Is Cassette really dead?

[Petherick]

[Do HiFi shops still sell used p/xed decks? If so, that's a useful avenue too because they'd usually come with a short warranty.

Here does - http://www.greenhomeshop.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=6&zenid=4fc58b45c63ede7b313aa32d6c4e96a3.

Nothing 'high-end' but they do come up from time to time.

 

[Cold Roses]

There is quite an active cassette scene currently, with a lot of new releases. It's mostly limited edition / limited interest sort of stuff.

http://www.discogs.com/explore?fmt=Cassette&decade=2010&sort=year_desc

Yeah, when visiting Rough Trade East the other day I noticed that they still have a cassette section, which was mostly this type of stuff.

 

[Inter_Voice]

If you still own one at home don't throw it away but leave it to your grand son which might provide him a fortune when he gets old. This should also apply to VCRs.

 

[DandyCobalt]

Just listened to a pre-recorded tape in the car - first time in seven years, and it sounded better than the CD player.

Thinking of getting the tape deck connected to the turntable again. That's progress!

 

[El Hefe]

If you can get a hold of a unit, keep it. I now have a TEAC and ONKYO and both of them gave excellent nostalgic feeling. I still have a healthy number of cassettes, MDs and VHS tapes. Its a nice feeling to be able to play things from my child and teenagehood.

 

[Gareth82]

It's quiet ironic to me that this thread has been put up. I was watching John Bishop the other night and he was talking about the days when people used to tape things on the radio and try and stop and start the recording to cut out the commercials and presenters. The following day i went into my local second hand Hi Fi shop and saw a Sony TC-WR 665S Twin Cassette Deck in mint condition, i just had to get it. I rushed home, dusted off my old cassette's (that i'd thankfully kept), and sat back and relaxed and rememberd the good old days before digital took over. So to answer your question, no Cassette isn't dead yet, not to me yet anyway, i'm just rediscovering my love for it again, and to be honest, i forgot how good it can sound.

 

[Gareth82]

It's quiet ironic to me that this thread has been put up. I was watching John Bishop the other night and he was talking about the days when people used to tape things on the radio and try and stop and start the recording to cut out the commercials and presenters. The following day i went into my local second hand Hi Fi shop and saw a Sony TC-WR 665S Twin Cassette Deck in mint condition, i just had to get it. I rushed home, dusted off my old cassette's (that i'd thankfully kept), and sat back and relaxed and rememberd the good old days before digital took over. So to answer your question, no Cassette isn't dead yet, not to me yet anyway, i'm just rediscovering my love for it again, and to be honest, i forgot how good it can sound.

 

[Al ears]

Hi Room Is Cassette format really dead? or do you think it'll live on like the LP? Are there only a minority of cassette users out time? If not what are the top 10 cassette decks of all time? Reason I'm asking this, I was thinking of investing in a cassette deck, but wanted to know if the technology will still live on? Please discuss Thanks

Since we tend to agree thats its not quite dead and gone can anybody else try to help out the OP with his 'top 10 of all time' query?

 

[CnoEvil]

Thank you for your replies. So the Cassette is not dead yet! So what are the top 10 cassette decks of all time then?

I'm not sure I can make a list of 10 but my 'shortlist' would include:- AIWA XD-009 Nakamichi Dragon Nakamichi CR-7E Sony WM-D6C portable Luxman K-03

Here's a couple more:

Nakamichi BX100E
Sony Walkman Pro
Aiwa AD-F360
Denon DRM 20
Technics RSB55

 

[Anonymous]

I still listen to my cassette collection and prefer the sound of it over MP3, even with the tape hiss. Guess I'm stuck in the 80's.

 

[Anonymous]

Check out e-bay I picked a Denon DRM 510 cassette deck for........................£1.20 yes that's one pound twenty??????? This unit is in great condition and it record LP's with the clicks and pops and static, couldn't be happier with any purchase.

 

[MajorFubar]

Surely a Nakamichi Tri-Tracer should be in the top ten somewhere: the first true HiFi three-head cassette deck.

 

[dannycanham]

Tape. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. It had the longest list of storage and playback problems out of every medium. Didn't like it in the 80s and my feelings for it only went downhill from there. It is the one reason to be truly thankful for MP3 and it only lived so long as a dirty mechanism for playing your lp and cd collection in cars. Hot cars full of plastic boxes of dog toffee.

 

[Alantiggger]

New cassette decks (and tapes) still being made/bought/enjoyed in other areas of the world.

We have a much-loved Nakamichi Dragon deck at home. It sounds awesome, and is an excellent resource for making suitably analogue back-ups of new vinyl purchases, before any scratches or wear.

We buy new metal tapes from eBay, though recently found a stash of mint but bargain TDK cassettes in the electircal shop in my parents' village. :bounce:

Clare, my younger bro was heavily into all things musical when he was still speaking to me ... (not now sadly after my father died)

But all he bought was TDK tapes ... he said they were the best

 

[The_Lhc]

Tape. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. It had the longest list of storage and playback problems out of every medium. Didn't like it in the 80s and my feelings for it only went downhill from there. It is the one reason to be truly thankful for MP3 and it only lived so long as a dirty mechanism for playing your lp and cd collection in cars. Hot cars full of plastic boxes of dog toffee.

At the risk of imploding into an irony black hole can I just say thank you for your wonderfully helpful contribution...

 

[Alantiggger]

Cassette .... finished medium ... it's old hat now.

 

[Anonymous]

My Pioneer CTS 709 is still going strong after 20 years, I wonder how many I thingys will?

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Thank you for your replies. So the Cassette is not dead yet! So what are the top 10 cassette decks of all time then?

I'm not sure I can make a list of 10 but my 'shortlist' would include:- AIWA XD-009 Nakamichi Dragon Nakamichi CR-7E Sony WM-D6C portable Luxman K-03

Here's a couple more: Nakamichi BX100E Sony Walkman Pro Aiwa AD-F360 Denon DRM 20 Technics RSB55

My top cassette decks would be -

Nakamichi Dragon, CR7, CR5

Pioneer reference CT91, CT93, CT95

Yamaha KX580SE, KX393

DAT player (its tape)

the truly stunning Nakamichi 1000 DAT transport + 1000P DAC

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

:shame:

Tape. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. It had the longest list of storage and playback problems out of every medium. Didn't like it in the 80s and my feelings for it only went downhill from there. It is the one reason to be truly thankful for MP3 and it only lived so long as a dirty mechanism for playing your lp and cd collection in cars. Hot cars full of plastic boxes of dog toffee.

At the risk of imploding into an irony black hole can I just say thank you for your wonderfully helpful contribution...

Ironic indeed :shame:

 

[seasiders rock]

Still listening to cassettes, Nakamichi Cassette Deck 2, mint, boxed for £35, you cant go wrong.

Blank tapes are still available if you know where to look.

Music cassettes are dirt cheap and most have lasted well and are still serviceable, try some of the Pink Floyd, Dark side of the Moon, Wish you were here. Excellent.

I have also bought a couple of Dave Matthews Band cassettes from the States that were brand new and still sealed, they sound supurb. :dance:

 

[The_Lhc]

:shame:

Tape. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. It had the longest list of storage and playback problems out of every medium. Didn't like it in the 80s and my feelings for it only went downhill from there. It is the one reason to be truly thankful for MP3 and it only lived so long as a dirty mechanism for playing your lp and cd collection in cars. Hot cars full of plastic boxes of dog toffee.

At the risk of imploding into an irony black hole can I just say thank you for your wonderfully helpful contribution...

Ironic indeed :shame:

Yes that's why I mentioned it, take your "shame" somewhere else.

 

[Al ears]

Thank you for your replies. So the Cassette is not dead yet! So what are the top 10 cassette decks of all time then?

I'm not sure I can make a list of 10 but my 'shortlist' would include:- AIWA XD-009 Nakamichi Dragon Nakamichi CR-7E Sony WM-D6C portable Luxman K-03

Here's a couple more: Nakamichi BX100E Sony Walkman Pro Aiwa AD-F360 Denon DRM 20 Technics RSB55

My top cassette decks would be -

Nakamichi Dragon, CR7, CR5

Pioneer reference CT91, CT93, CT95

Yamaha KX580SE, KX393

DAT player (its tape)

the truly stunning Nakamichi 1000 DAT transport + 1000P DAC

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

I'm with you there Rick.
I should have mentioned the Yam KX393 as I had one myself for many a year. In fact I think my brother still uses it on a regular basis.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm still using my Yamaha KX 580 SE on a regular basis for playing the couple of hundred tapes I've accumulated over the years. It's surprising sometimes just how good cassettes can sound, certainly bettering most CDs that were mastered in the late 80s/ early 90s for example.

 

[MajorFubar]

I'm still using my Yamaha KX 580 SE on a regular basis for playing the couple of hundred tapes I've accumulated over the years. It's surprising sometimes just how good cassettes can sound, certainly bettering most CDs that were mastered in the late 80s/ early 90s for example.

Indeed, I found that as well. Really, really good musicassettes* from the 70s and 80s always sounded more natural to me than the first wave of CDs which had been digitized from analogue masters.

*shame they were so few and far between :/

 

[Anonymous]

:shame:

Tape. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. It had the longest list of storage and playback problems out of every medium. Didn't like it in the 80s and my feelings for it only went downhill from there. It is the one reason to be truly thankful for MP3 and it only lived so long as a dirty mechanism for playing your lp and cd collection in cars. Hot cars full of plastic boxes of dog toffee.

At the risk of imploding into an irony black hole can I just say thank you for your wonderfully helpful contribution...

Ironic indeed :shame:

Yes that's why I mentioned it, take your "shame" somewhere else.

I think you misunderstood, it was actually mean't to be directed toward the lover of MP3. Apologies for the confusion.