Cassette Tape

Kills them how? On paper? Digital, I’m afraid, doesn’t float my boat. Too thin, shrill, paper mache like. Yes, I know, but, but ...the noise, the wow, the flutter!

To my ears it kills them. I’ve been recording on location for almost 37 years. The first 10 was analog cassette the rest digital, with 10 years 48/16, including bit shaping and the rest high resolution. Since 2007, it has been high resolution 24 track on location with lots of rock, jazz and blue grass. In all have I probably attended well over 2000 or more concerts and recorded most of them. I do have a baseline of what real instruments sound like in a real space, both amplified and acoustic.

I say this not to toot my horn, but rather that I’m not ill informed, nor am I a Johnny come lately. Capturing real music in a real space and recreating that is something I dedicated a lot of time doing. Reel to Reel using Dolby SR is a totally different argument and it can produce some very accurate recordings but cassettes are a total compromise and really do not provide any advantage over high resolution digital.

However, if this floats your boat and to your ears it sounds better, well, that is ultimately what it is all about and have at it. And, this is coming from someone who is an analog lover. My preferred playback system is what ever turntable I have hot rodded or created. I am not dogmatic nor am I someone who will only listen to one medium. However, outside of transferring cassettes recordings to a high resolution digital file, cassettes are not one that I prefer to listen to. Hey, but that is just me.

I never said you were a Johnny come lately. But Heifetz’ violin on cassette played on an inexpensive Walkman cassette player sounds fuller, richer and more musical, more like Heiftetz’ Violin, as it were, than the very same piece on digital. More air and sweeter too. I would never argue that digital is not more accurate. 😀

Maxell xlii 90. The "S" version is "better" but usually unnecessary and not worth the extra cost, IMO. I recently sold off all of my 800+ tape collection.

I use the same cassettes I bought in early 70´s, both at home and in car. With a few exceptions all of them are as good as back in the day, mechanically and in sound quality. I buy new and vintage cassette tapes off eBay. Never liked digital´s dull and edgy sound.