Cassette Tape

[stanko55]

I have a Tascam 424 MK3 and it has the ability to play high-bias cassette tape.

What type of cassette should I use to get the best sound quality out of my tascam? I read that a 30-60 minute hi-bias tape is best but is there anything else I should consider?

Thanks

[bcgood]

You could check out metal tape. Just read your documentation and make sure that its ok to use that.

[badmark]

Hi Stanko, I got a 424 mk3 a couple of weeks ago, and in case you don't have the manual this is what it says:

The Portastudio 424 MKIII is internally adjusted for HIGH BIAS Type ll tape. This means that for best results you should only use tapes of this type. TDK SA, Maxell XL- ll or equivalent formulations are recommended. We strongly suggest that you select one good quality brand and use it exclusively.

As it happens I had a couple of Maxell C-90s left over from back in the day (lol), but I have since got some Ampex High Bias C-60s from here:
Stanley Productions : Audio & Video Products, Copying & Conversion Services

C-60s are preferable because the tape is thicker. You'll also need a tape demagnetizer, a bottle of isopropyl alcohol and some cotton wool buds to keep your tape heads happy!

It doesn't say anything about metal tapes, so I would probably not try them because, as far as I remember, they required a different setting to ferric or chrome ones (and they're not mentioned in the manual)

[noah330]

I seem to remember that Chrome tapes were not reccomended in the old 4 tracks (it was years ago that I was using these so I could be mistaken).

My 4 track tape of choice was the Maxell XL-IIs. The XL-II is (was?) a very common high bias tape.

The 's' version was a little more money but the backing on the tape was heavier and I found I could do more passes with less problems.

You probably know this but avoid long time (100, 120, etc...) cassette tapes.

[Tapeworm]

Originally Posted by noah330

I seem to remember that Chrome tapes were not reccomended in the old 4 tracks (it was years ago that I was using these so I could be mistaken).

My 4 track tape of choice was the Maxell XL-IIs. The XL-II is (was?) a very common high bias tape.

The 's' version was a little more money but the backing on the tape was heavier and I found I could do more passes with less problems.

You probably know this but avoid long time (100, 120, etc...) cassette tapes.

Listen to this man. XLIIs tapes made a huge difference in dynamic range and clarity not to mention a much lower noise floor. Run them at high speed if your deck has this option.

[DamnYankee]

Originally Posted by stanko55

I have a Tascam 424 MK3 and it has the ability to play high-bias cassette tape.

What type of cassette should I use to get the best sound quality out of my tascam? I read that a 30-60 minute hi-bias tape is best but is there anything else I should consider?

Thanks

As an FYI, cassettes are notorious for horrible wow and flutter. With that said, try to find maxell metal oxide and the lowest minute cassette you can find (there used to be 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 minutes tapes once upon a time; try to find a 15 minute if you can).

DY

[retractablezing]

unless you want to wear out the motor and shorten the life of your 4 track, running at high speed is really not going to be worlds apart from running it at noon (half-speed). if one needs a more hi-fi sound, i'd argue that that person shouldn't be recording to cassette in the first place.

run the recorder at noon, avoid metal tapes at all costs, keep your heads clean but don't be obsessive about it (you don't need to clean and demag every time you use the recorder) and keep the alcohol away from the rubber parts. type II high bias tape at all times, don't worry about going over 60, but if you can keep it at that, it's the ideal. from 60 onwards the tape gets thinner.

[Piranhadrum]

Love my Tascam 4-Track(MK2).

One day, I hope to do an album of songs with it!

[alekvalhalla]

analog? are you serious? dont even bother with it hipster boy.

[CZ101]

Somewhere (probably on gearslutz) I remember reading from a reputable source that demagnetizing the record or playhead on a cassette 4 track yields no meaningful improvement because of the nominal width/magnetization of the 1/8" tape.

BTW I recently scored a 424mk3 off of ebay for a pretty good deal.

I hope the previous poster is being facetious because if they aren't, then I would suggest they take off their shoes and sink their bare foot into the soft analogue mud of nature.