TDK B Knockoff - You wanted to hear it...

Some people wanted to hear what this cassette sounded like, so here you go!

[@SynthTweakscom]

That sounded a whole lot better than I was expecting! Clearly, as you mention, the Revox does wonders but even so, I didn't hear any dropouts, the bottom end was full and the highs were there.

[@lizichell2]

Ooohhh that Revox machine is a true beauty

[@ralphreinhardt6020]

Give the people what they want!! Never let it be said that ol' Tony doesn't listen to his viewers. Another good video Tony.👍👍

[@2574mcu]

Every time I watch you video and I see that Revox deck, it makes me want one so much.

[@Gubel1990]

I've still learned and understood A LOT by watching some of your Vids! Especially in matters of BIAS-/Leveling, in conjunction with different well-known types of tape. It's obvious that this is essential for making really good source-matching recordings as it should be... As far as I understood, a well-calibrated recording should sound correct (or at least very good) when played back on any other deck (provided that azimuth and deemphase is set correctly matching). Apart from Dolby-recording, only the correct BIAS should matter. If using Dolby, also the "responding-level" (MOL) has to be corrected as well. Sadly some decks seem to be able to adjust the BIAS (trimmer, and/or Auto-BIAS), but will LACK the ability to adjust the MOL-response-level! (apart from the main rec-level-trimmers inside.) For correct Dolby, one will need BOTH. For Dolby B-playback of some pre-recorded tapes, I once needed to slightly adjust the PB-level-trimmers inside my deck, to get the right matching-level between tape-output and reference-level of the dolby-processor. (did it one time for digitizing.) I carefully did that, until I got the right-sounding decopression, carefully by ear...Until no "pumping", and no getting "brighter" sounding while fade-out's of songs occurs. Worked very well. (Yes, I did a a test-sine-wave-recording before, measured the output-voltage with a multimeter - and after the transfer I set it back to the level before ;) ) Again, I DON'T think I did something wrong back in 2013, when I digitized about 100 tapes of my old really "cheapy-mixed-up" collection, using a "good-but-simple" 2-head-deck from Kenwood for PLAYBACK, that 1. doesn't create more audible wow&flutter then a good dual-capstan, where I 2. could easily adjust the azimuth in mono on every tape (which was really needed!). Then I just corrected some (non-Dolby)-recordings (only if really needed) with a "slight" high-shelf-EQ by ear, until it came VERY close to some digital reference-source of a few tracks. You just can't "correct" a un-calibrated recording, already made YEARS ago ;) - just do some "slight" EQing in post-production. And YES, of course I found some kind of recurrent "profile" of recordings that were made on "same-deck-same-tape-type"! Currently I don't have any tape-deck, but still some less used and deleted cassettes in good condition (some TDK-SA, Sony UX-S, TDK-D, ...). But when I plan to RECORD tapes again, I would ONLY do it with a decent 3-head/2-capstan with BIAS-/Level-calibration being in good condition. Why the hell not make some high-quality mixtapes of today's music from Spotify/KZbin/etc. again?? :)) Think I should look for a good-quality consumer-deck like your AIWA form your other videos then - I like the MANUAL calibration via VU-Meter + 2 Trimmers for BIAS+level! Good work! Go on like that! Regards from Germany :)

[@Gubel1990]

By the way: Did you have any experiences with decks that had a "play trim"-trimmer on it, like most later Yamaha's and some NAD's? Often MISSUNDERSTOOD, this was NOT designed to compensate for "dull"-sounding, bad recordings, played with incorrect azimuth-phase! I had such a deck, and did a measuring: Recorded a sweep-sinus (20-20.000 Hz @ -20dB) on tape, and looked for the frequency-response of this "play trim". Came out, that it does a LINEAR EQ-"ramp". So it seems obvious, that it is designed to flatten the frequency response of recordings made with wrong BIAS-setting while PLAYBACK - after the recording was made. And yes, if I set the BIAS manually to the upper end, and the "play-trim" to the lower end (or vice versa!), it leveled it out 1:1. SADLY, it lacks another +/- adjustment-trimmer for PB-level on the front, to also adjust for wrong MOL-output-levels in front of the Dolby-decoder (if any)... Because I didn't found it THAT much useful, and I didn't like the later Yamaha-decks overall *that* much mechanically (even they were "quite good"), I gave up on that... A *DREAM*-deck would have: - solid 3-head/2-capstan mechanism - manual and(!) automatical BIAS *+* MOL-level-calibration for RECORDING - a *mechanical* Azimuth-adjustment-knob on the front, like the "Nakamichi Cassette-Deck 1" - a "play-trim"-EQ for compensating miss-alligned BIAS on the recording while *playback* - a +- "PB-level"-control on the front to compendate for wrong/uncalibrated MOL-levels on the recording while *playback* (- ...and perhaps a aditional, simple "high-shelf"-treble-control to "brighten up" some REALLY crapy/dull "Ghettoblaster-permanent-magnet-trash-recordings") ...THIS "ALL IN ONE" would make the _PERFEKT_ Tape-Deck!! :) (Don't think anyone has made one with *ALL* of that... :-/ )

[@CassetteComeback]

If they're recorded well, they should play back well in any well maintained deck.

[@MikeBracewell]

Well worth doing this Tony. It actually sounded pretty good. Always best to keep an open mind.

[@arrmigliato]

hi excuse me, i need some help with my cassette deck.. it is a JVC KD-A11. It works pretty fine, play and rewind are ok, the only thing that won't work is Fast Forward. What is it? if the belt or the pinch roller were damaged, would'nt i notice it in playback also? If anyone can help me.. thanks a lot

[@robinazondervan4716]

Idler

[@BilisNegra]

Allmighty ReVox deck made a type 0 tape sound decent! It's good I know this channel well enough, otherwise, it would feel like there's some faking going on, that's just how much this demonstration blew me away!

[@sjogosPT]

Thank you for the video! The deck make a really excelent work on that crapy tape! iam impressed!. I wonder how it sounds cheap chinese tape on that revox. On cassete medium the most important thing is the tape deck. A really good tape deck could make a bad tape sound decent.

[@BilisNegra]

You wonder what? This TDK knockoff IS a cheap Chinese tape (even has Chinese characters printed on the leader), so, barring the fact that there may be cassettes of this type that are even worse than others, you basically already know now!

[@sting64az]

That is a nice machine. I only seen those in photos and they were big machines. I agree a good quality cassette deck 3 head would make the world of difference playing and recording standard cassette type 1 .

[@stl-xx5rq]

Always test all cassettes the same way - even if they are total crap.

Is that Revox considered a "Nak" killer?

[@CassetteComeback]

All I know is that this and my Dragon live in harmony and neither has been killed 😃

[@Seiskid]

That just goes to show that a good quality recording deck can make anything sound ok. Ahh just got to the end and you've already said that ;)

[@jaredjackson8526]

Thanks for this. It would be interesting to hear how it performs on a standard hifi deck. 🤔

[@CassetteComeback]

I have them for sale in my webstore 😃

[@wildbilltexas]

At least it sounds better than a Ferromaster c456...

[@CassetteComeback]

Sad but true...

[@Ale.K7]

Thanks!

[@Gojirosan]

Interesting. Thanks.

[@donaldpriola1807]

In case you haven't seen this: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-08-02/cassette-tapes-are-back-but-it-s-not-about-the-music

[@jeg1972]

Mmmm, it my be my ears... or the Revox, but I've heard loads worse.

[@mephitusincognito7918]

not quite sure why i was recommended this video and.... not to be that person... but good tape decks and tapes are long since lost... nothing new made sounds anything like the old stuff... even new 8track tapes were impressive sounding given the tech, but, CD still wins for me as far a physical format cos even the cheapest CD-R reproduces the same bitstream to the cars cd player...

[@CassetteComeback]

This isn't about purely sound quality. It's mostly about nostalgia. If you're not nostalgic about cassettes, then this won't mean much to you.

[@DomRivers67]

You sound an awful lot like Vic Reeves....

[@CassetteComeback]

You wouldn't let it lie 😂

[@holgerhansen5643]

Revox 1984 Cassette Ferro.

[@jj-jo6wr]

that's cheating... you used dolby b....good type 1 tape don't required dolby... it;s required +6db

[@CassetteComeback]

This wasn't a good type 1

[@ellisgarbutt1925]

Those TDK B are crap I bought a pack of 10 for £17 which seemed cheap but fhe quaility is not the best I have to crank uo the rec level and the audio is distorded deffo going to send them back and have a look at thr fe ones also the leader as no chinese text on them Insuspect there fakes

[@jeremytravis360]

I only ever sold one of these Revox cassette decks and the customer bought the complete system including the amp tuner and liner tracking deck. It was a good system and it never came back

[@CaptainEmptyhead]

Today i have tested the 'tdk B60' type 1 in a Marantz sd-460 and I was surprised about the quality. I read horror stories about this tape from china. The quality is not too bad. No drop out and consistent quality. I bought them on Aliexpress. 10 pieces for 19 euros Just for testing.. I accidentally recorded on dolby c and it sounded good (for a type 1 tape) .. Next weekend a test on another deck. (Kenwood, Onkyo, Philips, Technics, Pioneer and Denon)

[@moshezaharia4666]

Great video Tony! It sounded better than expected (at least by me). Back in the 90' I bought Fuji Axia type II cassette, and it was terrible! the face of the tape was lumpy and it was worse than "dropout city", more like dropout state! Best Whishes, Moshe.

[@CassetteComeback]

Yeah, when Fuji actually made the cassettes, they were some of the best. When they outsourced, they went downhill in my book.

[@moshezaharia4666]

Yes, I really loved back then and I still love the FR II series. I guess that the Axia series was made by someone else. Interestingly, on the wrapper it was presented as Fuji Axia, but on the cassette itself and on the J-card only the name Axia was on, so I guess Axia was using the name Fuji only at the beginning as to penetrate the market, and then they ditched the Fuji brand name. Sadly, I don't have the wrapper anymore, as to show it was branded "Fuji Axia".

[@watershed44]

@moshe zaharia Probably Fuji licensed their name to the vendor that made the actual tapes for a certain period of time and then it lapsed and they could no longer use the Fuji name.

[@farfthi]

That Revox is a dream machine.

[@robinazondervan4716]

Me uncle owns 2 Revox a B710 MKII a B215 and aslo a Studer A721

[@LunarHermit]

You said exactly what I was thinking at the end. I'm very impressed with that Revox!

[@pedrojmorais]

Fantastic, the Revox is brutal...... I have a tape machine pr99, much better than cd even at 7-1/5 inch.

[@wisteela]

Certainly proves how good that deck is

[@napomania]

really cool deck

[@rogerwillams2814]

that revox one hell of a tape deck !

[@autodidactic278]

See, this has been a big problem for me buying cassette tape online. You really have to watch out for knock offs that are sold as legit. They Jack the price up for a cheap POC and you are left disappointed. I'm very picky when buying cassette, specially if coming from over seas, used, and "homemade".

[@markphilpot4981]

Tony, don’t be absurd! You’re right about the deck doing it’s job to do the best even with this tape, however if you listen to this tape against the others, the dynamic contrast is clearly poorer on even this glorious deck you have. Yes, your deck makes the best of whatever tape you put into it, but it does not give it the dynamics that the others had. With great headphones on, you can clearly hear the distinction I mentioned. It’s okay if others can’t hear it. One must learn how to listen for some things and that’s okay. It is clear to me that everyone has different tastes and needs. To each there own!😊👍🏻

[@JamesE707]

Off topic a weee bit ... Just look at the thickness of the capstans on the B215, awesome! A highly engineered tank. BTW, any good dual-capstan machine will play a cassette without a tape pad. Might even reduce tape wear?

[@CassetteComeback]

Even better is a NAK with pad lifter and dual capstans. Old Memorex aren't a problem there :-)

[@JamesE707]

@@CassetteComeback When I bought my DR10 in 2001, it was one of the first things I noticed. So I tested the idea on other D/C decks. It worked! ;o)

[@CassetteComeback]

DR-10 was my first Nak. Hardly use it now, but I can't seem to let it go...even though I really should. Better than letting it rot...

[@JamesE707]

@@CassetteComeback You may regret selling it? Keep it cool and dry, and it'll be all right.

[@UtkarshAmitabhSrivastava]

As surprising as it sounds, I have a tape with no pressure pad and it plays fine in my Pioneer CT W 606 DR (it is not a dual capstan deck). I haven't tried playing other tapes without pressure pad.

[@mapp4751]

i love the look of your Revox,it is stunning!

[@iljalevol]

Hi there! Just have a look there: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpbCY4eepd6Cqrc

[@AndyBHome]

I really appreciate you Tony! Where else are we going to get a listen to something as obscure and awful as a bootleg of a low-end cassette tape but here on your channel?! What a strange and wonderful world we are living in! Okay, so as you say in the video, it wasn't really that awful in the end. But of course that is the Revox's ability to work well with junk. Now, how about a video with the TDK B knockoff on your Panasonic portable?

[@CassetteComeback]

That think would make an AR sound like it's going through a washing machine 😂

[@ВадимРоманов-г7м]

ただのグラス。誰も不条理ではありません！

[@MMSound-zl4eo]

на помойку эту кассету.

[@EdgyShooter]

Very happy I got to tip this over to 500!

[@Musicradio77Network]

This tape doesn’t sound too bad when it played on a different machine than the Aiwa. It had a “Type 0” feel to it, but kinda decent for a Chinese knockoff TDK B cassette. There is also a legit version of TDK B which has the same quality as the knockoff B. Different shell, different hubs, and different leader than this one. There were many TDK B’s on eBay, but the back of the wrapper had the word “Recommended” spelling right than the misspelled “Reoommended” in the Chinese knockoff version.

[@HostiaRecords]

Thanks for this demo 😁

[@comicmania2008]

FINE, all fine and dandy! But what does it sound like on a standard sort of tape deck without all the bells and whistles, cal knobs and double heads bla-de-blah? THAT's what I want to hear, if I'm going to buy a couple of these tapes, Tony.

[@CassetteComeback]

Don't buy them. They're shit.

[@clarencecarter2956]

I am using Ffugi d-I caskets. I am using a Tascam dual cassette deck. So far, I found them to be better than the maxwells type I cassettes. Since I cannot manuallly adjust the bias on this machine I have to take what works. Have you had a chance to use these cassettes?

[@therestorationofdrwho1865]

the shell is even the wrong color lol.

[@pcorf]

They sold Brilliant cassettes in Australia in the past. I have one somewhere with music recorded onto it. Also mine is not the knockoff but genuine TDK with the transparent grey shell, similar to the D but the D had screws and the B did not. From 2002 I think.

[@finleypapworth9575]

Mine have screws and they have a transparent green shell, although I've had the odd one or two without screws. They sound amazing on my Sony 3 head deck! (TC-K222ESJ the Japanese version of the K909ES) I'm also Australian

[@chrislane4637]

What is that little red light in the tape deck for is that like a leader take detector

[@CassetteComeback]

That's exactly what it is. Stops the tape coming to a brutal stop and potentially snapping when FF/REW.

[@shaun9107]

@@CassetteComeback The Dragon has its own idea right ? somewhere

[@CassetteComeback]

No, the Naks I've got slam the tape when it runs out...

[@shaun9107]

@@CassetteComeback its a pity the stopped making them . They would of done that by now . I thought of this idea as VCRs use it . Now no one makes them anymore . I doubt they can continue as it is lost TECH for sure .

[@bloxyman22]

@@shaun9107 Even my ancient tandberg reel 2 reel machine has this feature.

[@Dan-TechAndMusic]

I've seen "TDK B" tapes on Chinese websites with the ONN-style hubs, wouldn't be surprised if those used the same tape as the ONN too!

[@Musicradio77Network]

The TDK B’s is indeed fake like the TDK “True Mechanism” D from 1979 did.

[@insertaverygenericnamehere]

Thanks for sharing / trying. ಥ﹏ಥ

[@SHARPGFX-dc9gj]

I use this TDK B 90 cassette.

[@SURLY_BOO]

Nice tape Recorder

[@watershed44]

@Cassette Comback So the question remains IS this tape a knock off or the real thing? I still wonder, it would be interesting to contact TDK and ask them for clues.

[@CassetteComeback]

It's a knock off

[@watershed44]

@Cassette Comeback Thanks for replying, I might have missed it if you mentioned it in the previous video as whilst I was watching I was interrupted by my boss at work. Haa. Priorities.

[@josephfrye7342]

now this might be a knock off but its still using Saehan but its real Saehan though. it took a while for tdk to get to other aisan country.

[@josephfrye7342]

some real ones and fake ones uses Saehan hubs and shells sometimes they use legit shells sometimes they dont but this is kinda odd well imagine if skc hud was used too.

[@josephfrye7342]

thank god I got basf or emtec that uses skc or Saehan style hubs and shells just to make sure its not a fake like that tdk b

[@randyharrigan4790]

The real tdk b's are a bit brighter more similar to a tdk d imo. I absolutely agree too decks make the most difference!

[@Musicradio77Network]

And don’t forget A, AD, AD-X, and OD. TDK made an OD cassette starting from 1979 right up until the early 1980’s. The OD sounds not as bad as it’s later counterparts.

[@iljalevol]

What can you say please about the Sony BHF 90?

[@adamlipsky8010]

After Sony dropped the LN-HF range, they made CHF (orange), BHF (green) and AHF (blue). CHF has relative high noise and quickly fills up with signal but worked very well with Dolby NR. BHF has noticeably improved MOL (+5 dB @315 if I remember correctly) but otherwise similar. Both were suited for Japanese decks at the time, sounds too bright on an European/American deck of the era but for a cheap boombox, that was considered an advantage. Very good mechanics. Colour of leader tape indicates length (red = 60 green = 90). AHF was not available in most countries and almost didn't sell, haven't seen any yet, super rare; the later version marked HF-ES required bias-adjusted deck and had problems with Dolby compatibility. They also made Chrome, FeCr and Metal version. No experience.

[@iljalevol]

Adam Lipsky Wow, thank you for great description. I do possess some green ones, originally packed

[@zulumax1]

If you would have done a tape/source comparison it would have been more meaningful. That deck is eye candy none the less.

[@CassetteComeback]

I did. Look at the VU meters, you can see it change between source and tape while it's recording.

[@zulumax1]

@@CassetteComeback Missed that, only a few decks give you a read out of what mode you are in.

[@shaun9107]

Bring back the dragon " Classic "

[@CassetteComeback]

It's going nowhere...it's just the Revox allows us to have a good look at the cassette going round...

[@jimeagle5800]

Right then!

[@jimeagle5800]

Carry On

[@nemru1670]

Interersting to hear a chineese "zero tape" from early 90s after calibration on Revox. Tapes like makwel, sany, alme, kamichi, yoko, etc...

[@CassetteComeback]

It won't bias them up. I've tried some.

[@mico5654]

is type 1 tdk b cassette is good? Cuz dont have enough money to buy an upgrade cassette.

[@lookoutleo]

It's a laugh if they're going to steal a name surely they would have gone TKD d not b as they didn't exist

[@DoubleMonoLR]

?, the tapes are clearly labelled "TDK", and both TDK B (their budget tapes) and TDK D genuine tapes had been on the market. Aside from them being obviously counterfeit, at least they used the budget model labelling - albeit probably unintentionally.

[@lookoutleo]

@@DoubleMonoLR is there any new cassettes worth buying ?

[@technicalbaatein7775]

The Recording On This Vintage Cassette Is Perfect Sounding 👍What Else Do You Expect From A Magnetic Recording Medium? You Have Unecesssary Hatred For China Thats It.