Crazy Doodles
Moderators: AArdvark, Ice Cream Jonsey
- AArdvark
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- Flack
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They are making a comeback in certain circles -- mainly those heavy with nostalgia for them from the 1980s (audiophiles, not so much). Like the VHS community, I think the occasional warbles and hiss add (rather than detract) from the experience.AArdvark wrote:Are cassette tapes making a comeback? I've heard that vinyl albums are making headway but.... cassette tapes? I duuno, I heard something about tapes being 'in' with some groups of people.
I sold all of my cassettes on eBay several years ago and got way more for them than you would expect. In many cases, albums on cassette sell for more than the same album on CD. I got $3-$5 each for all my old Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Motley Crue cassettes, and more ($5-$10) for some of the more obscure ones. I don't know that there's enough profit to comb thrift stores for tapes to resell, but it was worth it to me at the time.
One thing that has shot up over the past several years are boomboxes -- the "ghettoblasters" of the 1980s. When I started looking for one I was expecting to pay $10 or so and was surprised to see them going for 10x that amount. Back in the 80s and 90s almost everyone had one of them in their garage, which explains why the cassette mechanism rarely works on them any more (dried up/broken belts). I paid $40 for one at a thrift store that I saw working but didn't listen to. When I got it home, the speed was all wonky and let's just say I failed a saving throw when trying to repair it. I check eBay for them from time to time, but it seems like most of the ones I look at go for $50+ (plus shipping) and have broken cassette players.
Unlike vinyl (which audiophiles will tell you sounds better than CDs or mp3s), it's tough to argue that cassettes (or VHS) are superior than digital -- it's just a nostalgic thing, and as long as they have credit cards attached to their eBay accounts, I'm all for it. ;)
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."
- AArdvark
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- Joined: Tue May 14, 2002 6:12 pm
- Location: Rochester, NY
One of the podcasts I listen to is releasing a tape episode. They hired a guy to do the artwork and make 150 tapes, then they sell them out of the trunk of a car at a local brewery. It's a whole 'scene thing' I guess.
I still have a Sears boombox (with detachable speakers!) for a while I was using it for the sound output on my Magnavox TV/PC. I think the tape player still works, I dunno for sure. I dug up an old Ampex tape to keep in the player, cause it looks so...I dunno, proper?
Wait, lemee post a pic...

I doubt I'd ever get back into tapes. I remember how great it felt to give away all my tapes and go straight CDs
But then, I do have a dual deck player in my studio stereo...
THE
ON THE BACK FENCE
AARDVARK
I still have a Sears boombox (with detachable speakers!) for a while I was using it for the sound output on my Magnavox TV/PC. I think the tape player still works, I dunno for sure. I dug up an old Ampex tape to keep in the player, cause it looks so...I dunno, proper?
Wait, lemee post a pic...

I doubt I'd ever get back into tapes. I remember how great it felt to give away all my tapes and go straight CDs
But then, I do have a dual deck player in my studio stereo...
THE
ON THE BACK FENCE
AARDVARK
- Flack
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I have a Kenwood component cassette deck hooked up to the line-in input on the back of my PC. Whenever I run across a tape that never made it to CD (local band or radio recording), I convert it to mp3 and then toss the cassette.
And yeah, that boombox you have is the shit. I keep searching garage sales for one that looks, well, pretty much like that. Someday...
And yeah, that boombox you have is the shit. I keep searching garage sales for one that looks, well, pretty much like that. Someday...
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."
- Ice Cream Jonsey
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- AArdvark
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It's The Chad Dukes Rodkast
- pinback
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- Flack
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