Mastering for cassette

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I figured it would belong less in the music corner, so here it goes.

I've bought a few new cassettes recently, mostly from local artists. To be honest, they all sound like complete and utter rubbish.

I run a small label myself "Luminous Records". I don't have any releases out yet, but when I do, I plan to release on cd and cassette (eventually vinyl if all goes well!).

When I master for cassette this is how I plan to do so, any feedback on my process would be greatly appreciated.

I plan to run my 24/196 digital master onto 1/4 tape at 7.5 IPS, then to run that onto a chrome tape with Dolby B.

I'll then use this cassette as my "production master" so to speak. I'll dub this master to normal iron tapes at either normal speed or 2x depending on my patience and the result of sound.

Does this sound like a good method to you? My reel to reel is an Akai 1720, and my cassette deck is a Technics RS- TR333.


Cheers!

 

Frankly you need a better cassette deck than that double one. Much better.

 

Thanks, it's a nice deck, only cost me 20 dollars with the manual, and it's served me well.

Could you recommend a better deck for my purposes? And what of my planned method?

Cheers,

 

It's hard to find a good deck these days, but a single well, 3 head, with Dolby HX PRO is a must IMO.

 

Yeah, HX Pro would be great for my own LP- Tape dubs, my Technics has Type C too. The reason I suggested B was because its certainly passable (the cassettes I've bought use none and they often have wonky stereo image etc.).

I chose B because 90% of decks have it and you can always "adjust treble a necessary" as they used to say.

I don't intend these cassettes to be Audiophile, but simply an alternative to redbook 44100.

 

Your cassettes would be 3 generations removed. Why not go from digital source to cassette?

 

True! I guess I just like the idea of a shelf full of tape masters

 

Fair enough.

 

HX PRO is a record only system and it extends the high end quite significantly.

 

Put the first on on the shelf.

 

The Kenwood KX-W6060 is an excellent double deck for recording blank tapes. It does have HX PRO. You can set your own bias, balance and everything. I haven't had any tape go bad with it yet, and I've had it for a good 3 years. Highly recommended!

 

Thanks, I'll look it up.

 

I'd make a Hi Res Digital file 24/192 from the Reel, then use the Hi Res file as the master for multiple cassettes. You may need to downsample & dither down before transferring to cassette, others on the forum should be able to advise. I think 16/48 & maybe 24/48 might be fine, or you might need 16/44.

You might want to avoid copying the reel to a master cassette and then making copies from that cassette. You will lose a lot of quality

 

You need more decks.

Exactly, that's insane. You go to multiple cassette decks from the 1/2 master. That "production master" cassette is already diluted, copies of it will suck.

 

Thanks for the input. I posted this a little while ago now, and reading back it does seem like too many generations. The single reel to multiple cassettes sounds good.

I'm going to try putting some test tones on a cassette, see how high I can go. Does anyone know off the top of their head how high the old XDR test tones went?