Making Cassette Tapes Cool Again

The growing popularity of cassettes in the music industry is creating a serious tape shortage. One die-hard supplier, National Audio Co. in Springfield, Mo., sees an opportunity. Photo: Blake Nelson for The Wall Street Journal
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[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

This company is a national treasure. I'm really glad their stubbornness worked out for them :) Cassettes will always be cool (and not only because of Hipsters). Best wishes from Germany, the former home of BASF, ORWO and AGFA tapes. Physical Mediums beat cloud and streaming in every aspect. Especially the fun and enjoyment part.

[@RichardQuirkmusic]

there new blank cassettes are fantastic, easily as good as anything I've used in the past thirty years.

[@kylereese5869]

I am always wondering if VHS would also make a comeback

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@@kylereese5869 At one point perhaps. Some bands or indie film makers may release small batches of VHS copies of their movies. As long as there's blank VHS tape material available and people with working VCRs. If i'd release something on VHS it should rather be S-VHS, Heck, maybe D-VHS even gets niche revival like some folks who do with new music releases on DCC.

[@kylereese5869]

@@KRAFTWERK2K6 exactly maybe we could finally give D-Theater a chance.

[@paulb4uk]

@@kylereese5869 I doubt it but they do make good audio players if you get a hifi model

[@burtreynolds2969]

Impressive tape flip @0:21

[@oschiri66]

Yep, faster than autoreverse. ;)

[@CGQuarterly]

These guys should think about selling blank tapes for consumers. I know you can buy a case of 100, but I'm talking about maybe a 5-pack of blank tapes with cases, labels, and j-cards, just like you'd buy back in the day. I'd be all over that.

[@ArturKwaszyn]

You should check out Recording the Masters brand. They're based in France and they manufacture brand new tapes on BASF equipment! You can get them in US too.

[@gixxerboy555]

and put them in all the stores in the country..

[@PureAmbientDrone]

I live right up the road about 2 miles from this company. Never bought tapes from them but I have gotten lots of CD's from them and they do fantastic work.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

They also manufacture CDs? Nice! :)

[@deanfarr3249]

Perhaps maybe this is your dreamjob then working with them making cassettes

[@untrust2033]

0:20 Thats some skill right there.

[@oschiri66]

Next time he could try that with reel to reel. ;)

[@simonemastroianni1985]

Message for National Audio Company Inc. : I love Cassettes!! I think that there are the best format to store music! :)

[@crazymandavy]

Everything old is new again.

[@SPAZZOID100]

Kevin Höhnisch for records yes. NOT cassettes.

[@bazookajoe8904]

there is nothing new under the sun

[@Badassvidsz]

@@kevinhoehnisch98 Yes Kevin it is :-)

[@thesherlockhound]

@@SPAZZOID100 But what if I told you cassettes are good.

[@UrOpinionsSucc]

@@SPAZZOID100 cassettes sound just as good as CD's all you need is a high end cassette deck with bias and dolby noise reduction and Chromium dioxide tapes. (cro2) which are used for CD quality sound. If calibrated right.

[@eliezerlogronio]

I like to collects CDs and cassettes.But cassette got a special spot in my heart.

[@H11X11N]

Eliezer Logronio, you got a heart shaped tape.

[@Badassvidsz]

The same here Eliezer ;-)

[@Erzahler]

I have lots of CD's. But I have never thrown out any of my many cassette tapes. I still have them, and I have two stereo units with cassette recorder/players in them. I won't purchase a stereo system unless it has at least one cassette player in it. And because one is also a recorder, I can still make mix tapes! Among all of the cassette tapes I own, the tapes I treasure the most are those which I recorded myself. Those are the on-air recordings I made back in the late 80's of the CBS Radio Mystery Theatre, which I recorded off of Denver's KOA-AM 850 kHz. I still have several of them, and they still sound and play just like they did when I originally recorded them!

[@friendlyneighbourhoodnerd]

@@H11X11N he has a heart shaped box :')

[@tariqahmed76]

I was a operator of the Dolby Lyric Machine in Pakistan 🇵🇰 in year 1999❤️👍

[@UtkarshAmitabhSrivastava]

Hi, from India.

[@hadirizvi2670]

Were you an operator in a sona? I was working in auvitronics

[@tariqahmed76]

@@hadirizvi2670 WPI Sonic site police station, Fire brigade, Karachi

[@the66volks]

I use cassette tapes everyday keep up the good work!!

[@lisamarsh5355]

Cassettes are coming back big time here in the state of Pennsylvania.I love cassettes!!! I will keep playing my cassettes till the day i die.Cassettes have such a warm sound and i love to make mix tapes.☺☺☺☺☺

[@indecent0079]

Lisa Marsh.. Must be, I’m in PA too and see this as well. I’m in the same boat (sinking boat?).. I still record stuff I don’t have time for but I enjoy Novelty, many ppl today lack this and these are the ppl you can’t talk to about such things before being labeled “stupid weirdo”, aww idnt e so cute 🙄 So here’s my “kit” of goodies I enjoy the novelty of using and abusing (excluding: vhs dvd/br portable, camera, other, tv and gaming).. Hi-Fi Stereo components list: •Living Room Yamaha a/v rec. RX-V661 (with YDS-12 dock) Yamaha tape K-640 Yamaha tape K-540 Yamaha cd5 CDC-655 BSR SE-One (spacial enhance) Sony PS-LX510 phono Yamaha EQ GE-60 Yamaha NS-A1738 tower sp Yamaha RX-V2065 •Other Sansui S-2500X sp (‘74) Sharp Vi AN-2000U JVC tape TD-W718 Audio-Technica AT-PL50 Sony HCD/LBT-G5500 (98) Pioneer a/v rec. VSX-D508 (sp- CT-T5100 (99) Sharp tape RT-W500 JVC tape TD-R441 JVC cd5 XL-FZ158 Technics cd5 SL-PD827 Onkyo a/v rec. HT-R520 (sp- SK 520) Onkyo tape TA-R301 (RI) Onkyo cd6 DX-C380 Sony tape TC-WR531 Realistic STA-64B Coustic ei HEQ-7009 (spectrum display analyzer) Fisher Hi-Fi cab (sp- ST-830) MT-730 CA-273 FM-273 CR-W46 EQ-273 Sharp Optonica RT-1515B Technics cd5 SL-PC10 (1989) Technics tape RS-B54 (dbx deck) Craig tape H221 (1977) Sharp Optonica tape processor RT-3838 Technics a/v rec. SA-GX690 Yamaha a/v rec. RX-V371 Sharp tape RT-160 Yamaha tape KX-W382 Pioneer a/v rec. SX-V200 Sansui S-37 sp Sansui S-3900 sp Ion TTUSB Onkyo tape TA-2060 Yamaha amp A-30 Yamaha tuner T-30 Mixing/recording/instrument amplification & sound processing: Peavey M-3000 Mark V Series (power amplifier rack head) BSR SE-One (spare) Zoom GFX-8 inKel EQ-825 (rack EQ) Russound TMS-1 Casio CT-650 Yamaha PSS-470 Zoom MRS-1608 Yamaha CRW-70 (copier) Community CSX (stage monitor ls) Radio Shack 40w P.A. Radio Shack P.A. ls 75 Realistic P.A.-88 Yamaha MD4 Vox AD100VT Crate GX-15 DOD FX76 Rocktron Midi Mate Yamaha SPX90II (rack effects) Fender BXR Sixty Zoom R16 Peavey AlphaBASS (rack head) Crate GX412R Sunn 115RH Yamaha RX17 (rhythm prog) Yamaha DD-5 (drum pads) Optimus EQ 31-2030 Rocktron Rampage amp Yamaha DJX-IIB Cheers!

[@robertpolanco1973]

Personally, I am somewhat happy that audio cassettes and tape recorders are still around today and I hope that it continues. I also hope that compact discs and their players won't go extinct anytime soon because I have been collecting them for years and I enjoy them. Same thing with audio cassettes and a small tape recorder that I have as well.

[@amirpourghoureiyan1637]

Robert Polanco CDs are still used for demos and software, would be a shame if they did but I don't think they'll be discontinued any time soon

[@akshayghuge6748]

Hello Sar casset ke Factory fir se chalni chahie

[@akshayghuge6748]

Is Jamane Mein cassette player Chalna chahie

[@W-Ostr]

I fell in love again in tapes , after 15 years. Now I know how to use equipment. In old days I used poor quality boombox, cheapest cassettes and I was recording radio music. It was awful. Now is different and it's beautiful. :)

[@The90sGamingGuy]

There is something special about putting on a tape, looking at the artwork and handling the plastic housing that protects the tape. The tapes i have were made in the 80's to early 2000's. I am glad to hear that tapes are being made again. Hopefully this trend keeps going.

[@ManojKumar-sx6vg]

Thanks for keeping the Cassette alive.

[@LarryFleetwood8675]

I hope VHS returns too, I still use those daily. Sure, pre-recorded stuff doesn't looks as good as DVD but blank tapes are still being used.

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

All they have to do is get a popular movie and have the main charactor using VHS and VCR'S ... Just like star lord did in guardians of the galaxy.

[@pentium4guy639]

I finally have a reason to use my tape deck in my car

[@pentium4guy639]

buy me a new car then.

[@MatrixAlphaCWX]

@@pentium4guy639 Record labels this year are putting out Cassette's left and right. Rise Records is one big one doing it as well. Alice N chains also is along with Marlyn Manson and plenty more.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

If this company would manufacture brandnew Type IV Metal tapes again, they'd literally have a license to print money. They wouldn't even know where to put that money because people would buy that new stock like crazy.

[@video99couk]

Metal tape is not suitable for pre-recorded tapes though. For that they would want a high bias cobalt formula, which was used on some pre-recorded cassette releases in the past.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@@video99couk You mean the darker Type 1 kind of tapes that are Ferric Oxide with Cobalt? Yeah those are great.

[@video99couk]

@@KRAFTWERK2K6 They were type 2 but for pre-recorded tapes, made so that you didn't need type 2 playback equalisation.

[@TheChadPad]

Thank you so much! Bless you and all your employees for keeping this medium alive. A lot of my generation never got to experience cassette tapes, and the younger generations, not at all! We'd really like to

[@thenewbgamer6416]

0:20 you have inspired me to create the fastest cassette side A-B flip world record.

[@MasonFowlkesKenneth]

Now, if only someone could bring back LaserDisc...

[@DDVF]

We do a ton of audiotape to CD (and mp3) conversions. Just did a cassette from 1965 - amazing that it still sounds good 50+ years later!

[@sc0tchlvr]

I did a digital recording of an album cut on a tape (store bought copy) and spent a lot of time doing so only to find the full album on you tube cut from a CD and could not match the quality no matter what. Tape is DEAD. Face the facts: digital RULES.

[@livinaftermidnight9651]

Then why the resurgence of vinyl? Don't get me wrong, I have a LOT of digital music but people are rediscovering the beauty and richness of analog.

[@frijolechingon5713]

you probably bought a normal bias cassette album, I have people fooled all the time when i play high bias tapes on my denon drm-710, they always think its a cd... you have to know more then the basics when it comes down to audio...

[@sc0tchlvr]

Vinyl doesn't have the same drawbacks as tape in that the recording can retain at least most of the dynamic range of the recording, whereas tape will always have that annoying hiss at lower recording levels. On vinyl, if your record is clean and free of scratches, it comes super close to CD. The plus side of vinyl IS the analog reproduction which has no interpolations to the original sound. On digital, you have various (yet indiscernible to most of people's hearing) multitude points of data that get interpolated back to analog that only to the audiophile can one tell the difference. Also on a record I can put that needle at any point in the recording and hear what I want to hear rather than having to REWIND or FASTFORWARD to those same points on a tape. This is why vinyl is making the better comeback than tape can ever accomplish.

[@sc0tchlvr]

I find that over time the magnetic imprint from one overlay of the reel imprints itself onto the other so that you hear seems to be some sort of overlook into what is to come next or worse, what you just heard repeated a few milliseconds later. So something that long ago would have a bigger imprint and cause more of that unwanted type of cross-talk not to mention the things that invariably occur with tapes that old which is momentary sound drop-outs. Those are issues that tape introduces that becomes problematic when trying to make them sound like CD quality when if fact, as hard as you may try to, you really can't.

[@cheesecakefox7106]

I am so glad the format is making a comeback. I was born in 96 so I did live a little in the 2000s when people still bought cassettes. In fact, it was my go to format because even then CD’s were still pricy. It was my favorite format because I went on walks allot and preferred that over a bulky disc man anyway. I got my first Sony Cassette Deck around 2003-2004. It was a gift, and I still have and use it til this day. I even have tons of cassette tapes I grew up getting, like the Now Music tapes, Britney Spears, NSYNC, etc.. I have so many artist now, and while I love Vinyl, cassette is my favorite format to collect. It’s a shame that the format didn’t hold its own longer because by the 90’s the format got so good it was comparable to CD quality almost. But no one wanted to invest in the technology, so it kinda remained at a stand still and Dolby did all they could. I also believe it was the cheap cassette players at fault for the formats death. But so happy it’s springing back to life gradually and out sells CDs in some cases. Now we need Sony or some brand to bring back better quality decks (besides TEAC)

[@tobinmummert8374]

Being an avid audiophile, I have some good old music cassettes and recorded cassettes still hanging around. I have the same Yamaha cassette deck I bought in 1997 and it's still in perfect shape both in workmanship and cosmetically. Unfortunately many of these "tapes" have "broken down" over the years and will not play properly anymore. Back in the day, I had to rely on cassette tapes because being an audiophile I refused to purchase a CD player because VINYL RECORDS were then and still are now and always will be the best way to hear music reproduced faithfully. It took me until the last week of 1993 to purchase a CD player. I was relying on buying my favorite music on cassette tapes because the "industry" thought they were really keen to discontinue the manufacturing of the great VINYL media. (Little did they know that the VINYL RECORD would make such an amazing comeback!!) Those fools!!....Anyway, in some cases pre-recorded "store bought" music cassettes weren't too bad. Some actually sounded pretty good. BUT for the most part, they didn't sound good and just couldn't hold up. I do however from rare time to time record some music onto a blank cassette tape I may pick up here or there and if the record settings are set properly and one doesn't "distort" the recording signal by going past 0db on the record meter, then the recorded results are pretty nice. I've actually made CD's sound "warmer" and more "natural" and not so harsh the way CD's sound once the CD is put onto a good blank tape. It can be done, folks!!

[@Pinhead101]

Tobin Mummert thanks for the story, but no. Digital all the way!!! Its portable anywhere in the world and doesnt need a physical storage. If you like to travel. Flac is the way to go

[@wa1ufo]

Great! I have several mp3 players plus a fine stereo system with Paradigm speakers made in Canada. But my favorite gizmo is still my Sony cassette Walkman which I use to pipe cassette music to my stereo or my good headphones, not crappy earbuds. Now I need to find out where to purchase your blanks. Glad you guys are doing it to it!

[@RedWolf777SG]

Well, you got to admire their devotion for a almost forgotten yet iconic media format. Personally I prefer Sony and Maxell brand blank cassette types. But I also like TDK cassettes but only the good looking ones.

[@forgottenmemory5735]

When I say it would be a dream job, there's a deeper reason. Now, alot of you will think this is odd but remember how it sounds when a tape is messing up? Like the music speeding up and slowing down and getting all garbled, film getting tangled up and spitting out on the floor? Ok in 41 now and have loved hearing that sound of it going bonkers. I even will pull some film out, put it in the radio, film hanging out, press play and pause together then use my hands to pull film out of it to hear the music or voices sound so messed up, you'd think omg, I've never heard a tape mess up so bad. I could hear that sound 24/7. I always wondered if anyone else likes that sound. But it's probably just me and I probably have something wrong with me. But, I like it, always have and always will. I know I may get jumped on for this comment like Dang dude you've got some serious issues. But I'm not ashamed of it. It's who I am. People who have made fun of me for it only means they're too simple minded to try to understand why I like it. Anyway, thought I'd mention it. Although I'm sure I'm gonna pay for it.

[@keith9876]

Wow cool

[@TheKingBJ]

Magnetic tapes stood the test of time better than any other format to store data on.

[@5tryk]

0:55 I love how they're still using CRT monitors

[@wildbilltexas]

I hope NAC's new tape sounds as good as TDK's or Maxell's best normal bias tapes in the 80's and 90's.

[@jackjowett902]

wildbilltexas where to buy?

[@wildbilltexas]

I guess from NAC's website: www.nationalaudiocompany.com/product-category/products/audio-cassette-tapes/

[@jackjowett902]

wildbilltexas splendid! I'm off to lose all my savings!

[@wildbilltexas]

No problem. You can still get Maxell UR tape here in the USA at drug stores like CVS and Walgreens, but its basic normal bias tape made in Indonesia. Hopefully NAC's new tape will be better.

[@TheRailroad99]

There were good ones, Maxell and BASF to name two really good brands. But both are not produced anymore

[@ghettomist1575]

I’ve been thrift shopping and since I have an older car I’ve been getting cassettes for it. Only found classical so far but hope to get some “newer” stuff.

[@austinformedude]

EVERYONE knows REAL music died after they got rid of Wax Cylinders! Damned kids and their fancy tapes!

[@TheKing0fSting]

You youngster. Me know that real music die when they invent instrument. Real music is when me bang stick on rock. Only Paleolithic kids understand

[@Thomas-xt1ff]

I ran the same equipment at WEA Mfg. Here in PA. Love this.

[@DanielPierce]

Are you kidding me, there is a large business for magnetic tape, especially in the data archiving sector, LTO tapes are still a big deal!

[@steves5346]

as someone who has been in the tape business for over 30 years and who works for the largest producer of lto in the world ill have to agree with you dan. tape is forever.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

The video cameras used in broadcast TV use a special type of Betamax tape.

[@BilisNegra]

But data archiving tapes have absolutely nothing to do with audio tapes. No machinery used in either field has anything in common with each other.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

Yes, video and audio are two different things, that's true.

[@sc0tchlvr]

One pass of a bulk eraser will destroy your lame backward tape past world.

[@peter_aka_hamamass]

Love this stuff! I am from the time when tapes and vinyl were booming business, so it is still a part of my life.

[@bigmoneysteppa]

Absolutely beautiful.

[@FBA_AllTHEWAY]

Analog is the best sound!

[@JungleYT]

I have 40+ year old reel-to-reel tapes that sound as good today as when I recorded them in High School back in the 1970s and of course, 20+ and 30+ year old cassettes...

[@sc0tchlvr]

They may sound as good as you recorded them, but do they sound as good as their digital counterparts??? Hmmm??? Sorry NOT.

[@GlumpusMumpus]

@@sc0tchlvr who asked?

[@leemurray4158]

In 14 and I love cassette tapes.

[@miguelsalami]

WOW❗ I still have, use, buy & play cassette tapes on a regular basis. Didn't know they were still made in the good ole 🇺🇸 USA👍👍💛

[@NVDuster]

I've always loved my cassettes, from first listening to them in my dads 1986 Suzuki samurai, van halen being the first time I heard it and although I enjoyed it I got the impression of "this is why cassettes became obsolete" but when I moved onto listening to Dolby B cassettes in my Chrysler infinity sound system I begun to see how good they are, especially if you have Dolby S with metal cassettes. Truly this format phased out right when it was perfected.

[@brianbrantaly1513]

THANK GOD 4 AUDIO CASSETTES, WELCOME BACK.

[@TheTMontgomery]

I think the return will be to allow use of good quality tape and high end machines which are affordable It may not be as large a mass low end market as before but it should be a larger high end market for recordings personal recordings and new machines. The utilization will perhaps surprise the skeptics.

[@KeytarKris]

This makes me so happy as I record my music on a cassette tape in my home studio. 🎹🎸🤟

[@E-StudiosEU]

I still use Tapes in 2018. I just like the machine's and mechanical stuff of vintage audio equipment. I also still use Mini Disc's because why not? CD's are older than Mini Disc. but MD "died" quickly after MP3. Heck there are still music companies and indy guys releasing music on tape. BUT I wish new tape manufacturers would make cool designed big windowed shells like back in the days. also those REEL to REEL tapes that TEAC and some others did.

[@wladjarosz345]

1:08 high tech!

[@craigdavidson2278]

In 1979 my grandad bought a Sony TC-K61.....in 1999 he gave it to my dad....2019 is here and I have just inherited it. The cassette has had one belt replacement in 40 years.....perfect. I just found a TC-K61 on ebay, now looking for the TC-K71, TC-K75 and TC-K61 to complete the collection. My son knows what he will get in 2039

[@an_1232]

I think cassette tapes and CDs to an extent are here to stay but unfortunately streaming has really taken its toll on the market. Even the mp3 download market is fading away so. Sad

[@cazdinleyenkamyonsoforu4174]

Old things are amazing. I wish i could see the old years as a child.

[@tjnickles4782]

I love my vhs tapes cassette tapes I don’t have a vinyl record player yet hopefully I’ll get one of those one day but I will always prefer VHS and cassettes for as long as I shall live because they have always been my favorite they’re easy to use and they last a long time as always you take care of them they should last 30 to 40 years maybe 50 years

[@parloitaliano2]

64 mp3s disliked

[@shaiful5055]

Love to see it coming alive again. Cassete never die. !!!

[@TeddyandGrubby]

I hope for Teddy Ruxpin’s 40th anniversary next year, they remake a few cassettes for him so that we can listen to them for a while.

[@forgottenmemory5735]

Dang I'd love that job. I love tape.

[@johnlomasney]

Good work .

[@scottpeterson7500]

I always loved BASF tapes back in the 80's. And TWO and Maxell.

[@sdiburro1]

That will be neat to see that place in person all those machines looks pretty cool do you make blank tapes or just music tapes

[@ozfestgot]

I think that's very cool how these guys are open but you still need a device to listen to tapes and unfortunately like me I do have devices but most of them needs repairs and the repairs could be very expensive depending on which brand you're choosing from.

[@wetherby6774]

I love my cassette tapes and my tape decks. If vinyl can come back, why shouldn't tapes? Long live cassettes!

[@jaredbridgeman246]

So... most of us should feel really bad for no longer having a Walkman or a Hifi Stereo system with a tape deck?? Lol memorable moments!!!! 😀📻

[@novakattila]

2:30 that Studer though

[@dilipnova6675]

Wonderful feeling thanks 🙏 to these types of companies ...hat off .!!

[@nintendovcs11]

What piece of music is playing at 2:03? There was a Gameboy pocket commercial from the 90’s that used this exact song.

[@IanTrent16]

Cassettes are more popular than some people think. Major pop artists are releasing their albums on all sorts of different media, such as vinyl, CD, mp3, and cassette! Almost all of Lady Gaga's albums are on cassette, and many other artists have done the same. Nothing like opening a brand new tape and being the first to put it in and rock out! Now if only they would put tape players back in vehicles. lol

[@G8GT364CI]

During the late 80's all of a sudden everyone stopped making analog players (tape decks, reel to reels and turntables) it was premature because a lot of people still wanted them and finally they are making their way back to the market, all you heard was digital! is the wave of the future, everything will be digital! bla bla bla, guess what?

[@karimRemi]

Old is Gold ممتاز

[@EpicSpacevirals]

I was worked in Cassette Company in Hub Balouchistan in Recording Section

[@Badassvidsz]

Nice i love cassette tapes still using them who else does ?

[@watahyahknow]

used to work with those machines myself at cbs / sony in haarlem the netherlands , the machines worked faster and where allready old back in those days , must've been 30 years ago or more sony left bout 10/12 years ago but from wat i heared the former workers bought the place with the machines still inside and are producing vinyl records again

[@mvv1408]

Please reintroduce type II tape. And I hope some parts manufacturer reads this and starts making new higher end cassette mechanisms. There's only one that's still produced (it's used even in the Teac/Tascam deck), and it's very basic. If Teac (or some other manufacturer) makes a new dual capstan 3 head deck that's not ridiculously expensive, I'll buy it.

[@certifiedbruh2180]

NAC and I think TEAC recently began making CrO2 tapes again.

[@mvv1408]

@@certifiedbruh2180 That's great news, thanks!

[@RetroCollector]

Is this company still in business? I’m really interested in buying new songs on cassettes.

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

Making cassettes again is one thing, getting a good player is another. The good ones are 20+ yrs old and dont work anymore.

[@paulchemaly2]

These guys have my respect

[@Jamesjimjimmy]

Lets get blank type 2's back in stores!

[@Jeffrey314159]

Where do I get my 1970's portable cassette recorder/player repaired?

[@afriend9428]

*Wonderful*

[@davemitchell116]

Two questions: Are those King loaders? How many pancakes do you bust a month? :-) I worked in a cassette mill in the early 80s and this brings back lots of memories!

[@Boenth]

This is a great thing...

[@simongreenidge6454]

As someone who lived through vinyl and cassettes as a teen in the mid-eighties; the hours spent dubbing music off of LPs and 45s onto cassettes and then no matter how carefully you cleaned the vinyl record you could still hear the noise and other distortion picked up by the needle (caused by dust or wear and tear) it was so frustrating! Then there was the tape hiss and if you lived in a hot, humid climate the cassette's reels might start squeaking (as they turned in the tape-deck) or the tape might even grow fungus! To get really good quality sound you could spend so much money to get machines with the better Dolby Noise Reduction. Tape play heads had to be cleaned and record needles changed. I much prefer CDs, FLAC and 320 MP3s files. I have no time for the music streaming services though.

[@galus14436]

Simon Greenidge I use spotify paid subscription to explore and find music. And also when convenience is second to none. Playing a vinyl record is more for a relaxing private time. And the sound draws me in, digital tends to push me out. Vinyl to FLAC is cool for the car

[@mikeday62]

I have a few decent stereo cassette decks, two yamahas, one onkyo, one sony.

[@ACURAOCULTA]

Very very good my friend

[@bobderbraumeister6919]

Tape never died, your online stuff runs on tapes and hdd!

[@yougottowinsometime7470]

its nice there seen it in person

[@elisasuperiordork6755]

For those of you Curious about the National Audio Company's new tape, the Ferromaster, have a look at this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5fUm4ebbcaNgLc Bottom line is, they're off to a start with their new tape, but the product still has a way to go. It does not live up to the hype of "Best type 1 cassette ever made". It is not a real "Super-Ferric". But I still have hope that NAC can improve their tape formulation, and manufacturing process. There IS a demand for a new, high quality tape. But the kinds of people who want a high quality tape are going to be dubious of buying a tape that claims to be "The best type 1 ever", comes in a generic shell (no J card or case included), and preforms worse than other affordable new type 1 tapes currently on the market. I think if NAC works hard, they can refine their new tape to be something truly excellent. But presentation counts for something. If NAC want to market their new tape as a high quality product, they should look into designing a custom shell to house their tape. TDK, Maxell, BASF, Denon, That's, Sony... they all used custom shells to really show off their quality tapes. They didn't just sound better than a run-of-the-mill duplication tape, they also looked the part. Even if the NAC ferromaster can't reach true superferric performance, I'd still buy some if they came in a nice, unique shell design. Looks matter. Sure they have new old tape stock from some of the big names, but they're packing it into standard duplication shells. But at least half the nostalgia of a classic cassette from one of the big names, was their unique designs. And although it might be a bit of an expensive investment, I'd bet that a NAC tape would sell better if they started marketing a quality tape, inside a quality shell. And I'm not saying their shells are awful. They come in lots of colors, and there is some variation. But all have the same basic formula. Why not 'break the mold'? Give us an opaque shell, with a cool looking cassette window. Think about the Maxell XLIIs with the oval windows, That's with their iconic "Delta" triangular window, The Denons with their split windows. Imagine how many people would buy a brand new tape, simply because it had a band new high quality shell. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think there could be some cash in that.

[@massapower]

LUV IT !!

[@mglmouser]

THANK YOU!

[@anwarozr82]

I'm lovin it... 😘💓

[@andystitt3887]

Do you record on cobalt tape?

[@jonathangillis4926]

I just got a casstte player. My first two casstte were pump up the jam by technotronic and David Bowie's let's dance

[@hawaiifiles]

Cool video. Never saw the inside of a cassette tape factory. Does anyone still make blank tapes?

[@jacobbellwood6184]

Have a look at a site called, national audio company, they make blank audio tapes

[@rbruce63]

I still have a tape deck and my 1995 GMC jimmy still has a cassette deck with DNR noise reduction!

[@fascinatedbyeverything]

Do people not realize that it's probably digitally re-mastered music being put on these cassettes? Therefore you'll certainly get a better / accurate representation with a CD. Any additional "warmth" is distortion.

[@SPAZZOID100]

CelerityHouse correct

[@babyeinsteinredboxproducti878]

We need VHS back too!!!

[@taniaclarkson3257]

Cool

[@H11X11N]

SOO COOL!!!!!

[@stevenofford495]

The police and DHSS fitness for work assessments still use cassette machines for recording interviews. I have my own copies;not saying of which!

[@ThereWasNoFreeName]

1:20 your average compact cassette user.

[@srfrg9707]

Do these gentlemen make also audio tape for reel to reel?

[@jackjowett902]

I REALLY LOVE TAPES!

[@SPAZZOID100]

Jack Jowett u are nuts

[@scaleop4]

just when i thout that all the tapes i have are worthless...guess not.