[MR2] speaker with distortion

[Kurt Krueger]

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Peter Baines" <PeterB at esdm.co.uk>
>
> IIRC the tape heads on magnetic tape players can get magnetized over the
> years and this will adversely affect the quality of the sound. I
> remember (in the days before CD) I used to have a little degaussing
> gadget that was the shape of a tape that you put into your player to
> de-magnetize the head. This may help with the background hissing you are
> getting.

There were a few other gadgets too.  The one I have has a long metal
probe that you stick in and rub on the head.

However, you hear very little about magnetized heads anymore.  It
doesn't seem to be an issue anymore.  Perhaps the tape decks have a
built in degausser.

AND ... a magnetized head doesn't cause hiss directly.  It starts to
magnetize/erase any tapes you play and then the tapes get hissy.
And the magnetized tapes can remagnetize the head the next time
they're played.  Been there big time in the days of DIY 8-track tape
recording.