Review of the v6030s Cassette Deck from

Hi-Fi World - November 1997

 

MiniDisc, CD-R and now CD-RW are all looking to knock the compact cassette off its perch as the world's de facto domestic recording medium. Adding to cassette's troubles is the fact that sales of pre-recorded and blank tapes are falling and it seems the writing may be on the wall for the format. This hasn't deterred companies like TEAC from building quality cassette decks like their V-6030S. And as we found out in August 1995 with the superb V-8030S, the '6030's more expensive sibling, cassette still has an ace or two up its sleeve.

     The main difference between the two decks is in the capstan department. Quartz-locked direct-drive capstan motors in the '8030S are replaced by belt drive in the '6030S. Where the two share technology is in the mounting of the transport on a separate sub-chassis from the main casework to isolate it from vibration and in their siamesed record and playback heads which are wound with PC-OCC copper wire.

     In facilities and operation as well the two are similar. Both are fitted with Dolby B, C and S to ensure low hiss and compatibility with pre-recordeds and home recordings. An MPX filter ensures FM's 19kHz pilot tone won't confuse the Dolby systems. If you listen through headphones, a headphone socket with volume control means you won't need a pre-amp. And if you find popping open the drawer a real chore, TEAC considerately fit a powered door.

     The knobs on the V-6030S's front panel start looking less standard when it comes to recording. There are separate level and bias controls for each channel as well as an overall channel balance potentiometer. In use, these split controls ended up in the same position, so I have to wonder why TEAC fit them. That said, as our measurements of the TEAC's on-board calibration show, it gets bias and sensitivity right more often than most decks even if it's not as comprehensively automated as Pioneer's CT-S740S reviewed in June 1996 where the FLEX calibration system could alter replay and recording responses (as well as sensitivity and bias) for optimum results. On the TEAC, you press 'Calibration Start' and set sensitivity manually against the fluorescent display; press it again to set bias. Simple and effective. SOUND QUALITY Given the TEAC's accomplished measured specifications, especially its extremely speed-stable transport, l was hoping for a crisp, punchy sound with solidly located images; relatively large amounts of wow and flutter tend to produce images that wander around in the sound stage.

     Dealing with Heaven 17's The Luxury Gap album, the TEAC fulfilled its measured promise, particularly on tracks like 'Lady Ice And Mr Hex' with its heavy baselines which tend to come through budget decks as a confused, distant rumble. Through the V-6030S they were powerful and punchy, adding to this track's rhythm rather than tripping it up. Hiss was low too, although it was obviously present on inter-track silences on this Dolby-B tape.

     What really lodged in my memory was that, with this tape, the TEAC managed to capture all the differing tempos of the various songs. In my experience, a lot of tape decks can fall down when it comes to rhythm.

     The piano causes more problems for more cassette decks than any other instrument. Rather unsurprisingly, the V-6030S and its secure transport shrugged off the pitch-stability problems which can make some piano recordings sound like they were made under water. The real give-away was the solidity and impact of leading edges where they often sound loose and blurred. Once more, the V-6030S showed it was a master of rhythm and expression with one of the most engrossing replays of Vladimir Ashkenazy making his way through a selection of Chopin's works that I've yet heard. Still, good though it was, it wasn't big-league Nakamichi standard the Teac would need better sound stage depth, overall clarity and dynamics for thee to be the case. For £550, this deck was doing a fine job of making a good name for itself.

     Cassette's main raison d'etre is its ability to record. l plucked a fresh TDK AR from its wrapper and used the TEAC's accurate bias and level calibration to get it set up correctly for some recording from our Pink Triangle Da Capo DAC and the P-30 from the same stable as the V-6030S. With the near-obligatory Dolby S in place to prevent saturation and reduce hiss, l tested the TEAC with a couple of pieces from the Schidlof Quartet's CD of Shostakovich's string quartets, as strings are cassette's second bug-bear.

     Well, there were no speed problems as a smooth but powerful violin showed. And with Dolby S, there was no audible hiss either. This piece was as dynamic and tonally colourful as it had been on CD, the woody resonance of the instruments captured almost complete by the TEAC. The only differences between original and copy were a slightly brighter midrange and treble, and a narrower sound stage. Considering the P-30/Da Capo cost about £4500 and the V-6030S about 15% of that, that's not bad for ferric tape.

     Stepping up to TDK SA-X chrome formulation, l found confirmation of our readings on the bias levels in the V-6030S - setting bias for this tape type accurately wasn't possible, although the mismatch wasn't great. Everything else about the Teac was a joy - peak-hold fluorescent meters and a resettable numerical reading for the maximum peak made getting recording level right a piece of cake.

     Again, there was little divergence between original and SA-X recording apart from a more prominent midrange on the latter and slightly less smoothness which came across as a hint of reediness on strings. Still, hiss was conspicuously absent, sound staging broad as well as deep, tonal colour wide-ranging and the music's ebb and flow intact. In short, thumbs up once more.

     Now for metal. TDK MA in the drawer, l tried taping some well-recorded Indie Rock in the form of Silkscreen's Relief album. With a tape like MA and Dolby S, the V-6030S was capable of producing seriously good recordings. The overall tonal balance was more even than on ferric and chrome, dynamics were faster and harder, low-level detail better and the sound as a whole was smoother basically all the improvements you'd expect metal to show over more budget formulations. Even with the drummer going mental on his cymbals, they refused to become splashy or hard and the intense power of this album came across vividly. OK, returning to the CD saw a veil lifted off the sound, but then there's that price differential between digital source and V-6030S to bear in mind.

TEAC's V-6030S uses capable electronics built around a tasty transport, and it shows. It has no weaknesses whether you want the best playback or recording. Alongside Pioneer's CT-S740S, it's one of the standard bearers for the good old compact cassette.

Mick Evans 1999-2000

Last updated 7 February 2000

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