Dr. Gizmo: Finding a Dolby decoder; choosing the best operating system

The doc still has a Dolby B decoder dating from the late 1960s.

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Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

Dr. Gizmo: Finding a Dolby decoder; choosing the best operating system

Sept. 25, 2002

By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2002, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2002, The Post-Standard

   Do you know where I might look to find a Dolby B decoder? I would like to replay my prerecorded open-reel tapes without that "tipped up" sound. -- J.S., via ptialaska.net.
   Dolby B decoders are indeed hard to find. They were common among hi-fi buffs 30 years ago for playing tape recordings made with the then-new Dolby noise-reduction system. Played without Dolby decoding, Dolby tapes sound a little harsh; what's worse, of course, is that non-decoded Dolby tapes sound decidedly "false" to many people who love hi-fi sound.
   The doc still has a Dolby B decoder -- a Concord Dolby B encoder-decoder combo unit, in fact, dating from the late 1960s – and he also owns an old Marantz 3800 Stereo Console with built-in Dolby B encoding and decoding. Stores selling used equipment and individuals selling on eBay might have such old stereo gear.
   But the doctor has sometimes sidestepped the need for separate Dolby B decoding by cheating. Knowing that his ever-present buddy would want to listen to the doctor's old Dolby open-reel tapes on cassette, the doc made direct copies from his open-reel recorder (sometimes called a "reel-to-reel" tape deck) to his good-quality cassette deck without having the Dolby B decoding turned on in the open-reel recorder – and, of course, without turning on Dolby encoding in the cassette deck.
   Later, playing back the cassette tape with Dolby B turned on restores the sound quality. In fact, the sound is preserved better this way than if the audio is decoded and then re-encoded.
   The recording level (or loudness) must be set exactly right for this to work properly. If J.S. has an open-reel Dolby B alignment tape, he can play that tape and record it on the cassette deck to establish what is called a Dolby reference level on the cassette tape. On most cassette decks, the level should show between plus 3 and plus 5 on the deck's meters during playback. (The recording level is not what matters.)
   The doc had to try this many times to get it right, but it was worth all the trouble. He found that the best quality Type I tape was essential. Type II and Type IV tapes usually didn't work as well. (The doc offers a trivia quiz to all old hi-fi fans: What's a Type III tape?)

   I'm using Windows Me and have been having a lot of trouble. It's time for a change. Can you tell me the best operating system? Should I upgrade to Windows XP? -- J.H., via Road Runner
   The doctor rates alternatives to Windows Me this way: No. 1 is a modern Macintosh running Mac OS X, the new Unix-based operating system from Apple. At the No. 4 spot is Windows XP. Numbers 2 and 3 are vacant. With new Windows viruses and worms appearing faster than the doc can count, he's not about to recommend an unsafe operating system as his first, second or third choices.

   Dr. Gizmo avoids Al Fasoldt's Windows computers unless he has to defrag their drives. You can send an iMac or just a letter to the doc or his pal at Technology, Box 4915, Syracuse, NY 13221. Or send e-mail to afasoldt@twcny.rr.com.