RCA Victor Sound Tape Cartridge from 1958

[guymerritt]

I'd almost swear that these did not come out until about 1962 or later - are you sure about the date....?

[CassetteMaster]

@guymerritt This machine is more likely from 1962 or 3, but the format was first introduced in 58.

[guymerritt]

@CassetteMaster Okay - thanks... I thought so, as I had one that was identical. Man - you got one helluva deal. Mine went missing after a couple of divorces...wish I still had the thing.

[guymerritt]

I had this one, and one that came out a year or so later - the case was brown, as I recall. I think I still even have some tapes, somewhere. Cool video.

[SpeakerFreak95]

I have the machine to play & record those, needs all new capacitors, works but has a hum loud enough to drown out the tape.

[CassetteMaster]

@SpeakerFreak95 I look forward to your restore!

[CassetteMaster]

@shesnailie I'm interested in the GE but I have no "'Czechoslovakian Walkman'".

[SUPERDAVIDLEVINE]

I wish some one show a Keystone it was my first big purshes I made when I was 14 it had this tape magazine it was called it was not that popiilor key stne was a big movie camera maker I should have gotten a samller one even if the sound galliity might not have been as good it was hardly portibleeoh AGod punished for geting it for if I touched a ground I got a shock

[Sunseries]

Thank you for posting. I have two RCA cassette tapes recorded in 1963 by my wife's grandfather, but we do not own the machine or have any other way to transfer the audio. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you. Peter

paltabef@gmail.com

[PAULLONDEN]

NEAT...indeed.

But will you use it ?;-]

[CassetteMaster]

@PAULLONDEN Yeah.

[DoReMiForever]

I have never seen that kind of tapes, where they sold here in europe?

[dshmechanic]

You have yourself a real gem there....take good care of it. It is always good to see young folks interested in worthwhile hobbies like this. When I was your age, tube radios were my thing. Too many young folks are more interested in gaming, or the crap they call 'music' nowadays, or Facebook...you get the idea. Then there's my 17 year old niece...she's too busy dropping acid hits and burning nickel bags to pay any attention to good stuff like this. Keep up the good work.

[teeder03]

The song is Out & About by Boyce & Hart released in 1967.

[crazcrac]

@teeder03 thanks buddy...

[muzboz]

Shit hot dude. Real nice machine.

[bulchit48]

wow that really works good and sounds good a real collectible :)

[TheAstradyne]

Toobs lol.

[Ihateirans]

What a great machine, done right using tubes. No doubt this machine went to the right person. Enjoy.

[EXTREME4YEARSTOCOME]

ITS MASSIVE!!!

[2n918]

Very fine specimen. Nice. If the RCA had used smaller cassettes, the format might have caught on. I remember seeing this recorder tied in to a slide projector demonstrator unit in a Chevrolet showroom. They used one of the channels to change the slides, the other for the spoken program. Pretty neat. Thanks for posting.

[The1970sInfatuate]

I need help fixing one of these for a friend I know. The model is 1YB-11 and the motor doesn't turn. Is it belt driven?

[CassetteMaster]

@The1970sInfatuate It is belt driven, with a round belt. THe motor probably needs cleaning and lubrication.

[MrProster]

please sniff

[Teflon65]

That's awesome.

[Mike1964]

That's so cool....a real good find!

[analyzingfunny]

Nice find. What is the model number? And what size is the tape?

[KaiserPCS]

why did these sound tape cartridge replace vinyl records back then??

[rondmc44]

He talks like he's high on something.

[Susan1ab1]

Any idea where to get one of these serviced? Mine will not run/play the tape. Thanks.

[kittyfanatic1980]

sweet never knew tey even had "cassette" thoughts back in 58. yes things were built to last. you gotta remember that low quality even was still not cheaply made but rca in perticular used extensive inspections and if anything would be remotely bad or even a microfraction itd get rejected. its a shame that companies no longer do that

awesome find:)

[KriptoDie]

Whats the song?

[DragonFlyback256]

Whoah! How many heads are going into it?

[CassetteMaster]

@DragonFlyback256 It's a 2-head machine.

[ThomasTrainLover]

I have one of these in the attic.

[DangerousBastard]

Thats very cool!

[Ziplock74]

similar to the later elcaset, huh?

[sinistermoon]

Hey I have a video with some RCA Victor Sound Tapes that I would like to put as a video response as soon as it uploads. This is a way awesome video! The player looks way cool. Too bad RCA couldn't keep up with the manufacturing demands!

[mig189189189]

Awesome video. Keep on with that good work!

[rudyiking]

Cool!!!

[kiernag]

I havw a cassette I need played and recorded as a wave and sent to me

[NewJackIndustries]

I got one of these the other day. Mine has power going to it but it won't turn the tape. Everything else seems to work fine cuz I plugged my ipod into the line in port and it worked. Would this be worth getting restored?

Thanks.

[CassetteMaster]

It is worth restoration. Yours probably just needs a new belt. (an maybe some lubrication)

[NewJackIndustries]

Thanks man.

[NewJackIndustries]

Oh btw...where would I get a belt for one of these?

[CassetteMaster]

You may be able to order one off the internet.

[DrJamesAQuevort]

@CassetteMaster Can you convert RCA Victor Tape Cartidge and Elcaset to CD?

[amkbzhc]

@DrJamesAQuevort Can you convert a RCA Tape Cartridge 1962 to a cd?

[mstax]

Radio Shack is fresh out of blank tapes for mine!

[reeltoreelmaster]

Its a Neat Machine

[wedrinkmountaindew]

Do you have the ITT one that does overdubs?

[CassetteMaster]

I don't have any ITT tape recorders.

[musicteacher8]

RIP Great American engineering!

[lizichell2]

@musicteacher8 Japanese engineering is far superior

[jagajg]

that little crt level bar is way cool.

[buzz851]

Sweet machine, Bet my I pod wont be working in 50 years!

[mediamadman747]

Is that an extra LARGE cassette in your pocket, or are you JUST happy to see me?

(8^-

[radioman66]

That super groovy tune btw is "Out and About" by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart. They wrote many of the Monkees songs.

[toddbyers69]

VERY nice video. My Dad had a machine just like that which I played with all the time. I wonder where it is now ... Brings back (good!) memories. Thank you!!

[wurly1100]

What's the cord in the Lid for?

[CassetteMaster]

The mike has a cord, then there's the power cord, and then a patch cord with a RCA plug on one end and some 3-prong plug on the other.

[wurly1100]

Great video! I wish I had the original mic for my RCA sound tape recorder, I have the stereo version made in 1964.

[PerisphereRec]

That's a model 1YB61 IIRC. (I have one just like it.) 3 3/4 and 1 7/8 ips speeds, 4 track mono format. (The top-end cartridge machines were stereo!) Brilliant design....notice the full auto shut-off when the tape comes to either end? Works from the tape tension moving those finger that go into the cartridge.

And if the machine should ever conk out, you can physically transfer the tape to standard reels and play it back on any quarter track reel deck with the same speeds.  Cool video!

[illya997]

DUDE...I collect OLD cassette taperecorders I am looking for two I used to have as a kid...in 1968 they were the RCA portable cassette recorder unknown serial number and the HATACHI portable tape recorder also numbers unknown I probably will NEVER find those

[vincei2006]

This was very hi end in 1958. Very nice! Take good care of that peice of history.

[Z38r45]

love those knobs, very modern

[themasterofmovies]

What's the first song on this vid?

[MrStereo10]

The song is "Out & About" by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart. Their first charted single as a duo in 1967. Best known for the song "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight".

Love the tape deck BTW. very cool!

[coffeehigh420]

damnit ricky, i can't beleive you recorded over that super GROOOVY tune !!??

why didnt you save that song before recording over it ??!! omgosh ricky, i thought you were jewish ???? (meaning smart)

[CassetteMaster]

That one song I played on there had been recorded over years back, and when I recorded I switched the track on the machine. My recordings over other songs were done after I transferred side A track 1 to cassette.

[coffeehigh420]

Thats a good idea.

Happy Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur by the way, my fellow jewish friend of mine !!

Keep them cassette's rolling my friend!

[CassetteMaster]

Well, I'm acually of European descent. Dutch, German, English, and French.

[PineBrookMotorLodge]

My decent is pretty much Czechasolvakian, Irish, and German. If you are intested in such topics, you may be interested to find out that the owner and manager of the Pine Brook Motor Lodge are immigrants from Southern Asia (e.g India)

[vieuxson]

very beautifull machine i hope to find one but they are very very rare in france

[CoolDudeClem]

Now I know why today's cassettes are called "Compact Cassette"!

[RODALCO2007]

An amazing interesting and rare piece of audio equipment you have there. Thanks for sharing it on You Tube. Keep up the good work.

[clydesight]

Very nice unit from that time period. I see these show up from time to time on E-Bay. They seem to be popular.

[teendude16]

You are so smart and interesting, I like your taste in music, there's a lot a people who think so, please continue your clips, help em see and learn and injoy.

[PineBrookMotorLodge]

Neat Tape Machine. Thank You for showing it. I WANT to put up videos of my collection, but I am afraid someone will say something mean about it. I am already offended at some of the comments for "Asperger's Syndrome, I've Got It" because I have Asperger's, too. I get very discouraged when I hear mean things, I also think it is silly of mean to come running to you every time I get discouraged.

[queenbee345622]

Didn't you know you can set in your preferences not to allow people to comment or rate your video? Or you can set it so you have to approve comments. If they say anything mean, don't approve it. Just a tip.

PS. Good Video.

[ghostlyfu]

Hey buttguy, I work for a small museum in the UK. It would be great to get an RCA tape, demonstrated so well by ricky! I could cover postage.

[buttguy]

hey ricky, i just found four of these tapes brand new in the box, along with some documentation on the pre-recorded tapes that RCA released at a garage sale. if you'd like to see them send me a message, i could send you one of the tapes too if youd like. love your videos!

[kingneb123]

Where can you find those super-sized cassette tapes? They failed in the marketplace so I would not be surprised if they are no-longer made. Also I hear a hum. Replace all the caps in it.

[CassetteMaster]

Maybe eBay, they're pretty rare I'd think.

[billybassman21]

Wow amazing how natural tubes sound over soid state! Believe it or not you can still buy tube amps and replacment tubes.

[blessedjohn]

I have many factory sealed cartridges still mint & sealed if anyone may be interested, drop me a line :0)

[orangie84]

Dude I love your stuff!

Ever think of doing audio productions..

I mean like make like an old radio show?

I do stuff like that as a hobby so I have a lot of recording stuff myself (new and old)..

You got a good voice for it and have the equipment to do it..

[typicalaussiebloke]

Awesome deck, a technological marvel for its time, the cassette itself looks 10 years ahead of its time, and I'm extremely impressed with the audio playback!!! And I totally agree with what you said "things back then were built to last", it is so true!!! A good example is quad videotape as the oldest broadcast recordings in the world have successfully been transferred to digital in extremely good quality over 40 years later!!!

[lesd40]

He He...my dad has a BEL recorder that uses those tapes...with tubes in it!

[Igotdablues]

Fuck digital! I want one of these!

[queenbee345622]

That is cool!! I thought Cassettes did not come out until the mid 60's.

[orangie84]

Same here and I thought it was a creation from Japan..

But I guess we were all taught wrong..

And there is the proof..

[DarkHeySoos]

Man I bet the sound quality is nice! Better than digital!

[kinura26]

thats a neat little thing i'v never seen one :)

[ToastmachineIdiot]

man, now i want one of those!

[DSM1G90]

Classic 1YB-11 mono unit. I found one last week ata thrift stor for 5 buck in practically the same condition. RCA had something going with this unit when they came out with it in the late 50's, but the main drawback was the absence of portability (battery operation) where, in 1964, Philips took this concept and made the the Philips Compact Cassette, made the small battery driven machines and the rest is history.

[VideyoJunkei]

I have some old tapes that still proclaim "compact casette" on them; now I know why!

[RaulAngelDuMamarrach]

Pretty curious!

I never had seen that, whenever, more than one talk me about a cassette, earlier than the "compact cassette" I always used to see and treat with, but of major dimmensions, but never SEEN one, ¡Neither, in the "Tecnología" musseum, sited in "Paseo de las Delicias", in Madrid (Spain)...!... Thank you, for your post, finally, I satisfied my curiosity!...

[xmvirus202]

That is so cool!  Never seen one of those before. Thanks for sharing!

[lindyhoppers]

thanks for sharing it with us, a great recording machine for sure

which tubes are mounted in?

[arvinwynn]

so true...I had one like this about ten years ago ,and almost nothing on it worked,and the tape was also in bad shape I wish now I would have saved it and did the repair...was mostly used in schools I think as my unit came from a school sale.

[wilkes85]

I heard somewhere back in the '90s that tapes were only supposed to last for about 40 years before they self-destruct due to demagnetizing, chemical reaction, etc. And you have a 50 year old tape, and I'm sure you have tape that's even older. Ha!!! I think they only said that to sell CDs. I'll bet 50 years from now, most, of not all your tapes [and players] will still be working, just as long as you take care of them, and i know you would.

[wilkes85]

I have a book from the '70s about cassettes, and it mentions this sound tape cartridge in the beginning of the book. It says they never became too popular because the cartridge was so over-sized, but hey, when all they had back then was reel to reel, you'd think a cartridge that does everything a reel to reel does but is easier to handle would really take off.

[Baptone]

I keep thinking about this machine, shit is trully fantastic!!

[Baptone]

I WANT ONE, HOLLER.

BaptOne

[Noleve]

Great Machine! This is a real rare equipment.Congratulations!!!

[piplol2468]

can the sound tape recorders fast forward i heard it didn't but duno

[CassetteMaster]

There were machines out there that could FF.

[Randreash]

Wow! More for me to know about. i have never seen that. Too cool.

[gavincurtis]

Long before the throwaway mentality of modern day.  Fifty years from today, will still be working.

[piplol2468]

what was the name of the first song you were playing on there oh and nice machine i been looking for one but i am still stuck with my edison diamond disc player havn't moved on to tape just yet

[EOGGasman]

Your voice lever meter reminds of the one one my Webcor back in 55.

[mariopica]

Ohh sorry. Yes tubes. My native language is

portuguese so I did not undernstand well in the first time I heard you talking about the tape recorder.

[CassetteMaster]

Well, you type good!

[mariopica]

Thank you very much . You are very kind.

[mariopica]

My God, how this almost 50 year old tape recorder can be runing so well. Is it transistor or tubes? Fantastic piece.

[danielgonzale26]

No sabia que existieron cassettes tan grandes!

Ahora comprendo el porqué de la denominacion compact cassette...

[SpeakerPolice]

That is a VERY neat machine. I've wanted to find one for a long time. Did yours come with the tape you have here?

[CassetteMaster]

Yes.

[rusty8mm]

tose are worth quite a bit of money these days. take care of it!!!

[CassetteMaster]

I will definately take good care of it!

[SuperMatch2007]

Doesd anyone know the name of the first song played?

[bluenazz]

Hi Ricky, Working my way thru your great videos! Philips/Norelco used a similar volume meter in their reel to reels during the early 60's. A cool green/blue light that meets in the middle.

[fixman88]

Very sweet device! I saw one once in an old house, but I don't think it worked. Those didn't sell very well; they weren't all that convenient compared to one of those little reel-to-reel tape spools you could put in your pocket...

[AUDlOPHILE]

Wow - Nice warm sound!

[grenouil1970]

Je ne comprend pas l'anglais...

SVP, je vous demande de parler en Français...

Merci Beaucoup

[butchfoot]

wonderfull and not foreign crap!

[damusician]

thatz why todays stuff breaks to damn easy. foreign crap!

[MightySaturn5]

...wonder what the song was that starts at about the 26 second point, sounds about 10 years newer then the unit itself

[CassetteMaster]

What are your thoughts about the TAPE RECORDER?

[fertub26]

hey cassetemaster, that's one tape system design of RCA and was Ziptrivia? i see one video, where can you buy this?, because i like to me the audio vintage, i'm something audiophile... ;)

[littledingy]

How is the tape on it holding up? The old reels on my Teac from 1983 are almost unplayable because the tape binding and material sheds off into dust like particles as I play it and gums up the heads and pinch rollers. I had to buy new tape from Quantegy just to be able to record and play on it.

[CassetteMaster]

It's in good shape. Some tapes last better than others depending on how it is stored and what type of tape. This old RCA was probably very well taken care of by original owners.

[stijnkraft]

That's the problem! Ampex/Quantegy tape always does that.

Use TDK of Maxell tape and you'll be out of trouble. BASF LPR/LH-Pro doesn't powder or stick either ;).

[Turko35]

Cool. My Dad had the same model back in the 60's. I was captivated by the level indicator (LOL).

[raymondleeleggs]

I love to watch the level meaters on old gear.

[wisteela]

That is fantastic!

I too am into retro technology like that.

Found you from comment on old RCA commercial.

[CassetteMaster]

HAhahah!

[DangerNerd]

That is AMAZING! the clarity of the recording you made, is astonishing. Nothing we use today will be working in 50 years. Consider yourself subscribed to! If you like classic films from that time and before, you really should have a look at my channel.

[EclipseWebJS]

It appears to use double-sided tape ... what does that switch do on the machine?

[CassetteMaster]

I swiches tracks. And Yes. It is a double sided tape.

[EclipseWebJS]

Can you flip the tape over and record on the other set of tracks?

[CassetteMaster]

Yes.

[fnordly]

i have old Ampex recorders in my studio. All that stuff was very hardy equipment. Interesting that your unit is still tube, transistors were becoming widespread about that time. I'll check out your other vids

[CassetteMaster]

AWESOME AMPEX!

[damusician]

yo is that thing mono or stereo love to own one

[CassetteMaster]

It's mono.

[videoholic2007]

I can't believe you have one of these...and it works, and sounds pretty good!! Where the hell did you pick this up?

[CassetteMaster]

At a flea market for $15.00!

[Trance88]

Wow, It sounds good. Yeah they sure were built to last! That TC-100 I have worked fine untill a week after I bought it. It has all the original parts.

[iabhornc]

I have only ever seen the huge cassettes for this machine. I've always wondered what kind of tape machine used them.

[technikfans]

What kind of cool mashine!!! Seems to sound great! :-)

[jaarex]

SUPER SPRZET!!!!!!

[CassetteMaster]

What does SPRZET mean?!

[alexkerhead]

That is a very rare and lovely. Your collection of magnetic tape stuff is great. now you need some Reel to Reel gear. :D

[CassetteMaster]

Do you not know that I do have reel-to-reel?

[alexkerhead]

My apologies if you do. :)

[coondogtheman1234]

Holy cow that thing sounds great

[djmk1988]

This large cassette tape recorder works on lamps ! ...i still have some decks from the 80's... but i use only with 3 heads and professional adjustments.. This is nice anyway

[rexcat]

One more format you might have heard of is the Sony Elcassette. Larger than a regular cassette but basically the same and very hard to find. They where popular in the '70s.

[CassetteMaster]

Ya, I'e heard of it but never seen one in real life, though.

[propcycle]

elcaset

..used 1/4" tape (as opposed to cassette's 1/8"), and I surely wouldn't say it was popular for any amount of time!

[greenwichlirr]

BEAUTIFUL piece of equipment. VERY nice!

[aldiakaroofus]

Ok, that's something I'd have a hard time leaving there in a yard sale!

[speedyc395]

Things were definitely built to last back then!

Anyhow, that was very neat!