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8-Track Tape Questions

N

Northguy

Active Member
Does anyone know what year the record companies stopped using the 8-track tape format? Did they stop using the 8-track tape format because of the introduction of Compact Discs or had Cassette tapes already made the 8-track tape format obsolete?
 
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In the U.S., eight-track cartridges were phased out of retail stores by late 1982. Some titles were still available as eight-track tapes through Columbia House and RCA (BMG) Music Service Record Clubs until late 1988. Many of these late-period releases are highly collectible because of the low numbers that were produced and the few customers who ever purchased them. Among the most rare is Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood. Another is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Live/1975-85, which was one of the very few boxed sets to be released on vinyl, cassette, compact disc, and eight-track tape.
There is a debate among collectors about the last commercial eight-track released by a major label, but many agree it was Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits in November 1988.[8]

Wikipedia
 
Thanks Jnevill, I would have never thought they were around as late as 1988. Also it looks like lack of sales did them in.
 
Jnevill said:
In the U.S., eight-track cartridges were phased out of retail stores by late 1982. Some titles were still available as eight-track tapes through Columbia House and RCA (BMG) Music Service Record Clubs until late 1988. Many of these late-period releases are highly collectible because of the low numbers that were produced and the few customers who ever purchased them. Among the most rare is Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood. Another is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Live/1975-85, which was one of the very few boxed sets to be released on vinyl, cassette, compact disc, and eight-track tape.
There is a debate among collectors about the last commercial eight-track released by a major label, but many agree it was Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits in November 1988.[8]

Wikipedia
Click to expand...

Do you have an 8-track unit, J? Curious.

Q2
 
Despite their initial lack of fidelity compared to the 8T, cassettes kept getting better all the time while 8Ts never advanced very much.

First thing to consider is, the wow and flutter figures never really improved, what with all that slipping and sliding of the endless loop tape. Add to that the fact that you can fit four 90 minute 8 tracks in the space of a (maximum) 80 minute 8T, and the handwriting was on the wall for 8s as early as 1972. That it hung on as long as it did was amazing.

Eight tracks took off immediately in the late '60s; cassette (at least for hifi usage) had a much slower acceptance curve.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
 
1tumbleweed said:
Despite their initial lack of fidelity compared to the 8T, cassettes kept getting better all the time while 8Ts never advanced very much.

First thing to consider is, the wow and flutter figures never really improved, what with all that slipping and sliding of the endless loop tape. Add to that the fact that you can fit four 90 minute 8 tracks in the space of a (maximum) 80 minute 8T, and the handwriting was on the wall for 8s as early as 1972. That it hung on as long as it did was amazing.

Eight tracks took off immediately in the late '60s; cassette (at least for hifi usage) had a much slower acceptance curve.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
Click to expand...

I hear ya, TW.

Guess fidelity was way down on the scale back then cause we either had our heads stuck under the hoods, or listening to the rumble of that juiced up V8 goin' down the road. Mind you from the back seat it sounded not bad...again our attention was elsewhere.:D

Q2
 
To add to what 1tumbleweed said, they were convenient; you didn't have to flip the tape or rewind it, and you could jump tracks (not quite as handy as CD selection jumping).
The continuous spool was hell on the tape though.
 
woodj said:
To add to what 1tumbleweed said, they were convenient; you didn't have to flip the tape or rewind it, and you could jump tracks (not quite as handy as CD selection jumping).
The continuous spool was hell on the tape though.
Click to expand...

And if I may add, you had to have the hands of a surgeon and the patience of Jove to fix a broken tape. Just ask me!

Q2
 
I agree with what you guys have been saying but I will add one thing.

When auto reverse cassette players became widely available, early 80s ???, they basically had the same infinite loop feature as the 8-Track.

Except with the auto reverse units the CHA-CHUNK did not come in the middle of the tune you where trying to listen to.

Double reverse decks were even cooler! :thmbsp:
 
Jnevill said:
In the U.S., eight-track cartridges were phased out of retail stores by late 1982. Some titles were still available as eight-track tapes through Columbia House and RCA (BMG) Music Service Record Clubs until late 1988. Many of these late-period releases are highly collectible because of the low numbers that were produced and the few customers who ever purchased them. Among the most rare is Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood. Another is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Live/1975-85, which was one of the very few boxed sets to be released on vinyl, cassette, compact disc, and eight-track tape.
There is a debate among collectors about the last commercial eight-track released by a major label, but many agree it was Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits in November 1988.[8]

Wikipedia
Click to expand...
I remember watching Hee Haw in the very early 90's. Some company was advertising a Roy Acuff album during the show in your choice of CD, LP, cassette or 8-track. I'm sure the 8-tracks were NOS that hadn't sold but it was still an offering. I also remember stopping at a truck stop in Cabool, MO on the way to Branson in 1992 and they were still selling sealed 8-track tapes; I bought a copy of Ned Miller's "From a Jack to a King" on 8-track.
 
An old college buddy of mine never got past the fact that 8 tracks went away rapidly over night ... he had a sizable collection. He never collected much music after that ... mostly listens to the radio and internet now.
 
Quadman2 said:
And if I may add, you had to have the hands of a surgeon and the patience of Jove to fix a broken tape. Just ask me!

Q2
Click to expand...

Ted, it is not THAT bad :) I have been working on my swap meet tapes and some cleaning, checking, then run through once to find the sensing foil. Replace that with some backing tape and some pads and they play pretty well! Of course if you have to open them up due to broken splice, jammed, bad foam or other issues, it is more involved :)
 
Ronald1973 said:
I remember watching Hee Haw in the very early 90's. Some company was advertising a Roy Acuff album during the show in your choice of CD, LP, cassette or 8-track. I'm sure the 8-tracks were NOS that hadn't sold but it was still an offering. I also remember stopping at a truck stop in Cabool, MO on the way to Branson in 1992 and they were still selling sealed 8-track tapes; I bought a copy of Ned Miller's "From a Jack to a King" on 8-track.
Click to expand...

Yes, Truck stops were definitely the holdout. I remember my local truck stop had a decent selection of 8-tracks (mostly Country) as late as 1999. I wouldn't be surprised if truck stops in some regions still have a few.
 
Mister Mike said:
Yes, Truck stops were definitely the holdout. I remember my local truck stop had a decent selection of 8-tracks (mostly Country) as late as 1999. I wouldn't be surprised if truck stops in some regions still have a few.
Click to expand...

If they have the foam-backed pressure pads they are probably unplayable.
 
There are plently of instructions on how to open 8-tracks and replace the foam on the web and youtube (I have done it myself). Replacement foam can be bought on ebay :) but, you just cannot take a mystery 8-track (even a new sealed one) and try it without inspecting the places the head and sensor ride on.
 
Ya know, I don't think anyone is saying 8-tracks are the greatest thing since sliced bread. They can be a major pain in the rear sometimes but I don't think they deserve the bad rap they get sometimes.

Were they noisy? Yes. In this modern day and age, there's software to correct that. I can run it through a noise filter and it drastically cuts down on the noise without losing a lot of fidelity.

8-track tapes are like any other consumer product. Some were produced better and some were produced crappy. The RCA carts were seemingly built to a higher standard for instance. Even non-RCA label carts that came via RCA Music Service use the RCA pressure pads that are certainly superior in my opinion. It also appears Capitol Record Club used the RCA cartridge system; I have two Hank Williams 8-tracks from Capitol Record and they use the RCA pressure pads. The RCA demo tapes that were given away with a new car sound absolutely amazing. I just got done digitizing "Ford Presents Stereo for Today 1976" and it sounds great. CD quality? No, but not too shoddy either.

8-tracks are great way to discover new music. When you go into a thrift store and buy one for 50¢ or $1, why not? I just bought a "new" Realistic deck on eBay that looks almost like it just came out of the box. I had to realign the playback head and it sounds better than any player I've had. It's not an expensive hobby to get into; it just takes a bit of patience and time.
 
One thing to remember about RCA 8 tracks - as the original producer of 8 tracks, back in 1964, their shells were "Lear Jet Packs" and followed the original design of Bill Lear. That spring pad must have been expensive, though - it was made of phosphor bronze - and the cart itself was over-designed so that, according to Lear, it could be played upside down. Lots of little bits in the original design were discarded along the line. Most Capitol carts were well-designed, following Capitol's purchase of Audio Devices, who had been making broadcast style cartridges for years. Many other companies, including Data Packaging and Mastro Plastics, made well designed cartridges with foam pads. As time went on - especially following the first gas crisis in 1974 - more cheaply made shells appeared, which added to 8 track's bad rep.

Almost all of those "truck stop" 8 tracks were bootlegs, and very poorly made.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
 
" Of course if you have to open them up due to broken splice, jammed, bad foam or other issues, it is more involved " Once opened; junk - at least when I'm trying to rehabilitate them. I have 2 - 8 track players & a bunch of tapes I haven't touched in 15 years. Why do I keep them?
 
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