Topic: Which DAT (not DDS) tape to use?

[jlykos]

Now that Terrapin is out of business, I need to find a new brand of DAT tape.  I had been using the Quantegy tapes with great success, but they are more expensive than other tapes at the other retailers.

I am looking at the Sony and BASF as alternatives.  HHb is too expensive.  Opinions and experiences?  Anything else I should consider?  Who has the best prices?  I am only looking at DAT tape, not DDS tape.  Thanks for the help in advance!

[twoodruff]

I use BASF/EMTEC, although there was one bad batch I believe, or was it a bad head for Mike Falcon, can't remember.

[Scuba Jeremy]

Just out of curiosity, why are you anti-DDS? Is there a compatibility issue with one of your decks?

[Chris K]

i use basf/emtec almost exclusively now, but also used quantegy in a pinch. i never use dds, as they are not made for audio dat, and i am afraid they will mess up my tascam da20mkii

i have been getting my basf's from oade. they are a little more expensive than dds, but worth it in my opinion.

the dds vs audio dat has always seems to been a heated debate on oade board

since i am recording audio, i will stick with audio grade dat tapes

ymmv

chris k

[Joe w.]

i have never had a problem with the BASF tapes.

[jlykos]

Just out of curiosity, why are you anti-DDS? Is there a compatibility issue with one of your decks?

Not to re-open this tired debate, but *I* don't use DDS tapes because the shells on the two types of tapes are different and from what I understand, the cheaper DDS shells can negatively affect your deck's performance over the long haul.  As I am usually the only taper at most of the shows that I attend, I place a premium on reliability and the Quantegy DAT have never failed me over hundreds of tapes.

In my personal experience at larger shows, when a tape is to blame for an error (misload, snapped tape, etc.), the culprit is almost always a DDS tape.  Now, most people probably use DDS so I will not draw any ratios from this, but the experience has steered me away from DDS.

[Scuba Jeremy]

No man, that's cool. I'm new to the board and haven't heard this debate before. Just curious about it, I'll have to go hund down other threads and see what the rest of the debate is all about. Thanks for the help!

[rabhan]

you can also read about 30pages of related threads on the oade board too.

[wbrisette]

You may also want to consider Cassette House's "house" brand (they are Fuji's). I've started using them and haven't had any problem with them.

Also as an FYI, used a bunch of Sony 92 minute DATs this weekend and they are using the same crappy shell that their DDS counterparts are using. :-(

Wayne

[jlykos]

Also as an FYI, used a bunch of Sony 92 minute DATs this weekend and they are using the same crappy shell that their DDS counterparts are using. :-(

Amen to that.  While this thread is back up, I bought a box of the Sony Pro DAT 125 tapes and the second one I used misloaded and jammed in my deck.  I have since switched to HHb and will eat the cost so hopefully things will improve.

[cpclark]

from what i could deduce from the great debate was that DDS tapes were manufactured to a higher specification and caused less dropouts than DAT grade tape,just my opinion on this one and i use maxell hs-4 DDS 60M exclusively, .02

[utahtaper]

I once read somewhere that DDS tapes were strictly manufactured in dust free factories and that the same care was not taken on audio grade tapes. FWIW.
Now personally I haven't had a problem yet with DDS.

[blu666z]

So if DDS tapes have higher standards, why are they so much cheaper?

-Kevin

[Sean Gallemore]

the casing, no?

[creekfreak]

I believe it is the casing that costs more, not sure why though