Cassette culture: know & choose the best audio cassettes and tape decks!

This video focuses on the main aspects related to audio compact cassettes and on some hints on how to choose a good tape deck. Cassette culture and the analog revival started by vinyl is getting bigger. Now is the time to go back to this mistreated media and start to explore the potential of TAPE!

ERRATA CORRIGE: BIAS is applied only during recording, NOT during playback.

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--- Tape in production:

National Audio Company (good quality):

Maxell (medium quality):

Recording the masters:

--- Good info sites:

(all on the various brads of cassettes)

(a lot of information on cassettes, suggestions, history and culture)

(forum)

--- Choosing tape decks:

(all on all Nak models)

(small but helpful)

(forum)

(forum)

--- Where to buy cassettes & co. :

(nice but nothing high quality)

(mixed tape stuff. Nothing high quality)

(US)

(good for prerecorded)

--- Indie rock bands on tape and other pre-recorded sources:

(UK, and America labels)

(US)

[QUIZFILTER]

DAMN it would be SO NICE if someone started making a bunch of new type II & METAL blank cassettes!!!! Uuugh, that would be some heaven.

[jimreid]

Very informative, I’m a vinyl buyer and have been for 40 years. However I’m a big user of cassettes and I still get so much pleasure out of making my own compilation albums. Anyway well done on your video.

[Odihmantich]

8:12 wow! It’s one of my favorite films ever. And the soundtrack there is amazing!

[Luckystone]

0:46 Bring back the cassettes fast, I love audio cassettes, cassette decks, and i listen to them. Iam a vinyl fan too. I love them both.
Physically owning/ collecting Vinyls, cassettes, CDs, Books, and so on is just human! Collecting things is natural, animals and birds do it for what ever reasons. Mankind has done the art of collecting, owning, right from souvenirs, prizes, gifts and the like for ages. It's a go to sort of thing by going through ones collection and taking the right pick to hear music, there's a physical and mental connection, it livens the mood, and mental well being.
On line music is different, you can't see it in form physically, can't collect them, no physical storage, the human element is lacking.

[HammyTechnoid]

When I was running the cassette duplication department of the recording studio I once operated, I'd always get CrO2 as the tape. The tapes would be produced in real time, usually 5 at a time, on high quality decks, some Sonys and some Teacs, each calibrated for each tape. We charged $7.00 each and everyone was happy.

[KRAFTWERKK]

16:32 Oh boy i'd LOOOVE to get one of these TDK MA 90 tapes sometimes. Only had the SA-X 90 Chrome equivalent of it. Nice to see they used the same case housing with just a different label print.

[olaniyi]

I stocked up on high grade tapes in the 90s. I'm glad I did. I use Nakamichi cassette decks because there are still some repair shops that stock parts and services them. I also love the way they sound.

[Soundfreeek]

Very informative video ! Thanks.
Just bought a SONY TC-KA5ES and a bunch of metal cassettes. It has been almost 20 years I haven't played a cassette !!
Looking forward to starting recording my vinyls albums...!

[craigdavidson]

My grandad got a Sony TC-K61 and a TC-K81 in 1980. The K81 was stolen in a burglary late 80's. He gave my dad the k61 mid 90's and my dad gave it to me at Christmas....even though it only has Dolby B it has type I, II, III and IV. It sounds great.

[edwardbarr]

Excellent video you make the valid point at the outset that the compact casssette opens the door to reel to reel appreciation

[xlproductionsptyltd]

The two "external parts" are called "erase tabs". Breaking the tab off prevents recording over the existing recording. If you decide you want to record over the existing recording, you simply put some sticky tape where the tab was and your cassette recorder will now record on that cassette. The extra slots on the Type II and Type IV cassettes are so that the cassette recorder can identify that tape and adjust accordingly.

[mastershaw]

thanx for exploration, i've been recording ( experimenting) my music on tascam digital 24 track, but just purchased yamaha 4 track cassette recorder, and didn't know and wondered about the difference in cassettes

[cruzingrsx]

Hello,
I want to thank you for reintroducing me to my cassette deck! I have been playing about 75% records and 25% cd’s for the last 4 years. After watching you champion the cassette format I decided to clean the heads and pinch rollers on my Onkyo Integra TA-RW909 that’s in like new condition. I put some battery’s in the units remote-control and enjoy some of the well recorded cassettes that were made about 35 years ago. I put on my Sennheiser HD580 headphones and sat back in a zero gravity chair and hit play button on the remote. First I started tapping my feet then moving my head and before I knew it I was dancing in the chair. WOW... I had forgotten how great a high quality cassette in a high quality tape deck that is properly recorded sounds. Now I have about 100 cassettes that I will reintroduce myself to, thanks to you...lol. It’s time to put another cassette in the deck and I enjoy my new favorite format. A question sir, besides having my machine professionally tuned can you recommend in-between maintenance tips? Many thanks for the educational videos, there super helpful. Also what are your feeling about leaving a cassette in your unit until the next time you use it, the manual does not mention anything about that?

[kylehazachode]

I love my Tascam 112 and Pioneer CT-F4242. I love the rackmountability of the Tascam and the lights and analog VU meters of the Pioneer.

[davedavis]

bought a 4 track cassette, finally used it after many year's in the box . Sound is real as it gets, pure analog . order new chrome one's out of Japan thru Amazon

[desperadolighfoot]

I've got hundreds of type 2 and 4, which are 20 to 45 years old. And surprisingly, they sound just great on my Nakamichis (2). The Nakamichi will spot the brakes between songs and stop at its beginning. They haven't degraded one bit. On the cheaper ones, type 1, I have to glue back the felt buffer.

[shaun]

This section is right up my street I have been using tapes since the 80s right up to today and tomorrow I am stiking with it more FUN for recording pity about chrome & METAL tapes not being sold today

[UberPilot]

Great job. Just picked up an F660 for 150US. Hopefully I'll get it running soon. Such a cool looking deck.

[RobiticDuck]

For the longest time besides radio. My dad's cassette collection was the only format I could listen to at home in my bedroom off my boombox or off my Walkman. So like many others I'm too nostalgic for the return of the format. Still buying cds and now that tapes are coming back I can grow my tape collection some more.

[phatsmitty]

Excellent Guido!! Love your tonearms and tape hubs forever