Tuesday, June 25, 2024

卡帶或是黑膠哪個聽起來更好?

 

好問題,我相信有百分之八十的发烧友会选黑膠,

為甚麼呢?因為市面上並沒有最新型的卡帶錄音座。製造一台好的卡帶錄音座的成本比製造一台唱盤機要高出十倍。而製造一個好的磁頭的成本與製造一個好的唱頭的成本是差不多的。

從商業的角度來看,黑膠唱片已經淘汰了卡帶錄音座,因為沒有人會投資十倍於黑膠系統的電子和技術去製造一台聲音比黑膠系統還要好的卡帶錄音座,而且沒有人會花一萬美金去買這樣的錄音座。而黑膠唱盤機可以用一百公斤的盤片和三個馬達來設計和製造,還有一個可以在移動到內側溝槽時旋轉的金屬唱臂……賣三萬美金……這就是商業的伎倆。不知怎的,大多數人並沒有聲音或電子的背景知識。只有卡帶錄音座製造商的旗艦型號才能達到最好的聲音重現效果。

但是,當你聽過一台經過正確校準的Nakamichi dragon!00 ZXLRevox B710 MK II錄音座後,你可能會感到驚訝。

卡帶是如何製作的?

在以前,音樂是用錄音室品質的錄音帶(通常是2英寸的母帶)錄制的,而卡帶則是從錄音帶上轉錄過來的。

錄音帶錄音也利用電磁現象來錄制和重放聲波。錄音帶由一層塑料背層塗上一層薄薄的磁性粉末微粒組成,通常是氧化鐵(Fe2O3)和較少的二氧化鉻(CrO2)。……錄音帶只有0.15英寸(3.8毫米)寬,但可以擁有四到八條音軌。

在錄音時,隨著錄音帶經過錄音頭,一個電信號穿過錄音頭,在錄音帶表面留下一個磁性印記。當錄音帶經過播放或重放頭時,會產生一個信號,這個信號會被

LP是如何制作的?

單聲道留聲機唱片利用在塑料盤片上刻印的螺旋形90°V形凹槽。當唱片以每分鐘33 1/3轉的速度旋轉時,一個微小的唱针同時沿著凹槽移動,並與盤片表面平行、與凹槽垂直地來回振動,描繪出聲波。唱针的上端連接著一個微小的磁鐵,該磁鐵在小型線圈中來回移動,誘導產生電壓,從而重新創建錄制的聲波。唱针的振動速率決定了聲音的頻率,而振動的振幅決定了聲音的響度。

LP從錄音帶轉錄到切割機,再到母盤,然後到金屬母盤模具,再到乙烯基,我們用唱针從乙烯基凹槽中回放,理論上似乎比卡帶多了幾個步驟。還有乙烯基重放的RIAA均衡處理,使這個過程變得更加複雜(是的,再次理論上)。我的個人看法

多年來,发烧友和音乐爱好者一直在討論卡帶和黑膠唱片在音質方面的比較。每種格式都有其獨特的特點,並吸引著不同的偏好群體。在這篇全面的文章中,我們將探討卡帶和黑膠唱片在音質方面的差異,深入研究技術方面和主觀經驗如何塑造這一爭論。到最後,您將更好地瞭解這些格式之間的差異,以及哪一種格式可能更符合您的音樂偏好。

卡帶在20世紀末很流行,以其類比魅力和可攜帶性而聞名。以下是卡帶音質的一些關鍵方面:

卡帶

類比溫暖感:和卡帶一樣,黑膠唱片提供了一種溫暖和有機的聲音,這讓一些聽眾覺得很有吸引力。卡帶播放的類比性質可以為音樂增添懷舊感。

妥善保存的錄音帶和優質的卡帶播放器可以很好地還原音樂,不會損失錄音帶上的錄音,我仍然擁有很多聲音很好的優質原裝錄音帶。嘶嘶聲並不影響,因為大多數音樂都蓋過了它,我從不開啟任何NRDolby降噪功能。如果我們在好的卡帶播放器上播放,聲音非常悅耳,低音從揚聲器傳輸到房間的每個角落。

類比黑膠溫暖感

以類比溫暖和觸感魅力而聞名的黑膠唱片提供了一種獨特的聆聽體驗。以下是黑膠唱片音質的一些關鍵方面。黑膠唱片因其溫暖、有機和沉浸式聲音而備受讚譽。類比播放創造了一種自然的聲音體驗。黑膠唱片的類比性質使其能夠捕捉音樂中的豐富泛音和微妙之處,尤其是在中頻範圍內,這增加了深度和特色。

將唱针放置在旋轉的唱片上並觀察其動作的行為創造了一種與音樂的切實聯繫,這讓一些人覺得非常吸引人。這是最薄弱的一點,因為你需要在唱臂和唱頭、VTA角度、共面性和水平方面進行良好的設置,最重要的是追蹤重量。即使你做得最好也不容易,那你的RIAA怎麼樣?那可能無法恢復錄音室中類比音樂的原始形式。

最糟糕的是,黑膠唱片固有的缺陷,如表面噪聲、爆音和偶爾的咔嗒聲,被一些聽眾視為其魅力的一部分,為音樂增添了特色。對我來說這很不愉快。

比較音質

在比較卡帶和黑膠唱片的音質時,必須考慮影響聆聽體驗的各種因素:

 設備品質:卡帶播放器或唱盤、唱頭和揚聲器的品質極大地影響著兩種格式的音質。高端音響設備可以更有效地揭示每種格式的微妙之處。

聆聽環境:聆聽空間的聲學特性,包括房間大小、形狀和聲學處理,會影響每種格式的聲音表現。

音樂風格和制作:某些音樂風格可能受益於黑膠的精確度和動態範圍,而其他風格則可能展現卡帶的類比溫暖感。

個人偏好:一些聽眾偏好黑膠的觸感體驗和類比特性,而其他人則優先考慮卡帶的懷舊感和可攜帶性。

結論

關於卡帶是否比黑膠唱片音質更好,或者反之,這個問題很複雜,而且往往是主觀的。每種格式都提供獨特的聆聽體驗,最終的選擇取決於個人喜好、懷舊情緒和對特定聲音品質的追求。

 雖然兩種格式都有其局限性,如卡帶上的嘶嘶聲和黑膠的表面噪聲,但這些不完美之處對一些聽眾來說可能是其魅力的一部分。所謂“更好”的格式是與你產生共鳴並增強你享受音樂體驗的那種格式。一些发烧友同時欣賞這兩種格式,認識到它們各自為聆聽體驗帶來的獨特特徵。

 對我來說,我更喜歡卡帶音樂勝於黑膠,關於這一點的爭論永遠不會結束,但沒關係。看著我們如何制作黑膠和卡帶,我們應該能夠告訴它們之間的差別。

依我看,我的卡帶音樂比黑膠更好聽。CD?這裡不需要討論,因為那是劣於黑膠或卡帶的數碼格式。

 HK Snob


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Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Cassette Vs CD

 The question of whether a cassette deck musical performance is better than a CD is subjective and depends on personal preferences and the specific context. Both cassette decks and CDs have their own unique characteristics and qualities.

Cassettes were popular in the past due to their portability and ease of use. They have a warm and somewhat nostalgic sound that some people find appealing. However, cassettes are prone to degradation over time, 30 to 40 years and their sound quality is generally considered lower compared to CDs. Cassettes can suffer from hiss, wow and flutter, and frequency response limitations.

 

However, Cassette sound is more analogue than CD, is more live and dynamic in terms of musical toen quality, especially using top class cassette decks such as Nakamichi 1000 ZXL, Dragon, Tanberg 3014 or Revox B225, B710 MK II…. If you have listed to them then you may know what I am trying to say.

 

On the other hand, CD format provides a higher level of audio fidelity and a more accurate reproduction of the original recording. They offer a wider dynamic range, lower noise floor, and better frequency response compared to cassette tapes. However all musical prime storage is in form or tape, the quality of the sound is analogue, after conversion into CD, it is becoming Digital which is different with cassette tape. CDs are also more durable and resistant to degradation, making them a more reliable medium for long-term storage.

In terms of convenience and accessibility, CDs are generally more convenient to use than cassettes. CDs allow for easy skipping between tracks and quick access to specific songs. They also provide a rather high level of audio quality when played on a good CD player or a high-quality audio system.

Ultimately, in my personal opinion, whether a cassette deck musical performance is better than a CD comes down to personal taste and the specific characteristics of the audio equipment being used. Some people may prefer the warm and analog sound of cassettes, while others may prioritize the higher fidelity and convenience of CDs.

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Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Nakamichi Dragon and 1000 ZXL


 Anyone who had a chance to own two of these players will tell which one sound better.

For frequency response, 1000 ZXL is better than dragon. Dragon has an advantage is the auto reverse tape play function. Because of this function somehow I think some of the sound response was trade off comparing with 1000ZXL, so 1000 ZXL is still the King of all Cassette decks

Nakamichi 1000 ZXL was produced from 1979-1984 selling price was US$3800.

Dragon was selling 1984-1993 selling price was $2499. 

Weight of 1000 ZXL is 40 pounds and Dragon is 20 pounds, the weight of 1000 ZXL is 2X as Dragon.

So as its sound!

HK Snob

Remarks from top downwards

Pioneer T770S

Nakamichi Dragon

Pioneer T1000S

Nakamichi 1000 ZXL

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Nakamichi Dragon Slayer Tanberg 3014


 Many people say the best cassette deck is Dragon, well we don't argue on this point first. 

I long to get a Tanberg 3014 which was described as a Nakamichi Dragon slayer.

Well, haven't heard about its sound, would be great if one day I had a chance to listen to it.

HK Snob

Remarks getty picture


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Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Cassette decks


 from top downwards

Braun C4 deck

Nakamichi Dragon

Pioneer T1000S

Nakamichi 1000ZXL

HK Snob

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