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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

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Old 31st May 2020, 12:15 pm   #41
Tractorfan
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Smile Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Hi.
I've never found anything really interesting on old reels of tape. But, a year or two ago, A Dutch friend of ours who lives here gave me some reels of tape including some pre-recorded tapes of Hammond organ type music and party background 'muzak' from the 70s. (Oh, and a VERY heavy Sony valve stereo tape recorder.)
I was fast forwarding them to check the state of said tape, when I happened to stop at a place where the music had been recorded over and I heard to young girls talking and singing with their father (in Dutch, of course).
I played the tape to our friend who said that it was her and her sister when they were teenagers. She got quite emotional at hearing her late father again.
I copied that part of the recording onto another tape which her sister took back to the Netherlands to have cleaned up and put onto CD.
Pure chance that I found it, otherwise I could have recorded over it and lost that little slice of history for ever.
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 31st May 2020, 12:54 pm   #42
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tractorfan View Post
including some pre-recorded tapes of Hammond organ type music and party background 'muzak' from the 70s.
I don't suppose you happened to copy across this section as well? I'm rather fond of both background music and Hammond organ music.
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Old 31st May 2020, 10:18 pm   #43
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Jon Lord has created some great great music for eternity playing his Hammond C3 with a Marshall amp! Too bad cancer has taken him so early!
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Old 31st May 2020, 10:45 pm   #44
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

I read somewhere that some muzak systems used a looped tape format to allow for continuous play. I presume this was like a larger 8 track cartridge.

I had a period of collecting stock music used on TV for intervals, mostly thanks to a site which had a lot to download.

I put a lot on Minidiscs & still have them, but eventually I got too busy to keep downloading & I changed computers. I still have it all on my hard drive & backed up, so it's enough to keep my happy.
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Old 1st Jun 2020, 9:24 am   #45
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

To andrewferguson and Richard_FM I'll start a new thread on background music tape formats so as to keep this thread on topic. See you there...
Graham

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...11#post1254711
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Old 19th Jun 2020, 9:16 pm   #46
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Today collected my Solartron CD1400 Oscilloscope, I acquired FOC from Atlantic 52 through "Sets, Parts and Service Information Offered".

In amongst the various extra pieces was a Grundig tape cassette, I guess from a Dictation machine such as one of the Grundig Stenorette models. I am not familiar with dictation tape cassettes so do not recognize it (I am sure somebody can identify it).

Will transfer the tape to a normal spool and see if any recordings on it. Atlantic said it is possible that it could have old family recording, if there is anything recorded of interest I will digitize and email to him.
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Old 19th Jun 2020, 9:46 pm   #47
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Probably single track, at a speed near 4.75 (1 7/8 ips)

I was given a box of NAB carts some years back. This stereo broadcast format (7.5ips) plays on my ITC cart player. Original jingles for Radio 1 and 2, LBC adverts in hi fi sound with instant start (there is a third cue track on the tape)
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Old 19th Jun 2020, 9:47 pm   #48
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

I've never actually seen one of those cassettes before, but I agree it look like it's for a Stenorette. All Stenorette tapes I've come across (and it's not many) have been open 4" reels, with large centre holes (the same as for Super8 cine film), and only on one side (the bottom).

Stenorettes use rim drive, although it is rather smooth so fidelity should be good. When there is no tape on the take-up reel, the tape speed is 4.75 cm/s, but it gradually gets faster as the diameter of the tape increases. Also, the Stenorettes record on the lower half of the tape rather than the upper half, so playing back on a two track mono machine is problematic.
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Old 19th Jun 2020, 10:52 pm   #49
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Definitely a Stenorettte tape.
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Old 20th Jun 2020, 8:17 pm   #50
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Here's one in situ on a Grundig Stenorette SL.
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Old 20th Jun 2020, 10:10 pm   #51
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What an extraordinary old collection of preserved sounds ! I bet none of us knew how many were out there. It's 'me too' as I got a lot of old tapes that came with Fixer-uppers' 30-50 I guess. Quality unknown in most cases though one at least is a Top of The Pops example. Ref the man who recorded radio on the Elizabethan microphone. I've already mentioned doing the same trick for Hundred Best Tunes every weekend in '63- '64. Still have them. I did get better quality by tapping into the first stage AF take off point. Would there be any
merit in us all cataloguing what we have and pooling the info in one amendable thread here?
Would at least make for interesting reading.
TT
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Old 20th Jun 2020, 11:25 pm   #52
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Smile Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Hi,
I recorded quite a bit from the radio back in the 80s. Particularly the Noel Edmonds Sunday morning programme on Radio 1.
Alas, the tapes squeal badly as they're now degrading. I'm in the process of copying them onto good tape.
The 'playing' tape deck has had as much removed from the tape path as possible, and only one quarter track head and a couple of guides remain. There is a felt pad on the oxide side to brush off any muck. The 'recording' deck is untouched.
It works reasonably well, and I have a few more programmes to go when I have a wet afternoon spare.
One or two tapes included the news bulletins, which make interesting listening, and references to certain 'celebs' who have since been locked up!
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 21st Jun 2020, 3:42 am   #53
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Pete
Have you fond the muck deeply ingrained in the affected head and if so what do you think is the best solvent four getting rid of it? I suspect I've 'got it' and even after careful cleaning am not sure there isn't some still lodged in the tape gap?
Tony
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Old 21st Jun 2020, 7:27 am   #54
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

I have come across a few interesting recordings and have also been asked to digitise some recordings from random people who contacted me.
The most interesting I obtained from my own collection was from a KB EWR60 wire recorder.
There were several reels of wire and on them was a recording of a piano recital by Winifred Atwell. A BBC radio play broadcast in 1958.
You can hear some short clips I made here. https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_audi...odel_id=213106

There was also what appeared to be some clips of telephone recordings from what seemed to be the Home Office.
Mike
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Old 21st Jun 2020, 8:20 am   #55
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I bought a job lot of second hand tape a few years ago. When I got it home I found that I had a lot of old jazz recordings transcribed from old shellac cylinders and discs. They are remarkable in quality and the person who made them must have known his stuff! Trouble is old jazz is not really my choice of listening but like a previous post. I’m reluctant to erase them.
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Old 21st Jun 2020, 10:13 am   #56
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Transferred the Grundig Stenorette tape to a standard reel to reel spool.

Played the tape on two 4 track machines, one mono and one stereo trying all the various track selection options.

Apart from tape hiss only occasionally heard a very faint recording. Will try again on 2 track machine. Do not have a single track machine.
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Old 21st Jun 2020, 10:42 pm   #57
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The only way you could record onto these cassettes was through a supplied microphone with a dedicated connector and, as the name implies, they were dictation machines to be used for transcription by a stenographer. The only recording you are likely to find will be a business letter. That's all I've ever found on the several cassettes I have.
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Old 21st Jun 2020, 11:20 pm   #58
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

I found some interesting recordings on Steno cassettes, mostly off-air TV news and current affairs coverage of a teachers strike in the early 60s. Quality surprisingly good. I think I had to use a 4-track machine in position '2-3' to hear the audio. I also have a Stenorette player but its headphone output used a strange 360º DIN which I didn't have to hand, so it was easier to play them on a standard deck and tweak in audacity.

The old brown cassettes tend to come apart, I found that lifting the Grundig badge enables you to fit a rubber O-ring to replace whatever it was there that used to retain the spool carrier.
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Old 22nd Jun 2020, 9:40 am   #59
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Yes this Steno cassette just came apart when I examined it, before removing the tape.

Have not used Audacity for quite a while, I guess from what you say that there is a way to modify the effective playback speed of the Audacity file.

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Old 22nd Jun 2020, 9:43 am   #60
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Default Re: Interesting things on old tape reels

Quote:
Originally Posted by barretter View Post
The only way you could record onto these cassettes was through a supplied microphone with a dedicated connector and, as the name implies, they were dictation machines to be used for transcription by a stenographer. The only recording you are likely to find will be a business letter. That's all I've ever found on the several cassettes I have.
Its just that Atlantic 52 said that it is possible that the tape may contain old recordings of his late Brother in-law. Thought it would be worthwhile checking for any recordings on it.

David
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