Question about cassette player settings

As I recall, your EX,SX and ZX settings are for bias, which is part of the recording function. EX will probably match inexpensive tapes, SX for high quality tapes and ZX for the very expensive "chromium" type tapes. Your EQ settings are for playback with the lower setting for inexpensive tape and the ligher setting for high quality and "chromium" type tapes. Using oth the Bias and EQ settings properly will maximize the performance of the tape you select. (I found that TDK SA worked the best for my applications.)

Merry Christmas to you, too!

Jim

Jim is partially correct. The EQ or equalization is set for 70 for chrome and metal tapes, and 120 for conventional tape, as I recall. The bias is some Nak proprietary coding, but is probably EX for conventional, SX for chrome and ZX for metal. I'm surprised that your blank tapes don't say something like high or low bias, and give the recommended EQ.

Thanks for the corrrection, Swampwalker- it's been a few years since I've been involved with tapes. Although, I seem to recall at some point that chrome and metal meant the same thing as far as bias was concerned and that high quality non-metal tapes like the TDK SA was the mid-bias setting. Perhaps the standards were changed at some point as even higher bias tapes were introduced?