Update: I have now compared a prerecorded audio tape (as sold in stores), one copied from vinyl without modification and one copied from vinyl with added Dolby Atmos noise reduction filter. For my take on the noise reduction, see OP. The prerecorded tape sounded like listening to radio in my kitchen back in like 1995, that is, zero bass, minimum mid, all treble (but not cutting sharp like the noise filter). In comparison, the copy from vinyl without modifications sounds awesome. A much fuller sound: equal bass, mid and treble but with the occasional vinyl pops and cracks of course. Absolutely enjoyable! In fact, I spent the whole morning at work yesterday listening to two albums like that! It was also a great conversation starter, he he.
Vinyl player: Argon TT-3 PLUS
Cassette deck: Harman/kardon TD 302
Cassette type: I
Cassette player: Crown SZ-32 (couldn’t find any info, so it could be a China clone of something else…)
I’m taping (copying) vinyls to empty audio cassettes to not wear out the orginial audio cassette releases. My audio cassette deck with which I’m doing to copying has some kind of a Doly Atmos noise filter which is supposed to suppress hiss and whatever. So I decided to use it. For good measure, I also wiped the vinyl with some isopropyl alcohol which not only removes stains but also - supposedly - reduces static discharges, which of course makes popping sounds. All this in preparation for an hour long bus ride.
Results:
- the noise filter just added a ton of treble, making the music unbearable to listen to. Like needles in my ears.
- the isopropyl alcohol just made loose grit and shit, which the needle collected (well done needle, in ANY other situation…), which distorted the sound even more.
Only 45 minutes left on this God awful bus. 🥲💔❤️🔥💀
AFAIK that’s kinda how tape noise “filter” technology works, the idea is to make the signal louder than the noise by (mostly) boosting treble and then use equalization on the playback device to make it sound normal again (i.e. your portable cassette player needs to support Dolby). And the fucked up thing is that new audio cassette devices don’t support it, because Dolby is proprietary af and AFAIK the manufacturers also need specialized parts that aren’t easily available anymore.
Wooow. Thanks! That makes so much sense! My portable player is some cheapo from China:
My deck does have a treble adjustment knob though. I’ll give that a try later. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge! 😊
The Dolby name is trademarked so nobody can use it without paying some kind of licensing fee. But the technology behind Dolby A and B noise reduction is brutally simple by modern standards, extremely well understood, and trivial to perform with current electronics. Any patents on it would have also expired decades ago since these were introduced in 1965 and 1968, respectively.
I think this is yet another one of those cases where we’re in the situation we’re in because nobody can be bothered.