In a message dated 2/10/2005 3:56:38 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 0e60wq102@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: Our favorite musical electronics supplier, American Musical Supply, phone rep didn't know about DBX, and their tech support staff is out for training until tomorrow, so I can call them back then and ask about this. He did say there is a company called DBX that makes various units, but he didn't know anything about reduction of tape hiss. I'm pretty sure you can actually buy a small, possibly single-space rack-mount unit, that does nothing BUT put DBX into and out of action. I just bought a Tascam 4-track porta-studio about 2 years ago and it has DBX on it, so it can't be that out-dated that nothing comes equipped with it anymore. If the tape player produces the hiss from friction, then it would produce it on playback too? Yes. Then I suppose the thing to do might be to get some kind of signal processor that would go between the tape deck and the speakers, to process the noise out. I think that's basically what DBX is, but in most cases it's onboard of whatever tape player/recorder you have. I'll try AMS tech support tomorrow. BTW, the Marantz has 'off-B-C' Dolby, but nothing called DBX. The Dolby actually removes some of the finer signal highlights and deadens the sound somewhat, so I never use it. I stopped using, too, years ago. If you record with Dolby and playback without it the tape sounds twice as noisy. But if we can figure out what to get, and use it with the Marantz, I would be all for it. Go for it, go with it, go to it, go nuts, go absolutely WILD!!!! Dale For a web-based membership management utility and information on list policies, please see http://nibec.com/24hoursupport/ To unsubscribe, send a blank email to 24hoursupport-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe" (without quotes) in the subject.