I just started getting back into collecting blank cassettes after about 20 years or more of not using them. I almost forgot how much I love making mix tapes! I wish I knew back then what I know now about super ferric type l’s, I would have bought out a heap of TDK AR’s and AR-X’s! I don’t own any at this point, but I would like to get my hands on some in the future. I do have a few early 1982 AD-60’s just like the AD-90 you showed in this video, and even they sound amazing, considering they are just above a D, plenty of bass (which is to be expected for a type l) but also has clean extended HF extension which the D’s lack of a little bit. Not to say that the TDK D isn’t a good tape, because they are a great workhorse tape!
I wish I’d known about the TDK AR’s back in the 80’s. Would’ve been great for getting more of a type 2 sound out of a type 1. Never knew about these bake then.
I didn't know much about the different grades within their type back in the day, either! I always wonder why my dad's deck had the tape selector switch for the tape type, but my boom box didn't. Dolby made things dull, so I figured my boombox didn't include it, and I was better for it. And since my boombox didn't have a tape selector, I figured it play/record on all those tapes. Ah, to be young and naive. :)
There was also a predecessor to the AR called the OD. That was in 1979 when TDK was started to add OD to its lineup along with D, AD, SA, SA-X, and MA.
Very nice and very good quality cassette, along with the AD. I have some 1988 TDK AR 46, 90 and 100, I really like them! I'm still searching for some AR-X but they are pretty rare and expensive...
Have a couple of AR90's somewhere but the next version (1990), beautiful sounding cassette. The 1990 version was a black cassette with a horizontal clear window, but the 1988 version looks better with it's larger clear window. Nice find indeed. I am fortunate to have an unopened 1982 TDK SA60 (Type II) still in it's original wrapper.
I used so many of that version of the AR back in the early '90s. It was my family's go-to tape at the time, as they were available in 5-packs a great price from Richer Sounds in the UK. 🙂 Prior to the AR the 1982 AD90 was very common in our house, so I've got a good number of those too. I love that shell design, and I'm finding that with well recorded music they still sound great 40 years on. I've also got a decent number of AR's in the subsequent shell. They look cool, but the one you've got there is far more attractive to my eye. What I didn't realise back in the '90s (due to the lower end deck that I was using; we didn't have any 3 heads) was just how good these AR's were. I knew they were a step above the AD, but I didn't realise they could compete with type II. Anyway, it was really interesting to see the extra sensitivity of the AR, thank you. Maybe I should invest in a ZX-7…
My experience with cassettes back then was also with inexpensive equipment. I usually stick with type I cassettes because my boombox didn't record on anything else
My favourite cassette! Less pretentious than the TDK SA. TDK AR's were more solid & reliable (& cheaper as I recall) Wish I'd used those AR's more back in the day.
I didn't use the AD's a whole lot; I had a couple AD's and a few AD-x's, but mostly SA and higher. I don't think we ever got AR's in the US< but I'm definitely looking to give them a try. Back in the day, TDKs were my go-to tape for just about everything.
Nice decks you have :-) For the bias calibration mostly the left channel is flickering i see it in many decks i have the Technics rs-bx707 and this thing's happening the same way like in your Nak but the level - cal is rock-steady like also in your Nak mostly i use the new Maxells UR 90 type 1 : What's your opinion for them ??
Maxell URs performs surprisingly well for a ubiquitous tape. Even the ones sold now in retail sound surprisingly musical. I do notice a touch more hiss then the TDK D's. The D's to blow them out of the water, as do the older "proper" URs. The left channel wavering is usually because it's on the outer edge of the tape, which is easier to be damaged or worn. You know you have an excellent condition tape if the channels are rock solid during calibration. Even NOS can get wavery. However, actual use you won't be able to tell if it's minor.
@@TechieZeddie Yes you are very right now they don't make things as good as they used to make . By my opinion middle 70's - 80's { 1975 - 1989 } is the best decade + in hi-fi audio history and for cassettes too , better design - quality constuction - better good looking cassettes & stereos separates units
Hi, Zeddie! You actually could do sound comparison the same way as Tony from Cassette Comeback does using UA-cam Royality Free music library. Then your great videos will be even better.
Oh, I just remembered the problem. I don't have a way to do a line in to my iPad which I use as a camera. Does it have a way to allow for mic and line in at the same time?
the '88 ARs are nice; "classic" late '80s styling in a more premium looking shell. and i remember those ADs! i like these profiles or look-ats or whatever, 'cause i've been collecting just over a month and the oldest thing i have is a boring pack of 1996 maxell URs!! talking about recording projects: the restoration of my porta-one is going slow -- a combination of the myriad faults, and the amount of time i have to work on it. but next week i'm gonna bust out my 414 and do some tracking. even if i can't mixdown (line-outs need re-soldering), i'm really enthusiastic to get something to tape again!
I really enjoy your videos! The only trouble is your voice seems to need to be louder. IDK what that problem may be. Otherwise keep making those nice videos!
Me neither. I'll try to see if I can increase the volume in the video editor. I typically do very light to no editing because I'm not really that good at it, lol.
@@TechieZeddie I'm sure you can figure it out! It just seems like your voice is just really low even though I have the volume of my device Up full. Keep those videos coming!
I got these from a friend in Armenia. We know each other from the Cassette Comeback group that banned us because the owner thought we were competing with him (the owner and I had a UA-cam channel and both him and my friend sold cassettes). I did a video about it.
@@TechieZeddie Okay, but where was it stored for so many years? It's not the only piece of art, there are plenty of them and they haven't been produced for years...
@@Antubis7 no idea. The handful of NOS blanks were originally owned by me were stored in my childhood closet, away from extreme heat and light. So my guess is other people's who find and sell them stored in similar way.
I just started getting back into collecting blank cassettes after about 20 years or more of not using them. I almost forgot how much I love making mix tapes! I wish I knew back then what I know now about super ferric type l’s, I would have bought out a heap of TDK AR’s and AR-X’s! I don’t own any at this point, but I would like to get my hands on some in the future. I do have a few early 1982 AD-60’s just like the AD-90 you showed in this video, and even they sound amazing, considering they are just above a D, plenty of bass (which is to be expected for a type l) but also has clean extended HF extension which the D’s lack of a little bit. Not to say that the TDK D isn’t a good tape, because they are a great workhorse tape!
I wish I’d known about the TDK AR’s back in the 80’s. Would’ve been great for getting more of a type 2 sound out of a type 1. Never knew about these bake then.
I didn't know much about the different grades within their type back in the day, either! I always wonder why my dad's deck had the tape selector switch for the tape type, but my boom box didn't. Dolby made things dull, so I figured my boombox didn't include it, and I was better for it. And since my boombox didn't have a tape selector, I figured it play/record on all those tapes. Ah, to be young and naive. :)
There was also a predecessor to the AR called the OD. That was in 1979 when TDK was started to add OD to its lineup along with D, AD, SA, SA-X, and MA.
Always love all the TDK tapes that use them hubs!
I would love to have some C46 tapes with oversized hubs just to see the hubs better! I especially love the late 80s Sony UX line of hubs!
Thanks Zeddie!
Another great video!
I think I have one AR in my collection. Definitely unicorns!
I believe I have one AR-100 left; the other broke.
Very nice and very good quality cassette, along with the AD. I have some 1988 TDK AR 46, 90 and 100, I really like them! I'm still searching for some AR-X but they are pretty rare and expensive...
Have a couple of AR90's somewhere but the next version (1990), beautiful sounding cassette. The 1990 version was a black cassette with a horizontal clear window, but the 1988 version looks better with it's larger clear window. Nice find indeed. I am fortunate to have an unopened 1982 TDK SA60 (Type II) still in it's original wrapper.
Yeah, I really like the 1988 designs for TDK. :)
I used so many of that version of the AR back in the early '90s. It was my family's go-to tape at the time, as they were available in 5-packs a great price from Richer Sounds in the UK. 🙂
Prior to the AR the 1982 AD90 was very common in our house, so I've got a good number of those too. I love that shell design, and I'm finding that with well recorded music they still sound great 40 years on.
I've also got a decent number of AR's in the subsequent shell. They look cool, but the one you've got there is far more attractive to my eye.
What I didn't realise back in the '90s (due to the lower end deck that I was using; we didn't have any 3 heads) was just how good these AR's were. I knew they were a step above the AD, but I didn't realise they could compete with type II.
Anyway, it was really interesting to see the extra sensitivity of the AR, thank you. Maybe I should invest in a ZX-7…
My experience with cassettes back then was also with inexpensive equipment. I usually stick with type I cassettes because my boombox didn't record on anything else
ARs are rare and very expensive these days. Awesome cassette!
My favourite cassette! Less pretentious than the TDK SA.
TDK AR's were more solid & reliable (& cheaper as I recall)
Wish I'd used those AR's more back in the day.
I just checked and found 100 unused TDK AR90. Bought in mid 90s.
Let me know where you are i can sell you a unused open ar in perfect condition depending on the price and hoe much shipping is and they are all blanks
I didn't use the AD's a whole lot; I had a couple AD's and a few AD-x's, but mostly SA and higher. I don't think we ever got AR's in the US< but I'm definitely looking to give them a try. Back in the day, TDKs were my go-to tape for just about everything.
TDK AR was formerly OD, right?
Nice decks you have :-)
For the bias calibration mostly the left channel is flickering i see it in many decks
i have the Technics rs-bx707 and this thing's happening the same way like in your Nak
but the level - cal is rock-steady like also in your Nak
mostly i use the new Maxells UR 90 type 1 :
What's your opinion for them ??
Maxell URs performs surprisingly well for a ubiquitous tape. Even the ones sold now in retail sound surprisingly musical. I do notice a touch more hiss then the TDK D's. The D's to blow them out of the water, as do the older "proper" URs. The left channel wavering is usually because it's on the outer edge of the tape, which is easier to be damaged or worn. You know you have an excellent condition tape if the channels are rock solid during calibration. Even NOS can get wavery. However, actual use you won't be able to tell if it's minor.
@@TechieZeddie
Yes you are very right now they don't make things as good as they used to make .
By my opinion middle 70's - 80's
{ 1975 - 1989 }
is the best decade + in hi-fi audio history and for cassettes too , better design - quality constuction - better good looking cassettes & stereos separates units
Hi, Zeddie! You actually could do sound comparison the same way as Tony from Cassette Comeback does using UA-cam Royality Free music library. Then your great videos will be even better.
Hmm. It will make my videos longer though... I'll try
Oh, I just remembered the problem. I don't have a way to do a line in to my iPad which I use as a camera. Does it have a way to allow for mic and line in at the same time?
the '88 ARs are nice; "classic" late '80s styling in a more premium looking shell. and i remember those ADs! i like these profiles or look-ats or whatever, 'cause i've been collecting just over a month and the oldest thing i have is a boring pack of 1996 maxell URs!!
talking about recording projects: the restoration of my porta-one is going slow -- a combination of the myriad faults, and the amount of time i have to work on it. but next week i'm gonna bust out my 414 and do some tracking. even if i can't mixdown (line-outs need re-soldering), i'm really enthusiastic to get something to tape again!
There's not place like eBay. :)
@@TechieZeddie
i'm there every day. just scored a couple sealed 2002 maxell xl-ii for the equivalent of $3.80 each. still some bargains to be had.
I just got got 8 of these brand new on Ebay fro 23.50
Nice price! Congrats!
I really enjoy your videos! The only trouble is your voice seems to need to be louder. IDK what that problem may be. Otherwise keep making those nice videos!
Me neither. I'll try to see if I can increase the volume in the video editor. I typically do very light to no editing because I'm not really that good at it, lol.
@@TechieZeddie I'm sure you can figure it out! It just seems like your voice is just really low even though I have the volume of my device Up full. Keep those videos coming!
Where I can get such old cassettes? Who stored them for so long?
I got these from a friend in Armenia. We know each other from the Cassette Comeback group that banned us because the owner thought we were competing with him (the owner and I had a UA-cam channel and both him and my friend sold cassettes). I did a video about it.
@@TechieZeddie Okay, but where was it stored for so many years? It's not the only piece of art, there are plenty of them and they haven't been produced for years...
@@Antubis7 no idea. The handful of NOS blanks were originally owned by me were stored in my childhood closet, away from extreme heat and light. So my guess is other people's who find and sell them stored in similar way.
great video also i love the nakamichi zx-7 can i have it ? jk ! nice set up baby
It‘s Maxell UD 1, not UDI
Oh crap, you're right!
why marry when you a have a machine men would date you for your nakamichi only i would
Lol