I have not used or owned a cassette player in years so I need some help. My wife and I like to listen to the New York Philharmonic which broadcasts live on Thursday nights. We are not always able to listen at that time (the neighbors complain - NYC apartment living stinks sometimes) and want to tape it to be able to listen at other times or even in the car on the way to work. So we need a cassette player.

What are the options in a decent NEW cassette player? ($300-$400)

What are my options for a digital cassette player? I remember some were made a few years ago but do not know if they were any good or even affordable?

How about CD-Rom recorders? Is there a CD-Rom recording device that could actually tape a live signal?
(I only thought they could record off-line like MP3s or CD to CD)

Thanks.

[This message has been edited by NYC-EMT (edited March 12, 2004).]

I'm afraid I can't offer much insight into a new cassette deck -- I've got a 10+ year old Pioneer dual deck stashed away in a cabinet, collecting dust. The two most likely candidates aside from the old cassette tape would probably be MiniDisc or DAT tape, which is probably the digital cassette you were thinking of. Along the lines of a CD recorder, I stumbled across something at Yamaha's site a couple weeks back that might interest you: CD recorder with built-in hard drive . I glanced at the manual, and it can record line inputs to the hard drive (such as the tape loop output from the 950), so you could record radio broadcasts and play them back when you want or copy them to a disc. It doesn't have any sort of timer record capability that I could see, which could be something of a drawback (and may be true of other devices as well), but 30 some odd hours of recording space could be sort of handy in and of itself. List price is $500, but it may be available for less online. It's apparently not the only one of its kind, either, because Best Buy lists a similar unit from TDK (TA-9000) for $300 ( ExtremeTech review ) -- and J and R World has it for $250 before $50 mail-in rebate.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

I remember someone wrote into Stereo Review (now Sound&Vision) and told Ian Masters they wanted to record a radio program at a certain time when they were not at home. They couldn't find a cassette deck that had a timer.
He suggested using a stereo VCR employing the audio inputs and the timer.
He said that the slow tape speed would provide a decent recording.
I've always been wanting to try it, but have never got around to it.
If you do decide to do this, let us know how it works out.

Sorry. I guess wanting listen in the car makes this idea useless, but it still seems like an interesting(and Outlaw-ish)idea. I personally like employing technology in a way it wasn't originally intended.
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The answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is 42. But what IS the Question?

[This message has been edited by CBWills (edited March 12, 2004).]

Gonk:
I just used the TDK Tech Support live chat and the person was very helpful. He suggested to get the TDK 9000 becasue it has an internal drive that would allow up to 4 hours recording time and then it can be broken up unto dics with gaps recorded directly or edited via the computer for better "transitions" on multiple CDs.

CBWills:
Gotta love Douglas Adams...what a shame he is no longer with us. The answer is "42".

I may try the VCR thing just for fun but ultimately get a cd recorder.

[This message has been edited by NYC-EMT (edited March 12, 2004).]

CBWILLS-- Good thought regards using your VCR to record music. I used to occasionally do this years ago. Like you, mostly just because I could, and it was something different to do. I always felt the results were much better than casette tape recordings. No playing in the car tho-- at least not mine

DAT is almost a dead meduim, even in the professional market which was the only one it survived in. I wouldn't invest in an analog cassette deck at all either - they are obsolete, dead, and Sooooo 1970s.

A CD recorder is what has replaced these media in the consumer arena, and hard disk recorders are becoming more and more common. That is the direction I would take.

When my old Pioneer cassette deck finally bit the biscuit last year I went shopping for a replacement - entirely because of my large collection of tapes - most of them personal recordings of live music that I made at clubs that I used to "bounce" at to pay my way through university (in the late 70s - thanks for reminding me Soundhound ) I managed to pick up a Nakamichi RX-202 in mint condition - for less than $100US. I've already used it to make a few dubs for my Mom (she's not yet graduated to CDs) and it's a supern unit. I could only conclude that other Nak products are probably good bets as well - especially in the "RX" line.

Regarding taping onto VHS: it works. And it works extremely well given the cost of either a hi-fi VCR - or the blank tape. There's not much noticeable difference between taping at EP or SP speeds. I have used it to tape lengthy segments "off-air" - as well as to make 6, or even 8 hour "party" dubs. (Soundhound: in the 70s, while living in res at university, we used to mix 6 hour floor party tapes onto reel-to-reel! Played through a set of Klipsch La Scala with a 100 Watt SAE amp if I remember correctly. I remember one "all Stones, all the time" tape that we did with great fondness.

Regards.

Jeff Mackwood