Test - Cassette Test Tape
Cassette test tapes are used for the adjustment and calibration of cassette decks12. They can help ensure that your cassette deck is operating at its best performance by allowing you to adjust various parameters12.
Here are some of the main purposes of cassette test tapes:
Speed and Wow & Flutter: These tapes have a constant frequency tone (usually 3000 Hz or 3150 Hz) that allows you to adjust the speed of your cassette deck and measure its wow and flutter12.
Level Setting: These tapes have a constant level tone (usually 400 Hz or 315 Hz) that allows you to adjust the recording and playback levels of your cassette deck2.
Azimuth Alignment: These tapes have a high frequency tone (usually 10 kHz) that allows you to adjust the azimuth of your cassette deck’s playback head for optimal high-frequency response12.
Frequency Response: These tapes have a series of tones at different frequencies that allow you to adjust the equalization of your cassette deck for a flat frequency response2.
Head Height Alignment: These tapes have a narrow track of a constant frequency tone that allows you to adjust the vertical alignment of your cassette deck’s heads2.
It’s important to note that the quality and precision of test tapes can vary, and using a faulty or damaged test tape can lead to incorrect adjustments1. Therefore, it’s recommended to use high-quality test tapes from reliable sources12.
Compact Cassette Audio Standard Test Tapes
The tapes shown in the image below are the system standard test tapes for cassette deck calibration. Those places where these standards have been applied are in the articles on this website.
The tapes are Specified by Number in this system
- G-1 Frequency Response 31.5 Hz thru 18 kHz [Note: this tape is spliced]
- G-2 Head Height special track
- G-3 Level +2db 250nwb/m 315 Hz
- G-4 Wow and Flutter 3150 Hz -10db [of somewhat restricted use]
- G-5 Level 0db 200 nwb/m Dolby Level 400 Hz [System Standard]
- G-6 Azimuth 10 kHz -10db [not the current standard]
- G-7 Azimuth 12.5 kHz -13 db [System Standard]
- G-8 TEAC Multi-Frequency Playback Equalization 40, 315 3.15k 14 k Hz -20 db [System Standard]
- S-1 Azimuth 6.3 kHz -10db [Secondary Standard]
- S-2 Level 0vu 1 kHz 0db – [Secondary Standard]
- 309 – 3000 Hz Timing Speed Tape recorded on JVC A [Secondary Standard]
- 310 Pink Noise Frequency Response Test Tape recorded on JVC A [Secondary Standard]
- 312 1 kHz Square Wave Test Tape recorded on JVC A [Secondary Standard]
- 318 Standardized Spot Frequency Test Tape recorded on JVC A [Secondary Standard]
These notes are for the group above. The tapes have been assigned standard library numbers also.These are listed in the database.
These are the notes for the above tapes. They are also listed in the master database for the system under the tape numbers.
If you need help finding resources for cassette test tapes
If you need help finding resources for cassette test tapes contact us below
Conclusions
Concluding comments
1. This page was done engineering notebook style – Someday in the future it might be added to and typed up in a spreadsheet
2.This is a current system ‘Standard’ subject to revision. Individual tapes
And as always there is
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Revision
Rev 1 – Original Document
Rev 2 – Added JVC A Recorded Test Tapes as secondary standards.
okay by design now
Added more cassettes and the notes that go with them. Also this only covers cassette systems, which are for now at least, completed