Topic: Vobbly tapes during transfer: cassette --> harddrive

[runonce]

  There is also a possibility that the tape has this effect recorded on it and there is no way to fix that other than load it up in a DAW and adjust pitch for each little section.  If ti is a speed problem that happened during recording then it is a tough one to try and fix, but since it seems to disappear on other decks it might not be.

I betting on this ^^^

But - not sure I get your suggestion about the DAW and pitch...? Azimuth isnt really about pitch...its about tracking along the recorded path.

If its wobbly-ness is recorded in...playback on a Dragon is about the only cure...

[newplanet7]

I think what he means by vobbily is the sound fades in and out almost like phasing.
I'd bet the tape is stretched.

[Jonas Karlsson]

If phasing is something that sounds like people are walking in front of me and not giving me a free passage to the PA, so yes. I mean lika phasing But it comes and goes. Almost gone after winding the tapes up as I said though. Got the NAD-deck I was talking about, and they sound great through my TERRATEC iVinyl!

/Jonas

[newplanet7]

The phasing that when you're in a huge outdoor venue in the back and the wind is howling kinda phasing   

[anr]

If all else fails, I'd be tempted to try transferring the tape to a better, preferably new, shell.  Fiddly, but you may find the new slip sheets and pad/spring improve matters. 

[Jonas Karlsson]

When saying new shell, do you mean a completely new or shall I reuse a shell that sounds good?

I've transfered quite a lot shows so far, and I've found some tapes that sounds truly great! the hiss can be reduced very, very well, but the wobblyness is harder... Actually broke the tape for one tape, so I had to screw the shell up to fasten it to the roll once again and it worked like a charm so I'm not afraid of opening other tapes too...

/Jonas

[anr]

Jonas, sorry I was away.  I've PM'd.

[sunjan]

Seems like the NAD 6325 also has some settings for azimuth... they call it play trim.

I realize you already got the NAD deck, but to set things straight the play trim has nothing to do with azimuth. It's supposed to adjust bias, but there's hardly any audible difference anyway. I got fooled by this too (maybe you've found my earlier postings).
Bottom line, the NAD made some OK decks, but you should still adjust playback azimuth with a screwdriver.

[Chilly Brioschi]

Start by replacing those old shells and pads, then repacking the tape with a FF»RR.

DO NOT continue to play a tape in a deck that causes audible issues.
The playback itself may be causing irreversable tape damage!

Good luck!

[dmonkey]

I used to have a D6 with the notorious phasing problem. Always seemed like a gamble going out to tape a show -- never knew what I was going to get. Quite a few of my would-be prized masters have the phase-o-rama problem. Argh!

Good luck.

[Frequincy]

DO NOT continue to play a tape in a deck that causes audible issues.
The playback itself may be causing irreversable tape damage!

This was a point I kept thinking about the whole life of this thread, but forgot to mention.

[Jonas Karlsson]

The new NAD cassettedeck is ok, but I've bought a cleaning cassette that (in no professional way, but at least a bit) will demagnetize the deck and clean it. It's called Nagaoka CD-1. I know a defluxer, like the Han-D-mag would be the best, but it's too damn expensive for me right now...

Also I'll buy some alcohol to clean the heads and things inside the deck, exactly what I'm not sure. Could anyone give help here? Included a picture.

Have also bought new shells for the tapes that sounds worst (that have always done so) and will change those to see if I spot any difference. I know that a cassettedeck that is magnetized will destroy the tapes every time I play the tape on it (erase it slowly every play) but this deck is hardly used and actually sound pretty good.

Not sure how to open this deck to adjust the azimuth with a screwdriver, and not even sure I need to do so - I might need it on a really used deck, but the stereoimage sounds fine and so on...

I'm really thankful for all of your tips folks, it's worth a LOT!!!

[sunjan]

Hej Jonte,

Azimuth adjustment is fairly straigthforward. I have the same model, NAD 6325.
Ideally, you should use a plastic (ie non metallic) screwdriver, but I've been OK with a plain non-magnetic steel phillips screwdriver, as long as you're careful not to touch the play head.

The playback azimuth screw is visible on your photo just to the left of the head.
The plastic front lid is very easy to slide off and remove. This way, you can turn the screw while the tape is playing.
Use headphones and listen while turning, you should be able to tune into a point where the sound is optimal. It's very obvious once you listen.
For this NAD deck, the sweet spot should normally not be more than half-a-turn from the factory position of the screw. Turn it half way to the left, then half a turn to the right.
If you have many tapes recorded with the same walkman, the azimuth should be more or less the same for all tapes, meaning you won't have to adjust each tape individually once you found a spot that you're satisfied with.

[Jonas Karlsson]

Hej Jonte,

Azimuth adjustment is fairly straigthforward. I have the same model, NAD 6325.
Ideally, you should use a plastic (ie non metallic) screwdriver, but I've been OK with a plain non-magnetic steel phillips screwdriver, as long as you're careful not to touch the play head.

The playback azimuth screw is visible on your photo just to the left of the head.
The plastic front lid is very easy to slide off and remove. This way, you can turn the screw while the tape is playing.
Use headphones and listen while turning, you should be able to tune into a point where the sound is optimal. It's very obvious once you listen.
For this NAD deck, the sweet spot should normally not be more than half-a-turn from the factory position of the screw. Turn it half way to the left, then half a turn to the right.
If you have many tapes recorded with the same walkman, the azimuth should be more or less the same for all tapes, meaning you won't have to adjust each tape individually once you found a spot that you're satisfied with.

WOW!!!

What a difference!!!

Sure, there is a lot of hiss, but tapes are tapes - but there is a VERY visible difference now! Excellent!

The only downside is that I have to transfer all of the tapes once again, but hell - it'll be worth it!

Thanks a lot my friend!

I also got new shells to try to fix up the worst sounding tapes, and that might have helped a bit too.

Getting the anti magnetize+cleaning tape tomorrow - will run that too to see if I spot any difference, this made my day!

All hail sunjan!