What features to look for?
- Separate Bass and Treble controls: Allows you to tailor the sound
to your own tastes.
- RCA pre-amp outputs: Allow you to add an outboard amplifier or equalizer
with ease. These outputs have a cleaner signal than normal speaker outputs
and hence give a cleaner sound when connected to outboard components. Even if
you do not intend to add outboard components, the day will probably come when
you will. Pre-amp outputs give you easy expandibility.
- Auto Reverse:This feature is standard on nearly all decks now.
- Radio Recall:This allows you to listen to the radio when fast-winding.
No more silence!
Do I need high power?
If you like your music loud, or if you like to drive down the highway
with your windows down, you should get a high power receiver. Don't expect
a high power receiver to give you earth-shaking bass, but you will get more
volume than from a standard receiver. If you like your music really loud, or
want earth-shaking bass, you might want to contemplate adding an external
amplifier. If you intend to bypass the cassette
deck's internal amplifier and use only external amplifiers, the power output
of the deck will be irrelevant.
Do I need a deck with Dolby noise reduction?
Well, if you can afford the extra money you should try to get a deck with Dolby noise
reduction. Dolby NR when activated gives rise to a higher Signal-to-Noise
Ratio (SNR) which means less hiss! It should be noted that a tape must be taped with
Dolby if it is to sound properly when played-back with Dolby activated.
What's the difference between Dolby B and C?
Dolby B and C are two different encoding systems. Dolby C is more effective
than Dolby B resulting in even less hiss. The only tradeoff is that a tape
recorded with Dolby B can be made to sound all right without Dolby activated
on playback by turning down the Treble. Dolby C recordings on the other hand sound
odd if played back without Dobly C activated.
What is a reasonable Frequency Response for a cassette receiver?
You may have noticed that none but the most expensive cassette
receivers have a frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz. A reasonable frequency
response for a cassette receiver is 30Hz-15KHz +/-3dB. The +/-3dB is an indication
of how smooth the frequency response is. Although 30Hz-15KHz +/-3dB is a fairly good
frequency response, the wider the better. Beware however, because sometimes
frequency responses are stated without the deviation. These ratings don't have
much significance without the +/-3dB deviation.
What is this thing about FM sensitivity?
FM sensitivity is a measure of how good the deck is at pulling in weak (and distant)
stations. It is measured in dB. Basically, you can use this rating to compare
different decks. Lower numbers imply a greater ability to pick up weak stations.
Back to Choosing Good Components Main Page.
Back to Autosound Main Page.
Please contact me with any comments or suggestions.
