observations

[qubeular]

type 1 tapes are good for making music sound REALLY analog.

type 2 is for getting a clear recording.

type 4 is for getting dynamic sounding music.




low noise tape gives lower dynamic range and little noise compared to a high output tape. yet, usually nothing worth mentioning, aside from wider frequency range.

a high output tape can sound really good if nurtured, but, dont expect much high end over 16 or 18 khz.




good stock of tdk d is fantastic for making very rich and lush (analog) sounding recordings.


xl2 is clear and natural, albiet a tiny bit rough sounding.

sa on the other hand trades off that roughness for a slightly recessed sound. yet still clear and natural.

xl2s and sax, on the right deck will sound crisper and have richer bass, but, wont sound as "natural".



hows the UR for recording hot?

[Scorpion8]

Not sure I agree at all. I keep TDK D around in case I just gotta have-to have a tape and don't want to waste a good (even used) Type-II. Music that I've recorded on it is not as full or deep with the expansive breath of UD XLII or UD XLII-S or SA/SA-X. The good type I's (TDK AD, Maxell XLI or XLI-S) did have that richer analog sound, but not D. I think TDK D is best for voice recording. I haven't recorded on a UR, but have several old 80's UD tapes that still sound pretty good.

[qubeular]

as i currently listen to a 77 or 79 sa in the deck.

results may vary.

im trying to illustrate how even with the imperfection of most high output normal bias tape, it can still shine and sound very crisp. tho, not as crisp or clear as nearly high bais tape out there.

i reserve the type one tape for something that already sounds analog.

and i can make it sound even more analog if i want.

or, with the new music out there thats already compressed to oblivion, you know, hardly any dynamic range well, that would befit a type one tape in my ears.

im currently recording islands first album, and its a little compressed, a little eq to lessen the punch, and a little more content over around 7 or 10k

sounds nice on a plain type 1, fantastic on the d, but pretty much the same on the xl2.


i can name plenty of recordings that require a clean high bias tape. that wouldnt be as fun as arguing the merits of a lesser quality tape.


anyone else have any suggestions on decent type one tape they have used in the past, that gave relatively spectacular results.


barring the ad and ar and xli. obviously they will be excellent unless they werent stored properly.

[braxus]

anyone else have any suggestions on decent type one tape they have used in the past, that gave relatively spectacular results.



Ive used 3 of the top end type 1 tapes that were ever made. TDK AR-X was a great sounding tape. Some vinyl I put on that tape really came alive when played back. The last version of the Maxell XLI-S tape (the one which is like a chrome mixed with normal and hard to bias) sounded excellent in warming up a DVD-A disc I put onto it, yet still maintained the clear highs from the disc. And a Denon DX-4 also sounded pretty good done from vinyl. I haven't tried Sony HF-Pro yet though.

[Des-Lab]

Low and bottom end tapes such as Maxell UR, TDK D, Sony HF, etc. never WERE meant for high fidelity recording. So on a hunch, I suspect that anyone who says that get good sound out of them is either a) settling, or b) hasn't tried the higher grade tapes. The only one of those tapes that I would give even a fighting chance to in that regard would be the 1988 Maxell UR-the green/blue/white packaging.

That said, most of the premium grade Type I tapes-such as Maxell XLI, XLI-S, TDK AD-X/AR-X, and Denon DX-4, unfortunately are relatively rare and hard to find when compared to similar vintage Type II's and IV's. As such will be pretty pricey. So I don't want you to get your hopes too high on them.

Now if you want to talk about tapes lacking in prestige yet deliver outstanding performamce, I still opine that the 3M/Blackwatch "2020" Type II and "4040" Type IV are the best.

[NAD613]

The Sony HF-S was a good type I tape. I believe it was marketed as a high fidelity, superior grade normal bias cassette. The Akai SX are labeled the same way. I just got a dozen Fuji DR-I normal bias cassettes & I'm going to see how they compare.

[qubeular]

sadly i already know of the high end type ones.

im talking about more modest stock.

ive heard many tape stocks.

and ive heard many tape stocks on a good deck.

im asking if anyone has put a non-premium use tape in their fancy decks and found the sound was a much better than expected.

[braxus]

I was recording Thriller (Ok Im not a Jackson fan, but this album has memories for me) on a TDK D tape which itself was from the mid 80s. It was being recorded on my Sony deck from vinyl in Dolby S. I had to admit that it sounded actually quite good. To back that up I used the same tape with Dolby S from vinyl of the Beverly Hills Cop Soundtrack and it too sounded decent. Not extremely great high end, but the sound was nice and smooth with warmth and impressed me enough to warrant keeping the recording on that low end tape. I think Dolby S had a lot to do with making the recording on type 1 tapes as good as they could get, and HX-Pro was also used.

[qubeular]

The Sony HF-S was a good type I tape. I believe it was marketed as a high fidelity, superior grade normal bias cassette. The Akai SX are labeled the same way. I just got a dozen Fuji DR-I normal bias cassettes & I'm going to see how they compare.

what source material, and how hot, i like to push type one as far as it can go.

type 2 on the other hand i like to give headroom.

[NAD613]

what source material, and how hot, i like to push type one as far as it can go.

type 2 on the other hand i like to give headroom.

The Akai SX normal bias are the most recent ones I've tried. I've just been recording off CD & my computer, using Dolby C, setting the bias anywhere from -1 to -2. They seem to give a full sound with no loss in the high end.

[qubeular]

I was recording Thriller (Ok Im not a Jackson fan, but this album has memories for me) on a TDK D tape which itself was from the mid 80s. It was being recorded on my Sony deck from vinyl in Dolby S. I had to admit that it sounded actually quite good. To back that up I used the same tape with Dolby S from vinyl of the Beverly Hills Cop Soundtrack and it too sounded decent. Not extremely great high end, but the sound was nice and smooth with warmth and impressed me enough to warrant keeping the recording on that low end tape. I think Dolby S had a lot to do with making the recording on type 1 tapes as good as they could get, and HX-Pro was also used.

ive never tried dolby s nor have i tried dbx.

[qubeular]

i figure ill get some of sx in c90 before its out of stock.

a have a small cache of xlIIs and various virgin tape of diffrent eras.

incl some strange sony tape that behaves like a the hx or hd8. even tho its a plain high bias cd-it.

not much normal bias tape tho.