Audiophile Pre-recorded Cassette Tapes

Summary

The video explores high quality pre-recorded audio cassettes, focusing on audiophile labels that used specialized tapes, noise reduction, and recording techniques to achieve improved sound. It references chrome, metal, and type 2-4 tapes as well as Dolby NR, HX Pro, lower duplication speeds, and direct master transfers. Top labels like Sheffield Lab, Telarc, and Reference Recordings are highlighted for their excellent fidelity. Finding these tapes today can demanding high prices as collectibles.

Takeaways

• 🎶 Jazz and classical recordings often have better audio quality than pop/rock
• 🔊 'Chrome' tapes may contain chromium dioxide for better frequency response
• 📼 Dolby noise reduction can reduce tape hiss but may also cut high frequencies
• 🎚 'XDR' tapes aimed for better dynamic range but often have lubrication issues
• 👂 HX Pro optimizes bias during recording for better high frequency response
• 🏷 Labels like Reference Recordings and Sheffield Lab released very high quality tapes
• 📜 Nakamichi published catalogs of recommended high fidelity prerecorded cassettes
• 🌟 Tapes from audiophile labels like Telarc and DMP can sound incredible but are rare
• 💰 Original audiophile cassette releases are expensive collectibles now
• 🎧 If you find affordable ones, these tapes can provide an amazing listening experience

Q & A

What types of music recordings usually have better quality?

The transcript mentions that jazz and classical music recordings usually have better quality than pop and rock recordings.

Why do some cassettes say 'chrome' even if they are type 1 cassettes?

The transcript explains that even though they are physically type 1 cassettes, they likely have some chromium dioxide in the tape composition to provide better frequency response.

What is Dolby B and C noise reduction?

They are technologies used to reduce tape hiss and background noise, but sometimes they can also cut out good high frequency content so it's good to test cassettes with Dolby to see if sound quality improves.

What does XDR stand for and what issues does it have?

XDR stands for 'extended dynamic range' and aimed to provide better frequency response and dynamic range, but many XDR tapes have issues with lubrication drying out over time.

What is HX Pro?

HX Pro is a recording process that optimizes and regulates the tape bias during recording to improve sound quality, especially in higher frequencies.

What makes a 'true' Type 2 chrome cassette?

A true Type 2 cassette would use chromium dioxide tape and be recorded at the proper 70 microsecond bias level.

What are some examples of good quality pre-recorded cassette labels?

Some labels mentioned are Mobile Fidelity, Sheffield Labs, Reference Recordings, Cafe Records, and Crystal Clear Records.

Why were Nakamichi Reference Recordings so highly regarded?

The Nakamichi Reference Recordings used very high quality tape, lower dubbing speeds, metal cassettes in some cases, and rigorous quality control standards.

Where can you find suggestions for high quality pre-recorded cassettes?

The transcript references Nakamichi brochures and catalogs which list various audiophile labels and recording details as suggestions for finding quality pre-recorded cassettes.

How much can high-end pre-recorded cassettes sell for?

The transcript gives examples of some limited edition audiophile cassettes selling for hundreds of dollars on sites like eBay.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 TDK MAカセットとオーディオ品質

このパラグラフでは、TDK MAメタルカセットの品質とNakamichi Dragonカセットデッキの性能について説明しています。特に、自宅でLPレコードから直接メタルカセットに録音することの音質の高さを強調しています。また、市販のプリレコーデッドカセットについても言及し、その中でもオーディオファイル向けの高品質なカセットに注目を集めています。

05:01

🎶 クロムダイオキシドテープとノイズリダクション

第二段落では、クロムダイオキシドを使用したカセットテープとその音質の向上について説明しています。さらに、Dolby BおよびCノイズリダクション技術とその使用時の注意点についても触れています。特に、これらのノイズリダクション技術が高音域の圧縮にどのように影響するか、そしてそれが音質に与える影響について詳述しています。

10:02

🎼 デジタル録音とHXプロ技術

このセクションでは、デジタル録音とそれがアナログカセットに与える影響について議論しています。また、HX Pro技術についても詳しく説明しており、これが録音時のバイアスを最適化し、特に高周波数での音質を改善する方法について述べています。更に、この技術がバング＆オルフセンによって開発され、その後ドルビーによって採用された経緯も紹介しています。

15:04

📼 モーフィーとシェフィールドラボのカセット

ここでは、特にモーフィー(Mobile Fidelity)とシェフィールドラボのカセットテープに焦点を当てています。これらのカセットがどのようにして高品質な音を提供するか、そしてそれがなぜ重要かについて詳しく述べています。特に、これらのカセットがマスターテープから直接ダビングされ、そのプロセスが音質にどのように貢献するかを説明しています。

20:06

📚 ナカミチとその参照録音シリーズ

最後の段落では、ナカミチの参照録音シリーズと、それがどのようにオーディオファイル向けの高品質なカセットを提供するかについて説明しています。また、これらの高価なカセットがなぜ価値があるのか、そしてどのようにしてそれらをより手頃な価格で見つけることができるかについてのアドバイスも提供しています。特に、eBayなどの市場でこれらのカセットの価格がどのように変動するかについての具体的な例を挙げています。

Keywords

💡Chromium dioxide

A type of magnetic particle coating used on audiophile-grade cassette tapes to provide superior frequency response and dynamic range compared to standard ferric oxide tapes. The video discusses how many pre-recorded cassettes claimed to use chromium dioxide ("chrome tape") but were often still type I cassettes.

💡Bias

The high-frequency AC signal applied to tape during recording to improve frequency response. Optimal bias levels differ for different tape formulations. The video notes how some cassettes claimed one tape type but used non-optimal bias.

💡Dolby noise reduction

Technologies developed by Dolby Labs to improve signal-to-noise ratio on tapes by attenuating high frequency noise during recording then boosting it on playback. Dolby B and C are discussed - sometimes over-aggressive use of these systems can negatively impact sound.

💡HX Pro

A recording technology by Bang & Olufsen, later acquired by Dolby, that dynamically optimizes bias during recording to improve high frequency response.

💡Lubrication

Keeping the tape lubricated is critical to avoid excessive friction and wear of the tape or the deck transport mechanics while playing. Lack of lubrication particularly plagued XDR cassettes.

💡Master tapes

The original high quality multi-track or stereo master recordings made in the studio from which all distribution copies (vinyl, cassette, CD, etc.) are made. Being sourced from masters gives the highest fidelity.

💡Metal tape

Type IV cassettes using metal particle tape formulation for highest performance - more commonly used for mastering or duplication vs consumer listening.

💡Pre-recorded cassettes

Commercially available cassettes with prerecorded music content, as opposed to blank cassettes for home recording.

💡Tape type

Refers to the different tape formulations and associated recording parameters. Most common are: Type I (standard), Type II (chromium dioxide/high bias) and Type IV (metal).

💡Wow and flutter

Audible distortions in playback speed indicating problems with the tape transport mechanics or lack of tape lubrication.

Highlights

Chromium dioxide cassettes labeled as type 1 likely have CrO2 coating to improve frequency response

Jazz and classical recordings often have better quality than pop/rock cassettes

Dolby noise reduction can sometimes over-compress high frequencies, so test with button on/off

XDR cassettes aimed to extend dynamic range, but often have lubrication issues causing wow/flutter

HX Pro is a recording technology that optimizes bias during recording for better high frequency response

Transcripts

Oh

[Music]

side of the beer

[Music]

hi guys and welcome to Ana dialogue the

dialogue of analog music reproduction

what you've just heard is one of the

best Mel cassettes around the TDK ma are

at least the chasis is one of the best

absolutely the best

this cannot warp in no way on a

Nakamichi dragon fully functional and

just need serviced from a renowned

German lab so obviously that's the best

of the best your own recording source

from a good LP directly recorded on a

metal cassette a type four cassette on

an akimichi dragon well I bet that's an

audiophile grade a hi-fi or high

fidelity reproduction but today we're

gonna explore also something else we're

gonna try to understand I'm gonna try to

give you a few tips on pre-recorded

cassettes those high five audio file

grade cassettes which deserve some

attention I think and um get close to

what is home made recording which

obviously is always gonna be the best

let's take a look okay so now we can

finally start to take a look at the

labels the audiophile labels or simply

high five labels high fidelity of the

sound signal recorded on specific tapes

but also some processes adopted to

obtain good quality recordings

especially dedicated to compact cassette

tapes so let's just start off with

something like this very simple now this

is a jazz album and always keep your

eyes out for jazz albums if you like

jazz obviously because the recording is

usually a little better than

those of pop and rock for example

obviously the same you can be said for

classical recordings so always keep your

keep up keep in mind that this typology

of recordings is usually better but

let's see why take that I took this tape

out as you can see here it says Chrome

which means it should mean that the tape

adapted here has a chromium dioxide

typology of compound on the film of the

cassette of the tape in most cases

you're not gonna have a type tool that's

a chromium dioxide tape simply because

as you can see the little notches here

are all the way on the sides so this is

a type one cassette physically speaking

but um there probably is some chromium

dioxide on the film in order to have a

better frequency response why is this

because actually in not all not all

recordings obviously but in decent or

good quality recordings we tried they

tried to use the the mass production

they try to use this typology of a

combination they did not wanted you to

use a different bias as a type two tape

would require a higher bias for example

a cemani microsecond typology because a

lot of tape decks or simply the setting

of that was not was not easy I mean if

you were not if you do not have a

professional tape deck or a good quality

tape deck and you do not know what

you're doing like a just casual consumer

you do not you did not probably know or

did not pay attention to set properly

get to type two cassettes or even type

four for example so that's why they

tried to put something inside in the

composition but in the end it's a type

one cassette and that's a typical

approach for a lot of recordings as we

will see I'll show you another example

like for example this best of of Earth

Wind and Fire which is a normal pop

typology of

music here there's a nice little label

that says chrome tape oh there's also

the no libido BB noise reduction and

this is the same philosophy I think this

is even an older cassette and again this

is a tape one cassette which probably

has some chrome dioxide compound inside

in order to have a better a better sound

overall um talking about Dolby B and C I

just I'll probably need to do a tape

tape I'll probably do a video in the

following in the future

considering focusing on this topologies

of noise reduction technology I just

wanted to say two words um if you find

and you're mostly gonna do find Dobby B

or C and tapes you might as well always

try to hear if pushing the little button

that you have in the tape deck if you

have it obviously if the quality is

increased if the noise reduction is

properly applicated because

unfortunately if sometimes when you

insert the Dolby C B or C there is a

very strong compression or cut off of

the higher frequencies which obviously

are dedicated to the tape hiss but in

sometimes in some cases unfortunately

they're also cutting off some good

frequencies of the tape this also means

that it was adopted during the recording

with that is why you should be pushing

the button to decode that properly the

signal but as I said sometimes it's

better just to leave it off only in very

good occasions in specific occasions the

Dolby is is a high quality and it's good

to press it and the the tape hiss will

great in the general noise will greatly

lower at that point so always test there

is not a general rule rule in that sense

um here another example best of dire

straits chromium dioxide as you can see

dobe again so this was kind of a

standard procedure with um as you can

see here this is a good example

it says chromium dioxide I think you can

see it but it says 120 microseconds

which is a lower bias it's not the true

70 microsecond bias use adopted in a

true type 2 or type 4 cassette that's it

okay let's proceed um another another

interesting typology of procedure for

cassettes um was this XDR um here I have

two examples there are two nice examples

they both have XDR um and what is ex TR

x TR is and it means extending dynamic

range and it's suppose to give a higher

better frequency response during the

recording of these meaning a higher also

a dynamic range a higher sound pressure

level in some cases it does have a you

there are some positive effects on these

recordings in others no there isn't this

aspect um something see here you can see

extended or expanded dynamic range um

something interesting to know is that

unfortunately the XD are mainly of

Capitol Records which was I think those

who had introduced it have a very bad

issue regarding lubricants lieu

purification of the tape I will do a

special video on this in the future but

I just wanted to tell you that

unfortunately a lot of these XD are

tapes suffer from this issue the the

lubricant completely vanished went away

dried off right out so in most cases

you're gonna find some issues in playing

these Wow and flutter are going to be

terrible the tape is gonna start to slow

down and just stop sometimes

unfortunately the tape is so dry so keep

in mind this always try to test him if

you can or just take bear in mind that

you're gonna have this issue with XDR in

most cases um that there is a solution

you can lubricate them you can add some

oil but I will I will show you a

tutorial of this in the future okay

let's go ahead well let's start to see

some um some labels um maybe you're

familiar with this pedal addict this is

an excellent label they also do

excellent recordings for CDs they're

still active and as you can see this is

a digital recording yes unfortunately a

lot of these late tapes were recorded in

digital and then a transfer to analog on

tape which apparently gives a little

more clarity but obviously we're we're

going away from what what is a

completely digital domain recording

which i think is not positive in the end

um here we can find something

interesting which was also present here

which is I think you can see it H X Pro

besides the Dolby B noise reduction

which is also present here

HX Pro what is xx HX bro um this was

actually a technology developed by Bang

& Olufsen but then rapidly acquired

immediately acquired I would say by umm

Dolby Laboratories which in which

started to introduce this in his

cassettes in high-quality cassettes Oh

what is HX Pro it's it's a recording

process where um just in simple terms it

practically regulates the bias it

optimizes the bias because sometimes um

especially in the higher frequencies if

you have a constant bias during

recording you might have some issues in

the higher frequencies instead if you're

recording with this technology the bias

regulates itself with the optimum out

so um it's always good to say if if you

have an hhx pro cassette that it's

always gonna be a good thing if you have

HX Pro on your tape deck that that is

not for playback that is for recording

if you're gonna record something on your

cassettes that's gonna have an H X Pro

value um let's let's proceed let's say

let's take a look at other interesting

labels like this this cassette the stir

the stray away child of song of the wood

this is these are very small labels with

that issue though important recordings

very high quality recordings which I

highly suggest this doesn't have any

special process it's just a good quality

cassette which I wanted to share with

you so this is certainly um one one

typology these are all cassettes that I

as you will see very uh I just snatched

them from the the Nakamichi catalog as

you would see since that's an excellent

source of information for high quality

recordings recordings regardless if

they're under neck Ameche or not but we

will see we will go back to that we'll

take a look afterwards to that let's

proceed another excellent um brand label

is this one I think you can see it is

cafe records for example this is an

excellent album although is live so

maybe it's not the best of the best but

it's a good recording as you can see it

looks a little bit like well morpheme

what mobile fidelity that's because in a

lot of cases there was a collaboration

the recording process could have been

done at at Mophie for example so um this

in fact was obtained by the original

master tapes directly sent to the

cassettes which is why it's a high

fidelity cassette as you can see here

the little logo it says BASF the bass

that means that they employed high very

high quality

tape to do this that you're not gonna

find this usually so um if they're

telling you what kind of tape they used

that means it's a really a very good

quality tape as you can see here the

equalization is seventy microseconds

which is a high bias and in fact it's a

true type two cassette now on high

quality cassettes hi-fi audio file cuts

that's true and audio file cassettes are

almost all gonna be chromium dioxide

type two cassettes or in very rare cases

type four mellow cassettes so this is

already going to be a superior

experience than those we've seen up

until now because this is a true type

two cassette in the composition in also

as you can see physically and in the

bias so let's proceed talking about

Mophie this is one of the vast catalog

they produce of high-quality cassettes

made my Malfi um this one in particular

is not so good I don't know why I think

this cassette itself has a lubricant

problem a lubricant issue oh I don't

know what happened it's not that good

but I'm sure the other Mophie cassettes

I heard them other friends houses so

they're excellent but um I just wanted

to say maybe this this edition wasn't

wasn't that good I don't know but in any

case this typology of cassettes made by

multi by mobile fidelity are excellent

they're highly regarded they cost a lot

if you go to on ebay on other places and

obviously these are completely sourced

by the master tapes and they're dubbed

at lower speed not high speed which also

gives high quality as you can see this

again is a chromium dioxide tape let's

see if there there's some indication

here about this obviously you're going

to have some indications on the

recording processes here but no I don't

see any indications

the bias strange enough but it is a type

2 cassette as you can see and I'm pretty

sure this is for chromium dioxide as the

author the one we've just seen before of

Cafe records which I'm sure they have

been curating it um last but not least I

wanted to show you one of the best

sounding albums I discovered the this is

a record of Sheffield lab they also in

there are also in the neck Ameche

catalog um and i highly suggest to go

and buy these there are a few on Discogs

go for it they're not gonna be there for

a long time I just paid a few dollars

for this and the sound quality is

amazing I must say this was performed

live and directly recorded to the two

track master tape then was immediately

dubbed to create the tape the cassette

tapes as you can see this is clearly

stated it's a type 2 cassette with a 70

microsecond bias also it has HX Pro and

Dolby beamed um so um the Sheffield lab

cassettes are incredible I also heard

other other albums they all sound great

this is fantastic album out of the

seventies very funky which I highly

recommend and that's about it okay so um

before closing the video I wanted to

take a look to a few other labels and

more specifically a few other recordings

that were were released in the past

decades which I think are very

interesting and are worth exploring

because the quality is very very high

but as I mentioned before let's take a

look at the Nakamichi reference

recording series because um in the past

century these were the reference

cassettes pre-recorded cassettes this is

a brochure where you can see some

indications on the recording and the

different labels to create this

reference series as you can see here for

example this is the cassette we just saw

of Sheffield lab so what I'm trying to

say is take a look at these images at

these albums and take notes because I

think you can also buy find these

cassettes and buy them as their original

release you don't have to go with the

reference Nakamichi if you're lucky and

you're paying just a few bucks or

whatever go for it I mean but it's very

very difficult to find these golden

little cassettes and they're extremely

expensive unfortunately there's there's

one test cassette now online and um it

goes for hundreds of W or hundreds of

dollars so as I've been saying

Sheffield lab is one of the bests best

labels I think in my opinion let's go

ahead as we can see telic we we saw a

cassette metallic before these are a few

recordings they they suggest and that

been transposed in the Nakamichi

reference recording series um Dallas is

also another great label as you can see

mainly classical music if you're

interested in that typology go for it as

I said try to find the original

recordings without passing by the

reference although obviously the

reference recordings are going to be the

top also because in almost all or maybe

all I'm not sure they're using metal

cassettes metal tape cassettes

so obviously the sound is gonna be

incredible here more Dallas GRP only

through recordings we're gonna see

another brochure with other suggestions

here are a few notes on the different

recording companies here you can see the

price I think this was issued in 80s so

um eighteen dollars a year and in those

days weren't obviously eighteen dollars

of today I mean that was a high price so

let's take a look to the other

um brochure I had in mind here over here

see this is the sound on akimichi

reference cassette which has a little

bit of everything inside here's the same

picture before this is black and white I

found it online and here you can see

other labels interesting labels like

Windham Hill here again we have we have

other typology of music a little more

new-age I would say

with a touch of 80s again GRP here we

have a few more recordings in an alchemy

to reference series again Dalek lots of

lots of tracks on the reference cassette

um

I know there's one now on eBay for 140

euro I think and that's only just the

best of of the of ahah mix of all these

reference recordings

it's insane unfortunately if you think

you can make your own and it would sound

even better but it's also a matter of

collection of collecting this via this

memorabilia here you can see also am

also their normal cassettes are

excellent a lot of chrome cassettes have

been issued by a.m. so you can see also

some jazz so as you can see I mean there

are a lot of other records out like old

labels Spindletop records which have

issued a lot of excellent recordings

which you can find on cassette like

these from vibes again de los etc etc

the chef youlab okay so just to conclude

I wanted to show you if I found a few

examples on eBay like this tape um by

now Toulouse this is a limited edition

as you can see audiophile reference by

John clemmer straight from the heart and

this recording I gotta have the

screenshot over here went for $500 on

eBay

something very similar this is Elton

John but it's again an altruist

recording audio file typology just to

let you know what's happening

unfortunately so again try to find these

recordings and I think you would save

some money and find excellent products

as you can see here in them in this case

here this is this they employed a Mac

cell cassette which comes from directly

from the original to track master it's

fun to see that there's a warning

actually on on the side of the cassette

regarding the dynamic range since as I

said I mean people are used to

bad quality cassettes so um when you buy

something like this

you're obviously gonna have low ending

at low end frequencies but also very

important and high extended dynamic

range in the higher frequencies which I

mean not always as you can see here are

can your system can deal with if you're

not and if you're not I'm used to it

especially in the past so I'm just to

show you one other example now to use

here this is the audio sampler

I saw you can find these around for

incredible prices and here you can

clearly see that the Nakamichi used to

use the metal metal topologies as you

can see also the bias is reported here

717 microseconds so good stuff guys

expensive but I think if you can find

some cassettes some recordings belonging

through these labels you will highly

enjoy them at the same way well guys I

hope you enjoyed this video please

subscribe to my channel leave your

comments here below leave your

suggestions for audiophile HiFi

pre-recorded cassettes

please I'm very interested in that and I

think so also the cassette culture

community and the vinyl community

because we're all going towards tape

thank you guys see you soon bye