Dictaphones for Music Production - A Buyer's Guide

[@DivKid]

"it feels like a memory" that's a potent point for me. Definitely get that vibe.

[@markjasonwalker4660]

absolutely

[@DaNocool2011]

I always feel happy when I hear that "Good to have you back!". It's so personal and lovely

[@Hainbach]

Honestly, its heart felt.

[@staticfluxforever]

Yes, I concur. The videos have almost an ASMR quality to them....you’re kind of like a Bob Ross of electronic music. Sometimes I’ll watch just to unwind or put myself in a better mood.

[@thamitri13]

Many tubers make me want to buy expensive stuff. You made me want to buy an old dictaphone. Very LoFi and a great addition to my eurorack. On the tape there was a vague conversation which sounds great through the KOMA field kit fx pitch shift, delay and spring tank. Very inspiring. Thank you 🙏🏽 !

[@BinauralSpace]

Captain to the crew: “We’re leaving the Belt in 10, 9, 8...” Hainbach: “Probably the belts... are... leaving us here...”

[@Hainbach]

Ahahahahah, nice!

[@RoboticusMusic]

Record the same thing to all of them and play them all at once, pan hard left/right, or record them in a room. Put a different track on each one and play them in a reverberant room, don't ask how to sync them cause that's gonna be hard.

[@geephlips]

i finally managed to find a couple working dictaphones (Memorex and GE) today. Both have half and fast speed. And the results? Blew me away on several levels. Each unit has its own sound character. More transformative than any effects pedal I have. The sound of the motors is a much bigger part of the sound than I was expecting, and as Hainbach would say, they CRUSH the incoming signal. I tested them out with the Reface CP’s pianos (toy, electric, acoustic) clavinet, Grandmother, and acoustic guitar, sending the results through the Field Kit FX and a few pedals. Really remarkable that the “dry” sound was just as wet as the Field Kit’s delay and frequency shifter. That hasn’t happened before. I couldn’t help thinking a pedal or plugin emulating a dictaphone would probably cost about $300 and yet two of the real thing cost me a total of $12. Lots of experiments to come.

[@HitmanJenkins1]

Dictaphones are really good, I have two Sony's a TCM-450DV and a 20DV, I'm using the latter a lot more for live shows now to generate noise at the end of sets by playing it through the magnetic pickup of my guitar with a fuzz and delay pedal on. I'm also used one of them to record a chord organ and then slow it down which has created a really nice, mellow sound, I'm tempted to mess about more with it in that setting and resampling the notes later so I have more functionality.

[@Hainbach]

Love the Sony. Very good built quality. Interesting use through the guitar!

[@RetroPlus]

I found one in a skip in 2008, now I use it to produce Cassettes in 2019!

[@esaeelljae]

these used to be my ambient/noise staple... :1 ...what i wouldn't give to be sitting on my bed in the mid-90s with my cats & rats & tape players & heaps of effects & cords borrowed from my power electronics-leaning roommate...

[@esaeelljae]

i was mainly panasonic with some sony...

[@yfrontsguy]

What a gorgeous piece of music! I love analogue sounds. They will never be surpassed.

[@Dekutard]

microcassette 1:38 sanyo talkbook 2:34 newer sanyo talkbook 3:18 sony m-650V 3:59 panasonic rn-202 4:36 sony m-100mc 5:45 full size cassette 6:08 sanyo talkbook (bigger) 6:48 panasonic rql 3-1 7:56 sony tcm-450 8:42 GE fastrac 11:00 showcase 16:09 review 17:07 bonus track

[@NihilQuest]

IMO one thing to look out for when buying a dictophone is the external mic input. It seems like most of microcassettes don't have it. Also tape counter is a nice feature.

[@russiangoose7053]

I was going to suggest this also, it seems handy not only for external mics to avoid motor noise but also for running certain instruments or a mixer directly into them. You could also replace the tape head with a 1/4 inch jack perhaps to use it as a fuzz in some situations for various instruments!

[@forestioso]

The bonus track was a nice touch! 👌

[@sski]

Thanks for the trip. That was an excellent performance.

[@jonpatchmodular]

I have little money but I can easily afford a dictaphone, and I think it will open up many possibilities. Thanks, you're probably the only "gear channel" that features these dozen a dime marvels...

[@bearmadden1776]

When I was a kid a had this thing called Deluxe Talkboy. I spent hours upon hours upon hours slowing down different voices I made. The best effect was when I burped into the mic and slowed it down. It sounded like Satan.

[@zachariahpoltergeist4516]

You can also use it to make reservations at fancy hotels in New York.

[@chadhendrix2231]

@@zachariahpoltergeist4516 Credit Card? Youuu gottt it

[@MyManDan]

Totally used to slow burps down with one of these, i always thought it sounded like a lion growling

[@matatias]

oh, I used to do the same with my nephews

[@djhaloeight]

I had one of those! 😂😂 “Hiii kids we’re home early!” 🤣

[@amuletsmusic]

so good! I'm afraid to even show my giant, hoarder like collection...

[@Hainbach]

There is more off-screen, five more Sanjos alone 😋. I would love to see your collection!

[@HitmanJenkins1]

From what I've seen I'm envious of the amount of stuff you have! I used the B side of your New World Translation tape as part of an improv set recently.

[@ThinkerThunker]

You're soooo Hainbach. Thanks!

[@kevinsturges6957]

So glad I found you. You have the most interesting places on KZbin, and you have the most relaxing voice. Your channel should be used for people who need to meditate.

[@worminator15]

i cant belive that it actually never crossed my mind to use a real tape deck instead of cassette emulating plugins. thank you so much for opening up my mind for new possibilities! I'm really looking forward to play around with tape decks and especially dictaphones

[@robst247]

The last section from 15:46 had a quality that reminded me of parts of Brian Eno's Apollo: Atmosphere's & Soundtracks

[@bm_videa]

I am really glad I have found your channel. The variety of means how to produce sound, and the understanding and love of sound and music, combined with the playfull style is amazing.

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, all metasonix is like that, because as the tubes age the range will get wider

[@Hainbach]

Oops that was for a comment below ☺️

[@zsombor_99]

06:49 Hey, I have one of that Panasonic dictaphone! 😊 I used a lot for collecting sounds outside onto a 60 minute TDK cassette (in about three years). It's okay, but I don't like the pause switch because sometimes the tape won't 100% stop when activated. But it's an okay "low-fi" dictaphone...

[@ilar_xyz]

i cant remember what videos i used to watch before you came into my life HAINBACH. I also dont understand how you know as much as you do about all this gear. Thank you. I hope to see you in person one day, so i can be like "Hi I'm Christian" and you can say "Hi I'm HAINBACH".

[@bornshamir7792]

Oh that really picked up the resonances it seems as it sat on the piano. Marvelous texturing and additional processing. So much fun as drone emulates such a rainy day.

[@ChrisLodyMusic]

Thanks for the recommendations. I have a couple and I’m looking for more. I’ve bought ones with tapes still in with other people’s recordings on and got some great sample fodder that way. Great use of all the machines at the end too :)

[@Hainbach]

Oh yes, finding recordings is awesome!

[@wisteela]

One of the ones I have is that first black Talk Book. I bought it secondhand over 20 years ago, and it still works great.

[@carstenvalentina]

If you press the play button and the fast forward button down at the same time (not the whole way down) - then you can play in high speed :-)

[@kjell159]

9:23 Where did the glass of water come from? 😳

[@BasakYavuz]

I've been watching this video everyday since the past week. So inspiring, thanks!

[@Caspiankhw]

Thank you so much for showing me these very intimate techniques. You are amazing creator, please make more :)

[@pongtrometer]

LOVE THE OVERLAY OF CHORDS ...A SYMPHONIC UNIVERSE TAPE KEYS

[@SatanStew]

Yes, .. yes.. . a memory, a recollection... HAINBACH... the Sound Surgeon! Truly interesting, again! Bravo!

[@xadisembodiedvoice]

I was lucky enough to sneak home an old sony micro-dictaphone from my office! Another important feature for me is to have both a line in and line out on the machine since I often run a track from ableton out to the cassette and back to the computer, then mix both the wet and dry signals together. great video

[@Hainbach]

LIne ins are so rare! Does your Sony have it?

[@xadisembodiedvoice]

O wow really? yes there are two wire inputs, one for "Ear" and the other for "Mic". didn't realize i stumbled upon a gem c:

[@Hainbach]

Sorry, ear is an out, not an in. And mic is a mono in with amplification, so no line in.

[@xadisembodiedvoice]

ah I see, I'm no trained audio engineer so i thought line in just meant it can record in through a cable. I have another dictaphone that only has an ear out and no mic in, so that was my original point. thanks for the clarification

[@SteveGibbsMusic]

I bought a 40dB attenuator on eBay, to bring line levels down to mic levels. So I can go from the output of my sound card to the mic in on my tape recorder. Absolute bargain and can get really clean recordings!

[@roccoharris]

man.... what a treat the performance is at the end of this video. such lovely stuff. bravo!!

[@Will-yi9cg]

that piece at the end was lovely

[@Simplesimple123]

My god what a channel !!!! So glad to have KZbins recommend you . Thank you for all your sharing of your priceless knowledge

[@grontti]

I obtained couple of dictaphones recently and then I stumbled on your channel. Great ideas for these little beasts!

[@tmitz73]

Amazing!!! Really groovy experiencing your piece!!! Starts off novel and then becomes art. Thanks for the great videos!!

[@JH-lo9ut]

I loved to play around with dictaphones when I was a kid. I seem to remember you could find a spot in between play and ffw where you could wobble the playback speed by wiggling your thumb. Recorded voices would sound hilarious, sort of like when a teenage boy's voice is breaking. Recordings someone (your teacher) and playing it back like this was the ultimate way of getting on someone's nerves.

[@bufboston1]

I really love your videos, your music and music-making sensibility, and your general energy.

[@RCAvhstape]

I have an RCA RP3538A which I bought brand new about 10-12 years ago. I kept it by my bedside and when I would have weird dreams I would wake up and immediately record a description of the dream into the recorder, since you tend to forget dreams a few minutes after you wake. For years I never played that tape back. When I finally did, I thought I might need to see a shrink, lots of weird shit goes on inside my head that I don't even know about.

[@Hainbach]

You should record an album around these tapes

[@RCAvhstape]

@@HainbachI want to use them for something like that, but I do hate the sound of my own voice, so it'll require a fair amount of mangling lol.

[@wickeddubz]

Great demo, thank you for sharing. Looks like your daughter created a ghost effect on tape, and with such textures it shounds organic, it’s like recall from the past when you find yourself in place that you didn’t visit for ages. Very cool atmoscape, what can say. Bravo, as always

[@Hainbach]

Thank you very much! I must remember "Ghost Effect" and your description, fits very well.

[@fletzyproductions1190]

4:37 i have found this exact one, along with a proffesional dv camcorder all under 100 dollars!!

[@UnderSeaShadow]

wish I kept all my tape players & dictaphones from years past. I'm thinking of revisiting the world of tape looping ^^. Thank you, you have a new fan!

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, I have a few things that I thought would be old that I wish I had kept.

[@AwakeFM]

Great stuff man. Just discovered your channel. Subscribed.

[@adde65]

It makes me sad that I once had so many of these creative tools, and didn't really value them fully, because they were replaced by supposedly "better technology". Looking back, the 4-track cassette I bought in the mid-80s was one of the most useful and inspiring pieces of gear I've owned. I've also lost a couple of these microcassette dictaphones along the way.

[@untrust2033]

I saw a VST effect plug - in in a music magazine, it was designed to mimic the sounds of old cheap tape to tape machines, and it was actually modelled from a cheap dictaphone found in a flea market in japan.

[@Wax100beats]

Audio thing - Reels (very nice plug in indeed...audio thing also do a free plug in based on different sounds of tape cassette, very cool too, and not just cool but very useful)

[@CmdrMic]

Great video. I am perhaps slightly surprised your wonderful collection does not include the Panasonic RR-830. Perhaps you are unfamiliar? This was a very popular, quite ruggedly built business desktop dictaphone transcription machine which came with an interesting foot pedal - so the typist could back up the tape and such during transcription. It also has several controls, pitch, speed, vsc, etc. which should be rather useful in low-fi experimentation and creation. You can find them nearly new on eBay, often in their original boxes and below 50 Euro. Cheers.

[@TheLordcasio]

I think you might be one of my favorite composers on the internets. The dictaphone was one of those devices I overlooked (I came from the cassette 4-track world)...you have opened my eyes.

[@Hainbach]

Thank you Casey, that is beautiful to hear! I am diving in turn bit more into the four track world right now, coming from using many single players.

[@TheLordcasio]

I would truely love to hear your take on 4-track manipulation.

[@AgustinDavidF]

Thank you for your enthusiasm and sharing it with us, I really enjoy your videos. Best

[@droses1600]

There's an old joke in English (and a little bit naughty) which I hope you and your followers will understand and enjoy: Q: Do you use your Dictaphone? A: No, I always use my finger to dial the number!! Boom-boom!!!!

[@emptyvesselnz]

so inspiring as always, I guess I'm going shopping for dictaphones now. I need this level of wobbliness :)

[@petrmazoch3441]

Heinbach, thank you so much for your super useful videos - helped me to find the right dictaphone for my music production.

[@jaredfoldy2139]

just bought my first dictaphone after watching these vids! a sony tcm-200. cannot wait to experiment and put some of the techniques you've outlined to use!

[@dwayneyule1987]

H,always fun to watch and listen to! Nice result,in my head I'm expecting some big string section and orchestra swell to take it stratospheric!! The textural differences would rock! Very cool, thanks!

[@jonaseggen2230]

So the cake is not a lie? Love the demos at the end

[@Hainbach]

That is a question for the ages ☺️

[@音姫soundprincess]

Very cool and informative! I have a similar panasonic that i have modded: removed the internal microphone and speaker and added line in and out, very fun!

[@conormaloney126]

How did you add line in?

[@marceloarmani]

Hello Hainbach! I’ve been following your channel recently for a referral from a great friend. All the material you put here informed me and helped a lot and for that I thank you very much. In addition, a few weeks ago, I bought a dictaphone model of the Sanyo MS1120 in perfect condition. It is a very interesting model and I am trying to try it on some compositions. Best wishes and a great week. M.A

[@masonmirek7533]

Very useful! I want to know more about using tape and mixing/ mastering without a computer I have been making music with a drum machine for a long time and get frustrated with abelton and DAWs

[@peamarte]

Video beautiful and very useful (as always). I can ask if you record the sources with their built-in microphones (like some kind of reamping) or exit the sound card / mixer and go back to the MIC / IN inputs on the dictaphones (if any) and then re-enter on DAW or digital domain using the AUX output of cassette recorders. I bought a SONY TCM 200 that also has pitch control, but I noticed that when you record an audio source from Ableton (-14db) through its MIC input the saturation becomes softer but the noise is too obvious. you can suggest an alternative solution to record in the cassettes / mixers in the best possible way. Thanks in advance, Grazie ancora, Emi

[@KG-ss7kp]

Did you ever find a solution?

[@Tiger.Arcade]

I know this is an older video now but what cable or adapter do you need to plug in to one of these? My dictaphone has a mic and ear input output. I assume I treat them like I put and output? I just need to figure out what cable I will need since 3.5mm does not fit. Needs even smaller.

[@rocanrolafx2179]

Hahaha ... I have little Sanyo and I modified it to be a miniamp and play and record with my guitar and my oscillators, it's fantastic to record ideas and then listen to them! Lo / fi total! ✨💖

[@aleksandrivanov1958]

I love your "Oi-Oi-Oi" aftee being surprised

[@markus_knoedel]

Great insight, as always. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

[@MrKeys57]

This was a great idea! - i have three old dictafones lying around (somewhere) and will try this out when i find them! thanks!

[@Brokeninc]

PS I have learned a lot from you. Thank you for sharing what you know.

[@karinth1843]

I would love to hear the whole piece of music you achieved here. Great work.

[@morayonkeys]

Great video! Timely too, I just found a Sony desktop cassette dictaphone in my parents attic. No speed control but the belt needs fixing so I'll look at fitting a pot while I've got it open.

[@Hainbach]

That is a good idea! Pots to everything!

[@garvinkelly]

I HIGHLY recommend you get a Panasonic rr-930. It is a microcassette transcriber with variable speed, tone control and a foot pedal control. I think it is something you would like

[@Hainbach]

I saw those! But only stAteside so far. ☹️

[@tomallen343]

@hainbach I have an extra rr-830 , which is the full size normal cassette version. I'm crossing my fingers that it just needs a fuse, if I get it up and running I would love to gift it to you!

[@sbtlwrld4917]

I would listen to this for hours

[@RogerWarszawa]

So here I was this morning watching this video, getting really interested, and then immediately searching online for secondhand dictaphones for sale here in Warsaw (no luck yet) so I could try to make some music even 10% as good as I heard in this video. Then, after this video, KZbin suggested a video for me, a look at Portishead's Glory Box track, and in it was this quote by Geoff Barrow of Portishead: “Ambient music has never particularly appealed to me; Push ‘Go’ on a synthesizer, make some noise, put some delay on it and put a couple of sheep noises on it”. Funny. Now I know what to do; if I find a dictaphone I must also try to find some sheep to record. Maybe even a goat. Sorry/not sorry, Geoff.

[@stereosaur]

Makes me wish I still had the one I played with as a kid, a Radio Shack brand one, reminds me of the older Panasonic. Really enjoying your ideas man!

[@stereosaur]

A few years back I actually bought several for cheap and tried to turn them into tape delay units via surgery, sadly none survived.

[@nsputnik]

Check out Bibio's Fi, Hand Cranked, and Vignetting the Compost albums if you like this. There are only a few piano tunes, it is mostly acoustic guitar.

[@pthomas36]

Loopop sent me. I love your videos and your music. Just fascinating.

[@magicspiral]

I found one with a tape still in it where a young homosexual guy facing opposition (particularly from a disapproving stepmother) was professing to the tape like it a diary. It’s a fascinating ghost. Wonder how he’s doing now.

[@blackknightsatellite3847]

Oh my....That Dictaphone Symphony is absolutely wonderful. I Love your Videos. Now I want to use a Dictaphone with my Eurorack. These Tape Loops are so lush. Stunning work you did there!! And now you and your Tape Loop Videos got me into Tape Loop Universe and I'm looking forward to experiment with these Loops. I can imagine that a Dictaphone, my Morphagene, Nebulae and Arbhar could be good friends :-) Look Mum Computer is Dr. Frankenstein of DIY and you are Dr. Strange :-) **Love your vids* Kind Regards from Switzerland

[@trike79]

Baby Monitors. We have a Tomy Baby link. I walked past it with some metal tools the other day, forgot it was on. I couldn’t work out who was in my room playing the theremin 🤣🤣🤣

[@trike79]

Have you ever made a pause tape on a minidisc 💽 It takes ages but it’s very satisfying.

[@flyingscarf5863]

thank you, this is very inspiring, much appreciation

[@Skootavision]

I've listened to this so many times - love it. Also 'Cake'...

[@sleeptrip]

Lately bought a microcassette dictaphone Casio :) Can't wait for it delivered and to play with this new toy. Pretty interesting overview btw. Thanks

[@Brokeninc]

I try to find ones that have an external mic option so I can record with a better mic. Right now I'm in the hunt for a good Mini Tape player/recorder. :) Preferably one that is reasonable in price. lol

[@russiangoose7053]

Have you ever tried replacing the tape head with a 1/4 inch jack or some other kind of jack? I've seen this done on walkman type devices to use them as fuzz pedals haha

[@elshuffles]

this is such a great video, thanks for sharing the insights. Lush little jam at the end also

[@Lets-Drone-With-Bone]

Brilliant, the demonstration you do really reminds me of the sounds from the movie Sinister, really atmospheric.love it :-)

[@gucdude]

So cool... on the lookout now for one to play around with! Wonder what chorus guitar would sound like at low speed...

[@Hainbach]

It sounds fantastic!

[@Lagoa_real]

im going to 2-3 thrift stores this weekend, trying to bring back 1 or 2 for my haul.

[@TheGerfalkon]

very inspiring, thank you

[@discern7544]

What you made at the there was very cool.

[@philtonlive]

have you ever heard about the dictaphone GRUNDIG STENORETTE 2200 that was made in the 80ś in Germany? just found an old one in my basement where i keep all the old electronics from my father

[@deallyboysyldadeal5938]

This seems so fun

[@dezb1]

I have the Sanyo talkbook like the first one in this video - great wee lofi machine. I also own and recommend the Sony TCM-3 if you want more clean recordings my favourite field recording device.

[@Hainbach]

Absolute workhorse

[@alexspareone3872]

Can anyone give me links to anything about a Binatone micro cassette recorder made in 1978 that was an exact copy of an Olympus Pearlcorder. I had one of these and i loved it. Sad how I lost it.

[@andrewfranz8620]

That performance at the end... 🤯 Any tips for preventing loop tapes from getting stuck in the pinch roller (standard size cassette)?

[@daneguitarist1]

damn Hainbach, that music was incredible!

[@rooneye]

What about the AWESOME Home Alone voice recorder thingy? I had one as a kid lol

[@davemassie3726]

FANTASTIC CAPTAIN HAINBACH!

[@paulleftwick7782]

sony with pitch control glue a knob on it and the half speed acted like a clutch but i broke four of them and they dont sell anymore but better than technics to mix and a lot of worn out tapes

[@yumienmichelcorria7372]

Hey Hainbach, great piece. I have a question. How do you got this mix so full and loud? Would be great to have some information about the processing of the recording / mix. Thank you for the great content you provide!