Hiya Vincent,
 VW> I was wondering if any nice people out there could give me a low down
 VW> on different casette types that is type1, type2 etc...normal bias, high
 VW> bias etc... What their advantages/disadvantages (Aside from cost) and
 VW> what they are usually used for in recording?
Alrighty, here's the go:
Type 1 tapes Normal Bias
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These are primarly your standard run-of-the-mill type tapes used basically
in portable cassette decks, car stereos and walkmans. Usually used by 
people just making copies of other tapes or CD's for use in the car or 
walkman. These have a dynamic range of 58.5 db.
Advantages are that the tapes are cheap and you can use them in tape
machines without a tape type switcher. Disadvantages are that because of the
58 db dynamic range, it gives you less power in the music you've taped, which
is why a lot of people use high bias tapes as explained next. All 
commercially duplicated tape is done on type 1 tape, though quite a few
duplicators are turning to type 2 chrome tape.
Type 2 tapes High Bias
**********************
These are your Chrome cassettes, used by anyone wanting a higher quality
than type 1 tape and are perfect for taping off CD's. Advantages are the
music sounds more crisp and the tapes can be used for archival purposes.
Type 3 - Ferri-Chrome
*********************
These were in the market for a while but manufacturers didn't make the
tape decks to handle them. This tape was a mixture of both Normal and High
Bias particles and is not used today.
Type 4 - Metal, High Bias
*************************
This is the real stuff :) Used by people recording important stuff,
engineers at studios giving artists duplicates of their work and anyone
else that wants the ultimate and the best sound you can possibly get
from a tape. Disadvantages of this tape type are the high cost (Maxell's
Metal Vertex retails for $49, could now be down to $35 or so now). 
Advantages are a wider dynamic range than type 1 and type 2 and the ability
to capture very high CD quality sound. It's not quite 90db as CD's are...
but boasting just over a 75db dynamic range, this'll be worth your while,
although you aren't likely to go out and buy a box of 10 of these.
 
 
Hope this helps :)
Cheers,
Frank
... Blue Wave - World Tour - 1997
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