Is Cassette really dead?

n4d5

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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
 

MajorFubar

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There are some things cassettes can still do more simply and less expensively than digital systems, but such uses tend to be quite specialised. There will be a supply of used musicassettes on such as eBay and in flea-markets for years to come. What will probably dry-up is the supply of new blank tapes.

I wonder what was the last new car to be sold with a radio-cassette in its dashboard, and when? It will be quite recent. I have a friend with an 03-plate Rover 75 which has a radio cassette, and that's 'only' 8 years ago, so it's 7 years ago or less.
 

Clare Newsome

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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:
 
A

Anonymous

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Not dead yet, I was listening to Spirit of Eaden by Talk Talk just the other day on tape player of a tiny Seat car . lovely sound
 
I'm still using my trusty Sony WM-D6C walkman professional to record interviews and the like. Still have a goodly stash of TDK Chrome tapes to use up yet!

Also as Clare says making backups - I still have a car with a cassette in the dash as well as CD! ;)
 

The_Lhc

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Alears said:
The_Lhc said:
I need a decent tape deck that I can plug into my PC to record a bunch of albums I've only got on tape and that don't appear to be on CD anywhere, any ideas?

Sony WM-D6C if you can find one. Quality was good enough to worry a Nakamichi, and it's portable!

That'd be second hand I guess? I'd prefer new, also is it worth getting something to convert the output to digital before it reaches the PC? I've got a USB phono stage from Pro-Ject for doing vinyl but that won't handle a line-level input (at least I don't think it will), which is a shame, otherwise I'd use that.
 

oldric_naubhoff

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The_Lhc said:
That'd be second hand I guess? I'd prefer new, also is it worth getting something to convert the output to digital before it reaches the PC?

hi Lhc. I think this product might interest you:

http://www.alesis.com/tapelinkusb
 

The_Lhc

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oldric_naubhoff said:
The_Lhc said:
That'd be second hand I guess? I'd prefer new, also is it worth getting something to convert the output to digital before it reaches the PC?

hi Lhc. I think this product might interest you:

http://www.alesis.com/tapelinkusb

You're right, it does, I've not heard of Alesis however, is it likely to be any good?

Heh, would you believe it, there's a dealer in Barnstaple, 20 mins from where I live!
 
The_Lhc said:
oldric_naubhoff said:
The_Lhc said:
That'd be second hand I guess? I'd prefer new, also is it worth getting something to convert the output to digital before it reaches the PC?

hi Lhc. I think this product might interest you:

http://www.alesis.com/tapelinkusb

You're right, it does, I've not heard of Alesis however, is it likely to be any good?

Heh, would you believe it, there's a dealer in Barnstaple, 20 mins from where I live!

It is also available on a certain auction site, allegedly!
 

n4d5

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I'm going to look for a secondhand deck, but a high end one hopefully. Would it be better to buy one that was like one of the last decent cassette deck made, or should I look at even older models?
 

proffski

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I was once asked to produce a demo tape of a friends daugters jazz quartet. I used one of my Sony ES series DAT recorders and as a backup my trusty old faithful the Sony 3 Head TCKA6ES analogue cassette machine.

All went very well and after listening to both masters we packed up and went home for a little editing... To my horror after pressing the right button once too often on the DAT machine I had somehow managed to confuse the machine so much that the DAT cassette became unplayable. Happily the analogue version was intact and she sent that one off unedited. She got the job! I have never trusted a digital source since!
 

MajorFubar

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The_Lhc said:
That'd be second hand I guess? I'd prefer new
Other opinions are available (;)), but imo, if you want the best SQ, consider buying a cherished classic from the 80s or early 90s that was highly-rated when new. For example, a Nak DR3 like mine can be yours for much less than £100 in many instances. I’d say its SQ will surpass anything available new today, because the manufacturers aren’t really investing in the format anymore.
 

The_Lhc

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MajorFubar said:
The_Lhc said:
That'd be second hand I guess? I'd prefer new
Other opinions are available (;)), but imo, if you want the best SQ, consider buying a cherished classic from the 80s or early 90s that was highly-rated when new. For example, a Nak DR3 like mine can be yours for much less than £100 in many instances. I’d say its SQ will surpass anything available new today, because the manufacturers aren’t really investing in the format anymore.

It's the "cherished" bit that bothers me, how do you find out it is really has been looked after properly?
 

Clare Newsome

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Indeed. And even the most loved examples need regular maintenance to stay at their very best - though that's not really a worry for you if you're going to record your tapes then sell the deck on....
 
The_Lhc said:
MajorFubar said:
The_Lhc said:
That'd be second hand I guess? I'd prefer new
Other opinions are available (;)), but imo, if you want the best SQ, consider buying a cherished classic from the 80s or early 90s that was highly-rated when new. For example, a Nak DR3 like mine can be yours for much less than £100 in many instances. I’d say its SQ will surpass anything available new today, because the manufacturers aren’t really investing in the format anymore.

It's the "cherished" bit that bothers me, how do you find out it is really has been looked after properly?

I may be a little bit gullible but it is my general feeling that if a certain type of person is going to pay out top-dollar on a piece of kit then they are generally the type to keep it in good repair / unlikely to serious abuse said kit. With cheaper 'run of the mill' stuff I would have a bit more concern. I readily accept that any 'cherished' product I may buy might very well need a service and I try to factor that into the price I am prepared to pay for said item. Much like second-hand cars, I do not care how 'cherished' they may be, I always make a point of changing the timing belt!
 

MajorFubar

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The_Lhc said:
It's the "cherished" bit that bothers me, how do you find out it is really has been looked after properly?
Quite often, the overall physical condition is a giveaway. You'd be really unfortunate to buy a high-end machine from a domestic environment which looked near-new but which was worn-out. 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.
 

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