RX8Club.com - Cassette Deck

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Quote:

Originally Posted by User24 (Post 2100685)

It is possible to have both natural transients and a hot recording level. There are a few labels off the top of my head that pull off quality recordings, because that is their primary concern. Also some early cd recordings are thin sounding, due to a lack of understanding of how to utilize the cd format and probably some equipment component issues.

There are many reasons further down the chain as to why high frequency transients may sound harsh during cd playback. A few possible reasons are:

1. decreasing resolution of redbook at the upper limits
2. ADC components and internals
3. jitter introduced during ADC
4. cd playback system components
5. cd playback system internals: opamps, caps, DAC, PS
6. cd playback jitter
7. time of day / quality of AC power
8. playback transducers: over-bright speakers, tizzy headphones
9. listening room interactions: sub-optimal wall dimensions, lack of primary surface absorption, slap echo.
10. choice of amp, pre-amp

To listen to the best of any format, whether it be cassette, vinyl, cd, or SACD, would require a significant investment. A $200 dashboard cassette or cd player is not going to come near the full potential of the format.

I agree with you 100%. A crappy system will sound like crap no matter what. I have a $3500 sound system and have listened to cds in recording studios on speakers that cost many thousands each. The phenomenon is the same on those systems as well. It's not the recording process that's causing the issue but rather the post-recording mastering process. For instance, one song I recorded several months ago sounds completely different between the final studio mix and the final master after the mastering engineer did his tweaks. It isn't uncommon for the mastering engineer to have had nothing to do at all with the recording process. He's simply given the final mixes and runs them through his mastering tools, adjusting levels as he goes. Sometimes, the end result just isn't very good. These days mastering engineers have two choices: master them to the high levels the record labels demand, knowing they'll sound like crap or be unemployed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by User24 (Post 2100685)

To listen to the best of any format, whether it be cassette, vinyl, cd, or SACD, would require a significant investment. A $200 dashboard cassette or cd player is not going to come near the full potential of the format.

True, but remember that a car is not the best listening environment anyway. You've got at least 70db of road and car noise to compete with pretty much at all times. A hard-core audiophile has got to be disappointed in car listening no matter how much money they drop on the system.

So maybe VV has a valid point? Sometimes the sentiment and nostalgia can overcome the less-than-faithful playback; at least for old favorites.

I also have both the oem Bose 6-disc CD changer and a casette player in my 8... I use the cassette deck to connect my iPod and to listen to old cassette tapes. If my passenger chooses to, they can also turn the iPod video screen towards them on it's dock and watch videos without the video screen being visible to me.

And, I'm very happy with this setup. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by V Vette (Post 2100399)

Its not just about sound....sentimental stuff goes a long way..When you get older, you will understand.. :)

I'm old enough to have grown up listening to records and 8 tracks, and then had cassettes as my primary music for years. My first two cars didn't even have a CD player so a lot of music I bought was on cassette so I could listen to it on my car even though I had a CD player at home. There's nothing sentimental about cassettes, vinyl, sure. Cassettes are inferior pieces of trash that I threw out long ago, you should do the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ike (Post 2100877)

Nah. no can do..Besides, it looks good in the dash.. Anyone feel the same as this gent and wanna give up that deck PLEEZZZEE email me..Thanks

My local Mazda dealer can supply a cassette player, harness & facia panel / cover for $230. Good deal for a factory set up. Will make for a curious feature to some, a blessing to others & nostalgic to me as I have a box full of old casettes & nothing to play them on.

Will be cool.............:rolleyes: