New Products Nov 4th 2017
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Adjusting The Speed of Your Cassette Deck
Every cassette deck runs at a slightly different speed. The tolerance of a machine made in 1990 when brand new was 0.5% to 2%. After 25+ years, it is pretty sure that your 25 year old machine needs new belts and a speed calibration. An exception could be made for machines with direct drive capstan motors. Very few machines had direct-drive capstans because they were very expensive.
How to adjust the speed of cassette decks
Many cassette decks have a hole in the back of the capstan motor. This hole is usually covered by a rubber shroud, and you can insert a small jeweler’s screwdriver to connect with a potentiometer which allows adjustment of the speed. This adjustment is often very sensitive and it’s difficult to get a very precise and stable speed – a very small adjustment can result in a huge speed variance. Better decks might have an adjustment potentiometer on the PC board which allows a much more precise setting of the speed.
We offer a test tape containing a 440Hz A tone and a 3150 Hz tone to assist in setting the speed of your cassette deck.
https://www.duplication.ca/shop/audio-cassette-speed-calibration-test-tape.html
How to record on tabs out cassettes
Many of our cassettes are made without the record-inhibit tabs! If you have a professional duplicator that won’t be an issue because pro duplicating machines do not check for the record tab. But home recording decks will not record on tabs out cassettes. Fortunately, it isn’t too difficult to fool your cassette deck so it records even when the tabs are out.
Method 1: put scotch tape over the hole on the top of the cassette.
Method 2: put duct tape in the upper left corner of the cassette well to block the pin from coming down.
Method 3: Open the cover and find a way to stop the pin from going down, or short-circuit the contacts on the sensor. A toothpick or wire can be used to keep the pin up.
If you’ve modified your cassette deck, just don’t forget that it will now record on any cassette even if the record tabs have been punched out.
Cassette Tape Recording and Playback EQ
In another post we discussed how to record on high bias tapes in normal bias shells. One issue is to have the proper playback EQ so the person listening to your tape won’t find it too dull nor too bright. Many cassette decks have a button to choose either 70 (chrome) or 120 µS (normal) EQ on playback, but this button was done away with on many later generation decks.
Tape EQ selector
High bias tapes are traditionally recorded with 70 µS EQ. If you play them back with 120 µS EQ they will have a 4.5 dB high frequency boost .
If you cannot choose the recording EQ on the machine you can adjust the audio input by applying a high-shelf EQ filter to cut 4.5 dB:
EQ compensation when recording high bias tapes with 70 microsecond chrome EQ but playback will be at 120 microsecond normal EQ
Tape Types
Cassette tapes come in several types:
- Type I, normal bias tape made with ferric oxide, brown colour
- Type II, high-bias tape made with chromium dioxide and/or cobalt particles, with blue or black colour. This tape is no longer manufactured but we still have some new tape in stock.
- Type IV, metal tape needing even higher recording bias, black colour, with extremely loud output levels but also higher tape hiss. There is practically no more new Type IV tape left in the world.
How to use Chrome and Cobalt high-bias tape in normal cassette shells
Many clients buying blank tapes want high bias tape loaded into the funky coloured cassette shells. Here’s some background info and an explanation of the challenges you have to overcome.
In the early days of cassettes the tape hiss was quite bad. Chrome tapes had less hiss and a much greater ability to handle high frequencies, but the tape engineers decided to change the EQ curve from 120 µS to 70 µS (microseconds) to give an additional 4.5 dB reduction in tape hiss instead of better high frequency performance. That was great for classical music but not much use for high energy rock and electronic music. With improvements in tape and the advent of Dolby B which gave a 10dB reduction in hiss, the engineers regretted the move to 70 us EQ.(1)
The EQ used to record and playback can be separate from the recording bias, as on many Nakamichi decks we’ve seen – on this model we can choose Type II bias and 120 µS EQ:
Bias and EQ buttons on tape recorder
On some models there is no separate EQ button and the recording will be with 70 µS EQ if you use Type II high bias.
Some cassette decks have no buttons and instead use sensors which detect notches on the top spine of the cassette:
Tape Bias and EQ detector slots
Then there are the record-inhibit tabs which you can knock out to prevent accidental erasure. All the funky colours come with the tabs already knocked out, saving the duplication company a lot of labour.
If you want to use Type II tapes in coloured Type I shells you have to overcome several challenges:
- You need to fool the machine into recording when the tabs are already knocked out. This is easy to do by placing scotch tape over the hole or by a simple modification to your deck to prevent the sensor pin from going down into the hole.
- You must have a button to select TYPE II or HIGH BIAS when recording. If you don’t have the button you could drill out a hole on the top spine of the cassette (not really something we recommend). You’ll notice some cassettes are molded with the chrome notch cavity covered by a thin plastic roof. You could try punching out that roof to turn your normal-notch cassettes into chrome-compatible cassettes.
- If you use normal-notch cassettes with high bias tape, you need to figure out the record and playback EQ. See the next blog post
1 Terence O’Kelly, “EQ”, The Inventor’s Notebook, Technical bulletin #4 (BASF technical bulletin)
Interview: King Ly Chee- Hong Kong’s Hardcore Heavyweights
The intersection of the hardcore music scene and the scene in Hong Kong is one that is ever-changing and ever-challenging to stay active and relevant within. Hong Kong-based King Ly Chee, however, is doing just that, plus beginning an international tour this month with U.S. based band, Sick of It All, for their 30 year anniversary tour. We talked to Riz Farooqi of King Ly Chee about making a name for themselves in the hardcore scene, staying relevant in the ever-changing music scene of Hong Kong, and what it’s like to grow for 20 years with your band.
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How would you personally describe King Ly Chee’s sound and general vibe?
King Ly Chee is hardcore band from Hong Kong steeped in the hardcore-punk rock ethos of music with a message. Since we’re so far removed from a lot of hardcore scenes, our music tends to be mix of straight up fast in your face hardcore, to more melodic punk rock. We wear our influences pretty proudly on our sleeves and that can be from bands like Sick of it All/CIV to Rancid or Slayer.
How did King Ly Chee start as a project?
In 1999 I moved back to Hong Kong after graduating from University of Massachusetts (Amherst) and trying to start life in NYC where I lived from May ’98 to about Jan ’99. I came back to Hong Kong and wanted to take all that I learned and experienced and embraced from the American punk rock world to Hong Kong and that’s how King Ly Chee got started. At the same time I also started a bilingual zine called Start From Scratch with the idea of being able to present a deeper understanding of punk rock and hardcore in Hong Kong then just the music.
What story/stories do you want your music to tell to listeners?
That’s a great question. I think all we want people to feel is what we felt growing up listening to bands who saved our lives…I can’t EVER imagine that we could have that similar impact on others, but our goal is to always provide thought-provoking lyrics with interesting music that is true to who we are as a band. We have luckily in the 17 years that we’ve been around heard some great stories from people who have been touched by our lyrics and that’s an amazing feeling.
What is the best part about being a member of your band?
Well…I started the band when I was 22 and I’ll be 40 this year…for me the best part of this band is that it basically watched me grow up from a fresh university graduate with nothing but a lot of anger and crazy passion, to a grown ass man who is now a husband and father. The fact that we are about to play shows in USA opening for our heroes and the reason we got into hardcore – Sick of it All – as they celebrate their 30 year anniversary is INSANE.
What is one of your favorite albums so far that you’ve released and why?
Our last album CNHC was one of my favorites because the recording is pretty close to what I’ve always imagined our band could one day song – less of a metal tinge and more of a hardcore punk rock vibe. It still isn’t perfect and so we’re getting closer and closer to being able to sound the way we should sound on a recording. Which just gets me stoked on our NEXT record.
What is your favorite part about playing shows/being on tour?
Friendship…going to different places and establishing relationships with local people who we will then see again repeatedly when/if we go back. I am lucky to say I have good friends that I’ve met through the band in almost all of East Asia’s major cities…
What do you want everyone to know about King Ly Chee?
That we have consistently fought a very uphill battle in Hong Kong. This is a very commercial and trend-conscious city and so if you don’t play by the rules of the city, you get tossed aside regardless if you are actually good at your art or not. Of course the quality of art doesn’t matter in Hong Kong or else idiots like Twins would never have EVER become as popular as they were here! (Look them up and prepare to vomit). This city certainly runs on who you know and playing the game.
Tell me a little bit about the members of King Ly Chee.
My name is Riz and I am a Pakistani Muslim who has lived in HK my whole life and speak Cantonese, Mandarin, English and Urdu – I’m also a first grade teacher by profession. Ho Chan works in finance and is about to become a dad! WOOHOO! Joe Wu used to live in Canada (Toronto) before coming back to HK in 2003 – he is a tattoo artist now up in Guangzhou. Ivan Wing has a frickin’ 15 year age gap between him and myself – he’s 26 and is a full time drum instructor. Brian Wong works for a company in Hong Kong that handles ocean pollution and waste – he has also recorded/engineered all of King Ly Chee’s recorded music since 2007.
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Summer Newsletter- June
Hot summer months are the perfect time to stay indoors with the AC blasting while working on new releases and projects. Just in time for that, is our current coupon for 10% off tape duplication, valid until July 4th! Just use the coupon code “summertapes” in the shopping cart, or on the cassette duplication calculator on step 2 to receive your discount on your next batch of tapes ordered.
Stay tuned as well for the start of the upcoming interview series, where we chat with various artists, bands and labels to give some insights into the amazingly talented people we press for! Interviews will be posted to our blog, so be sure to check back for those on a regular basis.
Want even more duplication.ca content? We’re on twitter, instagram and facebook, so be sure to follow us there for the latest product photos, announcements, and collaborations.
Also, check out the awesome florescent orange and green cases and c-zeros under a blacklight! They’re in stock right now!
Some ? For Cassette Buyers: 10% discount on CDs!
A special bonus for our many cassette clients!
10% Discount on CD/DVD Pressing and Duplication
We’re so happy we’ve been able to gain so many new cassette clients across North America! As a special Thank-You we’re offering a 10% discount on our CD pressing and CD duplication services (DVD too) to all our cassette clients. If you’ve ordered any cassettes (blank or duplicated) from us since 2013 you qualify for the discount. The offer is valid until March 31, 2016.
Terms: discount applies to regular pricing with standard turntime for quantities of 50 to 5000 pieces.
CD Duplication with Carboard Jackets Calculator
CD Duplication Bulk or and Paper and Plastic Packaging
Mention coupon 10FORCD2016 to your rep for the 10% discount.
(Only 1 coupon can be redeemed per order)
Cassette Tape Track Formats and Recommended Tapes for Tascam Portastudios
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Tascam made the popular Portastudio 4 track cassette recorders. Clients often ask us what tapes should be used with these machines. Well first of all, you need the record tabs to be IN so look for tabs in cassettes (C0-TI). Once you have your final mix you would punch out the record tabs to prevent accidental erasure. The 414 and 424 machines need high bias tapes like TDK SA, Maxell XLII, or BASF Chrome Plus. These tapes came in C-60 and C-90 formats. The C-60 tapes are preferred for the thicker base film and slightly better overall performance. Keep in mind these Portastudios run at double speed (3.75 inches per second) and record all 4 tracks in one direction, so a 60 minute tape only gives you 15 minutes of recording time.
The Portastudios used a propietary track format laying down all 4 tracks with even spacing between all tracks. Regular cassette decks have a larger space between the A and B side, and a narrower gap between the left and right channels of each side. Here’s an illustration from Tascam’s manual:
Tascam Portastudio cassette track widths
Tape recommendations
Tape recommendations for Tascam Portastudio 414 and 424