MARIAH CAREY - Music Box
Columbia Records
Cat# 474284 4
1993
Australian release
SPECIAL NOTES:
When played with "decent" equipment such as a Naka or other high quality, well maintained machines, the sonic results from the humble cassette tape can be outstanding!
However, cassette tape is a delicate beast! Make absolutely sure your own machine is in top condition to enjoy the tapes you wish to play! If you have "warbling, failure to FF or RW or the worst yet - the tape snaps due to excessive tension, GET YOUR MACHINE SERVICED! If you run a sub-standard machine you will get sub-standard music or worst still, destroy every tape you insert into the door!
Time is the enemy of tape machines (R2R and Cassette) as they extensively use rubber components which stretch or even "melt" inside which creates a big headache inside the machine.
HERE is a link for more information about the love and caring of your tape machine
MY CURRENT TEST CASSETTE MACHINE: Nakamichi DRAGON (the DR 8 has gone to a new home now)
Prior to testing, each tape has been repacked (FF - RW - FF - RW cycling) to ensure even tape loading within the cassette. This is a vital process for cassette tapes that have been unplayed for considerable periods of time.
Clamshell is in good (minus) condition and the case has NOT been changed as many like the original Promo sticker (front) and the catalogue barcoding strip (spine) to remain intact, no personal writing on the case HOWEVER the case does show signs of handling over the years. The front has a small crack (top left hand corner), the spine also has a very small crack and some plastic discolouration and the rear also has a light crack. The case remains "sound" but it has seen a fair bit of careless handling over the years.
However, if you are like me, it's the music that matters and this tape sounds great!
The tape media is in very good visual condition, but the only real way to judge the condition of magnetic tape media is to actually play it, the ENTIRE length of the tape in both directions, so I had a "sit back" and played the tape ENTIRELY, both sides and all tracks. There were no tell-tale squeeks (indicating that lubrication is failing) and nice smooth movement through the tape transport.
Audio is full range with very good high end and clean low end. NO drop outs or tape "print through". No tape sticking or other transport issues which could indicate dried out lubricant. Head pads are in good condition.
Although Mariah is not one of my own personal favourites, I actually enjoyed this album very much!
TRACKS: Dreamlover, Hero, Anytime You Need A Friend, Music Box, Now That I Know, Never Forget You, Without You, Just To Hold You Once Again, I've Been Thinking About You, All I've Ever Wanted, Everything Fades Away
