Radio Shack / Tandy / Realistic Supertapes - Type 1 & Type 2 - Do they live up to their name?

[@ioanniskatramados7586]

These bring back the memories ... Back in the 80s, cousin of mine come over from Canada to visit and brought me 2 of the chromes filled with Van Halen & Foreigner. I instantly fell in love with them at the time, they easily beat my SAs (which was my weapon of choice at the time). One still survives to this day, never overwritten (thank god, the Van Halen one) and it stills beats the surviving SAs. Respect!

[@oliverlotus]

Don't get disheartened by the idiots Tony. I love your efforts. Keep up the good work. Kind Regards Oliver Beames.

[@paulyh4531]

I've never understood when someone does a channel for like minded people and idiots join that are not really interested in the content !

[@ajbeatz7406]

Franko , While freedom of speech is one of our fundamental rights, there are limitations. ... as a general rule, limitations on free speech preclude speech that is harmful to others, threatening, or generally repulsive and reviled. The first amendment states that we shall have freedom of speech. But that excludes hate speeches.

[@benkrake3678]

In Australia, the Realistic Supertape’s we had in mid 90’s were rebranded TDK SA and MA tapes in the mid 90’s TDK shell. I don’t remember seeing much of the type l Supertape, but I never really looked for them either. I was a big TDK fan back then, so I preferred to buy TDK tapes anyway.

[@dwoodog]

Being 50yrs old I definitely remember seeing these in my teen days and thinking bah radio shack rubbish, but wish now I had bought some just for nostalgia reasons. Thanks for the look at a few radio shack tapes.

[@watershed44]

@dwoodog RS had wildly uneven quality among their products since most of them were manufactured by others and RS basically pick and choose haphazardly. Their management and buyers weren't the best, but every so often you'd get some real gems out of many sub par items, whether, radios, stereos, various components, or cassette tapes.

[@kyron828]

Thank you so much for your channel! I couple of years ago I got rid of all of my cassettes and my decks. I instantly regretted the decision. The tapes represented a ton of memories for me. You have inspired me to go out and buy another cassette deck as well as some tapes.

[@CassetteComeback]

Things that were magic when you were young, always remain magic...

[@sonnybeaches3778]

Just dropping by to say I appreciate what you do. I can't afford to play with cassettes and really nice decks as much as I want to. So just getting to watch you (and others) sample things and try new tapes and decks is a real treat. Thank You.

[@Bleats_Sinodai]

A good alternative is looking into used tapes. Got a few chrome ones for pretty cheap that way, and they sound superb. Sometimes even a lot with random tapes can be a good option. Worst case scenario, you can keep the shells and buy new tapes off China and to a little switcheroo to "renew" the cooler-looking old tapes (I've done it a few times now).

[@vinylcity1599]

Hi Tony, I think you do an amazing job! Most of us appreciate you making these videos for us! Keep up the great work, mate!

[@wildbilltexas]

I dont knock Radio Shack because if you lived in a small town like I did it was the only stereo store for miles with quality stereo gear until the 90's when they got too involved in selling Tandy personal computers and then cell phones. Supertapes were always a few years behind the major tape companies even after they bought Memorex so they could manufacture floppy discs. Their shells closely resemble the (black shell) Memorex HB II's from the mid 80's and the HD-60 could just be a rebranded HB II. Another great review Tony, but I wish you would have tested a later Supertape XR-90 which IMO were a much better tape than the older Supertape Gold.

[@spytromics]

Yep. Radio Shack was pretty much it for me too. I had a ton of those Supertape Golds as a teenager.

[@nalamo1000]

Tony we appreciated your videos. I have personally learned a lot from your channel. Keep up the great work

[@kiirunavaara]

The black/green Low Noise is indeed the same as a Memorex dBS from the same time: agfabasf.com/images/content/dsc07106.jpg but both are actually Sunkyong (SKC/Smat) LX or GX cassettes: agfabasf.com/images/content/403.jpg and I must admit I like that Supertape line-up, especially when you look at the complete range with green Low Noise, the golden Superferric and the silver type II. That line-up was indeed made for Tandy UK and Canada. Concerning your Supertapes from the US: Yeah, the shell design around the hubs and the window is clearly Maxell-inspired. If you open them up, you will find a construction which was common for quite a few US made tapes from the mid-80's and onwards, with some totally different outside designs: Memorex used them - agfabasf.com/images/content/dsc04764.jpg - but also late Ampex and Quantegy 472, as well as some pre-recorded tapes. Even the generic type IV Tapeline sold during recent years had that same shell construction, and when Larry (R.I.P.) on Tapeheads started making his identically looking Phoenix metal cassettes around 2010, he referred to these as _Lenco shells_. So Lenco is probably the supplier where all these US-made Realistic and Memorex shells came from. Concerning the M II: There is a guy on Tapeheads who insists on the tape being different compared to the Memorex CDX II. Well, the shell comes from the same source: www.ez647.sk/cc/memorex_cdxii_metal.html but for the tape, everything is possible. The only thing I know for sure is that Memorex had a tape coating line in Santa Clara/CA, and Tandy/Radio Shack had their own tape factory in Fort Worth/TX. After the purchase of Memorex by Tandy they may have used both factories for both brands. Thanks for another interesting video, and cheers!

[@MusicalBox]

This brings back memories. The very first cassette I owned when I was a kid was a Supertape Gold. I got it as a Christmas gift along with a Realistic portable cassette player/recorder.

[@jimmacleod3965]

Loved the rant. Forget the haters. A sad day for me now, which is more often than not, is when I don't find a "find" at the thrift store. I guess I'll have to break out the credit card and visit Cassette Comeback. LOL Looking forward to the next video.

[@laranaarana]

First off, I love your videos! Having worked for Radio Shack when I lived in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to buy many of these cassettes in the early '80s. I still have them and they still perform quite well. And as far as the quality of their audio equipment, my first stereo system was a Realistic brand. I had it for over 10 years until it practically died on me. I replaced it with an Optimus Auvio Video surround system mated to a dual cassette deck and a 6 CD cartridge player. Quite happy with that one, which I continue to use to the present day.

[@peter_aka_hamamass]

Not everything RadioShack/Tandy sold was bad, but the look of their products left a lot to be desired. I bought quite a variety of items from them, and i liked many of them. These tapes are really nicely sounding 👍

[@spytromics]

Radio Shack did get a bit of unfair treatment as their products were quite decent in the 70s-90s, until they ditched their Tandy 1000 computers for Compaq and basically became a cell phone store. When they were making Realistic and Archer branded components, they were a very good value. Plus they were everywhere. For me, the choice was simple - get a Realistic/Archer or spend 3x or more on high-end equipment. For a teenager or when in my 20s, there was no way I could afford the high-end stuff.

[@watershed44]

@spytromics The problem with RS was that even in the 1970s the quality of products were wildly uneven depending on which mfr produced the item.

[@AndyBHome]

@@watershed44And they were expensive! Yes they offered a wide range of models in varying qualities, and of course it wasn't easy to tell which items were good and which were not, especially because it was rare that any of them *looked* good. The styling was always poor. Ultimately their higher end stereo gear was all pretty good in the 70s through the 90s with some models being particularly well respected. The problem was that none of their stuff was ever really a good deal compared to the name brand competition. Unless you got something on a closeout, you could virtually always do better buying a Japanese brand name. I got a Realistic 35 watt receiver around 1978 that was really great and it still works to this day, but I got it on sale and it still cost about as much as a comparable Sanyo or Pioneer.

[@wboweng10]

I really enjoy watching your videos. They're great fun. I had several cassette decks back in the 70's and 80's and am very recently getting back into enjoying cassettes. Your evaluations of the different brands are so helpful and educational. Wish I'd had that kind of information available to me back in the day. Great channel!

[@ChrisSmith-gt6lg]

I have used the green supertapes extensively in the late 1980's and never had any problems with them. Sound reproduction was always superb. I still have some new ones in my collection. I record mix tapes every day, mosty off of records and cd's. I'm a hoarder, I mean a collector.😉

[@Waffledogchat]

Your videos are superb. Ignore the idiots. I would miss your videos if you stopped. I sit in the local pub and enjoy a pint and watch a video of yours every week or so. Thank you.

[@CassetteComeback]

Mines a pint of best bitter please 🥴

[@Waffledogchat]

@@CassetteComeback having a pint of Abbot, a reasonable drop.

[@tobymummert3035]

Of course I live in the USA were there used to be a Radio Shack on every corner of every street everywhere so these Super Tapes we're everywhere! I have a few LN and XR

[@geraldhaggard1018]

I am tempted to say your Nakamichi machines could well make near any tape sound good! I Love Nakamichi decks.

[@mindbenderx1174]

HEY, don't let em get you down. Keep up the good work! Just to let you know i am acquiring a Sharp RT-20 because of you. I was using my nice sony walkman for my home but It seamed time to get something more substantial and I still have my metal tapes so you inspired me. As a side note, I raised my son well enough he owns super early edition of sony walkman '79. To be fair he does like laserdisc as well, he bought the double sided laserdisc player so....anyways keep on spitting out tape knowledge.

[@MisterLettuce]

Years ago, I obtained a box of the Metal Type IV from the same year as your Supertape Gold, and they sounded excellent.

[@chuckaluck123]

Positive comment! Thanks for all your hard work. I enjoy spending time with you :)

[@contentattic331]

Keep up the good work tony your channel is awsome dont let anyone get you down you are awsome

[@kennynvake4hve584]

I had a RS STA-2250 receiver(which was the very first digital tuned receiver anywhere)...that rocked...and it did it for at least 28 years....and I had the RS T-110 tower speakers that I went thru at least 3 sets of individual speakers, that they replaced for FREE...but your right some things were not worth much...but I enjoyed the 50 watts a channel very clean audio it gave me...

[@noiwanttobeanonymous3797]

I'm glad you made this video ,I thought I had missed out never buying a metal tape , so I stayed with the chrome dioxide by B A S F , now I know that I didn't miss much,it seems the metal tapes were not worth the extra money,thanks for the Info , I am glad your here.and you deserve more money.

[@wasimmogul4225]

Tony, Rock on great video as usual! Appreciate your hard work and effort. 👍👍

[@salmorreale7900]

Thank you for posting.

[@paulyh4531]

I miss Tandy , I got loads of realistic stuff still works , including 8 track player and air band scanners, agree Tandy wasn't cheap but I thought most the stuff I bought was robust and good , thought the tapes would be alright and I prob just bought TDK mainly back then on metal , good video mate and sod the trolls ! 😉 👍

[@mikegutterman3427]

I bought a ton of those tapes in the early 90's. Still have a ton of recordings on them and they held up well. Maybe I've always been retro but I liked the old school look of them over the 90's X-treme graphics and graphic designs that were on so many cassettes back then.

[@backtoshellac6459]

Just picked up a NOS type II, good to see it's a decent tape, love your channel!

[@fhwolthuis]

As a school kid I used to spend my pocket money at Tandy, buying all kinds of cheap stuff there because I was poor... In hindsight I miss this store very much. Lovely video, Tony! 👍

[@shaun9107]

They have come back but only in USA

[@Musicradio77Network]

I have a few Supertape by Radio Shack cassettes including the LN and XR in which you don’t covered them on this review. The Supertape LN cassette is basically the same as Supertape Gold, but it has “LN” all over the place. Look at Maxell, they did the LN, and so did knockoff brands like Maxwell and Master cassettes for their “Type 0’s”. Radio Shack also made the “Concertape” and Realistic cassettes in the 1970’s and 1980’s for their “Type 0’s”.

[@AuntieFan]

I worked at Radio Shack 1986-88. Those Metal Type II tapes were the bomb! Used them for copying from CDs or VHS Hi-Fi tracks. I wish I had bought/kept more of them. (Sadly, the one with our wedding music disappeared).

[@tapemaster8252]

I never bought these when I was younger until recently I bought the XR 120 min type 1, best type 1 I’ve ever heard and I also have an MR 90, both sound exactly like Denon which is outstanding, the MR looks just like Denon, but I’m not certain either way, I love those tapes, great video!

[@spytromics]

Thanks for another fun video! I grew up in a small town in central Pennsylvania in the 1970s and 1980s. We had a Radio Shack in the local mall as well as two record stores. Aside from that, we didn’t have any HI-FI stereo stores unless you went to a larger town. The Radio Shack tapes were cheaper than the TDKs that the record stores sold, so I used a lot of the Type I Gold tapes, just like the one you tested. I liked your comment about the hiss on the gold tape is as I remember the hiss so clearly! I have to admit that I do have a bit of sentimentality towards Radio Shack tapes. Since getting back into the hobby, I’ve bought a few of these tapes via eBay. I’m glad to see that your testing showed that the gold and chrome-equivalent tapes showed them to be decent.

[@marklanier8657]

I must say I thoroughly enjoy every one of your videos, Tony, and wish I had had you to inform me back when I was madly in love with recording cassettes ... ahh such memories and you bring them back. Right now I’m reliving my fascination with minidisc, but am considering a cassette deck. Only time will tell. Thanks for all you do!

[@boombap28]

Thanks for doing the hard work of comparing the tapes and sharing your results! I’ve found that the 1988 green label Realistic HD60s type IIs are a really cost effective and cheaper alternative to the more expensive Maxell’s and TDK’s for 4 track multitrack recording.

[@godofacorns]

Tony Villa, you are a scholar and a gentleman... Thank you for your dedication to cassettes.

[@brettjames1992]

That's another one of my most favorite kinds of tapes!!!!

[@stevesimek7588]

I’ve learned a lot from your channel especially about recording on cassettes. I wish I knew much more about recording back in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s since it would have given me better tapes! Thanks for your hard work!

[@everkief8365]

Let me explain who was buying these Realistic Supertapes: My uncles and all his CB buddies were walkin into radio shack to buy a CB part or a cheap keyboard for granny, when they realized they needed to record that new Dolly Parton album for granny and pappy. On the way out, they bought a few Supertapes. YES, in the 80s we youngsters were buying 10 SA90s or XL-IIs at a time so we could enjoy our Pink Floyd and Zeppelin in all settings, all day long, as we were high, of course. So... The Supertape was literally for a different market and was just in the stores for convenience and variety of products; and for those of us who remember, Radio Shack had a butt load of "product" aka. "useful crap for geeks of all ages." Back in the day they sold everything required to build nearly anything related to electricity! I miss those 20th Century Radio Shacks!

[@kelhard5632]

I used a few Supertape brands back in the day, but I always got better value for money buying multi-packs of TDK D's or SA-s or Maxell UD II. But, Radio Shack was the only place I could find C-120's if I was going to record a concert or something. Great little video and these types of tapes bring back memories.

[@randyharrigan4790]

Great video tony, I appreciate all your videos👍 Keep 'em coming🎶

[@SirJeff]

I've always wondered when you would do a video on those realistic tapes, it seems that my wishes have been fulfilled!

[@jamalmoss9543]

Thanks, Tony! I requested a video on these tapes a few days ago, and BINGO, here it is! Great analysis! 😀👍🏾

[@theaylesburycyclist8756]

Excellent!! Another Cassette Comeback video...😍

[@paulyh4531]

Gotta agree takes me back to the time when the world seemed better 😉👍

[@lesgl]

In Australia they were branded as Realistic Super Tape..''Custom manufactured in Ausralia for Intertan Autralia'' LN 90

[@davidp3096]

I avoided them back in the day because they were expensive compared to the much superior competition.

[@kevinpatrickmacnutt]

Yeah, they were competitive in quality but not price and certainly not aesthetically. Generally people bought them out of convenience or out of the perceived knowledge of the staff selling the tape was going to get them the best product. As a result, a lot of older people bought these cassettes or people not comfortable with making their own decisions to buy a tape from a record store or general retail establishment. I have been pleased with most of the Radio Shack tape I used, most of it I got second hand and gently used, so not so expensive. As long as you stick to 1979 onward and avoid their low noise and Concertape, you shouldn't be disappointed.

[@powercut68]

To me shells looked like memorex. So i had a quick look at ones i have very similar to dbs and mrx1 cases with the little squares pattern. Ps great videos ignore moaners they are to desparate to prove tapes are inferior. They have missed the point. Get best deck you can afford or find and then try the best the best recordings you can. Thats part of the fun of this. The process is part of the fun not just the final outcome.

[@epergne]

Love watching your videos and love seeing the amazing high-end gear. Good onya!

[@benaires07]

I still OWN a few Supertapes, and they play very well for EVERYDAY Recording!!!! Love your show Mate!!! ^_^

[@apislapis]

In my teens I loved shopping at Tandy in Chester & Ellesmere Port. If I had had the money I'd have bought the shop, but being impecunious I contented myself with purchasing mixers and a graphic EQ. Imagine to my horror they were closed and turned into the Carphone Warehouse. Imho, wouldn't it be karma, now that Carphone Warehouse are closing their high street outlets if they converted them back to Tandys? Happy, carefree days. Surprising and excellent vid our Tony.

[@GrizzlyDipper614]

I had a couple of pre-recorded oldies tapes from radio shack. They were recorded on SuperTape Gold.

[@Robert-sg4ep]

Great video ! Thanks !

[@tobymummert3035]

I also just ran and took a gander at that bulk sealed cassettes and lo and behold there was a sealed Super Tape Type II and with that bulk as well!

[@Eligius4917]

I used to buy Extended Range Realistic Supertapes. They were sufficient for voice recording. The ones Australian Tandy sold were actually made in Australia (and they spelled "excellent" correctly, too). I still have two unopened XR-120 tapes. Maybe I should sell them - there may be a collector who wants the Australian-made version!

[@hughjanus6975]

I picked up one of those SUPERTAPE HD Type II tapes used from a thrift store. It's tape was very black, and it unfortunately left this garbage all over my deck's tape path so I literally wrote "never put in deck" on the thing. I eventually thought the SUPERTAPE name was cool enough for tape replacement surgery, so I put TDK D tape in there and covered the auto selector cutouts. D's were the only spare tapes I had that I was willing to cannibalize. Later, I picked up a sealed SUPERTAPE EXTENDED RANGE XR-90. When my girlfriend left on a trip she took my best cassette deck with her just to spite me, so I've not wanted to record on a lower end deck than one which she took. The XR, and the rest of my tapes, will sit there until she comes back. I just love the name and logo. SUPERTAPE

[@johnjudge6601]

Here's a nice comment, good job bud I love your decks, keep up the good work appreciated 😁

[@seand67]

Great video.....Very informative. I remember these back in the day

[@justinhavu]

Love the channel! Keep doing what you're doing! My 2 cents about equipment--use whatever you feel will best represent the cassette demo.

[@mastamove]

Great video, great explanation as always! I used to go often to my local Tandy, bought my first mixer (21-1200B), cables and stuff but never bought tapes.. they always look so cheap and like Basf-tapes my dad had in the 70s.

[@RoughJustice2k18]

I had a few Realistic Supertape Gold tapes back in the early 80's (and a lot of Tandy stores existed in Australia at the time - they were in competition with Dick Smith Electronics and sold similar items including tapes). I remember Tandy at one point had "reel-to-reel" cassettes which were also cool (they were Realistic too I think) - they came in 60 or 90 minute form. I owned a few - they were affordable and decent enough for my needs but mostly type 1.

[@LKattest]

I'm from the Netherlands and 50 years old. It's very relaxing to watch your video's and memories are comming back. I've got around 350 tapes and maybe you didn't made a video of some. I come across the Philips Studio Quality - orange labeled. Also a Basf orange label, and got some wheel to wheel tapedeck looking tapes too, tho i didn't find them yet so i cant name them here, let me know if you wish to know their brand. Further more, i just LOVE your decks, maybe more then all those tapes. In the past nakamichi decks were very expensive, i got an Sony tc-k870es with wooden sides... that's the most expensive i got anyway... Oh yeah, maybe you should record those tracks in mono, stereo distracts alot when comparing to the source / tape.

[@MusicmanDavid]

I stumbled upon your videos by accident, but I enjoy listening to you talk about cassettes. In the 90s I was the cassette buyer for the Tower Records that I worked for in the US. So I always had to work with all of the cassette manufactures and it was always exciting to see what new models were coming out. I'm surprised I haven't seen you talk about a Denon MGX100 as of yet. That was one of my favorites.👍

[@CassetteComeback]

I'd love to try that Denon...I just don't want to buy one at their current prices 😁 Cool job, you know of any warehouses with stashes left in them 😂

[@MusicmanDavid]

@@CassetteComeback Unfortunately I don't. That was a long time ago.

[@MusicmanDavid]

@@CassetteComeback You inspired me to go look in my old cassettes and guess what I found unopened?🙂

[@mcm3069]

Thanks for the video! I have a mixed tape I picked up that is a type IV Supertape Metal 60 - sounds really good on my deck, better then most prerecorded tapes I own!

[@Godzilla941]

I bought a few of the later range recently, specifically the XR120s, because some things I like to tape just so happen to be two hours long ;) and I'm running low on Sony HF120s... "Extended range." "Premium Ferric Formula." ...Yup. They seem decent enough, Probably Maxell UDI-CD tape in a smoked UR/Communicator shell. Good treble, LOTS of bass, and doesn't give me Side B tracking issues in the Dragon like the rest of Maxell's shells do. (Sometimes I have success with taking the shell apart and flipping the idler wheel upside down on what would be the supply side for side B.) Tried out a couple of MS-X (type ii metal) tapes and those are definitely Denon HD8s. Had bad results with HD8 before, but these sounded mind blowingly good...picked up the HD8 that I had trouble with taking level before and ...it actually recorded fine this time!... Go figure. And I still have some MP-X tapes that I bought back when Radio Shack was clearing them out...TDK MA. They're a bit weird in that the shells are screwed AND glued together.

[@CassetteComeback]

I think the main problem with the Type 2 Metals is that they're fragile. When they're good, they're very good...

[@65CJ5]

I worked at a Radio Shack in the late 70's. I was there when the first Supertape Gold tapes were introduced. We were really looking forward to them as the company had hyped them for some time. We finally got our small allotment and opened one up. It was awful. There was almost no oxide on the tape itself (you could actually see light through the tape), and as a result they barely worked. I'm not sure what we did with that lot. Tandy was not big on taking stock back and usually made the stores "eat" any problems. As to their stereo gear, it was made by various name brand manufacturers. Some of it wasn't too bad but there was no super high end stuff there. It was usually over priced unless it was being closed out. Then you could get a pretty good deal IF you could find what you wanted in stock at one of the stores and IF you weren't looking for top of the line gear.

[@anthonyperkins7556]

I liked the Realistic and Radio Shack blank tapes from Tandy stores, being good value and affordable, they were all very good on auto-calibration tape decks with Dolby B C and HX-Pro, and even on all brands of cassette equipment without auto-calibration like the semi-decent portable Aiwa ghettoblasters of the time they performed remarkably well with good dynamic range, low tape noise, and nice rounded mid and high frequency reproduction. I used to record MTV's Greatest Hits in stereo from satellite on them using the line input on my Aiwa twin-tape ghettoblaster from the audio outputs of a motorised dish equipped Echostar stereo satellite receiver / positioner unit via the analogue stereo soundtracks transmitted on satellite (7.02 and 7.20 MHz) and I built up quite a collection of music to listen to. Had to use Dolby B to record and listen to the tapes because the satellite receiver had a soundalike EXP circuit for the Wegener PANDA noise reduction encoded audio sub-carrers which didn't eliminate the hiss completely.

[@briancooper3067]

I absolutely love your videos! I’ve learned quite a bit about proper recording settings on my cassette deck from watching your videos. I find the variations of cassettes fascinating. The only downside is my jealousy of your decks! I own a few- A Denon, a Kenwood and a Onkio. All of them 2-head machines. 👎🏻 I hate not being able to monitor the tape as it’s recording. But I’m searching for a good three head deck! Thanks for your videos!

[@CassetteComeback]

Nobody starts out with a 3 head deck. You test the water and if you find it's for you, then you dive in.

[@michaelturner4457]

I went in Tandy many times in 80s and 90s, but never bought a cassette from them. Bought most of my tapes from WH Smith, usually Maxell or TDK.

[@albertocabezas282]

I purchased a Radio Shack Type I (100 minutes). It was quite good and it was used to refurbish a commercial cassette whose tape was destroyed.

[@Musicradio77Network]

I have tons of Radio Shack branded Realistic cassettes from the 1970’s and 1980’s and they are all sounded pretty good. I also have a few Supertape cassettes from the 1970’s and it has a shiny silver label on it and it looks cool, and a few Hi-Bias cassettes from the 1980’s as well. Plus a bunch of Radio Shack branded Concertape cassettes from the 1970’s and 1980’s, and they were “Type 0’s”.

[@NJPurling]

The only Concertape I had was a 1/4" reel. It squealed like crazy, which I believe is an early symptom of the problem known as 'sticky shed'. Goodness knows what the cassettes were like. Your comment on the Supertape Gold reminds me of some of the type 0 cassettes coming out of China. Like a 'BKB cassette. You can see light through it's tape too.

[@Musicradio77Network]

@@NJPurling You can also bake the tapes using a food dehydrator if you can get at Walmart and get rid of the squeal and you can play it without getting a Sticky Shed Syndrome. It can take a few hours if you were away from home and into work.

[@tobymummert3035]

I am fortunate enough to have one Type IV Realistic Super Tape. I bought it old new stock in a bulk of cassettes for a really low price of which I don't remember at this point at a small local shop in York Pennsylvania actually not very long ago. I think it was around 25 blank sealed audio cassette tapes for around $40 USD. I got a lot of normal bias TDK D and Maxell UR in that bunch but there were a few gems such as the Type IV Super Tape. In all honesty I have not had a chance to try it out yet. It was sealed and it looks great!

[@harrystevens3885]

Well who the hell in mid 80s UK would get up on a Saturday morning and say " i must go down to Tandy to buy some cassettes". I remember they sold 3 basic type 1 ones in a wrapper with no cases at all and they where real shite......Woolies,Boots,Smiths,Comet and all the independents where your best friend for cassettes....Love the video and channel and the people that complain.

[@juliancurtis4071]

the concealed hubs make me think of the old Memorex MRXI's with the funky case...

[@hotter99999]

Brilliant stuff, love the channel

[@svenschwingel8632]

The MII had really audible distortion on the ZX9 even on my phone speakers.

[@georgeprice4212]

I used the Realistic Supertape versions (yes, they had more than one type, and length: 30, 60, 90 and 120, and used each one when I could), and had no problems with audio quality or the longer length tape! (And don’t feel bad about not having a Type IV, I don’t recall seeing a Supertape in that formulation.)

[@Blunko_McSqwuntley]

I think we got the ones from 7:00 here in Canada. I have a few 60 min ones like that. I also have the 88 red packaged ferric super tape too. The 88' ones i found recently are way nicer sounding then the 92 ones i have.

[@revalid6824]

I totaly agree when you talked about the bad comments They need to chill down

[@martinarg101]

You have a new suscriber. Since I live in Argentina is very hard to find blank tapes and good desks.

[@spankysmp]

You're right - I never bought cassettes from Tandy - they always looked bobbins. It was TDK and Sony for me in the 80s. Only tapes I bought from Tandy were reel to reels.

[@shaun9107]

same here , still got my reals bit not the deck for them

[@VB-bk1lh]

The Radio Shack SHD tapes I have here have clear cases, they look more like a TDK tape than any others. I have very few of those, but have a lifelong stash of Maxell UD XL II tapes that I bought as stores liquidated them over the years as CD's took over. Radio Shack had three stores here in town at one point, and two less than 5 miles up the road in the next town as well. They were probably the number one seller of stereo gear in this area but by the time the 90's came around, they were all but out of the hifi market and had become nothing more than a gadget and cell phone store. They started to sell cheap RCA TV's and stereos, alarm systems, and cell phone accessories. Two of the better stores closed up by 1994, leaving only one factory run store that got remodeled and ruined as far as I'm concerned. The other store did only phones and alarms. I gave up on them long before that. Although the last store didn't close till sometime in 2002 or so, they didn't have anything I was interested in. I'm not even sure they had tapes in the store much past around 1993 or 94 or so, if they did, they were priced higher than what you could buy a Maxell two pack for elsewhere.

[@georgeprice7922]

I've used the 30, 60, 90 AND 120 minute versions of these. I found them excellent for the price ranges!

[@JamesE707]

I like that Maxell LN shell!

[@obsidian9998]

I enjoy your cassette video's as I am fascinated with the technology in cost per storage quality too quantity and enjoying witnessing the pieces of audio history. Even with the ingenuity of how companies are even able to accomplish with type 0 cassettes to get such a low price for there products. If you may, would you be open to adding two playlists of the tape information and the music sections of your videos separated as options of viewing? Sometimes I feel like watching a bundle short videos to clear my head of studies, on the other hand, listening through long lists of music series of music tracks to keep my mental gears running during learning difficult material like C# long periods of time. Thank you for reading, By Obsidian999

[@CassetteComeback]

I'm not quite sure I understand what you're asking. If you can clarify, I'll see what I can do.

[@EgoChip]

I am almost certain I had one of these tapes back in the day, it might have had old computer games on it.

[@endoplasreh]

Thanks for reviewing these cassettes. I was curious as to how they sound today. I owned only the Type I and Type II back when they were on the shelves at Radio Shack. I only owned those two for the reasons you covered in the video. They were visually unimpressive for the 80s when TDK and Maxell were pushing the style envelope. As for the tape quality, I could not get beyond the hiss of the Supertape Type I. It drove me nuts because of what I paid for the cassette. Back then, hiss elimination was the focus, unlike today were it is nostalgic to hear. I was impressed with the Supertape Type II cassettes. It is obvious now that they were most likely re-branded Maxell tape. I can say this. These tapes are a big cut above the Low Noise Red tape they used to sell. The Red LN was not a type 0, but real close in my opinion.

[@Rompler_Rocco]

Want your brain to hurt? I recommend this mystery cassette from Radio Shack: A weird minority of "HD" type 2's, in the 1995-style packaging, which are nothing like Maxell. They have very gorgeous shells similar to Denon or 80's Sony UX-S (but not identical). Tape is *deep* black cobalt ferric, hubs look like cheap chinese junk. Tried calibrating one I bought used and it behaved like a type zero.. had to crank the Rec calibration, chase the unsteady bias around, and the recording was horribly distorted and muddy, even at 0db. My best guess right now is that Radio Shack was in a pinch and loaded Swire Magnetics junk into a very premium shell. I'm guessing Swire because the hubs look just like "Laser XL" type 2 hubs. I'll send out a sealed one if somebody is serious about investigating this, because I'm stumped! 🤔

[@connorm955]

Greetings from Fort Worth. "Excellant" video.

[@watershed44]

@Cassette Comeback I actually wonder if these tapes were made by the National Audio Company out of Springfield MO?!?! They've always produced cassettes for private labels in the US for years. It makes sense to me! They were HUGE back in the 1980s.

[@CassetteComeback]

Could be, I guess.

[@watershed44]

@Cassette Comeback Tandy/Radio Shack was HQ in Fort Worth, TX and their buyers did a fair amount of business with smaller to midsize companies in the USA for various things especially during the 1970s and 80s. At least for the US and Canadian marketplace. Oh, thanks again for all the work you do, I love your channel. What intrigues me about cassettes during this time especially the late 70s and 1980s is all the thought and attention to detail that went into their production especially the Japanese products even down to the most minute things like the J cards, labels, and shell design and details. Really obsessive in their dedication to engineering things, which is my view shows how amazing we human beings are and how capable we are when we put our minds to things. Cheers from the USA.

[@Elizabethandfamily]

Hi love your videos I'm in the USA I love radio shack type 1 tapes on my nakamichi 700 makes my CDs less boring a coloration I love

[@filipbarski6990]

I have realistic recordable 8-tracks

[@marekc4722]

Love your decks! And professional reviews, like always good job, I liked also your testing tracks,could you share playlist please?

[@CassetteComeback]

I don't have a playlist to share, I usually mention what they're called and they mostly come from the KZbin audio library.

[@richardmann5049]

I don't know who made the tapes for Radio Shack, but I never had a problem with them. Price never deterred me. My choice in tapes were That's and Fuji. Above all, the recording deck played a huge part in the sound quality.

[@CassetteComeback]

Indeed. Buy better decks, not better cassettes...

[@PaulRichardson_Canada]

I got lots of reel to reel realistic supertape. :-)

[@erwintimmerman6466]

Same here. They had the most affordable rtr tape by a wide margin. Very appreciated by my student wallet at the time. Used them a lot for background music at parties before I got a hifi vhs.

[@jobriathboy]

those SHD-110's are pretty damn good :) i lucked out a while back and picked up over 100 new old stock... they sound great, and you can make one helluva mixed tape with all that extra running time per side!

[@janchristianursuaaguilar7434]

4:23 a 76 min tape, another odd tape length.

[@richardmann5049]

Not when you consider an album side average 36 minutes per side.

[@DonnDeVoreMusic]

EXCELLANT review! Radio Shack gear was mostly trash.

[@maxbrown347]

The the type 2 metal sounded like every Memorex tape I've tried in the 80s