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From: crandell@ut-sally.UUCP (Jim Crandell)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Re: Cassettes / Audio Amatuer
Message-ID: <1620@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 16-Apr-85 12:32:43 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-sally.1620
Posted: Tue Apr 16 12:32:43 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 17-Apr-85 06:00:39 EST
References: <1477@decwrl.UUCP> <451@cybvax0.UUCP> <462@edison.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 30

> > 	I heard a rumor (i.e. take it for what it's worth) that the companies
> > that use screws to join the shells together do so for product appeal (looks
> > sturdy) and not for any practical reasons.  
> 
> I have used Memorex, TDK SA, TDK SA-X, TDK MA, DENON, and Sony UCSX
> and have had the least trouble with the TDKs finding that they rarely
> fail.  I think that Memorex spread the rumor about sonic welded cassettes
> being just as good as screwed cassettes and if their tapes are any indication
> I say stick with the ones with screws.  All the Memorex that I bought sounds
> like you have a drum set in your deck when fast forwarding or rewinding and
> last about 6 months before jamming.

My experience with both TDK and Memorex is virtually identical.  Even so,
I think that there's a little more to the rumor than first appears.  Take
a trip to your neighborhood K-Mart (or local equivalent) and you'll probably 
find (if you look -- not that I blame you if you don't) some really cheap
but frequently snazzy-looking cassettes made in Hong Kong, Korea, Monaco
or some other out-of-the way place.  These things nearly always have screw-
fastened shells, and their quality is frankly pathetic.  (Don't under any
circumstances use one of these in a good deck!  What they can do to a
transport shouldn't happen to a Craig.)  It's entirely conceivable that
they use screws for cosmetic effect, although I've always suspected that
the approach just seems like good business in an economy where a few
hundred slaves with screwdrivers can be acquired with a much lower capital
investment (and possibly even operated at lower cost) than exotic sonic
welding equipment.
-- 

    Jim Crandell, C. S. Dept., The University of Texas at Austin
               {ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!crandell