Marantz PMD 222 Cassette Recorder
 

The Marantz PMD is a hi-fi portable cassette tape recorder. The one shown has been modified for live looping of audio and tape speed manipulation. Live looping of audio has been achieved by wiring a potentiometer to the erase head. When in record mode, this pot acts like a subtle switch and gradually turns the erase head on and off. When recording with an endless loop cassette, this creates a loop of the recorded audio that can be layered and manipulated, live. There is an additional potentiometer wired to the motor that creates a large range of tape speeds, from almost stopped to very fast chipmunk squeak. What makes this machine different from a typical cassette walkman is there are three tape heads: erase, record, and playback. Having three heads allows for a variety of audio manipulation: echo, sound on sound, and live audio looping.