- Sep 15, 2018
- #1
2XFile
Junior Tapehead
Help. Does Anyone here just happen to have - or know IF Consumer reports ever reviewed Blank VHS Cassettes? Outside of S-VHS - I want to know which is Best for Hi-FI recording. IF not Consumer Reports - any other Magazine Articles related to this subject in the form of a PDF File would be greatly appreciated. Many THX in Advance. YES - I did search the forms - - I couldn't find anything on the subject. WTH? Thought it be here for sure. What am I missing?
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- Sep 15, 2018
- #2
Wilhelm
Serious Tapehead
Consumer Reports did not do their own internal testing on magnetic media. They contracted Craig Stark or Howard Roberson to do the testing. In their heyday, Fuji, Maxell, and TDK made some outstanding VHS cassettes according to published reviews and to our own internal BASF testing. However, those who tested tapes the most thoroughly and who used far more than anyone else were tape duplicators. Cinram, Rank, Technicolor, and WEA were probably the top four in the U.S. They all divided most of their purchases between BASF and 3M. The BASF equivalent was BASF Super VHS. We also had BASF "Extra" that came from Saehan. It was good tape, but not nearly in the category of BASF/Fuji/Maxell/3M/TDK. Sony also made VHS tape, but it was nothing special.
- Sep 15, 2018
- #3
J
Jeepwalker
Serious Tapehead
If you look on Ebay, you'll see "Master" or "Professional" "Premium", maybe 'Gold' etc. Those were the higher end tapes. So, I would look for the tapes Wilhem listed and the grades above. Those will be the better grades. Or, just buy SVHS tapes. My experience is that "Premium" level and above were just fine for good recordings. I wouldn't hesitate to use any level Fuji tapes.
I'm sure someone did tape reviews. If you sign up for Consumer Reports, maybe you can search archives. Probably Stereo Review, High Fidelity, Sound & Vision, etc. did them too. I wouldn't put too much stock in reviews done in the 80's or early 90's.
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- Sep 15, 2018
- #4
50sMonoFan
Serious Tapehead
Back in the day I used to get these VHS tapes, I think AGFA made them, and they were designed to be used in high-speed news cameras. They supposedly were more physically durable and they would hold 30 minutes per tape when used in said cameras. In a normal VCR they held 2 hours in SP mode. I never saw these for sale anywhere. I got them from someone I knew who's parents owned a tape distribution company. These were the best VHS tapes I ever used. My VHS tapes are packed away right now but if you want specific details about this tape let me know and I will make the effort to get to them and give you the specifics.
- Sep 16, 2018
- #5
latreche34
Capturing Memories
I did numerous recording tests of HiFi audio on different VHS brands and I couldn't hear an audible difference unfortunately I no longer have those recordings, I still however do have a HiFi sample recording on a TDK S-VHS XP SuperPro tape here you can notice the difference in quality compared to the original source here.
Attachments
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- Sep 16, 2018
- #6
J
Jeepwalker
Serious Tapehead
Yeah those are good tapes. That's another option, SVHS tape$
- Sep 16, 2018
- #7
latreche34
Capturing Memories
Like I said I haven't heard any difference in sound quality between different types of tapes whether VHS or S-VHS, or whether the recording is done in S-VHS, S-VHS ET or VHS, The quality difference I heard is when compared to the original source or when recorded using slow speeds like EP, LP or SLP.
At this point I would be worried about the build quality of the tape, Avoid those tapes labeled every day use. Some people use pre-recorded tapes (not rental ones).
- Sep 16, 2018
- #8
absinthe_boy
Serious Tapehead
I used to buy BASF Hi-Fi Professional in bulk back in the 90s. Never let me down.
- Sep 16, 2018
- #9
J
Jeepwalker
Serious Tapehead
On the back of some tapes, they listed different levels of tapes and the model numbers from 'standard quality' to 'premium quality' and "Master quality" as shown below.
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- Sep 16, 2018
- #10
braxus
FeCr Type III
Good top quality VHS tapes I buy are:
Sony Pro X, Maxell HGX Gold, Maxell RX, TDK HDX Pro, Fuji Super XG Pro.
- Sep 16, 2018
- #11
2XFile
Junior Tapehead
Hi All - and THX to everyone here who responded. Let me 1st state that I knew the TDK's were good. TDK produced one of the best chrome cassettes ever - the SA-X. But Consumer Reports DID review and Test cassettes. I am also a fan of - and have often used Maxell XLII-S's & Sony UX-Pro's. But the Granddaddy of them all was like the TDK Metal - SA-XG's. I'm going to be recording to VHS HI-FI in EP Mode for sound only - and wanted a VHS Cassette that wasn't prone to dropouts - and desired having the consumer reports or other type of TESTED Data to back that buying choice up. Wanted to know how the various tape formulas from TDK - Maxell - Sony - etc - compared to their audio cassette counterparts?
@latreche34. Thank you. Thank you very much, However - My Panny that I will be recording to is A Semi-Pro deck - the GX AG1950. So it's not S-VHS.
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- Sep 17, 2018
- #12
RockSolid87
Analog nut!
From my own humble experience, far from that of others, I've found these to be excellent without dropouts:
Also the Sony Dynamicron vhs tapes have held up very well over the years and still perform like champs.
- Sep 17, 2018
- #13
Tasuke
Catch the Spirit of a True ΩPIONEER
1984 TDK HD PRO and 1987 HD-X PRO are among the finest VHS blanks i've ever used.
MAXELL HGX GOLD/GOLD Hi-Fi from around the same period is also fantastic, but rather rare. at least the TDK does show up in NOS condition fairly regularly...
- Sep 17, 2018
- #14
latreche34
Capturing Memories
Any time man, Like I said you wouldn't gain anything from recording in S-VHS for audio even if you have a S-VHS VCR.
I would avoid recording in EP mode, you will have tracking issues if played back on a different VCR, You can get longer length tapes and stick to SP, Just my opinion.
- Sep 17, 2018
- #15
Sawtooth
Lover of all things TECH!
I used Sony taped back in the day with the best and shortest RCA's I had at the time. I was pretty young, they might have even been Monster Cables (lol), & the shortest recording time of course.
- Sep 18, 2018
- #16
2XFile
Junior Tapehead
1984 TDK HD PRO and 1987 HD-X PRO are among the finest VHS blanks i've ever used.
MAXELL HGX GOLD/GOLD Hi-Fi from around the same period is also fantastic, but rather rare. at least the TDK does show up in NOS condition fairly regularly...
Hi Tasuke @http://www.tapeheads.net/member.php?u=13271
THX 4 responding.
? WHY would the 1984 White Clamshell TDK HD Pro's sound better - or give better overall results than the HDPro cassettes that were manufactured later - as long as they were still the "Super AVILIN" formulated tapes??? Did they make those tape thinner? Was the cassette mechanism of a poorer quality design ( for tracking issues ) What exactly made the 1984 Tape Better - if you will? ( YES- I Noticed the really late cheaper cassettes dropped that designation - so I know they more than likely aren't as good. ) THX in Advance.
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- Sep 20, 2018
- #17
braxus
FeCr Type III
I think Tasuke was commenting on the overall performance of the VHS tapes he mentioned, rather then specific sound differences. Those tapes were top end back in the day, and money was spent on their quality. I have such tapes myself. Yes the tapes back then were probably thicker then later tapes. But I usually don't have issues using VHS of any brand with my machines. But with HiFi, the sound will be the same no matter what tape is used. Its the dropouts that you'll notice the most.
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