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Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 6:48 am
by V8Granite
Does anyone know of a company who can make a mix tape ?
I want a list of songs of my own choosing put on a cassette. I’ve found places that do them for a certain year but that’s it.
Dave!
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:17 am
by mik
Borrow a cassette deck, plug it into your amp and make your own?
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:18 am
by Brannen
I used to use something like the below when one of my cars had a cassette deck. Not sure how you'd use the cassette, but I used to plug my iPod into it at the time and just play what I wanted. You could create a Spotify playlist and plug one of these in if being used in a car?
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:19 am
by V8Granite
I just want to be able to plug a cassette in and play music, no leads or anything. All the equivalent modern Bluetooth head units look rubbish compared to the original or are too classic looking so the easiest thing seems to be to make some tapes.
I didn’t think I’d be able to record through my amp as I can only select 1 input at a time. So if I play through my Bluetooth I can’t have a tape deck connected ?
Dave!
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:21 am
by Beany
mik wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:17 am
Borrow a cassette deck, plug it into your amp and make your own?
Buy a classic Sony or Nakamichi hifi seperate cassette deck - and hell, why not the whole system? - and make your own. Have it in the garage. Turn the garage in to an 80s techfest. GO FULL NOSTALGIA.
To be more helpful, you might (genuinely) want to look at classic hifi forums and see if anyone has any ideas there - getting stuff on tape is doable, but it's low volume stuff and as I understand it, it ain't exactly cheap - just finding decent cassettes (IE metal tapes) is a bit fiddly these days because they ain't made much. Go to youtube, and search for 'techmoan cassette' for a bit of background.
Do NOT buy a modern cassette player - they're all shit. Literally all of them, without exception; no-one makes decent cassette transports any more.
I'm assuming this is for the nostalgia rather than the pure audio fidelity, natch. Otherwise just use a bloody 3.5mm to cassette adapter
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:23 am
by Rich B
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:19 am
I just want to be able to plug a cassette in and play music, no leads or anything. All the equivalent modern Bluetooth head units look rubbish compared to the original or are too classic looking so the easiest thing seems to be to make some tapes.
I didn’t think I’d be able to record through my amp as I can only select 1 input at a time. So if I play through my Bluetooth I can’t have a tape deck connected ?
Dave!
surely you can add an auxiliary input somewhere and plug your phone in. Creating mix tapes (especially when you haven't even got the tech to do it easily yourself) seems a pretty bent solution.
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:28 am
by Beany
Apparently the 500E did have a CD changer available:
https://www.500eboard.co/forums/threads ... ped.13442/
So you might* be able to get the loom for that, then get a Bluetooth module that replaces the CD changer that you control through your phone.
OK, it's not cassette, but it lets you keep OEM spec hifi but you get to control the playlist from yer phone. Decent compromise?
* a big might, but worth spending 20 mins looking into I'd say
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:33 am
by V8Granite
I’m after a mix tape, I know how to do Bluetooth but that’s not what I’m after.
It’s 1991, I’ve just collected my brand new 500e, pop in a mix tape and drive across the country at high speed
Plus the tape player still sounds great, I just don’t have the music I want without switching tapes out etc.
Dave!
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:35 am
by V8Granite
Beany wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:21 am
mik wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:17 am
Borrow a cassette deck, plug it into your amp and make your own?
Buy a classic Sony or Nakamichi hifi seperate cassette deck - and hell, why not the whole system? - and make your own. Have it in the garage. Turn the garage in to an 80s techfest. GO FULL NOSTALGIA.
To be more helpful, you might (genuinely) want to look at classic hifi forums and see if anyone has any ideas there - getting stuff on tape is doable, but it's low volume stuff and as I understand it, it ain't exactly cheap - just finding decent cassettes (IE metal tapes) is a bit fiddly these days because they ain't made much. Go to youtube, and search for 'techmoan cassette' for a bit of background.
Do NOT buy a modern cassette player - they're all shit. Literally all of them, without exception; no-one makes decent cassette transports any more.
I'm assuming this is for the nostalgia rather than the pure audio fidelity, natch. Otherwise just use a bloody 3.5mm to cassette adapter
I shall have a look at Techmoan
Pure Nostalgia, full with fuel, pop on She sells Sanctuary and hammer some A roads.
Dave!
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:37 am
by Sundayjumper
I was going to suggest a CD changer too.
Or get a nice Becker CD head unit. I’m a big fan of those.
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:41 am
by dinny_g
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:35 am
She sells Sanctuary
I have that on 12" Vinyl...
(I also have Rain on 12")
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:42 am
by duncs500
Brannen wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:18 am
I used to use something like the below when one of my cars had a cassette deck. Not sure how you'd use the cassette, but I used to plug my iPod into it at the time and just play what I wanted. You could create a Spotify playlist and plug one of these in if being used in a car?
Get one of these, and a minidisc player to play through it.
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:43 am
by mik
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:19 am
I didn’t think I’d be able to record through my amp as I can only select 1 input at a time. So if I play through my Bluetooth I can’t have a tape deck connected ?
Dave!
But that’s how we recorded onto tape from our record decks or teh wireless back in the day Shirley?
I have my original 1991 Aiwa cassette deck separate in the “shed” if you are interested?
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:46 am
by V8Granite
mik wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:43 am
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:19 am
I didn’t think I’d be able to record through my amp as I can only select 1 input at a time. So if I play through my Bluetooth I can’t have a tape deck connected ?
Dave!
But that’s how we recorded onto tape from our record decks or teh wireless back in the day Shirley?
I have my original 1991 Aiwa cassette deck separate in the “shed” if you are interested?
I’ll have to give it a try but I didn’t think it worked on my Denon PMA-255UK.
I shall do some geekery.
Dave!
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:49 am
by V8Granite
Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:37 am
I was going to suggest a CD changer too.
Or get a nice Becker CD head unit. I’m a big fan of those.
It involves completely rewiring the stereo and doesn’t really suit it. Mine is the ever so clever
set up where the head unit is just a faceplate and the radio, amp etc is all in the boot.
I really like how the colicky clacks buttons and feel of the Becker Mexico 2000.
Dave!
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:52 am
by mik
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:46 am
mik wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:43 am
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:19 am
I didn’t think I’d be able to record through my amp as I can only select 1 input at a time. So if I play through my Bluetooth I can’t have a tape deck connected ?
Dave!
But that’s how we recorded onto tape from our record decks or teh wireless back in the day Shirley?
I have my original 1991 Aiwa cassette deck separate in the “shed” if you are interested?
I’ll have to give it a try but I didn’t think it worked on my Denon PMA-255UK.
I shall do some geekery.
Dave!
Yeah - plugs for playback and recording.
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 10:14 am
by JonMad
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 10:15 am
by Sundayjumper
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:49 am
....the head unit is just a faceplate and the radio, amp etc is all in the boot.
It's the future !!!
Anyway, Mik Is Correct. Get a decent tape deck hooked up to your home system.
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:17 pm
by Jimexpl
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:46 am
mik wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:43 am
V8Granite wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:19 am
I didn’t think I’d be able to record through my amp as I can only select 1 input at a time. So if I play through my Bluetooth I can’t have a tape deck connected ?
Dave!
But that’s how we recorded onto tape from our record decks or teh wireless back in the day Shirley?
I have my original 1991 Aiwa cassette deck separate in the “shed” if you are interested?
I’ll have to give it a try but I didn’t think it worked on my Denon PMA-255UK.
I shall do some geekery.
Dave!
The tape recording connections will 'see' whichever input you've selected, all of the time, so you just need to buy a cassette deck.
Do a trial run before making your whole mix tape, as old decks can lose their speed calibration or have knackered heads.
We've got one of these with a matching amp and turntable for when we want to feel a bit retro -
https://www.whybuynew.co.uk/consumer-hi ... e-deck.htm
It still sounds good, but I've never tried to record on it.
Re: Making a mix tape
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:33 pm
by Rich B
set up where the head unit is just a faceplate and the radio, amp etc is all in the boot.