How To Clean And Service A Nakamichi Dragon Casette Tape Deck?

A typical late 1980s component deck with Dolby B, C and HXPro (Sony TC-RX55)

A cassette deck is a type of tape machine for playing and recording audio cassettes that does not have a built-in power amplifier or speakers, and serves primarily equally a send. It tin be a function of an automotive entertainment arrangement, a part of a portable mini system or a part of a abode component system. In the latter instance information technology is also chosen a component cassette deck or just a component deck.^[i] ^[2]

A "tape recorder" is a more generic term to identify a device that unremarkably has a self-contained power amplifier and either has a built-in speaker or comes packaged with one.

History [edit]

Origins [edit]

Typical Teac acme loading stereo cassette deck from mid-1970s

A typical portable desktop cassette recorder from RadioShack.

The first consumer tape recorder to employ a tape reel permanently housed in a pocket-sized removable cartridge was the RCA tape cartridge, which appeared in 1958 every bit a predecessor to the cassette format. At that fourth dimension, reel to reel recorders and players were commonly used by enthusiasts, but required large private reels and tapes which had to be threaded by hand, making them less-accessible to the casual consumer. Both RCA and Bong Sound attempted to commercialize the cartridge format, simply a few factors stalled adoption, including lower-than-advertised availability of selections in the prerecorded media itemize, delays in production setup, and a stand-lonely pattern that was non considered by audiophiles to be truly hi-fi.^[three]

The "meaty cassette" (a Philips trademark)^[1] was introduced past the Philips Corporation at the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin in 1963^[4] ^[5] and marketed as a device purely intended for portable speech-only dictation machines.^{[ citation needed ]} The record width was ¹⁄₈ inch (actually 0.fifteen inch, 3.81 mm) and tape speed was one.875 inches (4.viii cm) per second, giving a decidedly non Hi-Fi frequency response and quite loftier noise levels.^[6]

Early recorders were intended for dictation and journalists, and were typically hand-held bombardment-powered devices with built-in microphones and automatic proceeds control on recording. Tape recorder audio-quality had improved by the mid-1970s, and a cassette deck with manual level controls and VU meters became a standard component of home high-fidelity systems.^[1] Eventually the reel-to-reel recorder was completely displaced, in role because of the usage constraints presented by their big size, expense, and the inconvenience of threading and rewinding the tape reels - cassettes are more portable and can be stopped and immediately removed in the center of playback without rewinding. Cassettes became extremely pop for automotive and other portable music applications. Although pre-recorded cassettes were widely available, many users would combine (dub) songs from their vinyl records or cassettes to brand a new custom mixtape cassette.

In 1970, the Advent Corporation combined Dolby B racket reduction system with chromium dioxide (CrO₂) tape to create the Appearance Model 200, the first high-fidelity cassette deck.^[7] Dolby B uses book companding of high frequencies to boost low-level treble information by upward to 9 dB, reducing them (and the hiss) on playback. CrO_two used dissimilar bias and equalization settings to reduce the overall racket level and extend the loftier frequency response. Together these allowed a usefully flat frequency response beyond 15 kHz for the first fourth dimension. This deck was based on a meridian-loading mechanism by Nakamichi, so soon replaced by the Model 201 based on a more than reliable transport made by Wollensak, a division of 3M, which was commonly used in sound/visual applications. Both featured an unusual single VU meter which could be switched between or for both channels. The Model 200 featured piano key style transport controls, with the Model 201 using the distinctive combination of a dissever lever for rewind/fast forrad and the large play and stop button as found on their commercial reel to reel machines of the era.

Most manufacturers adopted a standard top-loading format with piano central controls, dual VU meters, and slider level controls. There was a diverseness of configurations leading to the next standard format in the late 1970s, which settled on forepart-loading (see chief picture show) with cassette well on ane side, dual VU meters on the other, and later dual-cassette decks with meters in the centre. Mechanical controls were replaced with electronic push buttons decision-making solenoid mechanical actuators, though depression cost models would retain mechanical controls. Some models could search and count gaps between songs.

Widespread use [edit]

Cassette decks presently came into widespread apply and were designed variously for professional applications, domicile sound systems, and for mobile use in cars, too every bit portable recorders. From the mid-1970s to the late 1990s the cassette deck was the preferred music source for the car. Like an viii-track cartridge, it was relatively insensitive to vehicle movement, simply information technology had reduced tape flutter, as well as the obvious advantages of smaller physical size and fast forward/rewind capability. A major boost to the cassette's popularity came with the release of the Sony Walkman "personal" cassette actor in 1979, designed specifically as a headphone-only ultra-compact "article of clothing" music source. Although the vast majority of such players eventually sold were non Sony products, the name "Walkman" has become synonymous with this type of device.

Cassette decks were eventually manufactured past about every well known brand in home audio, and many in professional person audio, with each company offering models of very high quality.

Functioning improvements and additional features [edit]

Revox B 215, four-motor-cassette deck without belts (direct drive, 1985–1992)

Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck with azimuth adjustment 1983 - 1993, 1995 (Last Edition)

Cassette decks reached their pinnacle of operation and complexity by the mid-1980s.^{[ citation needed ]} Cassette decks from companies such as Nakamichi, Revox, and Tandberg incorporated advanced features such every bit multiple tape heads and dual capstan drive with separate reel motors. Motorcar-reversing decks became pop and were standard on most factory installed automobile decks.

As a part of the Digital Revolution, the ongoing evolution of electronics technology decreased the cost of digital circuitry to the bespeak that the technology could be applied to consumer electronics. The application of such digital electronics to cassette decks provides an early example of mechatronic design, which aims to enhance mechanical systems with electronic components in order to meliorate performance, increase arrangement flexibility, or reduce cost.^[8] The inclusion of logic circuitry and solenoids into the transport and control mechanisms of cassette decks, often referred to "logic control", contrasts with earlier "pianoforte-key" transport controls and mechanical linkages. One goal of using logic circuitry in cassette decks or recorders was to minimize equipment impairment upon incorrect user input by including fail-safes into the transport and command machinery.^[9] Such fail-prophylactic behavior was described in a review by Julian Hirsch of a particular cassette deck featuring logic command.^[x] Some examples of neglect-condom mechanisms incorporated into logic control decks include: a mechanism designed to protect internal components from damage when the tape or motor is locked, a mechanism designed to prevent the tape from being wound improperly, among others.^[xi] Some logic control decks were designed to incorporate light-bear upon buttons or remote command, among other features marketed as being convenient.^[12] ^[13] In the car stereo manufacture, full logic command was developed with the aim of miniaturization, so that the cassette deck would accept up less dashboard space.^[xiv]

Three-head technology uses separate heads for recording and playback (the third of the three heads being the erase head). This allows different record and playback caput gaps to exist used. A narrower head gap is optimal for playback than for recording, so the head gap width of whatsoever combined record/playback caput must necessarily exist a compromise. Split up record and playback heads also allow off-the-record monitoring during recording, permitting immediate verification of the recording quality. (Such machines can be identified past the presence of a "monitor" switch with positions for "record" and "source", or similar.) Three-head systems were common on reel-to-reel decks, but were more hard to implement for cassettes, which practise not provide split openings for record and play heads. Some models squeezed a monitor caput into the capstan surface area, and others combined separate record and playback gaps into a single headshell.

Dolby Southward cassette deck by harman/kardon (1990)

^[15]

The Dolby B noise reduction arrangement was cardinal to realizing low racket performance on boring, narrow, cassette tapes. It works by boosting the high frequencies on recording, specially depression-level high-frequency sounds, with respective high frequency reduction on playback. This lowers the loftier frequency noise (hiss) by approximately 9 dB. Enhanced versions included Dolby C (in 1980) and Dolby S types. Of the three, withal, only Dolby B became mutual on automobile decks.

Bang & Olufsen developed the HX Pro headroom extension system in conjunction with Dolby Laboratories in 1982. This was used in many higher-end decks. HX Pro reduces the loftier-frequency bias during recording when the signal being recorded has a high level of loftier frequency content. Such a indicate is self-biasing. Reducing the level of the bias signal permits the desired indicate to be recorded at a higher level without saturating the tape, thus increasing "headroom" or maximum recording level.

Some decks incorporated microprocessor programs to adjust tape bias and tape level calibration automatically.

In subsequently years, an "automobile contrary" feature appeared that allowed the deck to play (and, in some decks, tape) on both sides of the cassette without the operator having to manually remove, flip, and re-insert the cassette. Most auto-reverse machines apply a four aqueduct head (like to those on multitrack recorders), with merely two channels continued to the electronics at one time, one pair for each direction. Auto-contrary decks employ a capstan and pinch roller for each side. Since these use the aforementioned opening in the cassette shell normally used for the erase head, such decks must fit the erase head (or two, one for each direction) into the center opening in the trounce along with the record/play head.

In later auto reverse machines, the "auto reverse" mechanism uses an ordinary two-runway, quarter-width caput, but operates by mechanically rotating the head 180 degrees so that the two head gaps access the other tracks of the tape. There is commonly an azimuth adjustment spiral for each position. Nevertheless, due to the repeated movement, the alignment (in particular, the azimuth) deviates with usage. Even in a machine with a iv aqueduct head, slight asymmetries in the cassette shell get in difficult to marshal the head perfectly for both directions.^{[ citation needed ]}

Nakamichi RX serial RX-505 deck

RX-505 machine reverse mechanism

In one motorcar, the "Dragon", Nakamichi addressed the consequence with a motor-driven automatic head alignment mechanism. This proved constructive but very expensive. After Nakamichi machine-reverse models, the RX series, was substantially a unmarried-directional deck, but with an added machinery that physically removed the cassette from the transport, flipped it over, and re-inserted it. Akai made a like machine just with the machinery and cassette laid out horizontally instead of upright. This permitted the convenience of motorcar-contrary with piddling compromise in record or playback quality.^{[ citation needed ]}

New record formulations were introduced. Chromium dioxide (referred to as CrO₂ or Type Ii) was the first record designed for extended high frequency response, but it required higher bias. Afterward, as the IEC Type II standard was divers, a different equalization settings was also mandated to reduce hiss, thus giving up some extension at the loftier finish of the audio spectrum. Better-quality cassette recorders soon appeared with a switch for the tape blazon. Later decks incorporated coded holes in the shell to autodetect the record blazon. Chromium dioxide record was thought to cause increased clothing on the heads, so TDK and Maxell adapted cobalt-doped ferric formulations to mimic CrO₂. Sony briefly tried FerriChrome (Type Iii) which claimed to combine the best of both; some people, however, stated that the contrary was truthful because the Cr top layer seemed to wear off speedily, reducing this type to Fe in practice. Most recent decks produce the best response and dynamic headroom with metal tapes (IEC Blazon 4) which crave still higher bias for recording, though they will play back correctly at the Two setting since the equalization is the same.

With all of these improvements, the best units could record and play the total audible spectrum from 20 Hz to over 20 kHz (although this was normally quoted at -10, -20 or even -thirty dB, non at full output level), with wow and flutter less than 0.05% and very low noise. A high-quality recording on cassette could rival the sound of an average commercial CD, though the quality of pre-recorded cassettes has been regarded by the general public as lower than could be achieved in a quality home recording.^[16] In that location was a telephone call for better audio quality in 1981, surprisingly by the caput of Tower Records, Russ Solomon. At a meeting of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) Retail Advisory Committee in Carlsbad, California, Solomon played two recordings of a Santana track; 1 he had recorded himself and the pre-recorded cassette release from Columbia Records. He used this technique to demonstrate what he called "the tunnel result" in the audio range of pre-recorded cassettes and commented to the reporter Sam Sutherland, who wrote a news commodity printed in Billboard mag:

"The buyer who is aware of sound quality is making his ain." "They won't be satisfied with the 'tunnel effect' of prerecorded tape. And home record deck users don't use prerecorded tapes at all." Nonetheless, contended Solomon, while Tower's ain stores show strong blank tape sales gains, its prerecorded sales accept increased past just two% to 3%. With an estimated fifteen% of the chain'due south total record business concern now generated by the sales of blanks, "it would announced our added tape sales are going to TDK, Maxell and Sony, not yous." he concluded. - Billboard, Vol. 93, No. 38, 26 September 1981.^[17]

Racket reduction and fidelity [edit]

A variety of dissonance reduction and other schemes are used to increase allegiance, with Dolby B being almost universal for both prerecorded tapes and home recording. Dolby B was designed to address the high-frequency racket inherent in cassette tapes, and along with improvements in record formulation it helped the cassette win acceptances as a high-fidelity medium. At the same time, Dolby B provided acceptable performance when played back on decks that lacked Dolby circuitry, meaning there was lilliputian reason non to utilize it if it was available.

The main alternative to Dolby was the dbx noise reduction arrangement, which accomplished a high betoken-to-noise ratio, just was essentially unlistenable when played back on decks that lacked the dbx decoding circuitry.

Philips adult an alternative noise reduction system known as Dynamic Noise Limiter (DNL) which did non require the tapes to be processed during recording; this was also the basis of the later DNR noise reduction.^[18]

Dolby later introduced Dolby C and Dolby S noise reduction, which achieved college levels of racket reduction; Dolby C became common on loftier-fidelity decks, only Dolby S, released when cassette sales had begun to decline, never achieved widespread use. It was only licensed for employ on higher end tape decks that included dual motors, triple heads, and other refinements.

Dolby HX Pro headroom extension provided ameliorate high-frequency response by adjusting the inaudible tape bias during the recording of potent high-frequency sounds, which had a bias effect of their own. Adult by Bang & Olufsen, information technology did not require a decoder to play dorsum. Since B&O held patent rights and required paying license fees, many other manufacturers refrained from using it likewise.

Other refinements to improve cassette performance included Tandberg's DYNEQ, Toshiba's adres [ja] and Telefunken's High Com, and on some high-finish decks, automated recording bias, fine pitch adjustment and (sometimes) head azimuth adjustment such equally the Tandberg TCD-330 and TCD-340A.

By the late 1980s, thanks to such improvements in the electronics, the record material and manufacturing techniques, as well equally dramatic improvements to the precision of the cassette shell, tape heads and transport mechanics, sound fidelity on equipment from the peak manufacturers far surpassed the levels originally expected of the medium. On suitable audio equipment, cassettes could produce a very pleasant listening feel. High-cease cassette decks could achieve 15 Hz-22 kHz±iii dB frequency response with wow and flutter below 0.022%, and a signal-to-noise ratio of up to 61 dB (for Type Iv tape, without noise-reduction)^{[ citation needed ]} . With dissonance reduction typical point-to-noise figures of seventy-76 dB with Dolby C, 80-86 dB with Dolby S, and 85 - 90 dB with dbx could be achieved. Many coincidental listeners could non tell the divergence between compact cassette and compact disc.

From the early 1980s, the fidelity of prerecorded cassettes began to improve dramatically. Whereas Dolby B was already in widespread use in the 1970s, prerecorded cassettes were duplicated onto rather poor quality tape stock at (often) high speed and did not compare in fidelity to high-course LPs. However, systems such as XDR, forth with the adoption of higher-form tape (such equally chromium dioxide, only typically recorded in such a way as to play back at the normal 120 μs position), and the frequent use of Dolby HX Pro, meant that cassettes became a viable high-fidelity choice, i that was more portable and required less maintenance than records. In addition, cover fine art, which had generally previously been restricted to a single epitome of the LP encompass along with a minimum of text, began to exist tailored to cassettes as well, with fold-out lyric sheets or librettos and fold-out sleeves becoming commonplace.

Some companies, such as Mobile Fidelity, produced audiophile cassettes in the 1980s, which were recorded on high-class record and duplicated on premium equipment in real time from a digital primary. Dissimilar audiophile LPs, which continue to attract a following, these became moot after the Compact Disc became widespread.

Near all cassette decks have an MPX filter to amend the sound quality and the tracking of the noise reduction arrangement when recording from an FM stereo circulate. Withal, in many peculiarly cheaper decks, this filter cannot be disabled, and considering of that tape/playback frequency response in those decks typically is limited to xvi kHz. In other decks, the MPX filter tin can be switched off or on independently from the Dolby switch. On yet other decks, the filter is off past default, and an pick to switch it on or off is only provided when Dolby is activated; this prevents the MPX filter from existence used when information technology'south non required.

In-car entertainment systems [edit]

A key element of the cassette'south success was its use in in-car entertainment systems, where the pocket-sized size of the record was significantly more user-friendly than the competing 8-rails cartridge arrangement. Cassette players in cars and for dwelling utilise were frequently integrated with a radio receiver. In-car cassette players were the offset to adopt automatic contrary ("motorcar-reverse") of the tape direction at each end, allowing a cassette to be played endlessly without manual intervention. Habitation cassette decks presently added the feature.

Cassette tape adaptors have been developed which let newer media players to be played through existing cassette decks, in detail those in cars which mostly do not have input jacks. These units do not suffer from reception problems from FM transmitter based system to play back media players through the FM radio, though supported frequencies for FM transmitters that aren't used on commercial broadcasters in a given region (e.one thousand. any frequency below 88.1 in the US) somewhat eliminates that trouble.

Maintenance [edit]

Cassette equipment needs regular maintenance, as cassette tape is a magnetic medium which is in physical contact with the tape head and other metallic parts of the recorder/player machinery. Without such maintenance, the high frequency response of the cassette equipment will suffer.

I problem occurs when iron oxide (or similar) particles from the record itself become lodged in the playback head. Every bit a result, the tape heads will require occasional cleaning to remove such particles. The metallic capstan and the rubber pinch roller tin get coated with these particles, leading them to pull the tape less precisely over the head; this in turn leads to misalignment of the tape over the caput azimuth, producing noticeably unclear high tones, just equally if the head itself were out of alignment. Isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol are both suitable head-cleaning fluids.

The heads and other metallic components in the tape path (such equally spindles and capstans) may become magnetized with use, and require demagnetizing (see Cassette demagnetizer).

Reject in popularity [edit]

Analog cassette deck sales were expected to decline rapidly with the advent of the compact disc and other digital recording technologies such as digital audio tape (DAT), MiniDisc, and the CD-R recorder drives. Philips responded with the digital meaty cassette, a organisation which was astern-compatible with existing analog cassette recordings for playback, but information technology failed to garner a significant market share and was withdrawn. One reason proposed for the lack of acceptance of digital recording formats such every bit DAT was a fear by content providers that the ability to make very loftier quality copies would hurt sales of copyrighted recordings.

The rapid transition was non realized and CDs and cassettes successfully co-existed for about xx years. A contributing cistron may have been the inability of early CD players to reliably read discs with surface damage and offer anti-skipping features for applications where external vibration would be present, such as automotive and recreation environments. Early CD playback equipment also tended to be expensive compared to cassette equipment of similar quality and did non offer recording adequacy. Many home and portable amusement systems supported both formats and commonly allowed the CD playback to be recorded on cassette record. The ascent of inexpensive all-solid-state portable digital music systems based on MP3, AAC and like formats finally saw the eventual decline of the domestic cassette deck. As of 2020, Marantz, Teac, and Tascam are amidst the few companies still manufacturing cassette decks in relatively small-scale quantities for professional person and niche market utilise. By the tardily 1990s, automobiles were offered with amusement systems that played both cassettes and CDs. By the end of the late 2000s, very few cars were offered with cassette decks. The last vehicle model in the U.s. that included a factory-installed cassette player was the 2010 Lexus SC 430.^[19] As radios became tightly integrated into dashboards, many cars lacked fifty-fifty standard openings that would take aftermarket cassette player installations.

Despite the turn down in the production of cassette decks, these products are still valued by some. Many blind and elderly people find the newest digital technologies very difficult to apply compared to the cassette format. Cassette tapes are not vulnerable to scratching from handling (though the exposed magnetic tape is vulnerable to stretching from poking), and play from where they were last stopped (though some mod MP3 players offer savestating electronically). Cassette tapes tin also be recorded multiple times (though some solid-land digital recorders are now offer that function).

Today, cassette decks are not considered past virtually people to be either the most versatile or highest fidelity sound recording devices available, as even very inexpensive CD or digital audio players tin can reproduce a wide frequency range with no speed variations. Many current budget-oriented cassette decks lack a tape selector to ready proper bias and equalization settings to take best reward of the extended high finish of Type 2 [High Bias] and Type IV [Metal Bias] tapes.

Cassettes remain popular for audio-visual applications. Some CD recorders, particularly those intended for business use, contain a cassette deck to allow both formats for recording meetings, church sermons, and books on tape.

References [edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c "The Phillips cassette around the world: A Billboard study". Billboard (28-page supplement) (Vol 79., No. 14 ed.). Nielsen Business concern Media, Inc.: 1–28 1967-04-08.
^ "Tape Recording magazine" (PDF). Tape Recording. 1968.
^ Cook, Diana; Morton, David. "RCA Cartridges: 1958 - 1964". A History of Magnetic Audio Record. Diana Cook. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
^ Mourning and Celebrating fifty years of Compact Cassette Archived 2013-x-09 at the Wayback Machine - SoundBlog, 23 March 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
^ "Rewound. On its 50th birthday, the cassette tape is still rolling". Time. 12 August 2013. p. 56-57.
^ Hinman, Doug; Brabazon, Brabazon (1994). "Cassettes: 1963 - present". A History of Magnetic Audio Tape. Diana Melt. Retrieved 25 October 2016. Cassettes were originally disdained by audio critics as very low-terminate engineering science ... a very low perceived potential for sound reproduction
^ Advent cassette decks Archived June 25, 2009, at the Wayback Automobile
^ van Amerongen, Job (2005). "Affiliate 12: The Role of Controls in Mechatronics". In Bishop, Robert H. (ed.). Mechatronics: An Introduction. CRC Printing. p. 12.1. ISBN978-1-4200-3724-1.
^ The states 3347996 A, Goji Uchikoshi, "Control organisation for a magnetic recorder", published 1967-x-17 "By the provision of a logical excursion in the command circuit for a magnetic recorder, even when the keys of the key board are actuated in whatsoever desired sequence, the magnetic recorder and its associated devices can be promptly and precisely controlled without causing whatever damages thereon."
^ Hirsch, Julian (May 1979). "Eumig 'CCD' Cassette Deck" (PDF). Popular Electronics. pp. 39–44. Retrieved 18 December 2017. The transport controls are fully logic operated through solenoids. Any transport control button can be touched while the machine is running in any way without risking damage to tape or deck. Fifty-fifty the push for the cassette compartment door tin be operated while the tape is running.
^ Takahata, Masato; et al. (1991). "Logic Controlled Cassette Deck Mechanism "DK-76"" (PDF). Fujitsu 10 Technical Periodical (4): 52–lx. Retrieved 2017-12-12 .
^ Hirsch, Julian (May 1979). "Aiwa Model AD-6900 cassette deck" (PDF). Popular Electronics. pp. 28–31. Retrieved xviii Dec 2017. There was a slight "clunk" from the solenoids equally they operated, but the buttons themselves required almost no activating pressure, and the control logic appeared to exist equally foolproof as claimed.
^ "JVC Stereo Cassette Decks" (PDF). Victor Company of Japan. 1982. Retrieved 2017-12-xiii . The following conveniences are bachelor: *Direct modify of fashion... *Low-cal-impact push... *Punch-in recording... *Remote control...
^ Takai, Kazuki (1985-02-01). "Ultra-Compact, Full-Logic Cassette Mechanism". SAE Technical Paper 850024. SAE Technical Paper Series. 1: 20. doi:ten.4271/850024. Retrieved 2017-12-13 .
^ fonoforum.de eight/1991, Testreport Dolby-South-Kassettendeck Archived 2020-04-12 at the Wayback Auto (German language; PDF, two MB)
^ "Prerecorded cassette quality?". AudioKarma.org (Forum). 2005-09-05.
^ Sutherland, Sam (26 Sep 1981). "Ameliorate Cassette Quality Urged". Billboard. 93 (38): 3, 6. Retrieved iv June 2013.
^ Circuit and description of DNL Archived November five, 2008, at the Wayback Automobile URL accessed August 25, 2006
^ "These 10 machine features took absolutely forever to die". Driving. 2019-02-03.

External links [edit]

Media related to Cassette decks at Wikimedia Eatables

Audio Asylum Tape Trail – A word forum of interest to those involved in cassette technology.
Vintage Cassette Decks - A drove of Vintage cassette decks of all brands.