Are Cassette Tapes The New Vinyl
@crossbones27 (50918)
Mojave, California
March 26, 2016 5:30am CST
I highly doubt it, but to my surprise are making a comeback. My Facebook friend owns a punk rock store. He posted that he got 15 new cassette tapes of various older bands like "7 seconds" for sale.
People were tripping out on this. He said they are indeed making a comeback. Looked it up and saw news sites and other various music blogs were talking how classic cassette tapes are on the rise.
What really shocked me were the prices. I would have figured 3 or 4 bucks at the most, but try 10 on average. He did have a few for 7 and 8 dollars. Small businesses struggle. Prices usually have to be higher than chain stores like Best Buy. Of course, stores still sell the blanks ones. I knew that, but used ones!
Cassette tapes more or less degrade after each play and were never great on sound quality when bought brand new. The sound quality just gets worse as they get older with more wear and tear. I guess they can be collector items if you plan on never playing them. Who am I to say? People want the whole collection of everything bands put out in their career and cassette tapes were part of that.
Another reason they were probably 10 bucks a pop.
17 people like this
18 responses
@JolietJake (50190)
•
26 Mar 16
Cassette tapes? Have you people lost it?
NOTHING will ever compare to the sound of these vintage beauties. 
BRING BACK THE 8-TRACK!!! 
NOTHING will ever compare to the sound of these vintage beauties.
BRING BACK THE 8-TRACK!!! 5 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
26 Mar 16
@crossbones27 If you think about it, before the advances in digital recording, all music was recorded in the studio on magnetic tape...the same kind of tape used in cassettes and 8-tracks, just much wider, usually 2 inches
1 person likes this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
26 Mar 16
@crossbones27 If I remember right, cassette tape is 1/8 inch wide and 8-tracks are 1/4 inch (the same as home reel-to-reel tape)
1 person likes this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
26 Mar 16
@crossbones27 Also, history lesson...why is it an '8-track' tape when it only has 4 channels? Because each channel has a left and right 'track', therefore making 8 tracks in total. In a similar vein, a cassette is a 4-track (two sides, left and right on each side), which gives each channel the same room available on the tape that an 8 track had.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
26 Mar 16
@crossbones27 Oh well that is entirely different. There are some shops in my city that specialise in such items and stock cassette tapes and vinyl records only. These are still very popular with many people who still possess the equipment to play them.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
@Asylum Who knew, I guess I am just out of the loop on such things these days. Technology has really corrupted my mind. lol
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
These are used. No reproducing. That is why 10 bucks for something that could break at any minute seems steep to me.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72544)
• Philippines
26 Mar 16
My friend who's a musician started buying cassette tapes on eBay two years ago. I understand why he was doing that. Music is his passion. But do i see myself buying a cassette tape and spending tons of money on that? I doubt it. After all I'm enjoying the old and new music using free apps on my phone.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72544)
• Philippines
26 Mar 16
@crossbones27 Indeed! To each his/her own. People may not understand why i buy a planner that's more than a $100, but it's my hobby lol! So on that part I understand those people spending that much on a cassette tape.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
@toniganzon True, no amount of money can make up for what we love. Unless you love money more than anything else. Then that is a different story. lol
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
Much easier to take care of your music that way. lol I think it is a bit odd, but to each their own.
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
28 Mar 16
That is very true, and I did not think about that. Some nostalgia for people maybe. Great point.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
29 Mar 16
@crossbones27 I remember the time and what was popular.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
29 Mar 16
@crossbones27 By that time I was getting everything on CD.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
26 Mar 16
I actually used to know a guy who, when he bought something, he bought it on CD, vinyl, and cassette. Every time.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
I have met a few people like that before in my life also. I do have to say it does look kind of cool when you have everything. It also lets you compare qualities of each type easier.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
@teamfreak16 Never owned vinyl. I was just getting into music when they were starting to switch to CD's Vinyl seems like it always will be in style. I guess you could start again if you wanted.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
26 Mar 16
@crossbones27 - That's true, it would make comparing easier. Anyway, I had a sizeable cassette collection that I don't miss at all. But I regret getting rid of my vinyl.
1 person likes this
@Dextoi (1845)
• Philippines
26 Mar 16
We still have cassette tapes at home and a player for it too. Yes, it degrades in time. Some tapes were too bass-y sounding now. Sometimes it's the player's tape head that needs a bit of cleaning. I miss the old times though. Bringing cassette tapes at class, a walkman, and headphones to take away the boring in classes.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 16
Cleaning the heads is important and classes are boring without music. lol
@Dextoi (1845)
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
@crossbones27 true... I wonder if there are new bands that record their stuff in cassette...
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
28 Mar 16
@Dextoi There might be some garage bands. I would think if you can get your hands on all the musical equipment, then you could probably get your hands on more modern recording devices.You never know in this world though.
@allen0187 (58574)
• Philippines
30 Mar 16
If I knew that cassette tapes would have made a comeback, I would have kept these.
Anyway, starting my vinyl collection this year and the prices are absolutely killing me!!!
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
30 Mar 16
I think Vinyl was the way to go the whole time. I can see why the prices would be killing you. They have become one heck of an investment for the people that kept buying them and kept their old ones.
@allknowing (149529)
• India
27 Mar 16
We have a huge collection of them. I have a deck that works well.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 16
That is cool. I think that is the most important thing because if you have a bad deck, that will surely kill the tape quicker.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
26 Mar 16
Hi crossbones. I seem to recall reading something somewhere about this recently as well.
I am surprised that they are making a comeback too.
But I guess anything is collectible.
Wow that price is high 10 bucks a tape.
Yes they do degrade that is true.
Good idea though now to sell any collections I guess.
I dont have any left at all.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 16
Ya, I did get rid of all of mine also.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 16
@TiarasOceanView Probably a couple of hundred.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
27 Mar 16
@crossbones27 You probably had quite a few as well.
1 person likes this
@Gina145 (3949)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
26 Mar 16
It's funny to read about this now because I tried playing one of my old cassettes a little while ago and after a couple of minutes it started playing really slowly. I don't know whether the tape is stretched or whether there's something wrong with my machine, but I stopped it before it could do any more damage and now I want to try it in another machine to see what the problem is. I certainly won't be investing money in cassettes when there are better options available.
1 person likes this
@Gina145 (3949)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
27 Mar 16
Thanks @crossbones27 . I have another cassette player. I just haven't had time to try it yet. I think it would probably be best to replace some of the tapes I still like with CDs though. That technology is much more reliable.
It's funny that I used to prefer cassettes to vinyl because I was scared my records would get scratched. Now the records are still fine but I'm having problems with the tapes.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
28 Mar 16
That is the story of my life. Having half of something, but not the other half. lol
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
26 Mar 16
thank you my man for making it simple to down load from you tube.I really appreciated it.Sorry,that I forgot to put 27 next to your name on my post.Vinyl record is big.I just came back from a flea market and they were selling fast to some.The good ones not the junkie.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
Your welcome buddy. Glad you got it all worked out. Vinyl records can sell really well if they are in good shape.
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 16
Dang , those tape decks are worth some money aren't they? That is if I remember right.
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 16
I agree. Investing in music is always a wise choice.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (76680)
• United States
26 Mar 16
Cassettes might "make a comeback" because it's still the easiest thing to do. You just need a microphone and a cassette deck to make music, not a computer or a CD pressing kit or any of that stuff. Having said that, as you pointed out, the quality deteriorates every time you play one, there's the incessant rewinding to hear a favorite song again (or fast-forwarding through one you don't like), and one of the unspoken issues that made cassettes no fun to begin with: the speed of the player. If the player's wheels aren't set at the proper calibration it'll make the music on the tape sound s l o w e r, or the other problem, maybejustalittletoofast!!!!!!!!
No, I'm not thinking cassettes will make a full-blown comeback the way vinyl has. That was one medium that really deserved to die.
Now, as for 78s making a comeback..... 
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 16
That is a great point. Something most of us do not think about. People who have no money still making music on cassette tapes.
1 person likes this
@Macarrosel (7498)
• Philippines
26 Mar 16
Cassettes tapes? My husband has plenty. Sometimes I got irritated seeing them as I want to throw them away but my husband said no.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
I guess he had the final word on that. I always respect married people who know what boundaries not to cross. lol
@JohnRoberts (109845)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Mar 16
I thought cassette tapes were obsolete. I don't get anyone wanting them. You are right about the wearing out. As least with vinyl, there is supposedly the nothing sounds better than vinyl thing and full size cover art.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 16
Apparently they are not. People like to hold on to things I guess. lol. Vinyl will probably be around forever.
@WilmaHenry54 (355)
• Stanton, Kentucky
26 Mar 16
I had no idea vinyl was so popular until my fourteen year old granddaughter clued me in recently. I wish I had kept my late husband's old stereo with both kinds of players!
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (50918)
• Mojave, California
26 Mar 16
I think many people wish something like that. I used to have hundreds of cassette tapes, but never vinyl because I was frugal even in my early years. No one told me they would be worth money one day. lol
