Update: aight, I’m keeping it. Check out my new next gen audio rig 3000:
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I cleaned it out and it seems to work fine. The drive belts seem okay: not dry, but maybe a little loose, although the BPM of the music sounds about right. I paid $50 for it.

I have no bloody idea why I’d need it or would want to keep it. I just wanted to try it out, knowing that the store’s policy is “no questions asked” if I return it within 30 days. Also, retro is fun…?🤣

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  • Séimhe (sé / é)@lemmy.world
    2·
    1 day ago

    I was just considering getting into cassettes since I have no physical audio media these days. I prefer those cases than CDs because the hinges snap too easily. But my gods cassettes have gotten so expensive. On discogs the CDs are always cheaper. Who would have thought cassettes would become gentrified!

    • printf("%s", name);@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      1·
      3 days ago

      Thanks! 😊 I cleaned the surfaces with isopropyl alcohol to make it really shine. The play/output controls aren’t too amazing, basically just “play”, a Dolby noise canceling effect, some EQ and no volume control. But! The recording/input controls seem amazing! Volume control, panning and hi cut/boost. 😁

      • ɔiƚoxɘup@infosec.pub
        2·
        2 days ago

        It doesn’t have a volume control because it’s designed to go into a head unit, or I think you mentioned you had a mixer? That’s fine too. It outputs at a standard level, but if you hacked a pair of earphones on to the output with special adapters, it’d be much too loud.

        • printf("%s", name);@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
          1·
          2 days ago

          Ah, thanks! I’ve been wondering about this for so long! As in, why my vinyl record player doesn’t have a volume knob. Mystery solved! 🥰 Yep, the sound (all of my sound) goes to my mixer, which has volume controls and some EQ, which in turn goes to active studio monitors, which have volume control too.

          • ɔiƚoxɘup@infosec.pub
            2·
            1 day ago

            So you’ll also find that both mixers and head units will have special inputs and ground posts for turntables, and that is because they output much lower levels, there’s much less amplification built into those.

            I bet you noticed that too, right?

            Always rewarding to pass knowledge of the old ways to the new generation. Have fun! 😁

            Make you some mixtapes!

            • printf("%s", name);@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
              1·
              1 day ago

              Much obliged! 😊🙏 I actually haven’t noticed any grounding outlets, wires or other things on the mixer and the monitors, but the vinyl player does have a ground, which I haven’t connected to anything, since… I’m lazy? Would it suffice to just clip connect it against to the nearby radiator, or the computer chassi that’s just next to it? 🤔

              • ɔiƚoxɘup@infosec.pub
                2·
                6 hours ago

                So, it’s important to ground it because that’s going to remove ground hum if you have it. But beyond that, in order for it to be grounded properly, you should ground it to your head unit or your mixer. If your mixer is grounded, then that’s fine, that would work. Failing everything else, yeah, the nearby computer would probably work okay. But ideally, you want it grounded to the piece of equipment you’ve got it connected to. Incidentally, you’ll know immediately if connecting it to the computer was a bad idea because if there’s a difference in the ground voltage between your computer and your mixer, you will hear an immediate introduction of a humming noise or buzzing noise into the audio.

                Either way, it’s not really a safety issue, or shouldn’t be, if you don’t connect it to anything.

    • printf("%s", name);@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      Sic! That’s a big plus. Which reminds me: I can actually record anything and everything from my computer as well. Sort of the opposite of digitizing. Analogizing? 🤣 Next question: can I just cat any data to my audio card and then record that data on these audio cassettes or do I need special equipment for that? 🤔

  • Handles@leminal.spaceEnglish
    2·
    4 days ago

    Honestly, same. Except I keep having to remind myself just before I buy a cassette deck that I have exactly one 30+ years old mix tape to play on it.

    I like the idea of cassettes, and the mechanics. I enjoyed listening to cassettes back in the day, but I haven’t kept the small collection (and anyway I’d cringe now at my music of that time).

    I don’t see much music available on tapes that I’d want to listen to now either, but I know in my gut that someday I’m going to buy a deck for my home stereo setup. Just because… I guess retro is fun, yeah? 😅

          • Ned@quokk.auEnglish
            3·
            3 days ago

            Omg Maxwell flashbacks

            I don’t know how you didn’t instantly think mixtapes when you saw it

            The painstaking hours were the point

            Journey before destination 😉

            • Ned@quokk.auEnglish
              3·
              3 days ago

              leaving typo as “Maxwell” gives a different 90s flashback coffee this time

      • Handles@leminal.spaceEnglish
        2·
        4 days ago

        My one remaining tape is a mix I recorded in my late teens, put together to ruin other people’s parties. One or two dance songs, then a burst of death metal, then some more pop before whatever schlager or polka BS I could find in my parents’ collection. And so forth for 90 minutes.

        Unsurprisingly, nobody would let me near the stereo at parties after a while, and joke’s on me. I’m stuck with the Tape of Terror all those years later 🤣

        It might be fun to compose mix tapes again, but you’d have to find other cassette deck owners to share them with.

    • printf("%s", name);@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      1·
      4 days ago

      I don’t know how to react here. 🤣 No, I didn’t have one already. That’s on me? My bad? I’m sorry? 🤣 About the looks: is has a cover, which I didn’t care to put on for the show:

      Ec38Q18cbCy6Q6G.jpg

      • one_old_coder@piefed.socialEnglish
        3·
        4 days ago

        It’s only my shitty opinion but only the green level meter appeals to me. But you can keep it until you find one that is more cyberpunk, futuristic, or retro. Or until you find a large deck that can play MiniDiscs (now THAT would be my life’s achievement).

        • Séimhe (sé / é)@lemmy.world
          2·
          1 day ago

          MiniDisc was peak. I really wish they still manufactured the players and discs.

          It’s impossible to find a working MiniDisc recorder these days. I have two units and the record function thinks it works, completes the operation, then when I check playback there is nothing there.

          I’ve contacted people selling these with the text “fully tested & working” in their description. In every case they haven’t tested recording and when they do, it doesn’t work.

          It’s such a shame. All our local electronics repair guys have retired and the current generation just do phones.

      • Handles@leminal.spaceEnglish
        2·
        4 days ago

        Fwiw, I think this looks very well kept, and you already gave the insides a checkup.

        I’m not familiar with the model, but Harman Kardon has a good reputation for quality builds. If it plays, I’m sure it’ll serve you a good while.

        Most decks are the same generic black box with small variations. Personally I’d go for something with analog VU meters, but different strokes and all that.

  • qyron@sopuli.xyz
    21·
    4 days ago

    That’s a classic. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a Fallout scenario those things would be found still working, amidst the rubble.

    Why you should keep it? That rough sound from a tape has its own mystic. Akin to the vynil and vacuum tubes. And it can be a conversation starter.