8 Track Tapes
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BillyBatts
ALOHA!
Horizon was a great album. Karen was already in her downward spiral and you can hear the sadness in her voice.
This was the first album I actually ever heard on a true quality system. A relative of mine worked for McIntosh when this album came out (1975) and we were at their house for dinner. After dinner, they put on this album playing through the Mac and I sat there with jaw dropped in amazement that Karen Carpenter was not in the speakers but was obviously in the room singing to us personally. It was at THAT moment I knew I had to afford myself the very finest equipment because I wanted to hear music at that level of fidelity for the rest of my life.
OP;
Nice score. I haven't been into 8 Track for over 35 years, but if you are, that is a great score. I'd even be tempted to pick it up and find a player somewhere just to reminisce about cruising around in my High School car listening to the 8 track.
8 Track can be a lot of fun because:
Players are simple and surprisingly durable
Fidelity is not as bad as I had feared.
Tapes can be had for pennies
No one will try to run you over at estate sales to get at the 8 Tracks
Supplies are still available.
8 Track can be frustrating because:
Splices break ( a lot )
Some audio folks will think you are loony
You can only listen to so much Ray Conniff Singers (Which seems to comprise 25% of the yard sales tapes available......)
Cherclunk
Players are simple and surprisingly durable
Fidelity is not as bad as I had feared.
Tapes can be had for pennies
No one will try to run you over at estate sales to get at the 8 Tracks
Supplies are still available.
8 Track can be frustrating because:
Splices break ( a lot )
Some audio folks will think you are loony
You can only listen to so much Ray Conniff Singers (Which seems to comprise 25% of the yard sales tapes available......)
Cherclunk
jbl64
Active Member
Ray Conniff Singers
How funny it is. I do see that group in vinyl and 8 tracks at thrift stores and yardsales. Back in the early 80's till about the 90's i probably have had over 300 8 track tapes pre-recorded and blanks. When my Realstic 8 track player was having issues and mainly the tape head for one i donated all my 8 tracks to my local Goodwill. It wasn't until 2008 that i came across my dads Centrex player/recorder that he had stored away in the attic. I got back into collecting but not as many as i did once. I have about 40 8 tracks now. 20 of them need to be restored so i bought some sensor foil and thin weather strips. I do a few at a time. Usually on most given Sundays i do a 8 track flashback for a hour or so.
How funny it is. I do see that group in vinyl and 8 tracks at thrift stores and yardsales. Back in the early 80's till about the 90's i probably have had over 300 8 track tapes pre-recorded and blanks. When my Realstic 8 track player was having issues and mainly the tape head for one i donated all my 8 tracks to my local Goodwill. It wasn't until 2008 that i came across my dads Centrex player/recorder that he had stored away in the attic. I got back into collecting but not as many as i did once. I have about 40 8 tracks now. 20 of them need to be restored so i bought some sensor foil and thin weather strips. I do a few at a time. Usually on most given Sundays i do a 8 track flashback for a hour or so.
BillyBatts
ALOHA!
Wow. I had totally forgotten about "Sensor Foil". Yea, they do have that for auto switching to the next track.
8 Tracks were great for long evenings in the dorm with girlfriend(s). No need to get up and change the LP or the Reel to Reel. Just pop in an 8 track and let the music play.
8 Tracks were great for long evenings in the dorm with girlfriend(s). No need to get up and change the LP or the Reel to Reel. Just pop in an 8 track and let the music play.
JLange2010
Well-Known Member
I recently got a Pioneer H-R99, then two weeks later found an H-R100 at a price I couldn't resist, so I'm now into the 8 track thing. When I bought the second unit, the seller had recorded a radio program on a blank tape to demo, and I was amazed at the sound quality. But mostly, it is just plain fun to shove a tape into the slot, listen to the music and have a good laugh at the click click when it changes tracks. No on off button needed. Yes, I am a nostalgic fool.
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
And you also got the UK 8 track of "The Concert Sinatra" to boot. Some nice 8 tracks. Keep on trackin'
GerardG
KBO
How funny it is. I do see that group in vinyl and 8 tracks at thrift stores and yardsales. Back in the early 80's till about the 90's i probably have had over 300 8 track tapes pre-recorded and blanks. When my Realstic 8 track player was having issues and mainly the tape head for one i donated all my 8 tracks to my local Goodwill. It wasn't until 2008 that i came across my dads Centrex player/recorder that he had stored away in the attic. I got back into collecting but not as many as i did once. I have about 40 8 tracks now. 20 of them need to be restored so i bought some sensor foil and thin weather strips. I do a few at a time. Usually on most given Sundays i do a 8 track flashback for a hour or so.
This is true for me as well. I had a Realistic 8 track player in my Chevy Vega and 60-70 tapes. When the 8 track died the 8 tracks were given away. I bought a mint Pioneer H R100 player/recorder three years ago and been collecting since. And I, like you, work on/fix/fiddle with broken or newly acquired 8 tracks for an hour or so most weekends repairing/replacing/reinforcing foil splices.
And, as others have said if you can dig past the Ray Conniff and 24 Greatest Polka Hits tapes some fine music can be found at pennies a tape.
Besides, I love the sound of "Ker-Chunk."
Gerard
gridleakrick
Well-Known Member
jbl64
Active Member
Realsitic 8 track player/recorder
That is the same deck i had from between 1986-1990. It was well used and i put a lot of use into it too. Tape head needed replacing so i donated it to a local thrift store years ago. I love my old Centrex {Pioneer} 1975 that my dad had bought brand new. He used it off and on and eventually stored it away and completely had forgotten about it for years. When my dad passed away in 2007 we went thru his stuff and found it in medium box within a larger box in the attic 5 or so years later. Well wrapped with bubble wrap. Looks as new as it was back in 1975.
That is the same deck i had from between 1986-1990. It was well used and i put a lot of use into it too. Tape head needed replacing so i donated it to a local thrift store years ago. I love my old Centrex {Pioneer} 1975 that my dad had bought brand new. He used it off and on and eventually stored it away and completely had forgotten about it for years. When my dad passed away in 2007 we went thru his stuff and found it in medium box within a larger box in the attic 5 or so years later. Well wrapped with bubble wrap. Looks as new as it was back in 1975.
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hamsterdam
Well-Known Member
but....
There are of course, 8 track recorders as well
...for those time Ray Conniff just doesn't get it.
There are of course, 8 track recorders as well
...for those time Ray Conniff just doesn't get it.
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HEY! I have that tape
Nice deck, hopefully mine cleans up good and doesn't need serious work. I have a few too many projects on the table at the moment.
Nice deck, hopefully mine cleans up good and doesn't need serious work. I have a few too many projects on the table at the moment.
That is the same deck i had from between 1986-1990. It was well used and i put a lot of use into it too. Tape head needed replacing so i donated it to a local thrift store years ago. I love my old Centrex {Pioneer} 1975 that my dad had bought brand new. He used it off and on and eventually stored it away and completely had forgotten about it for years. When my dad passed away in 2007 we went thru his stuff and found it in medium box within a larger box in the attic 5 or so years later. Well wrapped with bubble wrap. Looks as new as it was back in 1975.
turbomustang
Well-Known Member
i actually loved 8 tracks and being they recorded and played back at a higher speed the sound quality was good,
i do not collect them anymore but if you do this place
http://www.katestrackshack.com/
has some
i do not collect them anymore but if you do this place
http://www.katestrackshack.com/
has some
I have a Realistic unit-same one save for yours has Dolby, while mine does not. A real tank-just keeps going.
My favorite feature is the ability to stop the tape at the splice automatically-makes repair of weak splices very convenient. Stopping a tape at the splice is otherwise an exercise in frustration.