rje1 (12/28/82)
After many weeks of experimenting with Dolby B & C, I think I finally have come up with a solution for using recorded tapes in my car. a When recording on tape (I've been using MAXCELL XLII-S with great success), I set Dolby B on my Sony TCFX-77 deck. Using a 10-band equalizer with the low freq's set at about +3db, mid-freq's at +6db, upper-mid freq's at +3db, and 16kc at 0db, I set the recording level as high as possible without tape reaching tape saturation (keeping peaks below +6db on the flourescent meters). Since my car stereo is not equipped with any Dolby or equalization settings, the usual tape hiss is kept at a minimum when tapes are played back. Now, the best part! To listen to those same tapes on the HOME deck, I use Dolby C and a DBX-BX1 Series 2 Expander, set at 30% expansion and 60% transition levels. Even while listening with headphones, there is hardly a 'hiss' to be heard. Just in case you're not familiar with the operation of an expander, it works by increasing the volume of high-level passages and decreasing the volume of low-level ones, the opposite of so-called 'compression' and 'gain-riding' used to constrict program sources. By expanding the dynamic range of a compressed program, the contrasts between loud and soft are restored and those of the original performance are more closely approximated. The low-level passages are reduced, which further reduces the 'hiss' accompanied with recorded tapes. try it ... you might like it! Bob Esposito ll1!rje1