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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: ts on March 14, 2017, 05:19:47 PM

Title: Cassettes that sound warbly
Post by: ts on March 14, 2017, 05:19:47 PM

Old cassettes from 1995 that sound wishy washy. That in and out sound. Wound too tight? I have a whole batch like this. Is the standard fix to fast forwad and rewind? Kinda like unpacking a new tape.

Title: Re: Cassettes that sound warbly
Post by: dyneq on March 14, 2017, 06:51:56 PM

It's been awhile since I used cassettes much, but I do remember that warbly sound happening on some of my cassettes.

Almost always, it was due to the felt pressure pad glued to the metal spring coming off or being loose and about to come off. If you pull out a little of the tape from the shell, you should be able to see if the felt pad is still there.

I was able to salvage some old cassettes by gluing the pad back on. If it's missing, maybe you can take one off of another cassette you don't care about.

Here's an blog with some pictures: http://fortressaudio.blogspot.com/2009/09/repair-audio-cassette-pressure-pad.html

Title: Re: Cassettes that sound warbly
Post by: Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B) on March 14, 2017, 09:48:59 PM

Marking thread. I have a bunch of old cassettes I've been meaning to transfer. I recorded most of them on an old Marantz PMD201 (mono) deck I was gifted...I don't have that deck anymore and when I play them on a semi-budget home stereo deck I picked up they don't sound that great.

Hopefully our solution is the same. I will have to check out the felt pad thing.

Title: Re: Cassettes that sound warbly
Post by: Life In Rewind on March 15, 2017, 08:19:17 AM

For sure check the pressure pads - and make sure the pinch roller/capstan is clean.

FWIW - The Sony D6 was notorious for wobbly azimuth...(not all of them - but some of them!)

Same is probably true for the D3