Cassette Decks
 

I want to get a cassette tape deck. Haven’t had one in a jillion years and can’t remember which brands or models were good and which weren’t. Can anyone tell me what I should look for?

Use will be making mixtapes and playing pre-recorded and mixtapes.

Also, how would you go about making a mixtape from Spotify, Tidal, or other online music?

In the 80s there was nothing better than Alpine. I had a lower end one in my $500 '73 240Z.

A lot to choose from on eBay. Some are insanely pricey but I get it.

1980s alpine cassette radio

Link doesn't work, search 1980s alpine cassette radio on eBay

I think I had this one.

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I remember having a Pioneer Supertuner. Brands I always heard about, Alpine, Kenwood, Sansui, Blaupunkt, Jensen, Craig and Clarion to name a few. Oh and, Audiovox.

My daily driver is a 2000 Lexus RX300 and it has a cassette deck as well as a 6 disc CD changer. It has the "Lexus Premium Sound System" made by Pioneer which includes a subwoofer.

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If I was going to get a home deck, I would get the Nakamichi RX 202 which physically turns the tape around to play the other side!

Wouldn’t it make more sense to simply build a playlist on Spotify or such? Do you have a source for blank cassette tapes in this day and age?

In any case, as above, Nakamichi was top of the heap in the day.

I think Akai built some top quality decks back in the day.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aFYsDY2cV_I/hq720.jpg

If you want to rip audio from streaming platforms, it may be possible (probably not morally right), just do a google search for "rip audio from < streaming platform of choice >"

If you really want to go old skool, just play your Spotify and place your cassette recorder in front of the speakers just like we did with songs on the radio back in the day.

I still have a slight regret that I ever got rid of my KP500 Supertuner.

(Mine was in excellent condition, unlike this one)

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Pay for shipping and they are yours!

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I had the ST in the glove box in my Beetle. Loved it!

Kindred spirit. Jensen coaxials in the rear well in custom enclosures.

Some of you are wondering “what is wrong with jyl, why does he want to mess with cassettes?”

Among the young folkz, physical media is “in”. Books, film, vinyl are very “cool”, CDs and cassettes are starting their return to “coolness”. A cafe has to play music. It would be “cool” for that music to be played from “in” physical media with an old-school hi-fi stack behind the coffee bar and some old-school hi-fi speakers in the spaces.

Records are so “in”, but 20 min play time, fiddling with stylus, getting bumped, and no such thing as a mix-record. Cafes and bars with record players are a thing here, but we don’t want labor intensive. CDs are a contendor, especially using CD-Rs; perhaps the most practical option. Cassettes are almost as practical as CDs, I think, and seem just that little bit “cooler”. Reel-to-reel we’ll save for another day . . .

As for books, well there will be lots of books. For sale. So, very “cool” plus, perhaps and hopefully, a bit of revenue.

If this makes no sense, think like a Portland hipster!

Of course there will be the appropriate Spotify license too. To satisfy ASCAP/BMI if nothing else.

I was definitely wrong thinking you wanted to put a deck into the Sprite.

Look on Facebook marketplace or go to almost any vinyl record store and you can find cassette decks in amazingly good condition. $150 will get you an excellent deck. As for blank cassette tapes, you can still buy them on Amazon.

Used CD players are not plentiful and the majority are multiple disc players. I have watched the market for about a year now looking for a single disc player. Be careful as many have problems and sellers are hoping to unload junk on unsuspecting buyers. So far I have been burned (no pun) 2wice.

What's new?

Speaking of, if this is going to get a lot of use, just buy new for the CD. AFA tape players go, the major brands have discontinued the home stack models. Refurb from a reliable seller is the best bet. Since these media are back in populaity there are shops now offering these.

If I were setting up a manual non-intensive system for a cafe, I'd be looking at finding a good reel to reel system.
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A mix tape on a ten inch reel could offer hours of uninterrupted music.

Yep, you'll want/need to consider the legality of playing records and tapes especially if they are copied from other sources.

The only cassette deck that I had in a car was one that was removable (for theft)
It had a sliding mount that you just press a button and it would release.

I never used that feature and one night after working second shift...I found they had somehow broke into my locked car and stole the deck.:mad:

gah..I remember using a Bic pen to spin a cassette back into service.

@Scott Douglas yep, that would be very cool but not offer much spontaneity. People working there would tire of it for sure. Grabbing out of a library is more fun, but I can see switching over during really busy times.

Good idea. And having a back up system is a must or things can go quiet.