Become a Site Supporter and Never see Ads again!

Author Topic: Vintage Cassette Deck Question  (Read 22910 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline moondust.and.solitude

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 143
  • Gender: Male
  • Holding hands singing kumbaya
Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« on: December 15, 2022, 04:48:44 PM »
I've transferred an uncountable amount of tapes over the years, however, I recently had a vintage Pioneer CT-F1250 tape deck completely refurbished and it has a variable volume output knob. Would it be beneficial to raise the volume of the output going into the recorder, or set it at mid point and raise the recording level on the recorder instead?

I included a picture of the deck I found online, so you can see the output volume I am speaking of.

« Last Edit: December 15, 2022, 04:57:44 PM by moondust.and.solitude »
Mics: Lewitt LCT-040; Naiant X-X Omni's; Audio Technica U853AW's; Sony ECM-166BMP's; Audio Technica AT-853's.
Cables: Gotham GAC-4/1 Cables; Canare Custom Cables, UniStar LilRed Whip.
Recorders: Tascam DR-100mkIII; Tascam DR-05x, Tascam PortaCapture X8, Sony PCM-A10.
Misc: Samsung EVO Plus 128GB SDXC Cards.
RayoVac Fusion Batteries.

Offline moondust.and.solitude

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 143
  • Gender: Male
  • Holding hands singing kumbaya
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2022, 05:00:11 PM »
I posted this into the wrong forum. I will try to move it or have it moved by a MOD. Sorry for the confusion.
Mics: Lewitt LCT-040; Naiant X-X Omni's; Audio Technica U853AW's; Sony ECM-166BMP's; Audio Technica AT-853's.
Cables: Gotham GAC-4/1 Cables; Canare Custom Cables, UniStar LilRed Whip.
Recorders: Tascam DR-100mkIII; Tascam DR-05x, Tascam PortaCapture X8, Sony PCM-A10.
Misc: Samsung EVO Plus 128GB SDXC Cards.
RayoVac Fusion Batteries.

Offline anodyne33

  • You'll have that
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 14781
  • Gender: Male
  • All my life there's been the magnets.
    • Lucky
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2022, 05:00:55 PM »
No output that is not tied to the volume knobs?
Pockets full of nickels and nothing left to eat, and I'm stuck behind a semi on Soniat Street.

Offline moondust.and.solitude

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 143
  • Gender: Male
  • Holding hands singing kumbaya
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2022, 05:12:11 PM »
No output that is not tied to the volume knobs?

I'm not understanding this comment/question.

It's basically an output volume made to match it roughly to the output level of your other components (receiver, CD player) so when you switch back and forth, there's less need to adjust the main volume control. It does control the entire volume output of the tape deck, so if you turn it to "0" you will hear nothing regardless of your receivers master volume, and if you turn it all the way to 10 .. it's at its loudest peak volume. Works similar to a pre-amp for microphones. I'm just not sure if it's best to raise the volume on the tape deck or raise the input volume on the recorder when transferring.
Mics: Lewitt LCT-040; Naiant X-X Omni's; Audio Technica U853AW's; Sony ECM-166BMP's; Audio Technica AT-853's.
Cables: Gotham GAC-4/1 Cables; Canare Custom Cables, UniStar LilRed Whip.
Recorders: Tascam DR-100mkIII; Tascam DR-05x, Tascam PortaCapture X8, Sony PCM-A10.
Misc: Samsung EVO Plus 128GB SDXC Cards.
RayoVac Fusion Batteries.

Offline dyneq

  • Trade Count: (12)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 834
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2022, 05:30:13 PM »
Nice deck with great features for transferring!

Interesting, I've never seen a deck with an output level option since receivers expect a fixed, line level output. From the service manual I found:

Quote
When playing back a reference tape (160 nwb/m), a reference playback level (0dB) is obtained with these controls set to the "6" click stop position.

Offline capnhook

  • All your llamas are belong to us....
  • Site Supporter
  • Trade Count: (20)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *
  • Posts: 4996
  • All your llamas are belong to us....
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2022, 06:12:55 PM »
Nice deck with great features for transferring!

Interesting, I've never seen a deck with an output level option since receivers expect a fixed, line level output. From the service manual I found:

Quote
When playing back a reference tape (160 nwb/m), a reference playback level (0dB) is obtained with these controls set to the "6" click stop position.



I would get out a sharpie and make a mark  :suds: good find, dyneq
Proud member of the reality-based community

BSCS-L->JB-mod [NAK CM-300 (CP-3) and/or (CP-1)]->LSD2->CA CAFS-Omni->Sony ECM-907**Apogee MiniMe Rev. C->CA Ugly II->**Edirol OCM R-44->Tascam DR-22WL->Sony TCD-D8


"Don't ever take an all or nothing attitude when it comes to making a difference
and being beautiful and making the world a beautiful place through your actions.
Every little bit is registered.  Every little bit.  So be as beautiful as you can as often as you can"

"It'll never be over, 'till we learn."
 
"My dream is to get a bus and get the band and just go coast to coast. Just about everything else except music, is anti-musical.  That's it.  Music's the thing." - Jeb Puryear

Offline moondust.and.solitude

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 143
  • Gender: Male
  • Holding hands singing kumbaya
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2022, 06:15:19 PM »
Nice deck with great features for transferring!

Interesting, I've never seen a deck with an output level option since receivers expect a fixed, line level output. From the service manual I found:

Quote
When playing back a reference tape (160 nwb/m), a reference playback level (0dB) is obtained with these controls set to the "6" click stop position.

Thank you! I really appreciate the help!!
Mics: Lewitt LCT-040; Naiant X-X Omni's; Audio Technica U853AW's; Sony ECM-166BMP's; Audio Technica AT-853's.
Cables: Gotham GAC-4/1 Cables; Canare Custom Cables, UniStar LilRed Whip.
Recorders: Tascam DR-100mkIII; Tascam DR-05x, Tascam PortaCapture X8, Sony PCM-A10.
Misc: Samsung EVO Plus 128GB SDXC Cards.
RayoVac Fusion Batteries.

Offline moondust.and.solitude

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 143
  • Gender: Male
  • Holding hands singing kumbaya
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2022, 06:17:24 PM »
Nice deck with great features for transferring!

Interesting, I've never seen a deck with an output level option since receivers expect a fixed, line level output. From the service manual I found:

Quote
When playing back a reference tape (160 nwb/m), a reference playback level (0dB) is obtained with these controls set to the "6" click stop position.



I would get out a sharpie and make a mark  :suds: good find, dyneq

Done and done. I used a black wax pen to make a small dot (in case I want to sell it one day, the dot will easily come off). Thanks for the great suggestion.
Mics: Lewitt LCT-040; Naiant X-X Omni's; Audio Technica U853AW's; Sony ECM-166BMP's; Audio Technica AT-853's.
Cables: Gotham GAC-4/1 Cables; Canare Custom Cables, UniStar LilRed Whip.
Recorders: Tascam DR-100mkIII; Tascam DR-05x, Tascam PortaCapture X8, Sony PCM-A10.
Misc: Samsung EVO Plus 128GB SDXC Cards.
RayoVac Fusion Batteries.

Offline capnhook

  • All your llamas are belong to us....
  • Site Supporter
  • Trade Count: (20)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *
  • Posts: 4996
  • All your llamas are belong to us....
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2022, 06:23:15 PM »
Nice deck with great features for transferring!

Interesting, I've never seen a deck with an output level option since receivers expect a fixed, line level output. From the service manual I found:

Quote
When playing back a reference tape (160 nwb/m), a reference playback level (0dB) is obtained with these controls set to the "6" click stop position.



I would get out a sharpie and make a mark  :suds: good find, dyneq

Done and done. I used a black wax pen to make a small dot (in case I want to sell it one day, the dot will easily come off). Thanks for the great suggestion.

It is fortunate that you'll be able to adjust left and right independently, too.  Good if you have to make a coarse balance adjustment, "pre-post"
Proud member of the reality-based community

BSCS-L->JB-mod [NAK CM-300 (CP-3) and/or (CP-1)]->LSD2->CA CAFS-Omni->Sony ECM-907**Apogee MiniMe Rev. C->CA Ugly II->**Edirol OCM R-44->Tascam DR-22WL->Sony TCD-D8


"Don't ever take an all or nothing attitude when it comes to making a difference
and being beautiful and making the world a beautiful place through your actions.
Every little bit is registered.  Every little bit.  So be as beautiful as you can as often as you can"

"It'll never be over, 'till we learn."
 
"My dream is to get a bus and get the band and just go coast to coast. Just about everything else except music, is anti-musical.  That's it.  Music's the thing." - Jeb Puryear

Offline morst

  • I think I found an error on the internet; #UnionStrong
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 6161
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2022, 02:45:16 AM »
Interesting, I've never seen a deck with an output level option since receivers expect a fixed, line level output.
Nakamichi BX-125 has an output level control:
The manual says "Serves to adjust the line output and the headphone output level"
see page 4, #10
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/994703/Nakamichi-Bx-125e.html?page=4#manual
https://toad.social/@morst spoutible.com/morst post.news/@acffhmorst

Offline Lostbrook

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 262
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #10 on: December 16, 2022, 08:09:51 AM »
Can't answer your question, but I had one of those in the late '70's. Loved it!

Offline GLouie

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 209
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #11 on: December 16, 2022, 12:04:59 PM »
IMO, you would check for any noise difference between low/high output level vs. high/low record level. It'll probably be a wash on any reasonable settings. Careful listening with headphones should do. My feeling is that a higher playback level should help keep the signal-to-noise lower down the chain, but I suppose it assumes the playback amplifiers are good. I have no scientific tests.

Take a worst case, a very low output setting, and you have to turn the next input setting (and noise) way up.
It's also possible that the highest output level might clip the signal on a hottest possible tape, in which case you don't want the highest output setting.

Offline jefflester

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1663
  • Gender: Male
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #12 on: December 16, 2022, 01:03:42 PM »
Interesting, I've never seen a deck with an output level option since receivers expect a fixed, line level output.
Nakamichi BX-125 has an output level control:
The manual says "Serves to adjust the line output and the headphone output level"
see page 4, #10
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/994703/Nakamichi-Bx-125e.html?page=4#manual
The Nak Dragon does as well. Lots of the high end Nakamichi decks do.

DPA4061 HEB -> R-09 / AT943 -> CA-UGLY -> R-09
AKG CK63 -> nBob actives -> Baby NBox -> R-09/DR2d
AKG CK63 -> AKG C460B -> Zoom F8/DR-680MKII
Line Audio CM4/Superlux S502/Samson C02/iSK Little Gem/Sennheiser E609/Shure SM57 -> Zoom F8/DR-680MKII (multitracked band recordings)

Offline rocksuitcase

  • Trade Count: (4)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 8659
  • Gender: Male
    • RockSuitcase: stage photography
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #13 on: December 16, 2022, 01:05:36 PM »
All my Naks have output volume controls which do as morst says and adjust both line level and headphone output. I typically keep mine set at about 9. I figure no issues with it all the way up, but wish to "cheat" a bit just in case of a clipped signal on the source cassette. That is one fine looking deck you have there!
« Last Edit: December 16, 2022, 08:59:02 PM by rocksuitcase »
music IS love

When you get confused, listen to the music play!

Mics:         AKG460|CK61|CK1|CK3|CK8|Beyer M 201E|DPA 4060 SK
Recorders:Marantz PMD661 OADE Concert mod; Tascam DR680 MKI x2; Sony PCM-M10

Offline ts

  • Trade Count: (82)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 3663
  • Gender: Male
Re: Vintage Cassette Deck Question
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2022, 06:09:39 PM »
Beautiful deck OP. Reminds me of my first nice deck. Also had variable output control.

https://www.cassettedeck.org/sharp/rt-3388a

 

RSS | Mobile
Page created in 0.045 seconds with 39 queries.
© 2002-2024 Taperssection.com
Powered by SMF