Gotta play them all the way through....

[4tified]

I have some pretty crazy obsessions, one of them being that I have to listen to a tape from leader to leader, without rewinding, stopping, or fast forwarding. In my sub conscience, it feels as though I would be mistreating the tape if I listened to a song more than once in a row without playing the remaining tape....as if the heads will wear certain sections of the tape prematurely vs the other parts of the tape. I CANNOT press "Play" in the middle of the cassette. What in the heck is wrong with me?*fit*

[Mr. Lin]

I think they have medication for that.

[4tified]

I think they have medication for that.

LOL. I sure hope so. Maybe it'll help with other issues too.

[Scorpion8]

What in the heck is wrong with me?

You got old-school disease. Most of us growing up listened to an entire album side, or tape side and we heard all of the music. Today's society is based on 20-second sound bites, and instant track access. It's the reason the number of one-hit-wonders are much greater today, because a band can have a single hit and that's the only one people download or play. They never bother with the rest of their "portfolio". Bands don't develop or pay their dues, and people don't listen to their artistry. Just the hits baby, just the hits.

[Marc Hugo]

You got old-school disease. Most of us growing up listened to an entire album side, or tape side and we heard all of the music. Today's society is based on 20-second sound bites, and instant track access. It's the reason the number of one-hit-wonders are much greater today, because a band can have a single hit and that's the only one people download or play. They never bother with the rest of their "portfolio". Bands don't develop or pay their dues, and people don't listen to their artistry. Just the hits baby, just the hits.

This is true Scorpion. But for 4tified - be assured that the wear of a clean, modern head in good condition on a tape in equally good nick, in a sympathetically clean environment will be so infinitismally small as to be completely negligible and impossible to measure.

Because of contact issues in analogue replay, participants must have scrupulous habits. We all have - so this is not an issue. These formats got a negative press in the old days because the average user was careless, inattentive, lazy and, well, a teenager. LPs were used as coasters at parties and cassettes lived in the footwell of the car. Their Noreleco boxes were nowhere to be found. Against the backdrop of this "typical user" digital formats gained more favour. i.e. you could be a slob and your music (sic) would survive.

However, 4tified: try this. Find a tape you don't care about much. Or to put it differently, an ordinary type I with some music on it that you like. Play it randomly here and there. Start and stop at will. Play a particular song three or four times.

When you have done this, rewind to the beginning. See if you can pick up any degradation on the parts you played the most. You are looking for a fading of the sound, loss of HF, sounds of tape stretching etc. Especially, hunt for the spots where you stopped and started and see if there are any audible issues arising.

Remember, cassette is one of the most durable, tolerant, forgiving and tweakable music carriers ever invented. Perhaps the most.

Take care - Marc

[Teresa]

I have some pretty crazy obsessions, one of them being that I have to listen to a tape from leader to leader, without rewinding, stopping, or fast forwarding. In my sub conscience, it feels as though I would be mistreating the tape if I listened to a song more than once in a row without playing the remaining tape....as if the heads will wear certain sections of the tape prematurely vs the other parts of the tape. I CANNOT press "Play" in the middle of the cassette. What in the heck is wrong with me?*fit*

*idea* This is a excellent obsession for several reasons:

1) By not rewinding or fast forwarding you have an even tape pack which is best for storage. When I buy a used cassette I fast forward and rewind first it as it may not have been stored in a played condition and then I play both sides completely through so it is stored in a played condition.

2) By playing the tape from beginning to end you are listening to the artists original creation as they want it to be heard. And if you made the tape yourself you are listening to your playlist in the order you prefer.

I play all recordings from beginning to end even when I don't have to as that is the way I like it as well. So even on an SACD or DVD-Audio observe the artists original intentions.*Hi5*

*reelspin* If you have a reel to reel and listen to pre-recorded tapes from the 1950's it is advised to never rewind or fast forward them as the 50 year old acetate tapes become very brittle and break easy.

[Flyquail56]

Wow, I can see why you're concerned. What do you do when you're playing a tape in the car...:D

[Mr. Lin]

You got old-school disease. Most of us growing up listened to an entire album side, or tape side and we heard all of the music. Today's society is based on 20-second sound bites, and instant track access. It's the reason the number of one-hit-wonders are much greater today, because a band can have a single hit and that's the only one people download or play. They never bother with the rest of their "portfolio". Bands don't develop or pay their dues, and people don't listen to their artistry. Just the hits baby, just the hits.

Great point Scorp, one of the reasons I love tapes and records so much. I am, and always have been, and "album person." I love to really get into an entire album, enjoy the artwork, the theme (if there is one), and talk about it with friends.

[4tified]

This is true Scorpion. But for 4tified - be assured that the wear of a clean, modern head in good condition on a tape in equally good nick, in a sympathetically clean environment will be so infinitismally small as to be completely negligible and impossible to measure.

Because of contact issues in analogue replay, participants must have scrupulous habits. We all have - so this is not an issue. These formats got a negative press in the old days because the average user was careless, inattentive, lazy and, well, a teenager. LPs were used as coasters at parties and cassettes lived in the footwell of the car. Their Noreleco boxes were nowhere to be found. Against the backdrop of this "typical user" digital formats gained more favour. i.e. you could be a slob and your music (sic) would survive.

However, 4tified: try this. Find a tape you don't care about much. Or to put it differently, an ordinary type I with some music on it that you like. Play it randomly here and there. Start and stop at will. Play a particular song three or four times.

When you have done this, rewind to the beginning. See if you can pick up any degradation on the parts you played the most. You are looking for a fading of the sound, loss of HF, sounds of tape stretching etc. Especially, hunt for the spots where you stopped and started and see if there are any audible issues arising.


Remember, cassette is one of the most durable, tolerant, forgiving and tweakable music carriers ever invented. Perhaps the most.

Take care - Marc


Thanks for the help Marc (and Scorp), I think my problem is mostly mental....like heating something in the microwave on an even number, or rounding off, or stepping between cracks in the sidewalk (I just more recently got over than one). I reckon with a good-quality tape and solid transport that my tapes should be fine, I just grew up with crappy equipment, so I always wore out my tapes prematurely. Now that I have more advanced tape decks, I shouldn't worry so much, eh?



Wow, I can see why you're concerned. What do you do when you're playing a tape in the car...:D

LOL, I guess if I still had a tape deck in my car, I would burn up half a tank of gas circling the parking lot.

[Teresa]

Thanks for the help Marc (and Scorp), I think my problem is mostly mental....like heating something in the microwave on an even number ...

I like repeating numbers for example with the Microwave, I use cook times 1:11, 3:33, etc. Bidding on eBay $5.55, $7.77, $11.11 etc. I probably should have not said that as now you all will be beating me by one penny instead of 50 cents. LOL! I just think repeating number are prettier I guess, don't really know?

Also I don't step on cracks in the sidewalk. There really is a good reason for this superstition as you can twist an ankle from the uneven surface.

[stuwee]

I like repeating numbers for example with the Microwave, I use cook times 1:11, 3:33, etc. Bidding on eBay $5.55, $7.77, $11.11 etc. I probably should have not said that as now you all will be beating me by one penny instead of 50 cents. LOL! I just think repeating number are prettier I guess, don't really know?

Also I don't step on cracks in the sidewalk. There really is a good reason for this superstition as you can twist an ankle from the uneven surface.

Well put Teresa and all the others, I don't feel so out-of-wack now, i'm truely not alone *hypnot*