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Cassettes [message #90140] Mon, 22 April 2019 23:56 Go to next message
Newjack is currently offline  Newjack
Messages: 62
Registered: December 2018
Viscount
I recently moved. When I was going through all my belongings and packing I came across a huge store of old cassettes. What a trip! Had to chuckle at a few of my purchases. Laughing I no longer have anything that plays cassettes but was thinking of purchasing a cheap, second-hand player. Does the audio quality degrade over time?
Re: Cassettes [message #90142 is a reply to message #90140] Tue, 23 April 2019 08:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Quality will degrade if the cassette is exposed to magnetic fields. You also don't want them exposed to extreme heat or to dust. Heat can warp the case and dust can act as an abrasive.

Don't buy a cheap dual-transport deck. Get a three-head deck that has a bias adjustment for recording. You'll be very happy with the quality from a good deck, provided your tapes are well recorded.
Re: Cassettes [message #90165 is a reply to message #90140] Fri, 26 April 2019 11:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kingfish is currently offline  Kingfish
Messages: 548
Registered: November 2012
Illuminati (1st Degree)
Newjack wrote on Mon, 22 April 2019 23:56
Does the audio quality degrade over time?
Yes. This is the main selling point of all the advanced audio players and equipment that have made their way to us through the years. Streamed music will never degrade in quality.

I look at it this way though: Playing old music on old technology takes me back to that time. Elton John records on a turntable will transport me back to 1975, and that's a good feeling to have.
Re: Cassettes [message #90642 is a reply to message #90140] Thu, 04 July 2019 09:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Reggie is currently offline  Reggie
Messages: 47
Registered: November 2018
Baron
Besides the things that Wayne said about keeping the cassette tape in good order, I would like to add that you keep it away from humid areas because molds can ruin even the best cassette tape.

I had the Sony Walkman before, and I brought it everywhere I go. Now I use my mobile phone.
Re: Cassettes [message #90976 is a reply to message #90642] Mon, 30 September 2019 10:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Airforce 3 is currently offline  Airforce 3
Messages: 81
Registered: December 2013
Viscount
These replies make me realize that the care you have to take to keep different types of media in good working order helps you appreciate the music even more. It makes the ownership more personal.
Re: Cassettes [message #91150 is a reply to message #90140] Wed, 13 November 2019 10:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Miami is currently offline  Miami
Messages: 115
Registered: April 2012
Viscount
If we're going to be honest about things, I was never a huge fan of cassettes and 8 Tracks. The 8 Tracks especially, when compared to vinyl, were too much of a hassle for me to deal with.
Re: Cassettes [message #91208 is a reply to message #90140] Tue, 19 November 2019 18:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Azuri is currently offline  Azuri
Messages: 315
Registered: November 2012
Grand Master
I don't think the flimsy tape material itself will degrade the sound, as Wayne pointed out. But rather the plastic casing and those two wheels could degrade over time compromising the movement of the tape.
Re: Cassettes [message #93835 is a reply to message #90140] Sat, 29 May 2021 17:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mulcahy is currently offline  Mulcahy
Messages: 23
Registered: May 2021
Location: Queens, NY
Chancellor
Anyone still creating or collecting cassettes? My partner has a few lecture tapes from his grad school days, and I have one tape I want to digitize: a good recording of my late dad's voice.
Re: Cassettes [message #94865 is a reply to message #90140] Mon, 06 December 2021 03:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Echo is currently offline  Echo
Messages: 25
Registered: June 2019
Chancellor
Oh! Good old cassettes LOL. I think I still have a cassette player somewhere in my basement from when I was a teenager. I treasure those oldies like gold Very Happy
Re: Cassettes [message #95460 is a reply to message #90140] Fri, 01 April 2022 18:01 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Leot55 is currently offline  Leot55
Messages: 224
Registered: June 2017
Master
How did it turn out? Do the tapes still play? I am in a similar situation and just wondered whether it worked out for you.
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