Tape players

[martialgodmask]

Recommendations needed please.

I am in need of a new tape player, ideally portable. Trouble is unless I want to take a punt on a second hand one off Ebay, I'm not getting particularly good results when hunting around. There is a whole wave of cheap shit-looking players available for "converting to mp3" and not a great deal else that I can find.

I was using a Sony Walkman WM-EX194 which was going fine but is pretty much dead now. I was gifted a Bush player - http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5740413 - but it isn't very good.

Are refurbished units worth bothering with? What is everyone else picking up when/if they need to replace? I know tapes are niche on a mass-market basis, but with plenty still being produced and available people must still be in need of players, unless you're all fortunate that older players you've got are still working?

I'm not in a position to look at audio separates currently. Suggestions greatly appreciated!

Edit: ...and are these cheapo players as awful as I expect or am I wrong to pre-judge?

[Duncan]

Is this just for home/on the move listening? Headphones? Or do you want to listen through internal speakers/plug it into some other speakers?

Also, why can't you look into separates right now?

Sorry for the mass of questions! It'll just be easier to recommend when knowing how it'll be used.

[Peterson]

Refurbished Sony TCM-S64V are great for recording and playback, but are getting pricey because they're apparently sought-after. I have a pretty old one that sounds great despite it eats batteries quickly. If you don't rewind and fast-forward all the time, batteries last much longer.

I also have a Sony WM-EX102 that's just for playback - I mostly use it for "instrument" purposes but sounds fine and full when using it with headphones. No idea about the demand or price they go for these days.

You'll probably have to demagnetize them a lot, though. Honestly, the kind you don't want; the big clunky tape decks for home listening/recording are much better in general for both purposes, even some of the crappier ones I've had.

I can't speak to the cheap little units being made currently, but the larger decks still being made are usually of good enough quality for home-dubbing operations, so that should mean they are decent at least for just listening to stuff.

[FiEND]

Amazon sells a bunch of portable tape players.

wow thanks who knew the largest retail website had these too? You truly are a fount of knowledge.

Suggestions greatly appreciated!

I would look into something like the Sony TC-D5. these field recorders are top of the line for just about anything and are as potable as you will get without losing the high end home deck features. if you are super resourceful they can easily be converted into a tape delay!

[martialgodmask]

Is this just for home/on the move listening? Headphones? Or do you want to listen through internal speakers/plug it into some other speakers?

Also, why can't you look into separates right now?

Sorry for the mass of questions! It'll just be easier to recommend when knowing how it'll be used.

Home and on the move, though likely more at home and through headphones. Separates will have to wait, I don't have the space for a "setup" as such yet. I am looking to move, so this will hopefully change in the near future.

Also, I'm in the UK if that makes a difference/helps.

Peterson/Harvest - thanks both, though a quick glance looks like price and availability in the UK might hamper your suggestions but I'll dig around.

Deadpriest - slow clap for you, now get bent.

[Duncan]

Is this just for home/on the move listening? Headphones? Or do you want to listen through internal speakers/plug it into some other speakers?

Also, why can't you look into separates right now?

Sorry for the mass of questions! It'll just be easier to recommend when knowing how it'll be used.

Home and on the move, though likely more at home and through headphones. Separates will have to wait, I don't have the space for a "setup" as such yet. I am looking to move, so this will hopefully change in the near future.

One of the main reasons I was asking about separates is that they pop up for cheap/free on gumtree all the time and will really be your best bet in terms of home listening.  Loads of people chucking out their grandad's old hifi bit.  But if you've no room then that's that.

If it's portable you're after then I can't really recommend much more than grabbing whatever walkman you can find at a reasonable price either on ebay or from a charity shop if you can be fucked to look.  I'm no expert but I can imagine that the basic functions will be fulfilled in nearly any case, obvious cheap, plastic toy looking bits of shit aside.

[Euro Trash Bazooka]

I use the WM 3000, the red "My First Sony" for kids. Had it since it came out, never failed me. Some of them in working condition didn't even sell for 4€ on Ebay, here.

https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/07/notable-and-crazy-sony-cassette-walkman-editions/

[FiEND]

price and availability

this of course is the big factors. I know a friend of mine was able to get 4 decks very similar to the one I linked earlier at (of all places) a Police  auction. Didn't need them for testimonials/confessions as they had gone digital. Worth seeing if you know any old reporters or dead heads as they would have these sorts of pieces of tech. ebay is truly the last place i look for vintage gear (other than synths/pedals) as most folks really don't think much of tape these days.

edit: this youtube channel isn't bad for tape tech. did an episode on sony brand only walkmen (walkmans?)

https://youtu.be/A9wT2Y4W-T0

[martialgodmask]

Is this just for home/on the move listening? Headphones? Or do you want to listen through internal speakers/plug it into some other speakers?

Also, why can't you look into separates right now?

Sorry for the mass of questions! It'll just be easier to recommend when knowing how it'll be used.

Home and on the move, though likely more at home and through headphones. Separates will have to wait, I don't have the space for a "setup" as such yet. I am looking to move, so this will hopefully change in the near future.

One of the main reasons I was asking about separates is that they pop up for cheap/free on gumtree all the time and will really be your best bet in terms of home listening.  Loads of people chucking out their grandad's old hifi bit.  But if you've no room then that's that.

If it's portable you're after then I can't really recommend much more than grabbing whatever walkman you can find at a reasonable price either on ebay or from a charity shop if you can be fucked to look.  I'm no expert but I can imagine that the basic functions will be fulfilled in nearly any case, obvious cheap, plastic toy looking bits of shit aside.

I get what you're saying about separates and Gumtree etc. and is definitely something I will consider once the new home is sorted which I'm hoping will be early next year.

I may just give one of the refurb Walkmans a go, relatively low risk from a price perspectiven I guess. It's strange, I've contemplated and bought other second hand electronic items for more than a tape player would cost but for some reason I've been quite resistant to going that route on this occasion.

[a_2_g_2]

 I just bought a Onkyo TA-RW334 last week at a thrift store for $8. It works like a charm and the quality is prefect.

[mkta]

The newer recorders ("X-BASS" etc.) are pure shit, don't waste your money. Buy a quality older (~mid80s) portable - I like the Realistic (Radioshack house brand) models best but you can try different models until you find something you like because all of them have different internal mics, auto level control behaviors and responses to line input, etc. My personal favorite is the Realistic CTR-68 - mono portable, built like a tank with a really nice electret condenser built in and both manual and auto level control.

The biggest thing you will have to worry about when buying a tape player secondhand is the belt. If the belt is shot, the recording will be made at the wrong speed, and thus play back at the wrong speed on any machine other than the original deck. Theoretically you can add 1000hz tone to the beginning of anything you record, and make sure that the playback deck is calibrated in such a way that the tone is the right pitch. But you really should just replace the belt in the machine. CTR-68 (and other models) replacement belt here.

[Peterson]

Question for other shoeboxers/home-dubbers: what are some tape decks still being manufactured today that you've used for dubbing releases? Dual deck is preferred.