-3340S  STUDIO REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER IN EXCELLENT CONDITION !!
TEAC A-3340S STUDIO REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER IN EXCELLENT CONDITION !!
US $774.00
TEAC A-2340 SMALL STUDIO REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER / EXCELLENT CONDITION !
TEAC A-2340 SMALL STUDIO REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER / EXCELLENT CONDITION !
US $774.00
TEAC A-6100 MK II Tape Deck Recorder 1/2 track & 1/4 track Reel to Reel R2R
TEAC A-6100 MK II Tape Deck Recorder 1/2 track & 1/4 track Reel to Reel R2R
US $140.55
Audio 1/4
Audio 1/4" Reel to Reel Splicing Tape NOS Teac Sony Tascam Ampex etc Free Ship
US $8.95
~GORGEOUS~ TEAC A-4300 STEREO OPEN REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER PLAYER
~GORGEOUS~ TEAC A-4300 STEREO OPEN REEL TAPE DECK RECORDER PLAYER
US $200.00
TEAC A-1230 reel to reel player / recorder; w/ RE-711 metal take-up reel
TEAC A-1230 reel to reel player / recorder; w/ RE-711 metal take-up reel
US $59.99
TEAC A-4000S REEL TO REEL OWNERS MANUAL + SCHEMATICS EXCELLENT!!!
TEAC A-4000S REEL TO REEL OWNERS MANUAL + SCHEMATICS EXCELLENT!!!
US $14.95
TEAC X-2000R 4 track reel to reel tape deck
TEAC X-2000R 4 track reel to reel tape deck
US $1,200.00
TEAC REEL TO REEL X SERIES FEET FOOT USED
TEAC REEL TO REEL X SERIES FEET FOOT USED
US $29.99
Vintage Teac 6010SL Reel to Reel Tape Recorder
Vintage Teac 6010SL Reel to Reel Tape Recorder
US $52.00
TEAC REEL TABLE  FOR X10R, X500,X700.X1000R AND X2000R DECKS #3
TEAC REEL TABLE FOR X10R, X500,X700.X1000R AND X2000R DECKS #3
US $64.99
TEAC REEL TABLE FOR X10R, X7R, X500, X700. X1000R AND X2000R X700R
TEAC REEL TABLE FOR X10R, X7R, X500, X700. X1000R AND X2000R X700R
US $54.99
Teac A-4010S Wood Cabinet and Electronics - Nice Condition - Reel to Reel Tape
Teac A-4010S Wood Cabinet and Electronics - Nice Condition - Reel to Reel Tape
US $50.00
1 OF 2 TEAC REEL TABLE X-7R X-10R X-1000R X-2000R X SERIES HUB
1 OF 2 TEAC REEL TABLE X-7R X-10R X-1000R X-2000R X SERIES HUB
US $52.24
Vintage Teac Tascam Series 35-2 Reel to Reel Tape Recorder
Vintage Teac Tascam Series 35-2 Reel to Reel Tape Recorder
US $9.99
TEAC Tascam 80-8 Reel-to-Reel w/ TEAC DX-8 dbx Noise Reduction Module w/ Manuals
TEAC Tascam 80-8 Reel-to-Reel w/ TEAC DX-8 dbx Noise Reduction Module w/ Manuals
US $249.00
Teac X-2000R Hi-Fi Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck Player X2000R BL dbx 10.5
Teac X-2000R Hi-Fi Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck Player X2000R BL dbx 10.5" Black 2000
US $1,525.00
Teac A-4010S Reel to Reel Recorder Auto Reverse -NEW Belts- VERY NICE!
Teac A-4010S Reel to Reel Recorder Auto Reverse -NEW Belts- VERY NICE!
US $99.99
Vintage Teac 4300 Reel to Reel Tape Deck PRINT AD 1975
Vintage Teac 4300 Reel to Reel Tape Deck PRINT AD 1975
US $9.95
(2) Vintage Tascam~Teac NAB Reel Hubs~NEAR MINT!
(2) Vintage Tascam~Teac NAB Reel Hubs~NEAR MINT!
US $59.99
Teac RC-401 Remote Control for Reel to Reel Tape Deck
Teac RC-401 Remote Control for Reel to Reel Tape Deck
US $15.50
Teac TCA-40,41,42 RA-41 Pro line Open Reel Ad 1970
Teac TCA-40,41,42 RA-41 Pro line Open Reel Ad 1970
US $7.00
TEAC A-3440, REEL TO REEL, TAPE DECK, TAPE RECORDER, 4 TRACK, TEAC,
TEAC A-3440, REEL TO REEL, TAPE DECK, TAPE RECORDER, 4 TRACK, TEAC,
US $499.00
TEAC A-2430R Reel to Reel Mint Condition
TEAC A-2430R Reel to Reel Mint Condition
US $350.00
TEAC EM1472 REEL MOTOR for TEAC 2300 SERIES
TEAC EM1472 REEL MOTOR for TEAC 2300 SERIES
US $19.90
TEAC EM1641 REEL MOTOR X-3  X-300 TASCAM 22 REALISTIC TR-3000
TEAC EM1641 REEL MOTOR X-3 X-300 TASCAM 22 REALISTIC TR-3000
US $19.90
TEAC A-1250 (and other models) REEL DRIVE MOTOR P/N 5070225100
TEAC A-1250 (and other models) REEL DRIVE MOTOR P/N 5070225100
US $32.00
Teac A-2050 Reel-to-Reel Tape Recorder Owner's Manual
Teac A-2050 Reel-to-Reel Tape Recorder Owner's Manual
US $10.99
TEAC A-4010 SERIES REEL DRIVE MOTOR P/N 50702270
TEAC A-4010 SERIES REEL DRIVE MOTOR P/N 50702270
US $32.00
Teac A-2300SD Reel-to-Reel Tape RecorderOwner's Manual
Teac A-2300SD Reel-to-Reel Tape RecorderOwner's Manual
US $10.99
Teac X-300R  X-300 Reel-to-Reel Tape D Service Manual
Teac X-300R X-300 Reel-to-Reel Tape D Service Manual
US $19.99
10 Ampex 641 1800'  Reel-to-Reel tapes In Boxes for Sony, Teac, Akai
10 Ampex 641 1800' Reel-to-Reel tapes In Boxes for Sony, Teac, Akai
US $36.00
20 COUNT SEALED TEAC DOLBY SYSTEM STICKERS: REEL,CASSETTE,8 TRACK;1 1/8
20 COUNT SEALED TEAC DOLBY SYSTEM STICKERS: REEL,CASSETTE,8 TRACK;1 1/8"L, 1/2"H
US $14.99
TEAC X2000R REEL-REEL CONTROL KNOB SET free shipping
TEAC X2000R REEL-REEL CONTROL KNOB SET free shipping
US $10.00
TEAC A-3300s reel to reel tape recorder
TEAC A-3300s reel to reel tape recorder
US $449.99
Vintage TEAC TCA-40 41 42 Reel to Reel PRINT AD 1971
Vintage TEAC TCA-40 41 42 Reel to Reel PRINT AD 1971
US $9.95
TEAC Open Reel & Cassette Brochure 1976
TEAC Open Reel & Cassette Brochure 1976
US $12.95
Teac A-6010 AS-200 Amp and Open Reel Ad from 1968
Teac A-6010 AS-200 Amp and Open Reel Ad from 1968
US $8.00
Teac A-3340 Reel to Reel Tape Deck Counter Belt
Teac A-3340 Reel to Reel Tape Deck Counter Belt
US $7.99
TEAC A-2300SD   Reel to Reel Audio Tape Recorder
TEAC A-2300SD Reel to Reel Audio Tape Recorder
US $249.99
Teac A- 2340RS Reel to Reel Tape Deck
Teac A- 2340RS Reel to Reel Tape Deck
US $49.99
Teac A-3440 series Reel to Reel Tape Deck Capstan Belt
Teac A-3440 series Reel to Reel Tape Deck Capstan Belt
US $10.99
Teac A-3300SX 2-Track Reel to Reel Tape Recorder, #13199
Teac A-3300SX 2-Track Reel to Reel Tape Recorder, #13199
US $33.34
TEAC A-2340SX 4-channel SIMUL-SYNC Stereo Reel To Reel
TEAC A-2340SX 4-channel SIMUL-SYNC Stereo Reel To Reel
US $225.00
Teac 7030SL Reel to Reel Tape Recorder, #13201
Teac 7030SL Reel to Reel Tape Recorder, #13201
US $16.49
VINTAGE TEAC X-10 MKII REEL TO REEL 10.5
VINTAGE TEAC X-10 MKII REEL TO REEL 10.5" 7" HI-FI TAPE DECK PLAYER RECORDER
US $299.90
TEAC REEL TO REEL PLAY FF STOP CONTROLS A-4010s
TEAC REEL TO REEL PLAY FF STOP CONTROLS A-4010s
US $29.95
TEAC A-4010s REEL TO REEL MOTOR RIGHT OR LEFT 44.12
TEAC A-4010s REEL TO REEL MOTOR RIGHT OR LEFT 44.12
US $36.95
9 Teac Reel to Reel Manuals on CD  X2000 X1000 X7 X3R +
9 Teac Reel to Reel Manuals on CD X2000 X1000 X7 X3R +
US $7.49
TEAC TASCAM SERIES 40-4 RECORDER/ REPRODUCER  REEL TO REEL
TEAC TASCAM SERIES 40-4 RECORDER/ REPRODUCER REEL TO REEL
US $299.00
TEAC X-7, X-10 REEL TO REEL BELTS
TEAC X-7, X-10 REEL TO REEL BELTS
US $26.00
TEAC 4010 REEL TO REEL BELTS
TEAC 4010 REEL TO REEL BELTS
US $25.50
TEAC 1200 REEL TO REEL BELTS
TEAC 1200 REEL TO REEL BELTS
US $22.00
TEAC TZ-250 Dust Cover for TEAC 2300 - 2340 Reel to Reels
TEAC TZ-250 Dust Cover for TEAC 2300 - 2340 Reel to Reels
US $7.49
TEAC REEL TO REEL RECORDER TAPE HEADS(LOT OF 2)-RECORD&ERASE HEAD-NEW OLD STOCK
TEAC REEL TO REEL RECORDER TAPE HEADS(LOT OF 2)-RECORD&ERASE HEAD-NEW OLD STOCK
US $89.99
TEAC A-4070G COSMETIC/PARTS LOT:DUST COVER,CASE,REEL TABLES,BELTS,HEAD COVER,ETC
TEAC A-4070G COSMETIC/PARTS LOT:DUST COVER,CASE,REEL TABLES,BELTS,HEAD COVER,ETC
US $75.00

Teac Reel

Teac Reel

Cassette deck

History

Origins

A typical portable desktop cassette recorder from RadioShack.

The concept of a tape deck that used tape reels permanently housed in a removable cartridge, as opposed to individual reels and tape that needed to be threaded by hand, dates from the early 1950s. Various manufacturers attempted to commercialize this concept but a major difficulty was getting sufficient playback time with the low-performance tapes of the time, though by the early 1960s, tape formulations had improved enough to make the concept viable.

The "compact cassette" (a Philips trademark) was introduced by the Philips Corporation in 1963 and marketed in 1965 as a device purely intended for portable speech-only dictation machines. There was never any intention that it be a replacement for reel-to-reel recorders. The tape width was nominally 18 inch (actually 0.15 inch, 3.81 mm) and tape speed was 1.875 inches (4.76 cm) per second, giving a decidedly non Hi-Fi frequency response and quite high noise levels.

Early recorders were typically hand-held battery-powered devices with built-in microphones and recording automatic gain control, intended for dictation and journalists. However, by the mid 1970s, both tape and recorder quality had improved to the point where a cassette deck with manual level controls and VU meters became a standard component of home high fidelity systems. Eventually the reel-to-reel recorder was completely displaced, in part because of the usage constraints presented by their large size, expense, and the inconvenience of threading and rewinding the tape reels, while cassettes are more portable and can be stopped and immediately removed in the middle of playback without rewinding. Cassettes became extremely popular for automotive and other portable music applications. Although prerecorded cassettes were widely available, many users would dub songs from their vinyl record or cassette collections to make a custom mixtape.

In 1971, the Advent Corporation combined Dolby B-type tape-hiss-noise reduction system with chromium dioxide tape to create the Advent Model 201, the first high-fidelity cassette deck. Dolby B boosts treble levels well above the noise level, and reduces them on playback, while CrO2 used different bias and equalization settings to do much the same, and these technologies extended frequency response into high fidelity range beyond 15 kHz for the first time. This deck was based on a top-loading mechanism by Wollensak, a division of 3M, which was commonly used in audio/visual applications. It featured an unusual single VU meter which could be switched between or for both channels, and lever-operated controls, similar to those used on reel-to-reel mechanisms.

Typical Teac top loading stereo cassette deck from mid 1970s

Most other manufacturers adopted a standard top-loading format with piano key controls, dual VU meters, and slider level controls. There was a variety of configurations leading to the next standard format in the late 1970s, which settled on front-loading (see main picture) with cassette well on one side, dual VU meters on the other, and later a dual-cassette format with meters in the middle. Mechanical controls were replaced with electronic pushbuttons controlling solenoid mechanical actuators, though low cost models would retain mechanical controls. Some models could search and count gaps between songs. Cassette players pioneered the modern set of control buttons: play, pause, stop, record, and "locking" fast forward and rewind (which when depressed momentarily would remain depressed until stopped.)

Widespread use

Cassette decks soon came into widespread use and were designed variously for professional applications, home audio systems, and for mobile use in cars, as well as portable recorders. From the mid 1970s to the late 1990s the cassette deck was the preferred music source for the automobile. Like an 8-track cartridge, it was relatively insensitive to vehicle motion, but it had reduced tape flutter, as well as the obvious advantages of smaller physical size and fast forward/rewind capability. A major boost to the cassette's popularity came with the release of the Sony Walkman "personal" cassette player in 1979, designed specifically as a headphone-only ultra-compact "wearable" music source. Although the vast majority of such players eventually sold were not Sony products, the name "Walkman" has become synonymous with this type of device.

Performance improvements

Cassette decks reached their pinnacle of performance and complexity by the mid 1980s. Cassette decks from companies such as Nakamichi, Revox, and Tandberg incorporated advanced features such as multiple tape heads and dual capstan drive with separate reel motors. Auto-reversing decks became popular and were standard on factory installed automobile decks.

Three-head technology uses separate heads for recording and playback. This enables hearing playback during the recording. Also, it allows different record and playback head gaps to be used, which is important for the highest fidelity, as a narrower head gap is optimal for playback than for recording, and so the head gap width of any dual-purpose single record / playback head must necessarily be a compromise. A three-head system was common on reel-to-reel decks, but it was more difficult to implement for cassettes, which do not provide separate openings for record and playback heads. A cassette has one opening designed for the erase head, a center opening for the record / play head, and a third opening for the tape drive capstan. Some models squeezed a monitor head into the capstan area, and others combined separate record and playback gaps into a single headshell.

Cassette decks sold by Harman Kardon and Japanese companies such as Aiwa, Akai, Denon, Pioneer, Sony, Teac, Technics and Yamaha were also common, with each company offering models of very high quality. The best units could record and play the full audible spectrum from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with wow and flutter less than 0.05% and very low noise.

A very good live cassette recording could rival the sound of an average commercial CD, though the quality of pre-recorded cassettes was usually lower than could be achieved in a high quality home recording. Cassettes remain popular for audio-visual applications. Some CD recorders incorporate a cassette well to allow both formats for recording meetings, church sermons and books on tape.

The Dolby noise reduction system was key to realizing low noise performance on slow, narrow, cassette tapes. It works by boosting high frequencies on recording and then restoring them, also lowering the constant high frequency noises. Enhanced versions included C (in 1980) and S types, though the B system is the only standard supported on most high fidelity automobile decks. Some decks incorporated microprocessor programs to adjust tape bias automatically. Bang & Olufsen developed the HX Pro headroom extension system in conjunction with Dolby Laboratories in 1982. This was used in many higher-end decks. Chromium dioxide was the first tape formulation for extended high frequency response, but it required a special bias and equalization and switch (referred to as Type II). Later decks incorporated coded holes in the shell to autodetect the tape type. TDK and Maxell adapted cobalt-doped ferric formulations to mimic CrO2, which was thought to quickly wear out heads. Sony briefly tried FerriChrome which claimed to combine the best of both (Type III); some people, however, stated that the reverse was true because the Cr top layer seemed to wear off quickly, reducing this type to Fe in practice. Most decks today produce the best response with metal tapes which require yet another setting (Type IV) for recording, though they will also play back at the II setting on other machines.

In later years, an "auto reverse" feature appeared that allowed the deck to play (or, in some cases, record) on both sides of the cassette without the operator having to manually remove, flip, and re-insert the cassette. In early auto-reverse machines, and most inexpensive machines to this day, this uses a dual-direction head that can play all four tracks; only two at a time are connected to the electronics. The transport in these decks also has two capstans and pinch rollers, one set used for each direction.

It is difficult, however, to align a dual-direction head correctly for both directions. In some more expensive machines the "Auto Reverse" mechanism operates by disengaging the head and then flipping it around and re-engaging it, with alignment screws available for both positions. In one machine Nakamichi addressed the issue with a mechanism that physically removed the cassette from the transport, flipped it over, and re-inserted it.

Noise reduction and fidelity

A variety of noise reduction and other schemes are used to increase fidelity, with Dolby B being almost universal for both prerecorded tapes and home recording. Dolby B was designed to address the high-frequency hiss inherent in cassette tapes, and along with improvements in tape formulation it helped the cassette win acceptances as a high-fidelity medium. At the same time, Dolby B provided acceptable performance when played back on decks that lacked Dolby circuitry, meaning there was little reason not to use it if it was available.

The main alternative to Dolby was the dbx noise reduction system, which achieved a high signal-to-noise ratio, but was essentially unlistenable when played back on decks that lacked the dbx decoding circuitry. Philips developed an alternative noise reduction system known as Dynamic Noise Limiter (DNL) which did not require the tapes to be processed during recording; this was also the basis of DNR noise reduction.

Dolby later introduced Dolby C and Dolby S noise reduction, which achieved higher levels of noise reduction; Dolby C became common on high-fidelity decks, but Dolby S, released when cassette sales had begun to decline, never achieved widespread use. It was only licensed for use on higher end tape decks that included dual motors, triple heads, and other refinements.

Dolby HX Pro headroom extension provided better high-frequency response by adjusting the inaudible tape bias during the recording of strong high-frequency sounds, which had a bias effect of their own. Developed by Bang & Olufsen, it did not require a decoder to play back. Since B&O held patent rights and required paying license fees, many other manufacturers refrained from using it too.

Other refinements to improve cassette performance included Tandberg's DYNEQ, Toshiba's ADRES and Telefunken's Hi-Com, and on some high-end decks, automatic recording bias, fine pitch adjustment and (sometimes) head azimuth adjustment like the Tandberg TCD 320.

By the late 1980s, thanks to such improvements in the electronics, the tape material and manufacturing techniques, as well as dramatic improvements to the precision of the cassette shell, tape heads and transport mechanics, sound fidelity on equipment from the top manufacturers far surpassed the levels originally expected of the medium. On suitable audio equipment, cassettes could produce a very pleasant listening experience. The best home decks could achieve 20 Hz-20 kHz frequency response with wow and flutter below 0.05%, and 70 dB of signal-to-noise ratio using Dolby C, up to 80 dB of signal-to-noise ratio using Dolby S, and 90 dB with dbx. Many casual listeners could not tell the difference between cassette and compact disc.

From the early 1980s, the fidelity of prerecorded cassettes began to improve dramatically. Whereas Dolby B was already in widespread use in the 1970s, prerecorded cassettes were duplicated onto poor quality tape stock at high speed and did not compare in fidelity to LPs. However, systems such as XDR, along with the adoption of higher-grade tape (such as chromium dioxide, but typically recorded in such a way as to play back at the normal 120 s eq position), and the frequent use of Dolby HX Pro, meant that cassettes became a viable high-fidelity option, one that was more portable and required less maintenance than records. In addition, cover art, which had generally previously been restricted to a single image of the LP cover along with a minimum of text, began to be tailored to cassettes as well, with fold-out lyric sheets or librettos and fold-out sleeves becoming commonplace.

Some companies, such as Mobile Fidelity, produced audiophile cassettes in the 1980s, which were recorded on high-grade tape and duplicated on premium equipment in real time from a digital master. Unlike audiophile LPs, which continue to attract a following, these became moot after the Compact Disc became widespread.

In-car entertainment systems

A key element of the cassette's success was its use in in-car entertainment systems, where the small size of the tape was significantly more convenient than the competing 8-track cartridge system. Cassette players in cars and for home use were often integrated with a radio receiver, and the term "casseiver" was occasionally used for combination units for home use. In-car cassette players were the first to adopt automatic reverse ("auto-reverse") of the tape direction at each end, allowing a cassette to be played endlessly without manual intervention. Home cassette decks soon added the feature.

Cassette tape adaptors have been developed which allow newer media players to be played through existing cassette decks, in particular those in cars which generally do not have input jacks. These units do not suffer from reception problems from FM transmitter based system to play back media players through the FM radio.

Maintenance

Cassette equipment needs regular maintenance, as cassette tape is a magnetic medium which is in physical contact with the tape head and other metallic parts of the recorder/player mechanism. Without such maintenance, the high frequency response of the cassette equipment will suffer.

One problem occurs when iron oxide (or similar) particles from the tape itself become lodged in the playback head. As a result, the tape heads will require occasional cleaning to remove such particles. The metal capstan and the rubber pinch roller can become coated with these particles, leading them to pull the tape less precisely over the head; this in turn leads to misalignment of the tape over the head azimuth, producing noticeably unclear high tones, just as if the head itself were out of alignment.

The heads and other metallic components in the tape path (such as spindles and capstans) may become magnetized with use, and require degaussing.

Isopropyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol are both suitable head-cleaning fluids. (Rubbing alcohol may contain oil which is not suitable.) Head cleaning fluid is a relatively expensive way to buy isopropyl alcohol.

Decline in popularity

Analog cassette deck sales were expected to decline rapidly with the advent of the compact disc and other digital recording technologies such as digital audio tape (DAT), MiniDisc, and the CD-R recorder drives. Philips responded with the digital compact cassette, a system which was backward-compatible with existing analog cassette recordings for playback, but it failed to garner a significant market share and was withdrawn. One reason proposed for the lack of acceptance of digital recording formats such as DAT was a fear by content providers that the ability to make very high quality copies would hurt sales of copyrighted recordings.

The rapid transition was not realized and CDs and cassettes successfully co-existed for nearly 20 years. A contributing factor may have been the inability of early CD players to reliably read discs with surface damage and offer anti-skipping features for applications where external vibration would be present, such as automotive and recreation environments. Early CD playback equipment also tended to be expensive compared to cassette equipment of similar quality and did not offer recording capability. Many home and portable entertainment systems supported both formats and commonly allowed the CD playback to be recorded on cassette tape. The rise of inexpensive all-solid-state portable digital music systems based on MP3, AAC and similar formats finally saw the eventual decline of the domestic cassette deck. Tascam, Marantz, Yamaha, Teac, Denon, Sony, and JVC are among the companies still manufacturing cassette decks in relatively small quantities for professional and niche market use. By the late 1990s, automobiles were offered with entertainment systems that played both cassettes and CDs. By the end of the late 2000s, very few autos were offered with cassette decks. As radios became tightly integrated into dashboards, many autos lacked even standard openings that would accept aftermarket cassette player installations.

Despite the decline in the production of cassette decks, these products are still valued by some. Many blind and elderly people find the newest digital technologies very difficult to use compared to the cassette format. Cassette tapes are not vulnerable to scratching from handling, and play from where they were last stopped.

Some audiophiles believe that the technology of the highest quality cassette decks, due to their analog nature, provides sound recordings superior to current digital technology, such as CD-R and DAT. However, cassette decks are not considered by most people today to be either the most versatile or highest fidelity sound recording devices available, as even very inexpensive CD or digital audio players can reproduce a wide frequency range with no speed variations. Many current budget-oriented cassette decks lack a tape selector to set proper bias and equalization settings to take best advantage of the extended high end of Type II [High Bias] and Type IV [Metal Bias] tapes.

See also

Tape deck

Nakamichi and Revox. These corporate pages contains links to external sites relevant to cassette decks.

high end audio. This page contains links to high-end audio companies, including companies formerly producing "high-end" audio gear such as cassette decks.

Notes

^ Advent cassette decks

^ Circuit and description of DNL URL accessed August 25, 2006

External links

Pictures of Cassette Decks A Japanese language page, but containing pictures of historic cassette decks.

Audio Asylum Tape Trail A discussion forum of interest to those involved in cassette technology.

Vintage Cassette Decks - A collection of Vintage cassette decks of all brands.

Categories: Recorders | Audio players | 1963 introductions
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