Tape cassettes: device and best manufacturers

Despite the fact that progress does not stand still, it seems that quite recently, audio cassettes enjoyed record popularity. To date, interest in these carriers, as well as their features and device, has begun to grow rapidly. Many users try to find both rare used and new compact cassettes from the best manufacturers on the Internet. It is worth noting that, for example, more than 50 thousand units of this equipment were sold in the UK in 2018, while in 2013 this figure was 5 thousand.

The history of cassettes for tape recorders dates back to the 60s of the last century. In the period from the 70s to the 90s, they were practically the only and, therefore, the most common carrier of audio information. For at least two decades, music, educational materials, congratulations and other audio files have been recorded on audio tapes. In addition, tape cassettes were actively used for recording computer programs.

These carriers were very widely used in the study of foreign languages. Cassettes, performing certain tasks, were used in almost all areas and industries. This continued until the first CDs appeared in the 90s of the XX century. These media made audio cassettes a history and a symbol of an entire era in record time.

The first compact cassette in the history of the industry was presented to the general public by Philips back in 1963. After just one year in Germany, these media were already mass-produced. The format managed to conquer the world market in record time for two main reasons.

• It was possible to obtain a license for the production of cassettes absolutely free, which made the products themselves cheap and as accessible as possible.
• Another indisputable advantage of cassettes is the ability not only to listen, but also to record sounds. It is for this reason that they very quickly pushed out their competitors such as DC International multi-track cartridges and cassettes from the world market.

In 1965, Philips launched the production of music audio cassettes, and a year later they were already available to the American consumer. Recording of sounds on the first cassettes, as well as listening to them, was carried out using dictaphones. By the way, it is worth focusing on the main drawback of the first Philips brand cassettes. In this case, we are talking about the low quality of recording and playback.

Undoubtedly, the record-breaking development of the cassette industry was due to the evolution of the corresponding devices intended for listening to them. It is unlikely that cassettes would have received such distribution if tape recorders and dictaphones for them had not become available to the average buyer. By the way, at that moment the undisputed leader among stationary deck manufacturers was the Japanese company Nakamichi. It was this brand that set the standards that other manufacturers aspired to in their development. The reproduction quality was constantly improving, and by the mid-80s most brands were able to reach the same level with Nakamichi.

Around the same time, the first portable devices (boomboxes) appeared on the market, which almost instantly became record-breaking popular. Thanks to the competition between Japanese and Taiwanese manufacturers, prices for this equipment began to drop significantly, becoming as affordable as possible. Along with audio cassettes, boomboxes have become an integral part of hip-hop culture. Another landmark event for the industry of the described media was the invention of players. This gave a new impetus to the sales of cassettes almost all over the world.

On the territory of the Soviet Union, tape recorders and cassettes began to appear only in the late 60s. Moreover, during the first 10 years, they were practically inaccessible to an ordinary buyer. This was due, first of all, to their rather high cost, which was beyond the means of many citizens of the USSR.

It should be noted that the mass production of tape cassettes, as well as devices for their reproduction, contributed to the active development of new musical trends and styles. One of the brightest episodes in the history of these media was the massive appearance of pirated records in the late 80s. Both producers of music compilations and performers themselves suffered from them. Despite numerous promotions in support of the latter, the number of pirated cassettes, as well as the demand for them, continued to grow at a record pace.

In the West, the market for the devices in question peaked at the end of the 80s of the last century. An active reduction in sales volumes began to be recorded (first in the form of annual percentages) closer to the 1990s. It should be noted that for 1990-1991. cassettes sold better than the compact discs that were conquering the world market at that time.

Between 1991 and 1994, the North American audio cassette market stabilized with sales of 350 million units per year. However, for 1996-2000. sales literally collapsed, and at the beginning of 2001, tape-based cassettes accounted for no more than 4% of the music market.

It is necessary to highlight the main and indisputable, even today, the advantages of the legendary carriers. These include the following important points.

• Compared to CDs, they have an affordable cost.
• Increased resistance to mechanical damage. At the same time, if dropped, the cassette box may break.
• Maximum protection of the film in the housing.
• Possibility of transportation in the absence of a cassette holder without the risk of damaging the recording.
• As a rule, compact discs will not play in the presence of vibration and the absence of a buffering system (anti-shock).
• Before the advent of CD-R and CD-RW discs, one of the main competitive advantages of cassettes was the possibility of multiple rewriting.

Naturally, there are no less significant disadvantages, which include the following factors.

• Sensitivity to temperature rise.
• Comparatively poor sound quality. This disadvantage was almost completely leveled out with the advent of chrome models, but at the same time their cost increased.
• Increased risk of film chewing. Most likely, everyone who used cassette recorders, players and car radios faced similar problems. At the same time, even a torn film could be glued together and the device could continue to be used. It is worth considering that in such situations, part of the recording will, of course, be damaged.
• The media described are designed only for audio files, no other format can be recorded on them, unlike CD and DVD.
• Problems with finding the right composition, which requires a certain amount of time and appropriate skills.In this case, we are talking about such a concept as mechanical rewinding of the film to the desired place. When using a CD, MP3 player and other modern media and devices, this process is as simple as possible. By the way, in terms of searching for sounds, cassettes are inferior even to legendary vinyls, on which you can easily visually determine the beginning of each recording.

As the cassette industry developed, the appearance, size and design of the devices themselves changed periodically. As a result, the developers were able to find the best option, which became a compromise solution, taking into account such important points as simplicity of design, performance and, of course, affordable cost for the mass consumer.

Now, given the renewed demand for audio cassettes, many users are interested in the device of this media, which has become a real legend and personifies an entire era. The cassette body can be transparent and all its contents will be clearly visible through it. It should be noted that the functions of this part are reduced not only to effective protection of the film and other elements from mechanical damage and dust. We are also talking about compensation of vibration loads during the operation of the device.

The body can be non-separable if its two halves are rigidly attached to each other by gluing. However, on the younger models from leading manufacturers, small screws or miniature latches were used as fasteners. The collapsible cassette body provides access to its "insides", which allows troubleshooting.

The design of any audio cassette includes the following components.

• Rakord is a small transparent element located in front of the film and in some cases allows its effective cleaning.
• A pressure pad located on a metal strip (plate) and responsible for the uniform and tight fit of the film to the head of a tape recorder and other reproducing device.
• A corrugated liner (usually transparent), which ensures uniform winding of the film onto the bobbins, reduces noise during operation of the cassette and compensates for vibrations.
• Rollers (feeding and receiving), damping loads during rewinding.
• The most important element, that is, the film itself.
• Bobbins on which the tape is wound, and locks for fixing them.

In addition to all of the above, you should focus on some elements of the case. We are talking about slots designed to fix the cassette in the tape drive mechanism of the deck, tape recorder or player. There are also slots for feeding the playback and recording heads to the film.

Naturally, with the development of the industry and related technologies, manufacturers began to offer potential consumers different types of cassettes. Their main difference was magnetic tape, on which the quality of sound recording and reproduction directly depended. As a result, 4 types of cassettes appeared on the market.

In this case, we are talking about the use of various iron oxides in the production process. Cassettes of this type appeared almost from the first days and were actively used until the end of the industry. They were a kind of "workhorse" and were used both for recording interviews and for musical compositions. In the latter case, the quality of the corresponding level was required. Based on this, the developers had to look for non-standard solutions at times.

Looking for ways to maximize the quality of recording and playback, DuPont engineers invented chromium dioxide magnetic tape. For the first time, such devices have appeared on the market under the brand name Basf. After that, the creators of the technology sold the production rights to Sony. Eventually other Japanese manufacturers, including Maxell, TDK and Fuji, were forced to start an active search for alternative solutions... The result of the work of their specialists was a film, in the production of which cobalt particles were used.

This type of cassette tape went on sale in the 70s and was produced by Sony. The main feature of the film was the deposition of a chromium oxide layer on the iron oxide. The formula, dubbed FeCr, did not live up to expectations, and by the early 1980s, Type III compact cassettes had almost completely disappeared.

The developers were able to achieve outstanding results by applying a layer of pure iron particles directly to the film. but tapes of this type required the creation of special tape heads. As a result, new types of devices have emerged, including amorphous, sendast and other recording and playback heads made from magnetic materials.

As part of the active development of the cassette industry, all manufacturing companies are constantly working to create new formulations and methods for their application. However, the work of developers was regulated by existing standards. Taking into account all the nuances on the playback and recording devices, special regulators and the option "Fine BIAS tuning" appeared. Later, the equipment was equipped with full-fledged calibration systems, which made it possible to change the settings in manual or automatic mode, taking into account the type of magnetic tape.

Recently, more and more often you can hear about the revival of the era of vinyl records. In parallel, there is a growing interest in audio cassettes. It should be noted that the demand for such products is increasing. Users are interested in both used and new devices.

Now, on various thematic sites, you can easily find advertisements for the sale of cassettes from such legendary brands as Sony, Basf, Maxell, Denon and, of course, TDK. The products of these particular brands enjoyed a truly record popularity at one time.

Naturally, today the production of compact cassettes of the mentioned brands has already been discontinued. However, this does not mean that production has completely stopped and these legendary media have finally become the history of the music industry. At the moment, they are still being released by the National Audio Company (NAC), founded at one time in Springfield (Missouri, USA). Despite all the achievements of progress, both pure audio cassettes and with already recorded musical compositions are born.

In 2014, NAC was able to sell about 10 million units of its products. However, in October of this year, the manufacturer announced a temporary stop of work.

As with any device, proper handling of audio cassettes will maximize their lifespan. This applies to both their direct use and care and storage. For example, cassettes are strongly recommended to be kept in covers (cassettes) and placed in a special rack (stand).

It is highly undesirable to leave the media in the playback device. This can negatively affect the cassette itself and even the tape recorder. You should also avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

The following guidelines will help you extend the life of your cassettes.

• Ensure that the label on the cassette adheres well before use.
• Contact with magnetic tape should be avoided.
• Keep the device as far away from motors, speakers, transformers and other magnetic objects as possible. By the way, this also applies to the tape recorders themselves.
• If possible, it is recommended to avoid frequent and lengthy rewinding of the tape, which negatively affects its condition and, consequently, the sound quality.
• It is necessary to regularly and thoroughly clean the magnetic head, rollers and shaft using special solutions. In this case, it is important not to use lubricants when processing elements in contact with the film.
• The condition of the tape should be constantly monitored. Particular attention is paid to the density of its winding on coils (bobbins). You can rewind it with a regular pencil.

How audio cassettes are made, see below.