turnitup
No, the stereo won’t break the crystal...Oh CRAP!
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Any sense looking for a "higher end" 8 track player?
- Thread starter tourmax
- Start date
Kodaline
Super Member
Y'all don't know quad 8 tracks? Thought everyone here was old. 
Yes, a quad deck has 4 outs. Use the front two for stereo. Quad cartridges will trigger quad mode. Some players have 2 or 4 channel mode buttons as well. Some of them, you can hit 4 and you'll get one of the other programs in the rear speakers if you've got a stereo tape in there. Others know it's stereo and lock it out. I have an Akai quad 8 deck and a Pioneer stereo 8 deck.
8 tracks sound bad, however, they do a few things for me. One, they can play in my old cars from the 70s in stock form. Two, they are cheap. Three, for quad, while the fidelity sucked compared to quad LPs, the channel separation was much better.
Yes, a quad deck has 4 outs. Use the front two for stereo. Quad cartridges will trigger quad mode. Some players have 2 or 4 channel mode buttons as well. Some of them, you can hit 4 and you'll get one of the other programs in the rear speakers if you've got a stereo tape in there. Others know it's stereo and lock it out. I have an Akai quad 8 deck and a Pioneer stereo 8 deck.
8 tracks sound bad, however, they do a few things for me. One, they can play in my old cars from the 70s in stock form. Two, they are cheap. Three, for quad, while the fidelity sucked compared to quad LPs, the channel separation was much better.
1tumbleweed
Kozmik Kowboy
There's no encoding on a quad 8T - there are four discrete channels. So, unlike quad LPs, you really can't play a quad 8T on a standard 2ch player - well, you can, but you'll lose the back channels.
Quad reels are the same as 8Ts - four actual separate channels.
Quad reels are the same as 8Ts - four actual separate channels.
maxhifi
Addicted Member
When I first heard a Sony 8-track player, it was a bit of a revelation, it sounded so much better than the cheap all in one units I'd previously been exposed to. IMO not that different than 3 3/4 IPS reel to reel with a really good cartridge.
My biggest problem with 8 tracks is not a technical one - most of the music I listen to is too new to have been ever released on 8-track, which sort of defeats the purpose of owning one.
My biggest problem with 8 tracks is not a technical one - most of the music I listen to is too new to have been ever released on 8-track, which sort of defeats the purpose of owning one.
Nimbley
Active Member
I grew up with 8-track tapes in all my families cars. I remember swapping tapes on road trips and it brings back fond memories. My first car actually had the factory 8-track still in it. I made recordings from Metallica, The Cult, ... from my albums and cassettes to listen to in the car. I do remember sound quality was hit or miss depending on how you adjusted the azimuth (tweaked the angle of the tape). I did end up getting a Kraco cassette adapter but didn't use it much as it sounded way worse than recorded 8-tracks.
I got a pile of tapes and a Realistic player a few years ago in a bundle with some other stuff. I learned right away to not play any tape until you take it apart and replace the foil splice tape. Pulling a hundred feet of tape out of a deck is no fun. The sound quality is as I remember. I don't play 8-tracks much but its nice to have a player when you come across a $1 gem at a thrift store or something.
I got a pile of tapes and a Realistic player a few years ago in a bundle with some other stuff. I learned right away to not play any tape until you take it apart and replace the foil splice tape. Pulling a hundred feet of tape out of a deck is no fun. The sound quality is as I remember. I don't play 8-tracks much but its nice to have a player when you come across a $1 gem at a thrift store or something.
Ziinda
Active Member
There's a reason for that.
This is one case where you can't say that "new music has 8-track to thank!"
Kodaline
Super Member
The format has its drawbacks, but is portable quad, which is neat. I laugh at people who are like "this sucks" yet they don't have the capability to design something better. Or people who live now and think people who lived previously were somehow lesser because technology was less advanced when they themselves have not contributed much.
8 tracks are a source of quad recordings, they're cheap, and it's another format for variety.
8 tracks are a source of quad recordings, they're cheap, and it's another format for variety.
I ran across somewhere-have no idea of where, now, a new tool for repairing 8 tracks (specifically for opening them up)
Take a full size clothes pin, and wrap a thick rubber band around the handle ends-effectively opening the jaw as far as it can go. Now, squeeze the jaws together so it can fit into the middle slot of the cartridge. If you are just a bit careful, you will not damage the tape, and it will apply a strong force, so that when you release opening tabs, the front will pop open nicely. It's like a 3rd hand.
If you get into playing 8 tracks, you will be needing to replace foam pads and splices-take my word for it!
Take a full size clothes pin, and wrap a thick rubber band around the handle ends-effectively opening the jaw as far as it can go. Now, squeeze the jaws together so it can fit into the middle slot of the cartridge. If you are just a bit careful, you will not damage the tape, and it will apply a strong force, so that when you release opening tabs, the front will pop open nicely. It's like a 3rd hand.
If you get into playing 8 tracks, you will be needing to replace foam pads and splices-take my word for it!
1tumbleweed
Kozmik Kowboy
Dude: Your suggestion is helpful, but folks who try this should be aware it will only work with certain types of carts. There are quite a few different shells, so that method likely won't be effective on those that have press-fit pins rather than tabs, or a variant type of locking device.
I can think of certain shells which defy any attempt at opening....the (thankfully) scarce Quixonic among them.
I can think of certain shells which defy any attempt at opening....the (thankfully) scarce Quixonic among them.
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I’m still trying to figure out how that would work. I know which cartridges he’s referring to but I’m not quite sure how you do that but I’m damn sure going to experiment with it.
Yes, many variants on shells, but the majority do require spreading the shell apart at the 'business' end. while releasing a tab or tabs, and I have found the clothespin tool a big help. Exceptions are sure to show up and make me curse (again).
Ok, re-reading this at home I get it now! Even still, some of those cartridges are a bastard to get into. I think I may repair a few more now that I am inspired to do so.
There are several videos on the Tube, which are very helpful. Just search ‘how to open a GRT 8 track cartridge’ or whatever brand you have in front of you.
62vauxhall
Addicted Member
The only cartridges that I've used a clothes pin when opening, have been those with a metal rivet holding the halves together. The rivet is heated with a soldering iron tip and the clothes pin is used to spread the halves apart as the pin heats up. It takes just two hands to do that.