Variable speed recorders

tim duvall · Post by **tim duvall** » 30 May 2000 3:33 am

Does anyone know where I can get my hands on a variable speed tape recorder? Thanks

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 30 May 2000 4:45 am

JVC has a dual cassette deck with a speed control on it. My Tascam 424 MKIII deck also has a speed control. The 424's are around $500 but you get a 4 track recorder/mixer with that unit.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 30 May 2000 5:25 am

Tim, are you looking for a cassette or reel to reel deck? And are you intersted in a stereo or a multitrack deck?

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 30 May 2000 5:45 am

If you are looking for a portable cassette deck Marantz has several models to chose from. Mono, stereo, with various degrees of variable speed from 1/2 speed to about 12%. They are very nice well built recorders.

My rack mount Tascam 112B also has variable speed control.

tim duvall · Post by **tim duvall** » 30 May 2000 6:24 am

I am looking for a cassette recorder

Joel Glassman · Post by **Joel Glassman** » 30 May 2000 7:03 am

This isn't an answer to your question,
but folks might find the info useful:
The minicassette recorders (~$25) have 2 speeds. I record a solo directly from
my stereo speakers, using its mic. Then
I switch playback to the slow speed.
Its not hi-fi but does the job.
This serves 100% of my needs for slowing music down. --Joel

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 30 May 2000 8:40 am

Article in Los Angeles Times says cassettes are going the way of 8-track tapes.

Dave Smith · Post by **Dave Smith** » 30 May 2000 10:47 am

Jeff Newman wrote an article several years back on converting any old cassette tape player into a variable speed player. There is a pot in the drive motor circuit and you can change the speed by varying that pot. Check with Jeff - I'm sure you can get a copy of his article. I have a Marantz portable mono that does the job for me as well as a JVC stereo. The Marantz lets you cut to 50% speed to copy new licks as well as smaller variations to get "in tune" with the tape.

Sorry Tim - I just re-read the thread and I now understand that you are looking for a variable speed "recorder" not a variable speed "player".

[This message was edited by Dave Smith on 30 May 2000 at 11:57 AM.]

Mark Herrick · Post by **Mark Herrick** » 30 May 2000 11:43 am

Tim,

Robert Parent is right. Marantz makes several models of portable cassette recorders with variable speed playback control. (I think the model numbers are something like PMD-201, PMD-221, etc.) You can go from a real basic mono model to a full blown stereo rig with all kinds of professional mic/line inputs!

(I've always wanted one...sigh!)

erik · Post by **erik** » 30 May 2000 11:53 am

I owned the JVC dual model with pitch control for about 5 yrs. Here's my revue:

<center>
JUNK!</center>

Moon in Alaska · Post by **Moon in Alaska** » 30 May 2000 12:05 pm

Tim, For the past several years I have used a Tascam 424 8 track recorder that has a pitch control and have had real good results. It records on standard speed or 2 times standard and the pitch control works on both speeds. If you click on my web site below, you can see mine in one of the photos. 

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==Carter S-10==
<< Old Fender-400 >>
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Click HERE for Moon's Home Page

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 30 May 2000 12:13 pm

Here's a good article on the subject by Vic Chaney: http://b0b.com/infoedu/slowtape.html

I'm moving this topic to Electronics.

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-System Administrator

mtulbert · Post by **mtulbert** » 30 May 2000 12:24 pm

Another Suggestion for you all.

If you have the ability to convert the track to a wave file there is a program called Cool Edit that will not only slow down the track but maintain the correct pitch as well.

I have used it this on several occasions with great results. If you go too far, the track sounds pretty bad but it is a great way to figure out the subleties of some steel guitar licks.

Take care,

Mark T.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » 30 May 2000 1:07 pm

This may not be pertinent to the original topic but while we're on the subject...Last night my girlfriend bought an Apex DVD/CD/MP3 player at Circuit City for $179.I discovered that the machine has a karaoke function that allows you to change the key of the music by lowering the speed.It also has two mic inputs with variable level.I have only just started to experiment with it as a practice tool.I was thinking of getting a new CD player anyway,so this thing seems perfect.I'll report any further findings if anybody cares.

LARRY COLE · Post by **LARRY COLE** » 3 Jun 2000 5:06 am

Tim, check Crutchfield. I bought a Sony dual deck with pitch control a year or two ago for $129? and it has great specs and works great. www.crutchfield.com

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LC. WILLIAMS U12

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 8 Jun 2000 5:37 pm

My Fostex is a (2) speed unit (cassette) with a pitch control (lowers or raises the speed slightly). The high speed gives a much cleaner sound (with dolby). I guess it is considered low tech by todays standards, but was top at the time it was new. Still, it gives me good results.