tape deck question

[ambulancevoice]

are tape decks (audio cassette playback ones, not recorders, and exclude fm radios) just a tape head connected to a stereo amplifier connected to an output???

[soulsonic]

No.

[axg20202]

No.

Helpful.

Here's a link which might be useful.
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/audi/ak-200.pdf

[ambulancevoice]

No.

Helpful.

Here's a link which might be useful.
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/audi/ak-200.pdf

thanks, better answer than just "no"

[ambulancevoice]

actually, that didnt really answer my question, that schematic was kinda confusing
if its not just  tape head>>>amplifier>>>output
then how does it go???
tape head>>>some sort of converter>>>amp>out???

[petemoore]

 I'd look for a replacement tape deck playback head data sheet.
I believe a cassettes' output is generally assumed to be a line out, a tape head doesn't 'do' line out IIKC, so there's some amping up of the signal before it sees a cassette output jack. Don't quote me.
  Spec sheet on the head and the preamp to amp should give you a good ballpark of what'd be put inbetween to ~match them.
  Then there's the record head...

[soulsonic]

You asked a "Yes or No" question, so you got a "Yes or No" answer.

Anyway, to elaborate, I'd have to say no, absolutely not.

A tape deck playback circuit contains more than just a preamplifier; it also contains all the necessary filters for correct sound. For the most part these consist of "De-Emphasis" filters. The corner frequency and style of these filters is determined both by the type of tape used and any sort of "Pre-Emphasis" EQ that happens in the record circuit. In addition to this, the playback circuit often contains further filtering in the form of Noise Reduction - like the the usual Dolby types you see on most decks. The Dolby system is a type of Pre/De-Emphasis EQ circuit, that could be viewed as something in addition to the standard filter that is necessary for accurate tape playback. To complicate matters even further, many tape systems, the most notable of which are those utilizing "dBX" brand noise reduction, also include a dynamic range Expander as part of the playback circuit. This is a function of the Compander circuit that is an inherent part of the dBX system, which is a refined attempt to overcome not only the bandwidth, but also the dynamic range limitations of tape recording....

[ambulancevoice]

so there is a filter in there...
and without it, what ever the head would pic up would just sound terrible???

[soulsonic]

Well, not necessarily "terrible" per se, but it certainly wouldn't sound like what went into the thing. I read through that PDF in the above link, and it does explain the equalization pretty well, and you can see in the schematic how the first opamp stages are configured in such a way as to emphasize the low frequencies and provide the necessary equalization for (albeit, very basic) tape playback.

But if you want to just hook a tape head up to a little preamp so you can make noises, that's totally fine. I'm just saying how it's done to get a "normal" sound. If you're intending to get an abnormal sound, then go for it!

[ambulancevoice]

yeah, im trying to make a fun instrument type thingy i can make weird noises with

[petemoore]

  Mostly tape decks do exacty what they do, some record and play back.
  Getting them to do wierd noises can be fairly easily done, we looped reel to reel [tape loop w/3 reels, one 'dangling' on a TEAC], and dad bought a 50's SONY RtR...did neat tricks.
  Echo, Looping, Double Tracking, Stretching etc., very few if any other effects achieved, no simultrack for instance.
  2 cassette decks were used once for a few, very primitive, stereo simultrack efforts.
  Beyond the capabilities of the stock tape recorders, only the '3rd reel tape loop' exceeded the original units capabilities.
  I was limited to the above.
  thoughts ranged from starting with say HD 1/4'' vynil tape, hardwood framing and bent metal carriage alignments and tape manipulators, large, delicate, cumbersome, 'beautesque' [beautiful/grotesque] unit which runs tape very fast so the heads can be farther apart...I figured I could probably get it to work if I had time/space/lack of reasonable priorities.
  Yes, it is fun to think and dream about, very few working DIY prototype units have been assembled [the one I remember had two joined cassette decks]. The tape manipulation and carriage machine alterations necessary [extremely difficult to impossible, large and ugly, limited function] to get what * wants makes it make sense to start with a compact tape echo type design, with 'expensive' machines like in an echoplex, the complex, precision machines and assemblies are very not DIY friendly. 

[micro]

try this, if you're ambitious!

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/09/make_a_mellotron_out_of_w.html

[ambulancevoice]

  Mostly tape decks do exacty what they do, some record and play back.
  Getting them to do wierd noises can be fairly easily done, we looped reel to reel [tape loop w/3 reels, one 'dangling' on a TEAC], and dad bought a 50's SONY RtR...did neat tricks.
  Echo, Looping, Double Tracking, Stretching etc., very few if any other effects achieved, no simultrack for instance.
  2 cassette decks were used once for a few, very primitive, stereo simultrack efforts.
  Beyond the capabilities of the stock tape recorders, only the '3rd reel tape loop' exceeded the original units capabilities.
  I was limited to the above.
  thoughts ranged from starting with say HD 1/4'' vynil tape, hardwood framing and bent metal carriage alignments and tape manipulators, large, delicate, cumbersome, 'beautesque' [beautiful/grotesque] unit which runs tape very fast so the heads can be farther apart...I figured I could probably get it to work if I had time/space/lack of reasonable priorities.
  Yes, it is fun to think and dream about, very few working DIY prototype units have been assembled [the one I remember had two joined cassette decks]. The tape manipulation and carriage machine alterations necessary [extremely difficult to impossible, large and ugly, limited function] to get what * wants makes it make sense to start with a compact tape echo type design, with 'expensive' machines like in an echoplex, the complex, precision machines and assemblies are very not DIY friendly. 

yeah, ive read about tape loops and such
i read a method on how to do them, and i didnt understand a single thing

[ambulancevoice]

try this, if you're ambitious!

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/09/make_a_mellotron_out_of_w.html

not that ambitious... but that is pretty damn cool