Were any of you taping concerts circa 1972-88?


I would love to connect with anyone else who was taping on cassette or reel to reel in the era using good gear. I am mostly nterested in rock (I suppose "classic rock") artists. Not so much the Dead or jam bands.

Because the gear was expensive, a lot of early tapers were hi-fi enthusiasts so I figure there could be some lurking here.

BK for JEMS
butterking
Back then I was working in a stereo store and I bought a top of the line Sony portable cassette recorder with Dolby B noise reduction. It had a built in stereo mike. I remember taking it to many Jethro Tull concerts, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, The Who to name a few. I recorded "Dark Side Of The Moon" at The Music Hall in Boston. I don't think the album was even out yet!

The quality wasn't bad for the day and I had a decent stereo, It was a Kenwood 80wpc integrated amp, Kenwood tuner, Rectilinear III speakers, Teac Cassette deck and an Empire 598 (Troubadour) turntable with a Shure V15 cartridge. I bought an SAE equalizer and was able to fill out the frequency's on the recording that were rather thin.

Stupidly, I got out of the hobby in the early 80's and got into salt water fish instead. I got back into audio in 1987 and haven't looked back. How I wish I kept all those recordings that were on cassette tapes. I wish I had kept that system, It really made great sounds and would probably be worth a few bucks today.
Yes

But many of our recordings were of that era where tape binders were hydoscopic.

TDK Audia and Scotch professional were just awful in that regard. Once the deed was done my big TASCAM didn't have the horsepower to drag that tape across the heads.

Baking tape gave you a single shot at it, frequently with diminished frequency response.
I had an Akai reel as well as a Kenwood cassette. I still use my reel, which is now a Technics 2 track.

At that time, an Empire turntable, and a V15 cartridge was the thing, they were some really beautiful TT's.

Since I'm into jazz, I can't help you with the music, although I've been giving cassettes away by the dozens. I'm sure there is someone like me who no longer has any use for very well recorded and good sounding cassettes, who would gladly share their love of rock with you.