If you have a cassette deck, or other tape deck or device such as a cd recorder, which can both record and play back, the preamp's tape out connectors (left and right) would be connected to the input (record) connectors of the deck (left and right, respectively), and the deck's output (playback) connectors (left and right) would be connected to the preamp's tape in connectors (left and right, respectively).
That allows the signal from the source component (phono, cdp, tuner, etc.) which is selected on the preamp to be routed to the tape deck input for recording. To play back from the tape deck, or to monitor the recorded signal directly from the tape as it is being recorded (which requires a deck with separate record and playback heads), you then select the monitor or tape position of the preamp's monitor/input or tape/source switch (or whatever similar designation it may have).
It's the same idea for the processor loop, allowing you to connect an external equalizer or other processor in the signal path. A processor loop and a tape loop, in fact, would be functionally and technically identical, differing only in terms of the nomenclature appearing on the front panel and the rear connectors, and in terms of which comes first in the signal path (I'd assume the tape loop is first in preamps that provide both, so that the processor could act on signals being played back from the tape deck).
Hope that helps. Regards,
-- Al
That allows the signal from the source component (phono, cdp, tuner, etc.) which is selected on the preamp to be routed to the tape deck input for recording. To play back from the tape deck, or to monitor the recorded signal directly from the tape as it is being recorded (which requires a deck with separate record and playback heads), you then select the monitor or tape position of the preamp's monitor/input or tape/source switch (or whatever similar designation it may have).
It's the same idea for the processor loop, allowing you to connect an external equalizer or other processor in the signal path. A processor loop and a tape loop, in fact, would be functionally and technically identical, differing only in terms of the nomenclature appearing on the front panel and the rear connectors, and in terms of which comes first in the signal path (I'd assume the tape loop is first in preamps that provide both, so that the processor could act on signals being played back from the tape deck).
Hope that helps. Regards,
-- Al