• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Cassette Tapes Value or Dispose

tcdriver

tcdriver

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I have some used cassette tapes, mostly TDK D series. Do they have any value? If not, what is the best way to dispose of them? My best understanding is that they are not suitable for the recycle bin because of the materials used in the tape.

casette tapes cropped.JPG
 
Register to hide this ad
recored cassettes are only of value to the orig person who made them. of course a quality player is also needed.
Now maybe A rare live recording on Maybe Elvis, or some other rarity might have some value.
Yea regular Garbage only. Speaking as a former Sanitation Superintendent for NYC
 
tcdriver said:
I have some used cassette tapes, mostly TDK D series. Do they have any value? If not, what is the best way to dispose of them? My best understanding is that they are not suitable for the recycle bin because of the materials used in the tape.

View attachment 2220631
Click to expand...
Recordable cassettes do have value as long as they can still be used to record. Place them for sale on BT for a fair price and they will sell.
 
TDK D series tapes are Type I, right? If so, they're really only suitable for voice recordings; they give pretty poor results when used for music, as I discovered many years ago. As eiraved suggests above, if you offer them on Craigslist as a big lot really cheap, no one will buy them unless they have a use for them, and that's better than them winding up in a landfill.
 
sorry but used TDK D is no one wanted. worth 0. The best way to get rid of it is post as FREE in facebook, craigslist etc. Some one will come to pick up. God know what they will do with it but it wont be your problem any more.
 
People only buy them to rerecord. Are the tabs punched? Are the j-cards written on? Most appear to be labeled, are there additional labels in the cases? All of that adds or subtracts from value. I agree that most type I are a hard sell. The example above included a zippered tape case. That was probably half the value.
 
Personally I would just give them away on market place or CL. Its good to know someone wants to use them and its a Karma thing too.
 
Let's put this into perspective. The TDK Type D cassettes are not good for decent audio recordings. they will sound lousy.
At garage sales I have been buying used TDK SA and Maxell XLII tapes for $.50 apiece. So that puts the value of used Type D tapes at somewhere around $0. eiraved got some money for his; that was a lucky break, IMO.
 
Even thought there's a trend toward this format right now, the pre-recorded won't be worth much. As already mentioned if they were of commercial variety, and if they were some later, little known artists...these cassettes might bring some coin.

If you got a garage, it's a good way to bring tunes into that place. This is my source there. The players can still be gotten pretty cheaply...and and the cassettes aren't much either. A new hobby?:bigok:

Q
 
You would be shocked at the amount of first 8 track tapes, then cassettes, So many LP's need I even mention VHS tapes and Players.
and i'm sure now CD's are dumped in the Garbage stream. Just the way it is.
In at least the past 15 years, Say a sanitation worker goes to pu some refuse out at the curb,
on Collection day, and in between the bags of garbage there's a perfect Macintosh 240, and
C22 pre amp on the ground, If he/she places it in the cab or side bin,to take home or resell
and not in the Hopper
he will be subject to severe disciplinary charges, and can be fired!
 
Last edited:
Yeah, TDK Ds were pretty terrible. Back when I started in audio, when I got my first tape deck, I bought some Ds, figuring that they were TDK, so they were good, right? Took me a while to realize that it wasn't my tape deck that sounded bad, it was the tapes.
 
I disagree with those suggesting that these are only suitable for the trash. I've made good recordings on TDK D tapes from most generations. They're certainly not just for voice recordings only. I'd say you could handily get $10 for the lot, but considering that, I know someone would take them off your hands if you just want to be rid of them.
 
I agree that recording quality wise they are not as good as type II or IV, but LOTS (and I mean LOTS) of folks used type I's to record music back in the day, including record labels.

I'd ask 5 bucks for the whole lot and if they don't sell in a reasonable amount of time, list them for free/shipping only.
 
Did you guys ever do a record / playback frequency response test on D tape? Try it, you won't think they are so good then.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom