Studio NAB ‘Jingle’ Carts Transfer to CD | Audio Restored

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NAB Cart facts

• The NAB cartridge is a magnetic sound recording format initially developed in 1954 and released commercially in 1959.
• The NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) cartridge was widely employed as the industry standard radio broadcast format for playing jingles, radio commercials, station identifications and music, until the late 1990s when MiniDisc and computerised broadcast automation became established, rendering the NAB cart obsolete.
• Early NAB carts utilised two track 1/4 inch tape, one track carrying a mono audio signal, the other carrying a 1 kHz cue track to control the player.
• Later versions used three-track heads to allow for a stereo signal as well as the cue track.
• The primary cue tone stops the tape transport, the secondary tone automatically re-cues the tape to the beginning, and the tertiary tone triggers a second tape unit.
• Unlike 8-track cartridges, which have a pinch roller built into the cartridge shell, NAB carts have an opening where a pinch roller intrinsic to the player swings up and engages with the capstan during tape playback.

Pressure Pads

Like 8-track cartridges, NAB carts often suffer deterioration of their pressure pads through age. This can render them unplayable. Before transfers are undertaken, we carefully check the condition of the pressure pads, and replace them if necessary.