TAPE GUIDE (Jun. 1991)

Slow-Speed Decks

Q. Please tell me what manufacturer makes a tape recorder that can play tapes at the 1 7/8-ips speed.

-K. Bailey, Woodbury, N.Y.

A. Cassette decks all operate at 1 7/8 ips; that is the standard speed for cassette. A few decks also operate at 15/16 or 3 3/4 ips. Open-reel decks offer speeds between 15/16 and 30 ips; the standard speed is 7 1/2 ips. Most of them offer two or more speeds. A frequent combination is 7 1/2 and 15 ips; another is 3 3/4, 7 1/2, and 15 ips. Revox and Uher make open-reel decks operating at 1 7/8 ips.

More Notes on Hi-Fi VCRs

I have been recording audio on a HiFi VCR for five years, and now own two of them. I always record FM programs at the slowest tape speed and record live performances at the fastest one. I have had very few problems with dropouts as long as good-quality tapes are used. The only real problems are cataloging a six-hour tape and trying to write all the identifying information on the small labels.

I have noticed that when "watching" one of my audio-only tapes on a video monitor, the dropouts are much more numerous visually than if a TV picture has been recorded on the same tape.

Perhaps the video information somehow masks these dropouts, or some sort of video noise reduction is used; I don't know. I do know that very, very few of the visible dropouts are audible, at least on my VCRs.

Even if the video signal doesn't help with respect to dropouts, I can think of a reason for including it. A picture can be used to help in cataloging various sections of the audio program. If you have cable TV, there is usually at least one channel that displays the time and date. Noting the time of the various sections allows you to cue the tape visually when using a monitor.

-William I. Whitten, Birmingham, Ala.

Pestiferous Squeal

Q. Many years ago I purchased 50 cassette tapes of Mozart works. At the time of purchase, the recordings were wonderful. I took great care in storing these tapes. Recently I played some of them, and to my surprise they began to squeak. With this many tapes on hand, is there a remedy to remove the noise? If I make a new recording, will the noise be transferred to the new tapes?

What can be done?

-Name withheld

A. Your problem is not an uncommon one, inasmuch as the grade of tape employed by producers of commercially prerecorded tapes has often not been of the best quality.

If you dub your tapes onto new cassettes, the squeal may or may not be transferred; most often, I believe, it will be. If the squeal comes out of your speakers as well as from the deck, it will definitely be transferred.

If the squeal gets transferred, put the tape through fast rewind, wind one or more times, and try again. If you are still unsuccessful in making a squeal-free dubbing-as is likely to happen--the following procedure might work: Store the original tape, along with a well-moistened piece of blotting paper or sponge, in a tight container for several days. Immediately upon taking the tape out of the container, try dubbing it again. Perhaps you will get one squeal-free dubbing. Also, a tape that squeals on one deck doesn't necessarily do so on another, so try other decks if you can. (Editor's Note: See "Archival Revival" in the November 1990 issue for more information. -I.B.)

Cassette Storage

Q. I store my numerous cassette recordings in inexpensive, three-drawer cassette cabinets made of cheap wood, covered with vinyl, and held together with a glue which (if my guess is correct) contains formaldehyde. The drawers are plastic. Due to the volume of my collection, I store the filled cabinets in the cardboard cartons in which they came. Is there anything about these storage conditions that could harm my recordings?

-Robert E. Olsen, Madison, Wisc.

A. I see nothing about the conditions of tape storage you have described which would in any way endanger the tapes. The greatest dangers come from strong magnetic fields and temperature extremes.

(Source: Audio magazine, Jun. 1991, HERMAN BURSTEIN)

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