Cassette tape information - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

jamesperrett · 3rd Jul 2021, 1:35 am

The two brands that I always remember giving trouble were Scotch Dynarange and the cheaper Agfa tapes. Even today, I find that I sometimes have to break into the welded shell of a Dynarange cassette to transplant the tape into a working shell. In fact welded shells are something to avoid. The more expensive Scotch tapes have held up well.

I also had a couple of Agfa LN tapes (one was bright orange) which started to seize up after a few months.

I was given a recent duplicated cassette and was fairly impressed with the sound so it might be worth buying some blanks of duplication stock. Years ago, when we did small scale duplication, we always used to buy shells filled with Japanese type 2 tape from PMD. From some of the packaging that we received it looked like they were using Fuji tape and these seem to still work fine.

majoconz · 3rd Jul 2021, 5:54 am

I worked for an airline when the aircraft boarding music and announcements were all done on cassette tapes in the 80's to 90's. The same machines were installed on the international fleet and on the domestics but they all got the same issue when a new batch came out. So on the domestic service all the foreign language tapes were 'surplus' - so I have heaps of prerecorded 4 track multilanguage cassettes mostly TDK AD90 - pity you don't live closer!

saxmaniac · 3rd Jul 2021, 7:14 am

I've had a few different tapes from
http://www.tapecity.co.uk/acatalog/Audio_Cassettes.html

They have some branded tapes but also bought up job lots of tape then load into their own shells. I found the tape to be fine but their own shells leave a lot to be desired, mostly sticky and unuseable. I have also had job lots of audiobook tapes which can be recorded over

Julesomega · 3rd Jul 2021, 9:57 am

You will find dates for most branded cassettes at http://https://www.45spaces.com/audi...e-blank-tapes/ but don't expect any assessment of quality

Julesomega · 3rd Jul 2021, 11:19 pm

I could put together a large boxful of used tapes, mostly decent quality but also plenty of cheapo brands with screwed cases if you need to do a transplant for welded types. Gratis (plus carriage), just name your requirements

3rd Jul 2021, 1:35 am	#21
jamesperrett Octode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,876	Re: Cassette tape information The two brands that I always remember giving trouble were Scotch Dynarange and the cheaper Agfa tapes. Even today, I find that I sometimes have to break into the welded shell of a Dynarange cassette to transplant the tape into a working shell. In fact welded shells are something to avoid. The more expensive Scotch tapes have held up well. I also had a couple of Agfa LN tapes (one was bright orange) which started to seize up after a few months. I was given a recent duplicated cassette and was fairly impressed with the sound so it might be worth buying some blanks of duplication stock. Years ago, when we did small scale duplication, we always used to buy shells filled with Japanese type 2 tape from PMD. From some of the packaging that we received it looked like they were using Fuji tape and these seem to still work fine.

3rd Jul 2021, 5:54 am	#22
majoconz Heptode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ashhurst, Manawatu, New Zealand Posts: 571	Re: Cassette tape information I worked for an airline when the aircraft boarding music and announcements were all done on cassette tapes in the 80's to 90's. The same machines were installed on the international fleet and on the domestics but they all got the same issue when a new batch came out. So on the domestic service all the foreign language tapes were 'surplus' - so I have heaps of prerecorded 4 track multilanguage cassettes mostly TDK AD90 - pity you don't live closer! __________________ Cheers - Martin ZL2MC

3rd Jul 2021, 7:14 am	#23
saxmaniac Heptode Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 618	Re: Cassette tape information I've had a few different tapes from http://www.tapecity.co.uk/acatalog/Audio_Cassettes.html They have some branded tapes but also bought up job lots of tape then load into their own shells. I found the tape to be fine but their own shells leave a lot to be desired, mostly sticky and unuseable. I have also had job lots of audiobook tapes which can be recorded over

3rd Jul 2021, 9:57 am	#24
Julesomega Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 2,117	Re: Cassette tape information You will find dates for most branded cassettes at http://https://www.45spaces.com/audi...e-blank-tapes/ but don't expect any assessment of quality __________________ - Julian It's good here

3rd Jul 2021, 11:19 pm	#25
Julesomega Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 2,117	Re: Cassette tape information I could put together a large boxful of used tapes, mostly decent quality but also plenty of cheapo brands with screwed cases if you need to do a transplant for welded types. Gratis (plus carriage), just name your requirements __________________ - Julian It's good here