Metal cassette's and bias settings?

Keith:

I may be testing my memory here ... but metal formulated tapes are type IV cassettes and should set to that setting ... unless of course your tape deck doesn't have that setting (can't imagine why it wouldn't), but that would also explain the lack of effect from the bias controls.

As for which tape to use, go to your user manual and see which tape brand was used by the manufacturer in their testing/biasing of the machine. Odds are that your tape deck is optimized to that brand of tape.

As for tape brands, I always went with (and happily I may add) TDK or Maxell. I never liked BASF and there was no reason to bother with SONY, unless you were buying their most expensive formulation. Granted this was all when Bush Sr and Bill were duking it out.

Regards, Rich

If you want to buy any blank metal tapes, I recommend that you buy them soon. I don't think many are being made anymore. When looking for blank TDK's a few months ago, I learned that my local stores stopped carrying them, and most web sites no longer had them. Did not run across many alternatives either.

I think that medium is dying; especially the higher end cassettes. Perhaps some Agoner's can shed light on some sources ?

I've had a few TDKs go bad, never a Maxell. I have tapes that I made as far back as the 70s. I would go with Maxells if you can find them. I used Type II & Metal only. The old Sony UDXL Pros were nice also. I feel the Maxells keep the sound better over time than TDKs also.

Vinny