Great video as usual..I've recently done loads of tape tests and bought alsorts of eBay and using not my Pioneer CTS-830s cause it makes every tape sound awesome I used my Nak CR-2e and my new Yamaha KX580 se and found the sweet spot to be Maxell XL11's or TDK SA-X for ease of erasing 😅 and pure dynamics and musicality..Keep up the good informative videos and all the best from the UK..👍🇬🇧
Hey bud I hope you have a great Holiday and just want to thank you for all your great information for all of us Audiophiles. I just got my mint condition Geneva PF-250 in the mail tonight and it is a beast of a machine. It works great but haven't tried it out on any of my type IV cassettes yet but sometime this weekend I will. Again thanks for all your great work.
Powerful, yet uneasy to find, costly to acquire demagnetizer. In "pro" studios they use (or used) to demagntize, as a daily basis, hand demagnetizers for recorder's head and related hardware. Of course, they didn't want too often to coplete erase any signal from tapes already recorded. If wanted to erase any signal from pre-recorded material, it was more smart not to do it, but to use new tape. No one knew if the discarded parts weren't to be a good future reference. I remember, from the old cassette tape decks, a good lot of manufacturers recommending to demagnetize their machines from time to time. Nice video.
Thanks, true! Even radio stations had one...the main use is metal tapes, very expensive and hard to find, plus the sound is so goid you just need one if these to obtain the maximum fron them if used...in any case you just need to watch ebay for a good deal...i got my Geneva for 80$...other models are even cheaper. A lot of usets said they use the handheld with the same results and those are even cheaper and easy to find...
Robins TM-88. I have been using one since the late 60's with no problems with bleed-through after a reasonable erasure. (I "borrowed" it from my father's radio station.🤫) Had to replace the cord on it after so many years, but it has never failed me. And, yes, it is a hand held, but I do a listening test after erasing and it works.
The NPR affiliate radio station I used to work at had archived all of their open reel tapes from the 60's through the 80's to digital in the early 2000's and we had a tape bulk eraser that was on a 3 foot long motorized conveyor belt, and took us two days to erase over a thousand open reel tapes.
Take your cassette into an MRI scanner, that will do the job 😁 Anyway. In my cassette area (80's and 90's) I never came across this problem on any cassette type, also not at typeIV I had an Akai GX 32 once that suffered from cross talk between side a and b. The low frequencies would bleed to the other side. I brought it back and bought a Kenwood KX660HX. When I was really young I didn't understand how my cassette radio was able to record at the back side of the tape, thinking that the B side was the under side of the tape🥴
I did use a bulk eraser for some tapes in the past. Most of the time if it was a cassette I would simply put the tape in a cassette deck, put the record level down and put the cassette deck into record and let it run. Then I would turn the cassette over and do the other side. I could walk away and come back to the deck when needed. Yes It's not great sitting in front on a cassette deck which is why I would go away and have a cup of coffee and do something else. Most of the cassette decks I have are of a high enough quality that they would not wear out the tape heads and the mechanisms were tough enough to do it. Most of the time I didn't bother because my decks tape heads were always aligned and erased the tape properly. Thanks for telling people about bulk erasers because they do work.
I did this recently on some used cassettes I bought off eBay. The result was a phantom recording left of the old recordings, slightly audible between tracks I recorded. Despite technically being erased twice, I think the issue is that each manufacturer of decks had slightly different track/magnet spacing on the heads, so it’s hard to completely and “perfectly” erase a tape with this method without using the same type of deck that was originally used to record with. I recently bought a Realistic bulk eraser and am hoping for good results.
God I miss cassettes! I think I'm going invest in using cassettes as a secondary analogue source again! Metal cassettes sound nearly as good as 15 ips reel to reel!
Looks like im getting a degauser. Ive got a crate full of Reels with old church services recorded on them, i wanna back up my jazz fusion collection on some
This channel is unique compared to the others . I have been using hand held for the tape head for year & years , I never thought of wipeing the tape its self A good heavy speaker magnet well do this . Better off swiping it past the magnet without touching it or run it around in circles would be best , yess ???
@@anadialog understood. I was told that Demagnetizing the video sound head will take the life out of it , the only way that can happen is with a FIXED magnet in the head , I take it that audio tape heads are all electronic magnets . These selfish guys who work in Business will not answer good questions so they are a waste of time , no more of that today !
Maybe I misunderstood...demagnetizing heads for audio tape is an important but different process (don't know about video). This is for erasing information on any type of magnetic tape...
This is a good option if you just want to destroy the recording, but it will leave the tape in a magnetized state that will either make it difficult to rerecord the tape, of it will cause excessive hiss. To erase a tape with the intention to rerecord on it, you should use an alternating magnetic field, such as the one generated in the video above.
I am looking for a bulk tape eraser how is a Lafayette or RadioShack brand, how are they in erasing tapes with metal reels, does anyone make one that can bulk erase a 10 1/2 inch reel.
Hi! Im having this problem. Specially on chrome and metal tapes. Domésticos one channel disappear on the recording. This demagnetizer are awesome. But in brazil its hard to find. If i record with no input, it will work better?
First wind all the tape to one side, introduce the tape or cassette from a distance while rotating it, rotate the tape over the magnetic field, remove it whilst rotating it then switch the bulk eraser off when the tape is a distance away.
أحسنت ، كنت أعلم مسبقاً انه من الممكن مسح الكاسيت عن طريق المغناطيس ؛ ولكن لم أكن أعلم الطريقه الآن علمت شكراً جزيلاً لك ؛ سؤالي هل من الممكن مسح الديفي آر الخاص بالكمبيوتر او كميرات المراقبه بالمغنطه وشكراً على جهودكم وعملكم الصالح 🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦✅✅✅✅✅✅✅
Hi there! I am afraid that you are mixing up the subjects, in this video we talk on how to completely erase data from magnetic tape I also made a different video where I explain how to demagnetise for example a tape deck, here is a link: ua-cam.com/video/oIFjLT2VI1c/v-deo.html apart from that I have never tried the CD1 only something similar by philips present in the video and the results were rather poor. Better a handheld type IMO. Happy new year Aykut!!!!
Whenever I demagnetize an audio tape the new blank has a low “rolling rumble” on it. It doesn’t seem to affect the record-ability at all. After I record on it it sounds great. Does anyone know if there any way to stop the rumble? It doesn’t seem to have affected anything yet, but just curious
I havent done it myself but from what I've seen you need to pull the tape away slowly the last couple of passed. Its supposed to help that very problem.
hi ! I have a demagnetise instrument for demagnitise the head of reel to reel tape recorder... can I use that to demagnetise the tapes? making the same procedure?
"Don't use a hand held one - they don't work". I don't doubt for a moment that you are right and that the Geneva unit is very effective. You later clarified that you don't recommend them, which sounds very reasonable. But in my experience hand held bulk erasers (low $$) work well with high coercivity tapes, and a used $30 Realistic Bulk Tape Eraser e.g. Model 44-232 very effectively on reel to reel, cassette tapes, VHS, DV camcorder tapes (which are in my opinion the toughest challenge). When used properly, they work very well. They all operate on a similar principle. A large AC elecromagent designed to produce an external magnetic flux. Initially. I thought the Geneva unit ($$$) might be special, operating at a higher frequency, but I don't think so from the demonstration shown here. You can hear that the operating frequency is AC 60Hz, so I have serious doubts about real, measurable performance advantages over a hand held unit. There are numerous other UA-cam videos that show how effective hand held units can be, and how to operate them properly.
it seems when one reads about tape earsing methods in the various tape/Open reel forums - the general consensus is the Model Wiggles is mentioning works very well and relatively inexpensive on ebay -20-30$ on average in box.
I have a ripped open cassette tape player that I replaced the play head with a neodymium hard drive magnet. If I fast forward and put the magnet into the head, it erases the whole thing start to finish in 3 minutes.
I have recorded a BASF Chrome cassette tape 4 times since 2001 when i bought this cassette as brand new the first 3 was in my Aiwa ad-f 850 with dolby c , and the last one in December 28th of 2018 in my other deck the Technics rs-bx 707 again with dolby c and never experienced such a problem so far . I'm particularly a cassette tape deck owner since 1996 and so far not even one time such a problem in every cassette i've personally recorded in my both decks so far :-)
@@anadialog The last 15 + years no I was using metal tapes mostly in the 90s since 1996 when i bought my 1st deck but i wasn't reusing all of them by the meaning to re-record them because i was recording them once and for good cause they were very expensive but i remember a very few times when it happened to re-record a couple of them didn't notice such a problem or at-least it was unaudiable
I tried a loudspeaker magnet on a tape once (looooong time ago). It resulted in a fade in and out of the sound and loss of high frequencies. It didn't erase.
I think you need alternating magnetic field to erase the tape, so the static magnetic field from a big speaker magnet just changes the signal on the tape (if it makes any sense). The degausser shown in the video uses AC electromagnet so the magnetic field generated is changing it's direction rapidly. Also that is the reason why the cassette was vibrating.
Is it there any problems using this device in tapes with 10,5" Aluminum reels ? Thanks and I love your channel bud, keep the great work! Cheers from Lethbridge, AB. CANADA.
I suggest you to try make some erase experience between tapes, Normal, Crome and Metal. Make just one pass in the machine with each one of then and listen the results, and show for us of course.... Thank you!! As always a nice video.....
Take the tape out of a MiniDV cassette and run it in a 1/4 inch wide reel to reel deck and see how well it erases. There is Metal Evaporated tape in those...
Hi Bro I found lots of these in my fathers old boxes. But most already have songs on them. Anyway could i use them to rewrite some new songs. I use my fathers old car and it has a tape player. I dont want to change the player. This kinda looks cool. Playing new songs on these cassettes
Sure! That is the cool think of tape, you can record over and over with them. You usually just need a decent tape deck. Before recording it will automatically wipe the precident audio.
@@anadialog Thank You for your prompt reply. Could you pls suggest some tape deck brands or models. I'll see if i can find them. My dad might know where to find.
I am not sure what happens at a phsycal and chemical level, I can just say that the bulk eraser I used was designed to cancel the audio signal recorded on any type of tape. I use it only with very tough metal cassettes otherwise a standard deck is more than sufficient.
@@anadialog do you have calibration on your deck where it shows you the high and low signal for setting bias? If so, do the signals hold level well after using the tape eraser?
@@anadialog I work in a machine shop. We have a demagntizer there. I'm thinking of trying that demagntizer on a cassette. I'm a little nervous about it but I've seen videos of people putting high powered magnets on cassettes and they are still usable at least. I have a TDK SA-X and I noticed when I tried to rerecord my tracks on side-b the cassette was very unstable. It wasn't that I could hear any of the previous recording but it became very unstable. I couldn't properly bias it it was so bad. So I'm thinking I'll give a demagntizer a try.
This guy is trying to help us and we don't need to criticize his methods of communication to some who obviously are new to this vintage audio hobby. 👍 He does a great job!
I tried to record a cassette that has songs in it but I didnt hear anything like song on top of a song. All I heared is something like weird raining sound. The part that I recorded is gone. And I dont have money to buy that degauss thing
I am not sure I understand what happened to you. In any case, just try recording nothing, will all volumes to 0 at least twice. Then record some music. Is it working? If not maybe you have a problem with the erasing head. What type of cassette is it?
*ANA[DIA]LOG* I experienced this problem *very-very seldom* and *my explanation was the following:* Imagine you have a METAL TAPE and during the *second* recording attempt, you select "Normal" instead of CrO2/METAL recording mode. This could lead to hearing the old music on that cassette, because the "normal" mode uses less energy that is incapable to handle the "strong" metal tape. The same could happen, if you have a NEW "Normal" or "CrO2" Tape, which you mistakenly record in METAL Mode. In that case, your second attempt in the right mode (Normal) could preserve some level of the old Music. I'm using cassette tapes from the early 80s and now i am doing it again, with my good old equipment, so I'll try to find some time and make a short research on the phenomenon. *P.S.:* Those who can't afford a demagnetizer, should try to ERASE their cassettes with the recorder, before attempting to record music on it. I've heard back in the 80s that this gives you better recording quality, but i never had the need to test this method by myself.
@@anadialog Every tape had its own qualities. 90% of my (music) cassettes were the best CrO2 and middle to top Metal quality and i am still not sure which of them i like more.
If you can still hear the previous recording on a tape even after recording over it, then either the heads are misaligned and/or the erase head is defective and/or not making proper contact with the tape. But oh my god, those damn metal tapes! I totally forgot about those. yes, they were notorious for not erasing proper. I experienced that once, and now I am sure that was the real reason I never continued using them.
That's why they are better for the car...they aren't like CD-Rs where you have to throw the disc out when you tire of them. With the tape, it can be recorded over. Just record as usual, the new recording will replace the old one. UNLESS you are recording a Metal tape in a recorder that wasn't designed for metal tapes, then you need the bulk eraser.
You can buy a simple Do-It-Yourself Magnet (being a Neodymium Magnet), I erased my used Type IV tapes with one circular magnet. Cheap, simple and compact. :D Just discovered that today. :P It just takes more swirls about the cassette [being Type IV] , where Types I and II are a one-two-three, buh-buhhh! :D :P
I am not that sure of that. A bulk eraser uses an electric magnet, a hundred times more strong than any normal magnet. In fact you said one swirl, then you started to add some...plus with a bulk eraser you can erase ANY type of tape, VHS, reel-to-reel and also hard drives!
@@anadialog actually, a neodymium magnet might be so strong that it does not only wipe the data on it, but it will leave the tape in such a magnetized state that you can't even record on it anymore.
Not intending to be critical... I heard you say aligning the tape particulars ... just so you know the oxide particals DO NOT actually move on the tape ... they are simply remember the magnetic signals as the tape passes during recording ... when using a bulk eraser the oxide particles are cleared of ANY magnetic fields... (completely neutral of any magnetic impressions)
Hi Darin, yes, the microscopic particles of the oxide get realigned by the electromagnetic signal. They change direction. Check anywhere, like here for example: www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/technology/technology-terms-and-concepts/magnetic-recording
you don't have to do so much, just bring the tapes to the magnet of a speaker preferably a 12 inch subwofer. unintentionally, they erased mine and at first I didn't know. and I thought someone was erasing them because my depeche mode tapes had already angered them
High powered device for demagnetizing... Cautioned about having other tapes and drives anywhere near the device... Still takes 3-5 attempts to clear the intended format. Maybe instead of swiping it directly on the device, you should have just had it "nearby" for a more effective outcome? And then it overheats if left on... Yeah, that's all an ever-worsening society of stupidity needs ; more dangerous devices. Sounds logical. This is easier : DON'T USE Metal tapes in the first place. Stick to Normal and Chrome tapes, which will erase just fine on a good tape deck that erases properly.
That is why you use it on hard drives, to cancell everything permanently! You are in fact loosing also the booting software, which is why it will not work anymore. A tech could be able to insert a new boot file to reuse it...
@@anadialog Does a blank hard drive come with a boot file? I suppose it's possible. I always assumed boot sectors were created when the OS initializes the drive.
Yes, some sort of basic booting on it otherwise its a hunk of metal! I think you are referring to the system booting and I think the drive itself has its own for basic interaction...
When i was in the U.S. Air Force, our base had a data/tape storage area for storing backups and tape maintenance. We would send over locked travel cases of computer tape reels and disk cartridges for off-site storage and/or degaussing. The degausser at the off-site was the size of a refrigerator with an access door about microwave size. The degausser compartment had a 3 - 4 inch thick foam rubber floor to protect the item being degaussed. When the degausser was activated, it would start at a low hum and then end with a very unexpected and loud metallic crash. Supposedly, the item would actually be momentarily levitated and then dropped, hence the foam rubber. If the disk cart had electronics or it was a normal HDD, in addition to the iron particles being completely realigned, every PNP/NPN junction ( i.e. transistors, JFET, MOSFET) would be blown out. But this beast was mainly used for computer tapes. ** Need to remember: tape heads get demagnetized - tapes and disks get degaussed **
If you are using such a machine that you are too scared to keep your wristwatch on, think what it is doing to the internals of a hard drive. The precision mechanical parts will resonate themselves to destruction. I used a NATO grade machine to erase a 10.5" reel of tape a few years ago and the reel flanges vibrated so much, the reel was difficult to hold. The vibration demonstrated in the video with just a cassette (probably just the metal plate, pin and screws of the shell) has much larger parts than the internals of a HDD.
@@anadialog Yeah , I know as I worked in radio for 20 years in the 80's and used them to erase reels and carts all the time. But, we didn't use metal cassettes which are notoriously hard to erase...so yes PROOF. You said the words you did not do a before and after recording. You don't think that I am just going to believe what somebody says on the internet do you? And then go out and spend the money on something that I still don't know will work well. So in my quest for finding an eraser for Hi8 Metal tapes I have to check this video off as a probably not seeing that you do not actually show the results. Hope this makes sense to you and hope it helps you make better videos in the future.
Hi! Im having this problem. Specially on chrome and metal tapes. Sometimes one channel disappear on the recording. This demagnetizer are awesome. But in brazil its hard to find. If i record with no input, it will work better?
![ANA[DIA]LOG](http://yt3.ggpht.com/K0qr1ndqDdGUyxbMUYesdA0KM3wZ-_upZ4bvQR8Vi_Ie1773eXoIXY2VblfzWYRJnwxd5pVrbXw=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj)
Great video as usual..I've recently done loads of tape tests and bought alsorts of eBay and using not my Pioneer CTS-830s cause it makes every tape sound awesome I used my Nak CR-2e and my new Yamaha KX580 se and found the sweet spot to be Maxell XL11's or TDK SA-X for ease of erasing 😅 and pure dynamics and musicality..Keep up the good informative videos and all the best from the UK..👍🇬🇧
Hey bud I hope you have a great Holiday and just want to thank you for all your great information for all of us Audiophiles. I just got my mint condition Geneva PF-250 in the mail tonight and it is a beast of a machine. It works great but haven't tried it out on any of my type IV cassettes yet but sometime this weekend I will. Again thanks for all your great work.
Thank you! Metal cassettes are going to need a lot of treatment, depending from the brand!
Powerful, yet uneasy to find, costly to acquire demagnetizer.
In "pro" studios they use (or used) to demagntize, as a daily basis, hand demagnetizers for recorder's head and related hardware.
Of course, they didn't want too often to coplete erase any signal from tapes already recorded. If wanted to erase any signal from pre-recorded material, it was more smart not to do it, but to use new tape. No one knew if the discarded parts weren't to be a good future reference.
I remember, from the old cassette tape decks, a good lot of manufacturers recommending to demagnetize their machines from time to time.
Nice video.
Thanks, true! Even radio stations had one...the main use is metal tapes, very expensive and hard to find, plus the sound is so goid you just need one if these to obtain the maximum fron them if used...in any case you just need to watch ebay for a good deal...i got my Geneva for 80$...other models are even cheaper. A lot of usets said they use the handheld with the same results and those are even cheaper and easy to find...
Robins TM-88. I have been using one since the late 60's with no problems with bleed-through after a reasonable erasure. (I "borrowed" it from my father's radio station.🤫) Had to replace the cord on it after so many years, but it has never failed me. And, yes, it is a hand held, but I do a listening test after erasing and it works.
Well good for you and thanks for sharing!
The NPR affiliate radio station I used to work at had archived all of their open reel tapes from the 60's through the 80's to digital in the early 2000's and we had a tape bulk eraser that was on a 3 foot long motorized conveyor belt, and took us two days to erase over a thousand open reel tapes.
Cool! Thanks for sharing that!
Take your cassette into an MRI scanner, that will do the job 😁
Anyway. In my cassette area (80's and 90's) I never came across this problem on any cassette type, also not at typeIV
I had an Akai GX 32 once that suffered from cross talk between side a and b. The low frequencies would bleed to the other side. I brought it back and bought a Kenwood KX660HX.
When I was really young I didn't understand how my cassette radio was able to record at the back side of the tape, thinking that the B side was the under side of the tape🥴
That is one of the disadvantages of Glass Ferrite heads, crosstalk. I still have my Akai GX 32 though as i have no other decks laying around 😁.
@@smvwees Wow. Still working?
As usual, awesome informative and fun video. Thanks!
Another awesome, informative video👍. Thank you
I did use a bulk eraser for some tapes in the past. Most of the time if it was a cassette I would simply put the tape in a cassette deck, put the record level down and put the cassette deck into record and let it run. Then I would turn the cassette over and do the other side. I could walk away and come back to the deck when needed. Yes It's not great sitting in front on a cassette deck which is why I would go away and have a cup of coffee and do something else. Most of the cassette decks I have are of a high enough quality that they would not wear out the tape heads and the mechanisms were tough enough to do it. Most of the time I didn't bother because my decks tape heads were always aligned and erased the tape properly.
Thanks for telling people about bulk erasers because they do work.
Thanks! Sure, decks will do, not with metal tapes though! Those are really tough!
I was going to say I did use one for Video tapes and reel to reel Thanks agin @@anadialog
I did this recently on some used cassettes I bought off eBay. The result was a phantom recording left of the old recordings, slightly audible between tracks I recorded. Despite technically being erased twice, I think the issue is that each manufacturer of decks had slightly different track/magnet spacing on the heads, so it’s hard to completely and “perfectly” erase a tape with this method without using the same type of deck that was originally used to record with. I recently bought a Realistic bulk eraser and am hoping for good results.
God I miss cassettes! I think I'm going invest in using cassettes as a secondary analogue source again! Metal cassettes sound nearly as good as 15 ips reel to reel!
Yes, great choice!!
Looks like im getting a degauser. Ive got a crate full of Reels with old church services recorded on them, i wanna back up my jazz fusion collection on some
Good idea! But your recorder should take care of that...
This channel is unique compared to the others .
I have been using hand held for the tape head for year & years ,
I never thought of wipeing the tape its self
A good heavy speaker magnet well do this .
Better off swiping it past the magnet without touching it or run it around in circles would be best , yess ???
Thanks man! Start with straight lines...circles are a little more harsh...
@@anadialog understood.
I was told that Demagnetizing the video sound head will take the life out of it , the only way that can happen is with a FIXED magnet in the head ,
I take it that audio tape heads are all electronic magnets .
These selfish guys who work in Business will not answer good questions so they are a waste of time , no more of that today !
Maybe I misunderstood...demagnetizing heads for audio tape is an important but different process (don't know about video). This is for erasing information on any type of magnetic tape...
@@anadialog A good video , I never thout of doing it this way
Thanks !
@@anadialog will using a big magnet do the trick? For regular cassettes and reel to reel?
Thank you
I usually take my huge magnet and swipe it across the tape that always did the job
Lucky you!
if i wipe a vhs-c tape can I still use it to record agian
Fagotis Ieur yes you can
This is a good option if you just want to destroy the recording, but it will leave the tape in a magnetized state that will either make it difficult to rerecord the tape, of it will cause excessive hiss. To erase a tape with the intention to rerecord on it, you should use an alternating magnetic field, such as the one generated in the video above.
Its an industry standard if you want to rapidly erase a reel to reel tape and re-record over it. I didn't invent anything.
I am looking for a bulk tape eraser how is a Lafayette or RadioShack brand, how are they in erasing tapes with metal reels, does anyone make one that can bulk erase a 10 1/2 inch reel.
Hi! Im having this problem. Specially on chrome and metal tapes. Domésticos one channel disappear on the recording. This demagnetizer are awesome. But in brazil its hard to find.
If i record with no input, it will work better?
First wind all the tape to one side, introduce the tape or cassette from a distance while rotating it, rotate the tape over the magnetic field, remove it whilst rotating it then switch the bulk eraser off when the tape is a distance away.
أحسنت ، كنت أعلم مسبقاً انه من الممكن مسح الكاسيت عن طريق المغناطيس ؛ ولكن لم أكن أعلم الطريقه الآن علمت
شكراً جزيلاً لك ؛ سؤالي هل من الممكن مسح الديفي آر الخاص بالكمبيوتر او كميرات المراقبه
بالمغنطه وشكراً على جهودكم
وعملكم الصالح 🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦✅✅✅✅✅✅✅
What about the Nagaoka CD1 Head Cleaner and Magnetizer? But im afraid that it will shorten the life of the unit. What do you think?
Hi there! I am afraid that you are mixing up the subjects, in this video we talk on how to completely erase data from magnetic tape I also made a different video where I explain how to demagnetise for example a tape deck, here is a link: ua-cam.com/video/oIFjLT2VI1c/v-deo.html
apart from that I have never tried the CD1 only something similar by philips present in the video and the results were rather poor. Better a handheld type IMO.
Happy new year Aykut!!!!
Whenever I demagnetize an audio tape the new blank has a low “rolling rumble” on it. It doesn’t seem to affect the record-ability at all. After I record on it it sounds great. Does anyone know if there any way to stop the rumble? It doesn’t seem to have affected anything yet, but just curious
I havent done it myself but from what I've seen you need to pull the tape away slowly the last couple of passed. Its supposed to help that very problem.
Would a 500w step down converter work to convert this device to a European 230v current, or 1000w minimum is a must?
If it's a certified transformer no problem!
hi ! I have a demagnetise instrument for demagnitise the head of reel to reel tape recorder... can I use that to demagnetise the tapes? making the same procedure?
The magnet is not strong enough unfortunately! It will only make a few mute gaps in the recording...
Would this method work on HDcam tapes?
If it records magnetically, yes!
"Don't use a hand held one - they don't work". I don't doubt for a moment that you are right and that the Geneva unit is very effective. You later clarified that you don't recommend them, which sounds very reasonable. But in my experience hand held bulk erasers (low $$) work well with high coercivity tapes, and a used $30 Realistic Bulk Tape Eraser e.g. Model 44-232 very effectively on reel to reel, cassette tapes, VHS, DV camcorder tapes (which are in my opinion the toughest challenge). When used properly, they work very well. They all operate on a similar principle. A large AC elecromagent designed to produce an external magnetic flux. Initially. I thought the Geneva unit ($$$) might be special, operating at a higher frequency, but I don't think so from the demonstration shown here. You can hear that the operating frequency is AC 60Hz, so I have serious doubts about real, measurable performance advantages over a hand held unit. There are numerous other UA-cam videos that show how effective hand held units can be, and how to operate them properly.
Thanks for sharing that, maybe the one I tried (hand-d-mag) wasn't strong enough.
it seems when one reads about tape earsing methods in the various tape/Open reel forums - the general consensus is the Model Wiggles is mentioning works very well and relatively inexpensive on ebay -20-30$ on average in box.
I have a ripped open cassette tape player that I replaced the play head with a neodymium hard drive magnet. If I fast forward and put the magnet into the head, it erases the whole thing start to finish in 3 minutes.
Cool!!
I have recorded a BASF Chrome cassette tape 4 times since 2001 when i bought this cassette as brand new
the first 3 was in my Aiwa ad-f 850 with dolby c , and the last one in December 28th of 2018 in my other deck the Technics rs-bx 707 again with dolby c and never experienced such a problem so far .
I'm particularly a cassette tape deck owner since 1996 and so far not even one time such a problem in every cassette i've personally recorded in my both decks so far :-)
Does matter the quality of the cassette decks for this phenomena or it's always but we can't spot it ?
Thx for any reply and nice video b.t.w :-)
Do you also use and reuse metal cassettes?
@@anadialog
The last 15 + years no
I was using metal tapes mostly in the 90s since 1996 when i bought my 1st deck
but i wasn't reusing all of them by the meaning to re-record them because i was recording them once and for good cause they were very expensive
but i remember a very few times when it happened to re-record a couple of them didn't notice such a problem or at-least it was unaudiable
Great!
i got some strong magnets at home. Would they do the same job if i would hold a magnet on my cassettes?
I tried...did't do anything...you need high power electrifyed magnets...
@@anadialog ok, like in the Industry:-))
I tried a loudspeaker magnet on a tape once (looooong time ago). It resulted in a fade in and out of the sound and loss of high frequencies. It didn't erase.
I think you need alternating magnetic field to erase the tape, so the static magnetic field from a big speaker magnet just changes the signal on the tape (if it makes any sense). The degausser shown in the video uses AC electromagnet so the magnetic field generated is changing it's direction rapidly. Also that is the reason why the cassette was vibrating.
Is it there any problems using this device in tapes with 10,5" Aluminum reels ?
Thanks and I love your channel bud, keep the great work!
Cheers from Lethbridge, AB. CANADA.
Did you ever find an answer to using the bulk eraser with 10 1/2 inch metal reels if you did can you let me know as I am looking for one also.
can the hi8 tape be used again??
I think so but I never tried.
I suggest you to try make some erase experience between tapes, Normal, Crome and Metal. Make just one pass in the machine with each one of then and listen the results, and show for us of course.... Thank you!! As always a nice video.....
Metal cassettes need a LOT of passages, the coercivity (1000) is among the highest of all tapes ever produced!
Take the tape out of a MiniDV cassette and run it in a 1/4 inch wide reel to reel deck and see how well it erases. There is Metal Evaporated tape in those...
Hi Bro
I found lots of these in my fathers old boxes. But most already have songs on them. Anyway could i use them to rewrite some new songs. I use my fathers old car and it has a tape player. I dont want to change the player. This kinda looks cool. Playing new songs on these cassettes
Sure! That is the cool think of tape, you can record over and over with them. You usually just need a decent tape deck. Before recording it will automatically wipe the precident audio.
@@anadialog Thank You for your prompt reply. Could you pls suggest some tape deck brands or models. I'll see if i can find them. My dad might know where to find.
Well, good brands are Nakamichi, Revox, Technics, Dual, NAD, Aiwa, Pioneer, Sony...look for models coming from the 80's.
@@anadialog Thanks a lot. I'll keep you posted.
I'm worried that that process would make the tape less stable. High and low end would jump quite a bit when trying to calibrate maybe...?
I am not sure what happens at a phsycal and chemical level, I can just say that the bulk eraser I used was designed to cancel the audio signal recorded on any type of tape. I use it only with very tough metal cassettes otherwise a standard deck is more than sufficient.
@@anadialog do you have calibration on your deck where it shows you the high and low signal for setting bias? If so, do the signals hold level well after using the tape eraser?
Yes, I do and yes they do!
@@anadialog I work in a machine shop. We have a demagntizer there. I'm thinking of trying that demagntizer on a cassette. I'm a little nervous about it but I've seen videos of people putting high powered magnets on cassettes and they are still usable at least. I have a TDK SA-X and I noticed when I tried to rerecord my tracks on side-b the cassette was very unstable. It wasn't that I could hear any of the previous recording but it became very unstable. I couldn't properly bias it it was so bad. So I'm thinking I'll give a demagntizer a try.
Keep us updated!
@ANA[DIA]LOG Excuse me, the machine destroys the entire cassette roll of everything that was recorded?
Yup!
Wow you take a long time to explain things hahaha
This guy is trying to help us and we don't need to criticize his methods of communication to some who obviously are new to this vintage audio hobby. 👍 He does a great job!
Very good my friend
I tried to record a cassette that has songs in it but I didnt hear anything like song on top of a song. All I heared is something like weird raining sound. The part that I recorded is gone. And I dont have money to buy that degauss thing
Any help? Thankyou. I think I have to save some money to buy a new cassette
I am not sure I understand what happened to you. In any case, just try recording nothing, will all volumes to 0 at least twice. Then record some music. Is it working? If not maybe you have a problem with the erasing head. What type of cassette is it?
*ANA[DIA]LOG* I experienced this problem *very-very seldom* and *my explanation was the following:*
Imagine you have a METAL TAPE and during the *second* recording attempt, you select "Normal" instead of CrO2/METAL recording mode.
This could lead to hearing the old music on that cassette, because the "normal" mode uses less energy that is incapable to handle the "strong" metal tape. The same could happen, if you have a NEW "Normal" or "CrO2" Tape, which you mistakenly record in METAL Mode. In that case, your second attempt in the right mode (Normal) could preserve some level of the old Music.
I'm using cassette tapes from the early 80s and now i am doing it again, with my good old equipment, so I'll try to find some time and make a short research on the phenomenon.
*P.S.:* Those who can't afford a demagnetizer, should try to ERASE their cassettes with the recorder, before attempting to record music on it. I've heard back in the 80s that this gives you better recording quality, but i never had the need to test this method by myself.
I must admit thatbfresh tape, especially Type IV, is always best.
@@anadialog Every tape had its own qualities. 90% of my (music) cassettes were the best CrO2 and middle to top Metal quality and i am still not sure which of them i like more.
Does this also work on mobile cell phones?
I don't know but I don't think so
How to get it back if i erased it not on purpose
I couldn't drag this out any longer even if I tried.
I v bought Realistic Bulk tape eraser, good does job ,had to buy step down 3000 watt)adapter )))cause fuses blew off in weaker once )))
If you can still hear the previous recording on a tape even after recording over it, then either the heads are misaligned and/or the erase head is defective and/or not making proper contact with the tape.
But oh my god, those damn metal tapes! I totally forgot about those. yes, they were notorious for not erasing proper. I experienced that once, and now I am sure that was the real reason I never continued using them.
Yes, its the metal tapes the problem!
It is useful if you can find one of this things. Metal tapes can be erased by a good deck, according to my experience, so not absolutely necessary.
Does it mean i can use the same Tape over And over?
Of course! That's the magic of tape!
That's why they are better for the car...they aren't like CD-Rs where you have to throw the disc out when you tire of them. With the tape, it can be recorded over. Just record as usual, the new recording will replace the old one. UNLESS you are recording a Metal tape in a recorder that wasn't designed for metal tapes, then you need the bulk eraser.
Did you erase the tape using your tape deck first Then use the de-magnetizer on it ?
Nope! No need! The demag is very powerfull!
Just found an akai ate-7 at an estate sale for 1$. ...... epic score
i love your accent
You can buy a simple Do-It-Yourself Magnet (being a Neodymium Magnet), I erased my used Type IV tapes with one circular magnet. Cheap, simple and compact. :D Just discovered that today. :P It just takes more swirls about the cassette [being Type IV] , where Types I and II are a one-two-three, buh-buhhh! :D :P
I am not that sure of that. A bulk eraser uses an electric magnet, a hundred times more strong than any normal magnet. In fact you said one swirl, then you started to add some...plus with a bulk eraser you can erase ANY type of tape, VHS, reel-to-reel and also hard drives!
@@anadialog actually, a neodymium magnet might be so strong that it does not only wipe the data on it, but it will leave the tape in such a magnetized state that you can't even record on it anymore.
Not intending to be critical... I heard you say aligning the tape particulars ... just so you know the oxide particals DO NOT actually move on the tape ... they are simply remember the magnetic signals as the tape passes during recording ... when using a bulk eraser the oxide particles are cleared of ANY magnetic fields... (completely neutral of any magnetic impressions)
Hi Darin, yes, the microscopic particles of the oxide get realigned by the electromagnetic signal. They change direction. Check anywhere, like here for example: www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/technology/technology-terms-and-concepts/magnetic-recording
How 'Bout MiniDV™ Casettes Mate? Pls Reply Quick ❤
BTW Love Ur Channel Bud! 😍
ANYTHING that is magnetic, so yes!
@@anadialog Thanks Buddy
Old school ransomware. Pay up or I demagitise your tape, hahahaaaaaa 📼
Just like a copyright strike. Pay up or I demagnetize your video soundtrack...
you don't have to do so much, just bring the tapes to the magnet of a speaker preferably a 12 inch subwofer. unintentionally, they erased mine and at first I didn't know. and I thought someone was erasing them because my depeche mode tapes had already angered them
Handhelds work just fine ....obviously if you had to do it 3 times ... your eraser isn't that great
Surely not for 2" or 1/4" magnetic tape
I used a simple but powerful magnet (bought on amazon) and it erased all my VHS tapes
you can use a motor jeez thats a lot of work
You forgot to mention that only low end tape deck or boombox will fail to erase metal tape properly... on a high end decks is non issue.
Not metal cassettes! Those are really tough to erase completely once recorded...
What about the fillings in your teeth? Maybe this machine will make you lose hair, impotence faster....LOL
Why get to the point when one can waffle and then get interrupted with ads😅
High powered device for demagnetizing...
Cautioned about having other tapes and drives anywhere near the device...
Still takes 3-5 attempts to clear the intended format.
Maybe instead of swiping it directly on the device, you should have just had it "nearby" for a more effective outcome?
And then it overheats if left on...
Yeah, that's all an ever-worsening society of stupidity needs ; more dangerous devices.
Sounds logical.
This is easier :
DON'T USE Metal tapes in the first place.
Stick to Normal and Chrome tapes, which will erase just fine on a good tape deck that erases properly.
Good luck to anyone who used one of these to blank a hard drive in the hope of it working again.
That is why you use it on hard drives, to cancell everything permanently! You are in fact loosing also the booting software, which is why it will not work anymore. A tech could be able to insert a new boot file to reuse it...
@@anadialog Does a blank hard drive come with a boot file? I suppose it's possible. I always assumed boot sectors were created when the OS initializes the drive.
Yes, some sort of basic booting on it otherwise its a hunk of metal! I think you are referring to the system booting and I think the drive itself has its own for basic interaction...
When i was in the U.S. Air Force, our base had a data/tape storage area for storing backups and tape maintenance. We would send over locked travel cases of computer tape reels and disk cartridges for off-site storage and/or degaussing. The degausser at the off-site was the size of a refrigerator with an access door about microwave size. The degausser compartment had a 3 - 4 inch thick foam rubber floor to protect the item being degaussed. When the degausser was activated, it would start at a low hum and then end with a very unexpected and loud metallic crash. Supposedly, the item would actually be momentarily levitated and then dropped, hence the foam rubber. If the disk cart had electronics or it was a normal HDD, in addition to the iron particles being completely realigned, every PNP/NPN junction ( i.e. transistors, JFET, MOSFET) would be blown out. But this beast was mainly used for computer tapes.
** Need to remember: tape heads get demagnetized - tapes and disks get degaussed **
If you are using such a machine that you are too scared to keep your wristwatch on, think what it is doing to the internals of a hard drive. The precision mechanical parts will resonate themselves to destruction. I used a NATO grade machine to erase a 10.5" reel of tape a few years ago and the reel flanges vibrated so much, the reel was difficult to hold. The vibration demonstrated in the video with just a cassette (probably just the metal plate, pin and screws of the shell) has much larger parts than the internals of a HDD.
10:29 Missing part of the video? No proof? No before/after?
Proof? Is a well renowned technic, that is why they created these bulk erasers. If I talk about tape do I also have to proof that it can record?
@@anadialog Yeah , I know as I worked in radio for 20 years in the 80's and used them to erase reels and carts all the time. But, we didn't use metal cassettes which are notoriously hard to erase...so yes PROOF. You said the words you did not do a before and after recording. You don't think that I am just going to believe what somebody says on the internet do you? And then go out and spend the money on something that I still don't know will work well. So in my quest for finding an eraser for Hi8 Metal tapes I have to check this video off as a probably not seeing that you do not actually show the results. Hope this makes sense to you and hope it helps you make better videos in the future.
I will send you my tapes to erase...no fucking way am I going to play with that machine....don't high end tape decks have a built in erase function?
You obviously use the word obviously way too much!!! Obviously.
I obviously agree! ;-)
The app Joe Biden wants to know your location...
yeah drag politics into this lmao
Too much talk!
if i wipe a vhs-c tape can I still use it to record agian
Yup
Hi! Im having this problem. Specially on chrome and metal tapes. Sometimes one channel disappear on the recording. This demagnetizer are awesome. But in brazil its hard to find.
If i record with no input, it will work better?
Yes, ai would definitely try one or two passages and then record a new signal.
@@anadialog ty man love your channel. Keep going! Regards from Rio de Janeiro 🤘🏻
will the han-d-mag completely erase a metal cassette too?
I don't think so. It's not powerful enough but I have never tried.