braxus
05-21-2008, 09:00 PM
I was holding off on making more tapes until I got my Aiwa deck fixed, so I could use it for making new tapes. But I got in the mood to do a new compilation tape. Years ago in the 80s and 90s I would make up a favorite songs tape from records and later CDs that I liked. My last tape was #20 which was made in the 90s.
So I decided to do a new one with music from records I've aquired in the last few years off Ebay. All of them are 45s. Many in bad shape due to needing cleaning, but I have no way of doing so- so I recorded them as is. The odd 45 was like new. Anyway I usually use a better tape like a XL-IIS tape to do these. But having gotten into good type one tapes of late and appreciating what they can do to the music, I went with a TDK AR-X 90 tape. This is the first time I've used this tape.
I set up the deck. Bias was slightly past 1 oclock and to my surprise record level was below 0. Usually the record level on most tapes is well above 0. So this WAS a good tape with lots of signal. I set the tape level of the recordings to around 2 db normal and with peaks between 4 and 6 db. I knew this tape could handle signal levels like a metal tape, so I kept that in mind. On some recordings it went up to 8db on peaks.
For some reason of late my levels were more on the left channel then right off my turntable. Its been this way since I got this setup. So I don't know if its the cables from the table or my preamp. Anoying- but again I can't do anything about it since my 'direct' switch turned off is not passing sound. Again I need my Aiwa deck to get fixed. This tape today was made on my trusty Sony TC-K909ES. Aside from the direct switch problem, the deck has never let me down.
Anyway I started putting records onto this tape. After some records I noticed how this tape sounded as clean in the highs as any chrome tape I've ever used. Yet I had the balance of a normal tape with better lows as well. Even the midrange was good. One record that stood out from all the others and really shone on the TDK tape was the 45 "It's Hard to Be Humble". That recording put on this tape did everything right. It's the kind of sound that puts you in a higher place. The sound was so real that I haven't heard music sound this good for a while. Only SACD discs come close to this. That record really shone well.
I must say that after probably 15 or more years in storage (since AR-X wasn't made since the late 80s), this tape held up VERY well. No dropouts and bias was easy to setup and was set to where new tapes go. Usually older tapes the bias is set way off due to deterioration of the tape. Not this case. Good job TDK. I also used Dolby S as I usually do and it works very well with normal setting tapes.
I usually am a Maxell guy. But this TDK tape won me over. I would like to compare it against the early 90s Maxell XL-IS tape which I also like. How much the TDK tape colored the sound I can't say since I listened to the recording on play then source. I wanted to hear what the tape was doing. It's a shame I only have this one tape. I might have 1 more, but they are hard to come by today. Even the Maxell XL-IS tape is more common. It's good to be working with tape again. I can't wait to get a reel to reel and hear what others rave about saying its the best format to record on period.
The AR-X tape gives a nice bump up in high end which helps some recordings like vinyl.
So I decided to do a new one with music from records I've aquired in the last few years off Ebay. All of them are 45s. Many in bad shape due to needing cleaning, but I have no way of doing so- so I recorded them as is. The odd 45 was like new. Anyway I usually use a better tape like a XL-IIS tape to do these. But having gotten into good type one tapes of late and appreciating what they can do to the music, I went with a TDK AR-X 90 tape. This is the first time I've used this tape.
I set up the deck. Bias was slightly past 1 oclock and to my surprise record level was below 0. Usually the record level on most tapes is well above 0. So this WAS a good tape with lots of signal. I set the tape level of the recordings to around 2 db normal and with peaks between 4 and 6 db. I knew this tape could handle signal levels like a metal tape, so I kept that in mind. On some recordings it went up to 8db on peaks.
For some reason of late my levels were more on the left channel then right off my turntable. Its been this way since I got this setup. So I don't know if its the cables from the table or my preamp. Anoying- but again I can't do anything about it since my 'direct' switch turned off is not passing sound. Again I need my Aiwa deck to get fixed. This tape today was made on my trusty Sony TC-K909ES. Aside from the direct switch problem, the deck has never let me down.
Anyway I started putting records onto this tape. After some records I noticed how this tape sounded as clean in the highs as any chrome tape I've ever used. Yet I had the balance of a normal tape with better lows as well. Even the midrange was good. One record that stood out from all the others and really shone on the TDK tape was the 45 "It's Hard to Be Humble". That recording put on this tape did everything right. It's the kind of sound that puts you in a higher place. The sound was so real that I haven't heard music sound this good for a while. Only SACD discs come close to this. That record really shone well.
I must say that after probably 15 or more years in storage (since AR-X wasn't made since the late 80s), this tape held up VERY well. No dropouts and bias was easy to setup and was set to where new tapes go. Usually older tapes the bias is set way off due to deterioration of the tape. Not this case. Good job TDK. I also used Dolby S as I usually do and it works very well with normal setting tapes.
I usually am a Maxell guy. But this TDK tape won me over. I would like to compare it against the early 90s Maxell XL-IS tape which I also like. How much the TDK tape colored the sound I can't say since I listened to the recording on play then source. I wanted to hear what the tape was doing. It's a shame I only have this one tape. I might have 1 more, but they are hard to come by today. Even the Maxell XL-IS tape is more common. It's good to be working with tape again. I can't wait to get a reel to reel and hear what others rave about saying its the best format to record on period.
The AR-X tape gives a nice bump up in high end which helps some recordings like vinyl.