It's Lonely being an Analogue Tape Guy

[ferriteman]

It's nice to know there are still some of us who use & appreciate analogue tape....in my case specifically cassette tape.

I have been using tape since the 1960's when I only had a small,cheap portable cassette recorder that I used to use to tape off the radio. In the 1970s when I got a job (& some actual MONEY!) the first piece of hifi equipment I got was a deck---a Sony TC-186SD. I still own it, had it serviced for belts about 2 years ago. Not my best deck, and it is only used occasionally, but I still have it. I also have every cassette tape I have ever recorded on! I must be crazy or something.

Now I have 10 decks in total...some work, some don't...some given to me by people who went over to the dark side (digital), some bought new, some bought used, whatever...

Now, about open reel...

Anyhow...this forum is a great idea and I'm looking forward to spending some time hear, learning stuff, talking with people...thanks everyone!

[Nak_novice]

Well, you are now amongst other tape guys and hopefully girls. I have been a tapehead since my fathers new Pioneer CT-F1250 in 1979 just blew my mind. I used to sit mesmerised by the silver finish and dancing blue fluroscan level meters. (Until it was stolen). 25 years later and I once owned 5 of them but they were all sold on. The blue meters left a lasting impression on me though. So much so that my favourite decks still have blue meters, but they are Naks now. I also remember holding a metal tape that had just been released but could never dream of owning them in those days, I have a few now though.

I'm just getting revved up about my first open reel deck which I will be picking up next week. It has the old type VU meters of all things!!! Whatever next.

[Web Police]

Interesting stories. I am a cassette fan also. My fascination with cassettes started in the mid 1960's when I received a portable mono cassette deck for a Christmas gift. I would use the microphone to record the audio from television shows. Gilligans Island and the Flintstones come to mind. :rolleyes: Kind of a poor man's VCR mius the vido of course. :D

Flash forward to the mid 1970's when I bought my first stereo setup and I bought a Pioneer CT-F2121. Yes it was the bottom of the line in Pioneer equipment but it was as much as I could justify spending from my part time job.

Thirty some odd years later I have approximately 20 some home cassette decks. :eek: I kind of lost track and since they go for peanuts. I now have more than I can ever use.

I still have the first cassette I recorded on that deck, and it was a Memorex tape. I think the shell has deformed from being in a hot car, but I will try to locate it and list the songs on it. In the early days most of my recording was from FM. I bought a turntable but since funds were limited at the time I didn't have too many albums to record from.

[Des-Lab]

Well no worries bro. Here, you are among friends. That's a big part of the reason I created this site: There was no dedicated home for those of us who like tape. And there's plenty of us for sure.

Yes, there were a few areas that did sort-of serve us. But they were always buried or mixed in with something else. Usually lumped in with 'analog' and vinyl. Tape was always treated as that 'bottom of the last page of the menu' item. So here, you will be welcome, since tape is the primary focus of the site.

My goal here isn't by any means to be the biggest or best audio site on the web. I know that will NEVER happen. This little site will never be another AK or AA and I know that. But those sites, not only do they have several years head start on me, but also cater to all [other] aspects of audio. So naturally they are going to have a bigger crowd. But still. Even those sites were new once.

But I do hope that TapeHeads will eventually become the biggest and premier TAPE based site on the 'Net. Especially seeing that no other site really give it the attention it deserves. It's always been treated as an afterthought. If you think of the proverbial 'red-headed stepchild with freckles', that's about how we were typically viewed and treated.

The other secondary reason behind the creation of TapeHeads was because I was the focal point of a nasty falling out with a certain other site. I'll spare you the details now, though later, if I get a bug up my ass, I might decide to beat that horse again in the cheese-and-whine section.

And I decided..."you know what? I can run a better site than that". I think they are too restrictive, anal retentive, and frankly, just a little too cocky and full of themselves. To say nothing of being just a little too sensitive while displaying a great penchant for telling BS stories of "scores" and an obsession with bargain hunting.

Being able to engage in vintage audio and share your thoughts and experiences online shouldn't have to be a 'priviledge' reserved for 'the elite who parrot what someone else thinks they ought to say' (which is basically what that other site is about).

So here I am. I have created a site that isn't just a place that us tape heads can call home, but it's someplace that you can feel comfortable in visiting. This isn't black tie tuxedo stuff. Those are boring, stuffy, and so artificial. I'll take a billiards party at a sawdust floor roadside bar where the beer is flowing freely (with the jukebox blaring classic rock) over that any time, any place. THAT'S where the fun REALLY is.

So welcome aboard.

[ferriteman]

I'm just getting revved up about my first open reel deck which I will be picking up next week. It has the old type VU meters of all things!!! Whatever next.[/QUOTE]

An old friend of mine had a couple of R2R machines when I was young; always wanted one! Let us know how it goes when you get this baby up and running...TEAC decks are beauties to look at...but I have no idea on what to pay for one....hopefully some day!

thanks again

[Des-Lab]

What kind of deck are you getting? I''d sure like to know all the details. I'm sure others would too.

[Nak_novice]

What kind of deck are you getting? I''d sure like to know all the details. I'm sure others would too.

The deck is a TEAC X-2000M

This is a half track deck with DBX type 1 and 7.5 & 15 IPS 1/4" tape machine in BLACK. It will also play tapes recorded on a 1/4 track deck but just the one side obviously as there is no reverse with just 4 heads unlike the 6 heads of the auto reverse 1/4 track X-2000R.

Included with the deal were the Dust Cover, Wired Remote, Set of Manuals, 10 Maxell 10.5" tapes: 5 x XL I & 5 x XL II(EE), a Maxell MM take up spool and a black Teac take up spool. Price US$925 which is fair if the deck is in "MINT" cosmetic condition and operated perfectly (HaHa)

I'll soon see.
(Where to order belts from? Sorry, just being cynical as usual!)

[Des-Lab]

So you did decide on the "M". Right on! Congrats on your purchase. As for new belts, they are available on Ebay as well as through Teac America.

[NAD613]

I didn't realize how much I missed cassettes until I started recording with them again within the last month. Many people either don't know or are too snobish to realize how good a tape recorded on a good deck can sound. There's an audio tech forum that will beat you up if you even mention analog. It seems to me after reading that forum that they're so caught up in specs that it doesn't appear as though they even listen to music. That's why I'm glad for sites like this.

[Rat44]

I didn't realize how much I missed cassettes until I started recording with them again within the last month. Many people either don't know or are too snobish to realize how good a tape recorded on a good deck can sound. There's an audio tech forum that will beat you up if you even mention analog. It seems to me after reading that forum that they're so caught up in specs that it doesn't appear as though they even listen to music. That's why I'm glad for sites like this.

To some people we are the red headed stepchild. I have been using and Liking tape since the mid 70's. I don't care if it's mid-fi in their eyes. I like it.

[Scorpion8]

Welcome!!!

[Fast Forward]

Iv,e always owned a Cassette first one was a Akai gx65d auto reverse,,nasty looking but worked real well,, my 2nd and the deck I still have today a Nak 600 slant panel ,, also have a Onkyo TA 6200,, I have to admit I like Large VUs