It works! for some reason, cassettes are having a resurgence. haven’t yet bought a new cassette, but s/o to goodwill for some good ones.
Feb 20, 2025
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I was skeptical at first thinking it was solely a nostalgia-chasing trend, but I found out quickly that tape cassettes can sound really great! I think the lo-fi bias comes from our collective memory of car decks that were never cleaned and tapes that baked on Toyota Corolla dashboards for years. I was able to find a decent used Sony player, and then I realized the real benefits:
1. A lot of bands still release cassettes. It's cheaper for them to make, which means you don't have to drop $25 just to support a band you like
2. Used cassettes are SO CHEAP. It's a bit of a gamble on the quality, but when we're talking a couple dollars for a decent copy of your favorite album, it's a no-brainer. I have a local shop where I'm able to get them to check out whether they look ok or not.
3. It's the perfect middle ground between the frictionless aspect of streaming (where we fall into that "analysis paralysis"), and the slow, purposeful ritual of listening to a vinyl record from front to back. When you pop a tape in, you still get to bring it wherever, but you'll likely commit to it all the way through.
I can say so much more about the technical aspects, but maybe I'll save it unless people have questions.
Feb 29, 2024
one of my friends gave me one of these bad boys for my birthday and it is perhaps one of the best gifts I’ve received. they knew my struggle with wanting to listen to music on my morning walks while resisting the urge to use my phone first thing. they burned a few of my playlists and theirs onto tapes and it feels so much more nostalgic, personal, and conversational. listening to a tape all the way through without skipping is a lost treasure trove for mindfulness imo. pretty affordable and easy to rig burning cassettes or buying from the thrift :)
Dec 18, 2024
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now i love buying vinyl. i think the sound quality is better and it's fun to build out a physical collection of my favorite music. BUT, they are SO expensive that for a person not made of money like myself, i can only splurge on one every once and awhile. seriously, like 30 dollars for a vinyl i just cannot justify sometimes.
BUY A CASSETTE PLAYER AND BUY CASSETTES!!! this has become my new favorite way to build out a music collection while still enjoying the physicality of a tape. also tapes are just so cheap compared to vinyl. go to your local record store and they should have boxes just overflowing with tapes going anywhere from 1 dollar to like 10 MAXIMUM. at this point i just buy random 1 dollar tapes in the hope that i am exposed to some new music i haven't heard before, and i am always pleased!!
now is the sound quality a little worse? yes, but that is a trade-off i am willing to make at this point. also most portable cassette players have radio functions, and nothing is better than falling asleep to AM radio.
Feb 14, 2025
Top Recs from @booksandmusic637
Feb 22, 2025
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It’s beautiful! and a distraction
Feb 25, 2025
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LS Dunes- Violet (album): perfect amalgamation of the other albums from the bands these people are in (Thursday, Circa Survive, Coheed and Cambria, MCR) but also very unique!
The Cure-Six different ways: somehow I had never heard this song until last week? It’s so good, I’m mad.
MJ Lenderman- No Mercy: saw him play this live last week and it blew me away!!!!!!
Feb 19, 2025