Best products from r/cassetteculture

We found 46 comments on r/cassetteculture discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 120 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

Top comments mentioning products on r/cassetteculture:

u/drfine2 · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

The Sony 7506 headphones are perfect for monitoring. I use the similar V6.

Edit: Your output volume on your computer should be under 5 in my experience. Higher than the noise floor of the computer but not too much higher. end edit.


The troubleshooting involved removing the cassette and playing it back with the phone jack on another deck or player. Short of that, you aren't troubleshooting effectively yet. One thing at a time.


Very unlikely that the heads are misaligned, or enough to cause these troubles. Again, playback in another deck. Don't worry about the heads, that is very unlikely.



I've looked at the controls. Do this, if you're not. Only Dolby B should be on, in that section, make sure that is the case, and the others are not engaged or sticky to disengage. Not Dolby C and not DBX. Keep it simple.


Hopefully the effect of the cymbals overloading can be decreased. Again, what you hear in the headphones on the deck while recording is the best you can do with that unit. The better deck to find some day has 3 heads so you can immediately monitor a playback head in line after the record head. Anyway, this deck isn't that.


A usb device with line out is vastly superior to the output jack on any computer, regardless if it is MP3 or better. Here's the one I'm testing this weekend based on another post on this sub. *also your MP3 source might have been from some source and not at all perfect. I mean, there are volume level controls on the computer besides what is on the input of the cassette deck, so having a Line Out from the computer is the best sound you will get.


I have converted MP3's to CD's to send to a friend and I always convert to WAV files first just because it's easier to control the volume from song to song, for me, to make a better product.


The usb thing: Walmart has these, too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NMXY2MO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1




u/abdullahcfix · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

Hey man, I meant to reply to you earlier, but I was going to work.
The issue you described is similar to an issue I had just over a year ago, except it was an el cheapo Walkman FX-28 but nonetheless, it could help. Read my post and listen to my sample audio. Skip around to near the end for more distortion. I eventually figured out that every battery I was putting in there was drained. I know it sounds stupid and insults your intelligence a bit, but try fresh alkaline batteries. None of that cheap Sunbeam or dollar store blue Panasonic bullshit. I'm talking straight Duracell and Energizer. Even better though, Panasonic Eneloops Best rechargeable batteries on Planet Earth period. Plus IIRC, your Walkman uses 4 batteries and this pack comes with 4 precharged batteries as well as a simple, yet effective charger.

Now, I also happened to disassemble my Walkman at the same time as when I changed my batteries to fresh ones. It may have been that I freed something, possibly the belt, that may have been previously stuck or grinding somewhere causing my issue. I know your issue isn't speed, but I had distortion as well.

Your issue might also be most likely due to your dirty volume potentiometer. Get some DeoxIT and spray that bitch and rock it back and forth. I forget the right kind to use, but luckily, I made a post on TapeHeads.net asking exactly that question. Read the long reply and you'll know what to use.

90%, this is your solution right here, provided your batteries are fresh and nothing else is horribly wrong with your Walkman. I read that the D6 and D6C have problems with grease turning to glue and it's pretty common. That can cause at best, some wow and flutter and at worst, tape eating or refusing to work at all. You should look at getting it fixed by the guy in Slovakia who goes by Dr. Walkman, mihokm, or Marian. He does excellent work on restoring these things.

Hope this helps.

Not paid by Panasonic, just my honest opinion.

u/zerotangent · 2 pointsr/cassetteculture

Hey, I've been shooting some of the cassettes with /u/killallmusic above. Heres some tips. First, as others have said, OFF CAMERA FLASH IS ESSENTIAL. That goes for any product photography. By far, the best bang for you buck is the Yongnuo IV and the wireless trigger to make it sync here. They are fully manual so no TTL (which is a feature of more expensive flashes that auto set the flash output to the available light) but I'm a big fan of learning strobe photography with manual flashes. You'll get way better way faster and there are a MILLION places online to read flash tutorials to get you started and plenty of video guides to get these flashes synced with the controller. On top of that, another absolutely essential part is some sort of diffuser. Softboxes are most often recommended. I use the following with my shots. These are both very nice pieces of gear and you can definitely find cheaper options that will do just fine on eBay and Amazon. You can get away with 1 for sure but I usually end up using two sources, one for a key light and one for a fill to add texture back to the shadows. As for actually shooting cassettes, your biggest problem will be glare. Any light hitting at a 45 degree angle to your lens will cause a flare so just adjust your angle of the tape or flash until you get rid of the glare. Last tip, when it comes to light, the closer a source is, the softer the light will be. That might sound backwards but its true. So get that flash all up in its business as close as you can to the product. Check out the Strobist blog for an amazing flash primer course. Trial and error is the name of the game. You can see some examples at http://killallmusic.storenvy.com. The Coutoux and Jay Pray tapes were shot with the exact gear and method I listed above. Happy shooting!

u/davidchutka · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

The big difference between the two is going to be that the SM58 is a dynamic microphone and the BM-700/800s are condenser microphones.

Advantages of a dynamic microphone generally are that they can tolerate being used in very loud settings and they don't require +48v (phantom power). Disadvantages are typically that they don't tend to be as "detailed", high end is often lacking (especially on something like an SM58 that has a built in windscreen). Also, the reason they can typically handle being used in loud settings is because that is essentially how they work. You are physically having to move a coil with sound pressure. In order for that to happen, it is going to typically require a reasonably loud source (great for guitar amps, drums, sometimes vocals).

Advantages of a condenser is that they tend to be a bit more "detailed" or more "clear" sounding than dynamic mics. High end is usually a lot more present and they are great at picking up much quieter noises. Instead of having to move a giant coil with sound pressure, you are making a small piece of thin metal vibrate (great for vocals, strings, acoustic guitars, piano, etc.).

Disadvantages of a condenser mic are that they typically cannot handle being thrown in front of something really loud. Fancier condensers will have built in pads to reduce gain, but looking at those BM-700s, that isn't a feature you will be getting. Also, condensers are going to require +48v of power (phantom power), which your Tascam doesn't have. It would require something additional, like this (https://www.amazon.com/InnoGear-Condenser-Microphone-Recording-Equipment/dp/B00KAPGLQC/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1502757851&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=phantom+power&psc=1)

Phantom power supplies aren't terribly expensive, and they will always serve a purpose. Especially if you continue using that Tascam or other fancier Tascam units. I only have experience with the Tascam MidiStudio 688, but it is one of their better options and doesn't have it. It's possible the PortaStudios have it, but I don't believe they do.

As far as mic stands go, that should be pretty universal. The mics appear to come with their own shock mounts (likely what you mean by 'fancy holder'), which will just attach to the mic stand. You shouldn't have any issues there. My only suggestion would be to get one on a tripod that has an arm (boom stand). Some of the stands i've picked up on Amazon are extremely light. Many people suggest making sure you seal off the bottom of the main pipe and then filling a bit of it with sand to add some extra weight. I haven't had to go that far, but just be careful with how far you try to get the arm to reach.

Not having used the BM-700 / 800, I can't specifically recommend them, but like most microphones, you can likely find something cool to do with them, even if they don't sound 'good'. Back at the studio I worked at we had this junky little RadioShack microphone that looked like a Transformers action figure. The thing sounded horrible on its own, but made for a really badass room mic when recording drums.

Most likely in this case you will get what you pay for. A $25 condenser likely isn't the highest of quality, but that being said, it may not be that bad and might work better on things like guitars and vocals than the SM58. Worst case scenario is you are out $25 and have an extra mic laying around that may not be your 'go-to' mic, but could come in handy at some point.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you still have questions.

u/BatardNoix · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

When it was announced I put in a request with CDJapan and they stocked a few copies (three, to be precise) which I grabbed one from, and the others sold out fast. As of yet I think only Amazon.co.jp still carries it, but it's far from as accessible as CDJapan (which is set up in English and has clear info on international shipping + accepts PayPal), and the price they're offering it at is pretty steep at ¥2,900 (whereas I paid $10 tops at CDJapan).

Regardless, Dempagumi.inc is highly worth looking into otherwise because their music is absolutely insane and insanely great. I cannot recommend tracks like ノットボッチ...夏, Den Den Passion, Chururi Chururira, Future Diver and W.W.D. II enough. Their first full album (World Wide Dempa) is really brilliant too.

u/balents · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

I would imagine there has to be some kind of player that has a DC in port for power. Just looked at this shitty USB cassette player/converter and it has a DC in plug so I'd assume there's others that have that. Not saying you should get this one but this one appears to be powered by USB and Batteries depending on what you want. And there's these generic ones that also plug in DC and USB. It seems like the 2nd ones have better review scores. I feel like one of the old tape players I had also had a DC in port, so be on the lookout too. Good luck to ya!

u/the_stoned_ape · 2 pointsr/cassetteculture

This is what I use for my portable. I found it for $2, newly made, but pretty solid build quality. 4 channel Head design, so it'll auto-reverse (essentially flipping the tape for you.)


Definitely not up to par with older decks, but one of the better newer/affordable options out there. Also has a USB port for easy digital conversion if that's all you're working with.


https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Cassette-Capture-Captures-Auto-Reverse/dp/B071HLCDT4

u/lsda · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

Yeah best bet and still pretty cheap is to go to good will and get a stereo deck cassette deck, they usually are only 5 to 10 and get a cheap wire on Amazon thats a headphone jack to AV. Here's one for 6 bucks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A7J1ANA/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1519364428&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=3.5+to+av&dpPl=1&dpID=51hPVy4zynL&ref=plSrch

Plug the 3.5 in your phone the other end in the cassete deck and it'll Probably sound perfect

u/T-Solium · 8 pointsr/cassetteculture

I did not write any tutorial, but here is a lil "how to" and a few things to pay attention to.

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_For the stamp, you can use a home laser or if you don't have any like me, find a workshop that makes stamps. All they need is a .pdf file (600 ppi is fine) and they will engrave it (costs me ~10€ per stamp)

If your stamp has letters, just make em hollowed (Not sure it's the right word, but you'll get it at looking the letters in pic), andif you're working with pictures, make them rasterized (in photoshop you find this option by converting an image in bitmap mode iirc). It's important to have rasterized / hollow fonts because ink will print bad on a large rubber surface, if you understand what I mean.

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I noticed that big stamps tend not to print the center of the tape as the pressure you have to put on it when you print bends the tape. I suggest only the rubber stamps (no mounting on a piece of wood), and then you make yours with pieces of wood lying around. you can see I had to make two stamps with these words to make it print correctly.

So forget any design that will take the whole cassette as only the corners would print well. I have this stamp that is amazing on paper, but won't print correctly on a cassette (and cannot be cut into smaller stamps as it is one image).

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Always have an ink remover (Stazon inkpads have their "ink remover" you can buy), you'll have remake a few as sometimes ink runs if you put too much pressure. Even when dry for weeks, you can perfectly clean your tape with this.

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Then you gotta go with trial and error for the first stampings. Find the right pressure to apply, and once you got it, you can make a bunch pretty fast.

Then you'll have to clean the ink that should not be there. you'll have sometimes a part of the stamp which should not have printed like a corner, the more prints you make, the more ink it collects.

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Well, that's pretty much it, and yeah, I tried with these rubber letter kits before that. It's ok looking, but it definitely is a pain to print as the letter are much more soft and tend to move.

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Update me if you gave this a try !

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EDIT : Always buy an ink that comes with a refill when available, this white ink pad has to be refilled often, the black is a more liquid ink and needs less refilling.

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Links :

ink (first site that popped up on google, but you can find it anywhere) : https://www.clearbags.com/cotton-white-stazon-ink-pad-set.html

ink remover : https://www.amazon.fr/Tsukineko-SC000004-Stazon-Spray-nettoyant/dp/B004AKLC5I

u/wizardofgore420 · 2 pointsr/cassetteculture

In case you're like me and intimidated by some of the maintenance/repairs you might have to do on the older thrift store decks being suggested by others I've had some luck with some recent amazon purchases.

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-CFDS70BLK-Cassette-Boombox-Audio/dp/B01DUF3UVC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1494607670&sr=8-4&keywords=sony+boombox+cassette - I love this one because it looks almost exactly like my first Sony boombox I got in '91. There's a pretty extensive review of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV7gXNZRQnA

https://www.amazon.com/PTTCSM70BT-Bluetooth-Turntable-Recording-Cassette/dp/B00J5XPLTI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494608974&sr=8-3&keywords=pyle+turntable+cd+cassette - this is my main stereo right now. the turntable leaves a lot to be desired but the tape decks are nice. only complaint i have is the decks open a bit slow but that's pretty minor.

Stay away from all the side loading single button decks on Amazon. I started having problems with the one I had after a month.

u/Tom93522 · 0 pointsr/cassetteculture

Found The Best All Around Cassette Player/Recorder And Radio.
Works really neat sound is amazing I have been looking for one for a while but couldn't find.
Finally found this one on Amazon sound is even better then my Sony Walkman from the 90's.
Here is the link - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GISWDRU?m=AC5SVDMI3Q8TO&ref_=v_sp_detail_page

u/lore_recker · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

I have one. It's not bad at all, although when on batteries and using the auxillary connector in my car, I have to max the volume on the player and almost max the volume on my car stereo. Naturally, this drains the batteries fast. I recently picked up a power adapter for it that plugs into my cigarette lighter, but haven't had a chance to test it yet. This weekend!

It has an option to auto-switch, so that when you reach the end of side A, it will swap and start playing side B. That makes it nice when you're driving or otherwise busy.

So far, I have no real complaints. The sound is good enough for me. I haven't tried the USB part yet, but it uses Audacity, so it should work just fine. They have decent documentation online for getting it up and running. One of the top reviews on Amazon will walk you through the set up as well.

u/Blues_Drive · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

Like a good current gen one? I just use this as my daily carry.

Otherwise, like others said, you'd most likely need to do repairs (soldering, new belts, etc.) immediately after buying an old player, or sometime down the road.

u/MeatBrick64 · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

i'd recommend a sony CFD S70, not going to blow your mind but it's better than a lot of stuff being made these days

u/amirzaim · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

Yes, you can do this, make sure that you're using the cable type ones like this below:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5mm-2-Male-Adapter-Stereo/dp/B01D5H8JW0

u/buttaholic · 1 pointr/cassetteculture

i've used this with success. i originally bought it so i could bypass the on-board sound card when using speakers/headphones because the on-board sound was causing a constant hissing noise.


there is also a slider in audacity where you can adjust its input volume. (there are two, one for output volume and one for input volume). they are at the top right of this UI image. maybe raising the input volume could solve your problem (if it's not already turned up).

u/A-metal-jaG · 3 pointsr/cassetteculture

Yep, make sure your phone volume is way up too. Headphone output is often lower than line-level.

The Eiki specs say its monaural, so a mono device. If you use a stereo jack-to-jack cable you are possibly shorting one channel at the recorder connector.
You would need a converter cable combining L and R to a mono signal.
Or an adapter like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/3-5mm-Stereo-Mono-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00BTZKL54/