As most of You are aware, the pre-recorded cassette tape is all but gone....except for some left-overs and promo type, greatest hits.
This has been coming for a while now,...with the advent of cd's, etc.
You may wonder...so?
I am not quite ready to see them off just yet....one of My vehicles has the rarest of features....a great OEM AM-FM cassette player. It's kinda nice to take a more "expendable" music tape with Me, rather than take a rare, expensive cd out and about. I also have some titles not availible on cd as well. (titles not on cd's...that's a LONG list).
The end of tapes and their players, (the quality "single well" home stereo type) is (like the current VHS tape situation), primarily being "forced" a bit, to prop up poor cd sales..(and in the VHS example to make way for the DVD sooner).
I know,.....I know,......when one would turn UP the volume on a factory cassette tape, it sounds like Someone just put a whole package of "Jimmy Deans sausage" in a fry pan..........on a way too hot grille....and Dolby,...well.....just didn't "cut it" (just the "highs").....but, starting in the late 80's, with the addition of metal tape, XDR mastering, and on some tapes, quality shells,.....there was hope.
The best examples were recently, with the "companion" cassettes that were issued ( re-mastered ) at the same time as the cd's, but...too little, too late.
I just felt like expounding on this subject.......even though I embrace the new technologies,.....it seems like the old gets "swept away"..before it's time......kinda makes ME feel old before MY time too.
