HEADS UP!
AUDIO ISSUE ALERT (insignificant but there none the less) please READ the description below entirely to understand what I am talking about ...
LUTHER VANDROSS - Self Titled (Compilation)
Epic Records
Cat# EPC 40-25220
Dolby encoded
Australian release
1982
Cassette packaging is in good condition, some discolouration to the clamshell labelling but nothing too dramatic. Note this has the Epic Blue/Yellow label. No case cracks or missing parts, head pad is secure. Insert is a little discoloured from normal handling over the years and there are two lines of "Whiteout" that have been applied to obscure a previous owners identity.
Before playing I repacked the tape, and visually inspected carefully the clamshell, rollers and head pressure pad - no issues with the shell or tape at all
This is a Black plastic welded type clamshell so if ever it was required to "get inside" to relube, etc then the best of luck because getting this "into" this type of clamshell is extremely difficult and usually you will end up destroying the tape.
I have then played this tape entirely ... immediately I heard a problem, not a big one but a problem none the less.
At the beginning of the tape, in fact anywhere there is no music (inter-track) I can hear a very low level "click click click" - this noise is throughout the recording and on both sides. Looking at the tape I can see like a little dot at regular intervals, this tape has been damaged in a previous machine.
I felt it was worth continuing with the testing so I played the ENTIRE tape, both sides. Fortunately the track audio level is well above that of this noise so it is buried by the music ... even with that "noise", it does NOT spoil the recording enjoyment - this is good music from Luther (for the early 1980's that is)
The music has a crisp clean sound and no problems at all with no "drop outs" (on either side) or high frequency loss heard. Frequency response off the tape is wide and I also listened carefully for "tape hiss" at the start of tape, end of tape and between tracks and the level is very very low, and of course there is the "click click click" mentioned above ...
TRACKS: Bad Boy/Having A Party, Since I Lost My Baby, A House Is Not A Home, Never Too Much, She's A Super Lady, Sugar & Spice (I Found Me A Girl), Better Love, You're The Sweetest One
