And so it came to pass, on 03-14-97 22:13,
   that Kevin Jones spake unto All :
 KJ> Okay, I have 2 different tape decks that I've done some recording
 KJ> on.  The first is a Sanyo it's about 13 years old.  The second is a
 KJ> Sony and it's a 1996 model.  Now the Sony has automatic HxPro for
 KJ> recording I recorded the  same song twice on a metal tape. Once on
 KJ> the sony and once on the sanyo.  recording both with Dolby C NR and
 KJ> on the type IV tape setting.  To my surprise, the sanyo recording
 KJ> had clearer highs.  Not believing my ears I tried the same test but
 KJ> instead of a metal tape I used a type II.  Still, the old Sanyo
 KJ> ruled supreme.  
It's likely that the bias settings on the Sanyo are closer to optimal for the 
tapes you're using, than on the Sony deck.  Every different brand and 
formulation of cassette tape will get its best response with different bias 
levels; most cassette decks do not have a user-accessible bias adjustment so 
you're stuck with what they're calibrated for at the factory.  If the Sony 
deck is substantially overbiasing the particular cassettes you're using, or 
if the Sanyo is significantly underbiasing them, that would largely explain 
the differences in frequency response.
For example, I always found, on my old Sanyo tape deck, that Sony and Denon 
tapes gave me the best response.  However, another friend's ancient Technics 
deck worked best with Memorex tapes; recordings it made on Sony tapes were 
always a bit muddy.
 KJ> The sony recording has more high frequency noise, when apparently
 KJ> HxPro is supposed to reduce high frequency noise and distortion. 
HxPro is "Headroom Extension" -- it's supposed to improve headroom by 
lowering the bias level as the signal gets hotter, so the tape doesn't 
saturate as readily.
Remember too, the meters of the two decks are very likely not calibrated 
exactly the same; if the meters on the Sony deck read lower than they should, 
you're probably putting more signal onto the tape with it, which would be why 
it's saturating.
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Love, luck, and lollipops...
Matt


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