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Topic: Audio cassette problem (Read 1492 times) previous topic - next topic
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Audio cassette problem

Hello everybody! I have a very nice cassette with Toto Cutugno from a friend but it has a problem. It sounds good, clear even, but on some portions of the tape has some grease traces. The tape is intact and not faded. If I put it in a cassette deck when the dirty tape arrives to the heads it contaminates the heads with some kind of grease. How can I clean it? Is there a solution for this?

Thanks a lot!

Audio cassette problem

Reply #1 –
When I had a cassette deck, I used cotton buds and alcohol to clean the heads. But if the actual tape has grease on it, it'll just muck up the heads again next time you play it.

You should probably archive it to your computer. The cassette will degrade with use anyway, so best do it straight away, even if only as a backup.;

Audio cassette problem

Reply #2 –
Update:  While I was rolling the tape manually, I discovered on one side on the plastic..that was wax..strange. I continued rolling the tape until I saw the dirty portion and I examined closer. That is wax. I used a fine napkin to pass the tape on both sides and the wax was stretching.

Audio cassette problem

Reply #3 –
Not to mention that grease, or what-not, probably means your audio cassette is a home-to be to happy, thriving mould sooner or later.
So, in case you haven't yet,  I'd start storing it in a moisture-free environment.

But I still second Jabba's assessment of digital convertion as your best course of action.

Listen to the music, not the media it's on.
União e reconstrução

Audio cassette problem

Reply #4 –
Quote from: includemeout on
Not to mention that grease, or what-not, probably means your audio cassette is a home-to be to happy, thriving mould sooner or later.
So, in case you haven't yet,  I'd start storing it in a moisture-free environment.

But I still second Jabba's assessment of digital convertion as your best course of action.

One week after I'd finished archiving all the cassettes I wanted to keep, my last-ever cassette deck died on me.

Boy, did I feel smug!

Audio cassette problem

Reply #5 –
I cleaned the tape last night with isopropyl alcohol using a fine cotton wool on both sides and I moved the reels into antoher case from another tape. I succed cleaning it about 70%. But, there is always a but... But I think that the tape itself is used and the tape doesn't slide so easy on the permalloy/metal head and there are again, but more less some portions where the tape creaks or scratches a little. Maybe if I use a ferrite head the tape could even though slide easyly and wouldn't scratches anymore.