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N_Cook N_Cook is offline
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Default Cassette tape speed adjustment

Arfa Daily wrote in message
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Ron wrote in message
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Set up a sig genny and test him out



Much easier to say the test tape is stretched.
Perhaps perfect pitch testing would only work by playing the likes of

JSB
Tocatta and Fugue in D major, not pure tones

How come I cannot google the rpm of an audio cassette capstan? A
calibrated
strobe and tipex mark on the capstan periphery should give a definite
answer
(assuming the spindle is clean and not worn).
It should be determinable from tape speed of 1 7/8 in per sec and

spindle
diameter, that is about 1.9mm, but what should it be to 0.1 percent
accuracy?



The rotational speed of a cassette capstan is not a fixed given. The
diameter of capstans vary from machine to machine, and the correct speed

of
tape transport is then a function of how fast you drive the capstan round.
The reference in my strobe tape, is indeed the mains. I have been using

this
tape for many many years, and I have file://never// had anyone complain

that the
speed of their machine is off, after I have used it to set one up. Konig
must think that the mains is a good enough reference, otherwise, there

would
be no point in them marketing the tape for the purpose of setting up

speed.
Exception to this. As Ron said, very occasionally, when an owner has
recorded tapes when the machine was running at the 'wrong' speed ...

Arfa

Arfa



I've since found 2 capstan spindles of 2.4mm diameterm so no fixed
specification for cassette tape dynamics.

Another possibility as a test tape - record some constant tone, any f, on a
few minutes of tape, pull out a long length and pass a magnet over two parts
a measured distance apart. retract, and then time the interval between dips
in play mode