Is the Cassette Recorder Dead?

Tape decks are still good for taping off the radio or tuner. I tape lots of FM Music and AM talk shows to my cassette deck. There are lots of great cassette decks. The Sony es models, Nakamichi tape decks, which you will see always on Ebay, Teac Tape decks.

Well no one has talked about the economics and how they have changed. You can purchase CD-Rs for about $0.30 each. Try buying a cassette tape blank for that. These are only good on computer type CD players but can be played back on most audio system CD players. I just purchased a Harmon Kardon CD2 recorder that can record off of radio and all the other functions (ie it has a D to A converter) that I used to use a cassette for. It can record using the CDRWs which are the re recordable media. Much more expensive media but you only need one or two. The CDRs for this recorder cost more then the media for computers...about $1.25-$1.50 each but are still competitive with blank cassettes.

Thanks for the input Elizabeth. I have never used a car CD player and the fact that they muck up the CD's is really good to know. We will stick with the old car stereos and cassttes. I live in LA and drive with the sunroof (on my car) down year round except when it is raining and a high quality auto stereo seems like a waste anyway. I can always listen the "hot" stereos in the "hot" cars that pass me by (you know the ones I'm talking about - the ones where you can hear the bass a 1/4 mile down the road. Too bad that "those" car stereos never seem to be playing Mancini. LOL.

Well after some thought and reading the responses,I have decided on the Sony Mini Disc.Model JE440 MDLP. The features are beyond belief. This is what the cassette deck should have been. Have had the unit for a couple of months now and it continues to amaze me with its sonics and total flexibility.My thanks to all the respondents to this thread.

Is the cassette recorder dead? NOt yet. Although most manufacturers have basically abandoned it, except in cheap settings (dual dub decks, boom boxes). WOuld I go out and buy a new cassette deck? No way. I have a Nakamichi LX5, bought in the early 80's. It still makes very nice tapes which I use in the car. Don't want to scratch up my discs or have to handle them in the car environment. Tapes do tend to wear out easily with heat when left in the car, but it's easy to dub another one. Don't find myself doing that much recording these days, but like to make compilations from time to time.

tom