Hey folks. Here’s a DR-1 with a good price, no bids. Somebody snatch this up!
<https://www.ebay.com/itm/362284893448?ul_noapp=true\>
<L>
Lou Judson
Intuitive Audio
415-883-2689
On Apr 2, 2018, at 6:28 AM, Steve Greene <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> The feature that many Nakamichi's had was called "phase locked loop" dual
> capstan. Essentially it relied on the two capstans, in phase to maintain
> proper tension, which obviated the need for the felt pressure pad, which
> was lifted out of the way of the playback path. That amounted to one less
> thing to go wrong with the playback chain.
>
> It was even more important to clean the rubber capstan roller regularly,
> since glazed rubber surface could often cause the tape to drift "off path".
>
> Steve
>
> Steve Greene
> Audiovisual Archivist
> Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
> National Archives and Records Administration
> (301) 837-1772
>
> On Mon, Apr 2, 2018 at 3:49 AM, CJB <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Again thank you guys. How can I lubricate said cassette tapes please?
>> What is the process? Getting tape head cleaner is a problem too since
>> the demise of VHS and cassettes and reel2reel tapes. Is it ethyl
>> alcohol? Maybe eBay has it? Huh - cotton buds are easy to get - even
>> though they are mainly of plastic. BTW right now the weather is damp
>> and raining with high humidity. Maybe I should put the cassettes in
>> front of a hot air heater? I have a brand new top of the range
>> (ex-display) Technics dual cassette player arriving next week. Chris
>> B.
>>
>> On 01/04/2018, Corey Bailey <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>> Hi Chris,
>>>
>>> First of all, DO NOT use your microwave for any type of tape
>>> restoration. This has been tried and the results are disastrous. Second,
>>> do not use any kitchen appliance, that is used for food, for baking
>>> audio tapes. The baking of audio tapes produces out-gassing that should
>>> be considered as toxic.If you are going to consider baking the cassettes
>>> in question, you will need to invest in a device that can be dedicated
>>> solely to that task. A food dehydrator will work fine but know that
>>> there is a learning curve. Research the process. The information is out
>>> there. I have written an article about baking audio tape which is posted
>>> on my website under "Useful Information." I am not a fan of baking
>>> audio tapes. I use the process as a last resort. First, I will try
>>> lubricating the tape and for cassettes, I have a transport that I have
>>> modified (hacked) for this procedure. That said, Marie O'Connell posted
>>> that she has successfully baked audio cassettes. So have I and many
>>> other qualified personnel. So, obviously, it's possible.
>>>
>>> Cheers and, Happy Easter!
>>>
>>> Corey
>>>
>>> Corey Bailey Audio Engineering
>>> www.baileyzone.net
>>>
>>> On 4/1/2018 1:11 AM, CJB wrote:
>>>> Hi guys. Thanks for the heads up. The cassettes are off-air recordings
>>>> many from the 1970s from Long Wave / Medium wave and some FM. They are
>>>> Beeb airings - likely all long since deleted, wiped or junked. These
>>>> are the only recordings extant. It is important to rescue the
>>>> contents.
>>>>
>>>> The situation started after a few cassettes had gone though. The
>>>> C-120s seemed OK. I then decided to process the C-60s first: Ferro,
>>>> Scotch and BASF. I had two cassettes loaded. Huh - I fell asleep and
>>>> the first started all over again. When I checked the digital file -
>>>> using Audacity - I found that the first was nearly perfect first time
>>>> round - but then when it got repeated the sound level was not only
>>>> lower but it was also muffled. I used a tape head cleaner and tried
>>>> again, the sound came back as loud as it should have been, but then
>>>> quickly deteriorated.
>>>>
>>>> I'm not sure that I can retrieve the situation. It seems that the
>>>> tapes are shedding and clogging the heads badly. I am nervous about
>>>> baking - I only have a microwave!!
>>>>
>>>> Issues with azimuth lining is rather too advanced for the project
>>>> which is more one of rescue rather than faultless archiving.
>>>>
>>>> Chris B.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 31/03/2018, Marie O'Connell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>>> I have had good success with baking cassette tapes suffering from SSS
>>>>> and
>>>>> the brands are random. Keeping the heads clean is paramount.
>>>>>
>>>>> Like Steve, re-housing the cassette can help along with renewing the
>>>>> slip
>>>>> sheets. As a matter of course I check the felt to make sure it's
>>>>> intact.
>>>>>
>>>>> Happy Easter!
>>>>> Marie
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 8:23 AM, John Haley <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I am not recalling exactly what I paid for the Nak Dragon, but it was
>>>>>> something like $1100. I bought it on Ebay and got lucky--it is in
>>>>>> flawless
>>>>>> condition.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The Nak Dragon is missing one desirable feature--there is no speed
>>>>>> control. But it is rock-steady with moving the tape--probably getting
>>>>>> rid
>>>>>> of the tiny bit of friction of the tape pulling past the pressure pad
>>>>>> helps. It has a piece that pushes back the pressure pad so it is out
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the way, and tape tension against the heads is provided by the closed
>>>>>> loop
>>>>>> dual capstan design.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>> John Haley
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sat, Mar 31, 2018 at 1:57 PM, Steven Smolian <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If I remember correctly, the NAK draws the tape away from the pad,
>>>>>>> bypassing
>>>>>>> it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> For what it's worth, I've found the slip sheet inside the cassette
>>>>>> housing
>>>>>>> will exhibit signs of sticky shed.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> One answer is to rehouse each cassette into a new shell. I've done
>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> many a time.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Steve Smolian
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
>>>>>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lou Judson
>>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2018 1:02 PM
>>>>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Sticky shed - clogged heads?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Dragon is the gold standard, the Rolls Ryce of cassette decks. Wish
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> project I have could make it affordable! :-)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Maybe I don't want to know what you had to pay for it. ePay shows
>>>>>>> $1200
>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>> 3200 today.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I got my lesser Naks for around $400 each. one needed service, the
>>>>>>> other
>>>>>>> was
>>>>>>> perfect.
>>>>>>> <L>
>>>>>>> Lou Judson
>>>>>>> Intuitive Audio
>>>>>>> 415-883-2689
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mar 31, 2018, at 9:35 AM, John Haley <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I recently bought a Nak Dragon, which automatically sets the azimuth
>>>>>>>> and keeps monitoring and resetting it as the cassette plays. And I
>>>>>>>> recently dubbed a cassette in which the felt pad was missing. It
>>>>>> played
>>>>>>> fine. The
>>>>>>>> sound quality is astonishingly good. It really beats my Tascam
>>>>>>>> unit.
>>>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>>>> John Haley
>>>
>>
>>
>
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