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Hello from Leicestershire

Discussion in 'Introducing myself' started by Deb64, Aug 1, 2017.

  1. Deb64

    Deb64 Active Member

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    Hello.

    I have had a passion for tape recording, especially cassette decks, since I was a kid in the 1970s. This led to me working as a maintenance engineer in a top London recording studio for a while in the 1980s. Although I didn't appreciate it at the time, this was a time when some of the best analogue recordings were being made.
    Like most folk, I got duped into thinking CDs were the best thing since sliced bread for 30 years until I bought a dead Revox B710 and nursed it back to health in 2012. I quickly discovered that a well produced and analogue mastered pre-recorded cassette is a noticably superior medium to CD.
    Since then, I've become heavily involved in repairing Sony Professional Walkmans, especially the D6. Last winter, I had a bit too much time on my hands so I worked out how to repair the CP602 speed control modules, which often fail.
    I only carry out audio maintenance as a hobby but it's starting to take over my life (and kitchen table) a bit.

    I am now of the age where the equipment which was new and cutting edge when I was working in pro-audio is now considered vintage.
    It's great to see that there are plenty of others with a similar passion for vintage audio gear.
     
    Frank1232 and sickly_b like this.
  2. TooCooL4

    TooCooL4 Well-Known Member

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    Welcome to Stereo2go :thumbup:
     
  3. Chris

    Chris Active Member

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    Hi Deb64, welcome to the forums!

    As someone who's only been around since the late 90s, I've mainly grown up with CDs although I borrowed my mum's Sony WM-BF44 to listen to various kids cassettes when I was very young. I took mediocre CD music for granted because I thought that there was no higher quality alternative. Recently, I've got back into cassettes and I'm blown away time and time again by how good my Sony D6C sounds, it's so much better than any CD I've ever listened to! I can't really describe it, but there's something more authentic about putting a cassette into a player and then listening to the whole thing without being able to switch tracks, rather than using various digital streaming services to select what songs you want to listen to. Streaming just seems to take something away from the whole music listening experience for me. Oh, and most of the music I like is so old, it's only available on cassettes and vinyl anyway.

    It's great that you do audio maintenance, even if it is just a hobby. It would be a shame to let these pieces of history fall into disrepair.

    Anyway, I hope you like it here, I haven't been here that long myself but it's opened up a whole new world for me.


    Chris
     
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  4. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

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    Hello Deb64,

    Personally I don't get involved in the Analogue vs CD arguments. There is probably more difference between a well mastered recording and a mediocre one. There is an interesting page on Wikipedia about the loudness war showing how the same recordings were messed around with over the years.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

    I don't buy into the concept of streaming (unless it is for free on Youtube).
    It seems to reduce music down to a mere commodity like council tax.

    In contrast when you purchase(d) music it is actually quite a big commitment and wasn't cheap.
    A real example I can think of was buying Blondie AutoAmerican. On first listen I didn't like it
    but having committed my cash I gave it some more listens and began to appreciate it. It I had
    streamed it I wouldn't have bothered a second time.

    A fond memory of work in the 1980s was doing some overtime on Saturday morning then going home via Virgin Records to find something to spend some/most of my overtime on.

    I am sure people would be interested to hear about your work in the Recording studio. Did you meet anyone famous ?
     
    Chris likes this.
  5. T-ster

    T-ster Moderator Staff Member S2G Supporter

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    This.

    This for me is one of the major arguments in the issue of streaming. Buying a cassette from Woolworths for a tenner or a cd later on for around £15 was a huge investment and damn straight i was going to listen to that thing. Several listens may be needed to appreciate if but i would always persevere due to the investment involved. Some of the best albums in the world are "growers" where they get better with repeat listens.
     
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  6. Mystic Traveller

    Mystic Traveller Well-Known Member

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    Welcome to S2G! :)
     
  7. Mystic Traveller

    Mystic Traveller Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely! :nodding:
     
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  8. Boodokhan

    Boodokhan Well-Known Member

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    welcome to the forum Deb64
     
  9. davebush

    davebush Active Member

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    Hi and welcome from sunny Blackpool
     
  10. Atomtan

    Atomtan New Member

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    Greetings from a very rainy Leicester...!
     
  11. Deb64

    Deb64 Active Member

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    Thanks for the warm welcome.
    I agree with the posters commenting on the relative cost of albums in the late 70s and early 80s compared to pocket money or wages. They did represent a much larger chunk of disposable income then so you bought carefully and valued your records.
    Also, you couldn't listen to the whole album before buying in the way that you can now via the internet. Often you would buy the album having only heard one or two tracks which had been released as singles or played on the radio. There was always a risk in buying an LP that the other tracks may be disappointing.
    It's no wonder that many of us would tape friends' LPs or tape singles from the Top 40 show on the radio on Sunday evenings.
     
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  12. sickly_b

    sickly_b Active Member

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    I used to buy one LP record on a Saturday and would read the cover and the liner notes thoroughly on the bus on the way home - before I played it, I was already trying to squeeze every bit out of my investment. I wanted to know the line up of musicians, the producer, the engineer etc.. You would listen to an album then more like a project you were involved in. Trawling round all the shops (in Lincoln where I grew up in the 80s) for several hours, usually with enough for just one LP, meant you worked at listening and enjoying so I totally agree with @Chris and @T-ster about music being a disposable commodity for many nowadays. So good to find others who understand these points...
    I got back into cassette Walkmans and boomboxes after spotting a vintage Sanyo box in a charity shop that needed some TLC - now I'm sort reverse archiving digital stuff back to cassette to enjoy on my portable devices...
     
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