8 tracks!
- Thread starter wilkes85
- Start date
AUdubon5425
Yat
At one time I had over 800 8-tracks, most acquired from thrift stores between 1993 and 1997. Back then, you could walk in one and offer them $30-40 for everything and they were happy to unload them.
I had a few I bought in the 80's - I think the last one I bought in a store was Van Halen's "1984" not too long after it came out. I used to play them on an Audiovox deck in my grandmother's car. When she sold the car in 1988, I bought a simple playback deck from Radio Shack, which still works fine today with no servicing beyond an occasional head cleaning.
I also have two Realistic recording decks and an Akai CR-83D (I believe that's the model.) They all need belts and adjusting, and I never got around to it because I lost my tapes. In 1999 I had to move back home from college to to family matters, and I stored the tapes in a friend's garage. Lost contact a few years later - have no idea if they're still there or not.
I particularly enjoyed the Quad-8 deck in my old '79 Lincoln, even though my quad tapes were limited to a Cat Stevens album, a few Ford demonstrator tapes and Donna Fargo "Funny Face."
Today I have maybe a dozen 8-tracks. I also have several rolls of sensing foil splice tape I bought for 27 cents apiece when RS discontinued it.
I'd like to get back into them in the future after I add on to my house.
I had a few I bought in the 80's - I think the last one I bought in a store was Van Halen's "1984" not too long after it came out. I used to play them on an Audiovox deck in my grandmother's car. When she sold the car in 1988, I bought a simple playback deck from Radio Shack, which still works fine today with no servicing beyond an occasional head cleaning.
I also have two Realistic recording decks and an Akai CR-83D (I believe that's the model.) They all need belts and adjusting, and I never got around to it because I lost my tapes. In 1999 I had to move back home from college to to family matters, and I stored the tapes in a friend's garage. Lost contact a few years later - have no idea if they're still there or not.
I particularly enjoyed the Quad-8 deck in my old '79 Lincoln, even though my quad tapes were limited to a Cat Stevens album, a few Ford demonstrator tapes and Donna Fargo "Funny Face."
Today I have maybe a dozen 8-tracks. I also have several rolls of sensing foil splice tape I bought for 27 cents apiece when RS discontinued it.
I'd like to get back into them in the future after I add on to my house.
Ashfan
Super Member
When I bought my oldie but goodie car it had a AM/8-track unit in it, so I got into 8-tracks. They are just fun in a nostalgic way, and if you do minimal work like replacing pads and making sure the splices are good, they will play forever. I have a Wollensak 8075 and a Panasonic player/recorder (forget the model #) hooked up to various rigs, and play the 8-tracks every once in a while. I'd guess I have around 200 tapes.
I had a JCPenny unit that recorded on 8-track when growing up (perhaps a similar unit). It actually had aluminum face plate and knobs.
I brought RCA jacks out the back and used that with a Realistic cassette deck to make my first 'ping-pong' multitrack tapes when I was a kid.
I remember at the time always being on the lookout for good blanks.
A few years ago I archived the old tapes to Minidisk and CD. About 1/2 of the tapes had come apart at the foil splice. If I could get the cases open without destroying it I was able to repair the tape and make the dub.
I still have a few pre-recorded ones, but no player.
bshorey
Super Member
I've commented on this stuff before. I used to work at GRT back in the day. For most of you collectors, they are the medium blue cases and labels for house brand. We also made tons of recordings for ABC, RCA, and most of the other labels on contract. GRT made enough money off the 8-Track business to buy Chess/Janus Records and their whole library. We also made R2R tapes and Cassettes by the truck load. By the way, 90% of the bulk tape was BASF. The rest was Scotch. If you think about it, they are still playing today and most have not shed - pretty good binder !!
The deal with Mr Lears design was to get away from the 4-track car decks. The thing about the 4-track car decks was that anyone with a 4 track reel machine could make boot legs, and they did. Same 1/4" tape, same track alignment, still center spooling tape, but only one track change on the splice or it could be done manually at random.
So, Mr Lear came up with the 8-Track. That put 90% of the bootleggers out of business as they had no source of duplicating machines. Ampex made most of the duplicating slaves back then and they would not sell to anyone who was not a legit business. Eventually Eagle (Tx) got into the act making high speed slaves, but they sold far more cassette slave decks than 8-Track. Anyway, it used 1/2 the raw tape and about the same case cost. That lead to production cost cuts in terms of time and materials (twice as much music on each slave pancake on each run).
Anyway, we regularly QC'd 8-Tracks against the other formats. They were about on par with commercial cassettes and a bit behind commercial R2R (@7.5 IPS). You got to remember where these other formats were - only Dolby B, no DBX, no HX-Pro, nada.
In that world, 8-Track holds it's own. But 8-Track died because the format was bulky and the cassette guys just kept making their gear better and better and no one was going to do that for 8-track. There are good 8-tracks out there (cartridges and home machines). Before I pitched all of mine years ago, I had some Robin Trower like Bridge of Sighs on a green label 8-track that was pretty stunning. We didn't do that run, but we did a LOT of Rolling Stones and their QA requirements were pretty tight. It can work, you just need the right pieces
Interesting bit of history, thanks for posting.
Imo, 8 track had two fundamental flaws that doomed them. First, the tape is always wearing against itself. While it might sound as good as other formats out of the box, I think there was noticeable degradation after a few dozen plays. Second, the head moves, which over time can send it out of alignment.
I was in high school in the late 70's, and they were all the rage. I never got into them, went straight to cassette and never looked back.
bs
analogguyinadig
Active Member
Get DSOTM on 8 track. Period.
saltwater
Super Member
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2326334&postcount=1
Heres mine, i got bout 40 tapes.... it aint dead yet..
Heres mine, i got bout 40 tapes.... it aint dead yet..
Big Tuna
Too Much Power!
I have still got my dad's JVC 8 track player he had when i was a kid. It is a unusual 4 channel player with colorful vue meters that was originally used in a radio station in Reno, Nevada in the late 60's. That station broadcast their music in 4 channel sound. My dad was in Reno several years and was good friends with a DJ there and that is how he got it, along with some other unusual stuff like some "Studio Use Only" LP's and I have those as well. The JVC is extremely unusual as it has a bronze head that is mounted on a aluminum frame. The head surface has what looks like to me, to be 8 small rollers that move with the tape as it slides over it, thereby reducing friction and tape hiss. I have rolled my finger over the tape head and it's like sliding your finger over a ball bearing. This Player is like no other I have seen and the sound quality is very high. I also still have many of my dad's 8T tapes many of which were Jazz and rock & roll, about 150 of them, and if memory serves the cotillion 2 tape release of Woodstock('69) in 1970. My first car also had the original 8T player in it and I enjoyed many many hours of cruising and listening in that smooth classic cruiser, which was a 1974 Imperial Coupe with all the options.
radi8288
New Member
Who are you guys kidding? 8 tracks are crap, they have always been.
However, I committed audio blasphemy last week when feeling a little squirlly in the Goodwill store I bought a superscope marantz record deck and some tapes. (6 bucks for tape deck and 10 cents a tape.. cheap enough). I picked through a whole box full of smelly tapes to find a few to do a test with.
Cleaned the deck. Demaged. Put on new belt. Works as new. (didnt have a blank to test record function, but who cares, who the heck would record with these?>???)
Conclusion. 8 tracks still suck, I knew it then and still believe so now. But dont tell anyone, but I have one in the garage system now, it the only compenent in the garage which is usually reserved for baseball games and talk radio.
Check out the photo.
However, I committed audio blasphemy last week when feeling a little squirlly in the Goodwill store I bought a superscope marantz record deck and some tapes. (6 bucks for tape deck and 10 cents a tape.. cheap enough). I picked through a whole box full of smelly tapes to find a few to do a test with.
Cleaned the deck. Demaged. Put on new belt. Works as new. (didnt have a blank to test record function, but who cares, who the heck would record with these?>???)
Conclusion. 8 tracks still suck, I knew it then and still believe so now. But dont tell anyone, but I have one in the garage system now, it the only compenent in the garage which is usually reserved for baseball games and talk radio.
Check out the photo.
Attachments
analogguyinadig said:
Yes if you can find the one that doesnt split money!! (And the other song) I had it but didnt play well.... I couldnt get the cartridge open to change the pad and ended up ruining it
8 tracks ARE PURE GOLD but they can be quite a pain!! (I have many)
illinoisteve
Super Member
I added the 8-Track tape cartridge format to my system a few years ago. I had only heard 8-Tracks in a couple of vehicles owned by friends back in my high school and college days. They sounded good in cars, at least when songs weren't interrupted by track switching.
My first used 8-Track deck, quit working after a tape broke and wrapped around the capstan. My second one, a recording Realistic, works just fine. In buying tapes, I soon learned that the first thing I had to learn how to do was REPAIR THEM. Even if purchased working, all of the tapes are old enough for the splicing tapes to fall off the next time you play them. I only have a couple dozen tapes, some of which I have successfully repaired successfully. They sound pretty good...considering the format's limitations.
My first collection of records started with 78s. I had more hours of music on 78s than I had on LPs when I was in high school. A chunk of my music interest comes from a historical perspective. Similarly, I have an interest in keeping various recording formats alive. Although I don't intend to collect a great many 8-Track tapes, I like the idea that if I find an unusual recording available for sale, that I might never find in another format, I will have a way to play it. It would have been heartbreaking if I had to pass up buying "Out Behind the Barn: Polkas and Waltzes" by Bob Blecha and his Bouncing Czechs!
My first used 8-Track deck, quit working after a tape broke and wrapped around the capstan. My second one, a recording Realistic, works just fine. In buying tapes, I soon learned that the first thing I had to learn how to do was REPAIR THEM. Even if purchased working, all of the tapes are old enough for the splicing tapes to fall off the next time you play them. I only have a couple dozen tapes, some of which I have successfully repaired successfully. They sound pretty good...considering the format's limitations.
My first collection of records started with 78s. I had more hours of music on 78s than I had on LPs when I was in high school. A chunk of my music interest comes from a historical perspective. Similarly, I have an interest in keeping various recording formats alive. Although I don't intend to collect a great many 8-Track tapes, I like the idea that if I find an unusual recording available for sale, that I might never find in another format, I will have a way to play it. It would have been heartbreaking if I had to pass up buying "Out Behind the Barn: Polkas and Waltzes" by Bob Blecha and his Bouncing Czechs!
Dirk Willims
Active Member
I was gifted two indoor 8 track units. Haven't used them yet, have about twenty different tapes. My stereo stands are full of components, got to figure out where to place at least one of these units. Both are in fantastic shape.
I'm 62 now and my first music other then fm radio was 8 track. Rolled in a two door 1967 Chevy Impala, baby blue, with a 283, I'd love to have that car now. Stepped up to the ever so popular Ford LTD, with the 429 police intercepter motor. Thing handled like a square rock, and that motor was a monster, fast fast fast.
Four speakers, and many 8 track tapes. Life was good. And we were " to cool for school" . Every day I wake up I'm amazed I made it this far. Some of the stunts we pulled as kids, young men, and we lived thru it.
Life's good.
Dirk
I'm 62 now and my first music other then fm radio was 8 track. Rolled in a two door 1967 Chevy Impala, baby blue, with a 283, I'd love to have that car now. Stepped up to the ever so popular Ford LTD, with the 429 police intercepter motor. Thing handled like a square rock, and that motor was a monster, fast fast fast.
Four speakers, and many 8 track tapes. Life was good. And we were " to cool for school" . Every day I wake up I'm amazed I made it this far. Some of the stunts we pulled as kids, young men, and we lived thru it.
Life's good.
Dirk
Condorsat
Audio Enthusiast
Started playing 8 Tracks when I first got my drivers license in 1977. Left home in 1980 and don't recall playing any since then … may have, just don't remember doing so. Bought a used car in late 81 or 82 .. believe it had a cassette player (previous owner installed).
Still have the 8 Track case (holds 24 tapes) that used to sit in my old car in the late 70's .. along with the Tapes that I left in in it .. late 1980 (never touched till 2018). My Mother (RIP) kept it in storage and me & my Brother found it in her estate. A real time capsule.
Most of these albums were replaced w/ Vinyl during the dollar bin years.
Still have the 8 Track case (holds 24 tapes) that used to sit in my old car in the late 70's .. along with the Tapes that I left in in it .. late 1980 (never touched till 2018). My Mother (RIP) kept it in storage and me & my Brother found it in her estate. A real time capsule.
- Bruce Springsteen .. Darkness on the Edge of Town
- Rod Stewart .. Blondes Have More Fun
- TP & Heartbreakers .. Damn the Torpedo's
- Babys .. Head First
- Babys .. Broken Heart
- Cheap Trick .. Heaven Tonight
- Rolling Stones .. Some Girls
- Pete Townshend .. Empty Glass
- B Springsteen .. Wild, Innocent E Street Shuffle
- Bob Segar .. Stranger in Town
- Rod Stewart .. Night on the Town
- Award Winning Rock (? Truck Stop 8 Track?)
- B Springsteen .. The River
- The Cars .. self titled
- Pablo Cruise .. Worlds Away
- The Cars .. Candy O
- Babys .. On the Edge
- The Band .. Anthology
- ELO .. Out of the Blue
- Michael Stanley Band .. Greatest Hints (not Hits, no typo)
- Billy Joel .. Piano Man
- Mcguinn, Clark & Hillman .. self titled
- Billy Joel .. Songs in the Attic
- Kiss .. Destroyer
Most of these albums were replaced w/ Vinyl during the dollar bin years.
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Condorsat
Audio Enthusiast
Wow look at em all!!!!!!!
I hope you have a player so you can enjoy them buddy
Yes & know … still have some player(s) .. one for sure .. possibly another one. These have been stored since 1980 as well. Have not tested them yet. The value to me is more of a Time Capsule of that moment (38 years ago). Seems like a lifetime ago.
Condorsat
Audio Enthusiast
Use to see a good many at Open Air Flea Markets back then. In recent years I've heard them referred to as Truck Stop tapes (maybe that's where a good many were sold in some parts of the country).
As I recall … they were of poor quality and often failed prematurely. The factor tapes were of better quality. Generic 8 Tracks (bootlegs?) were less expensive than the factory tapes.
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