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Title: Cassettes are cool again: Surge in popularity for the retro device has led to the revival of magnetic tape manufacturing lines
Source:
Daily Mail
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet ... tapes-threat-experts-warn.html
Published: Nov 6, 2017
Author: Shivali Best
Post Date: 2017-11-14 06:32:08 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 1165
Comments: 18
They were the must-have item of the 90s, and now, it seems cassettes are cool again. The surge in popularity for the device has led to a shortage of magnetic tape. National Audio, one of the only companies in the US that produces cassette tapes, says it has less than a year's supply left. Now, its co-owner and president Steve Stepp says he is planning to build the US' first high-grade tape manufacturing line in decades to help meet demand. Scroll down for video Experts from National Audio are developing new ways to make magnetic tape using rust and a 62-foot-long contraption that is normally used to create magnetic strips on credit cards, Wall Street Journal. If production goes to plan, the machine should produce almost four miles of tape a minute by January. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Stepp, said: 'The best tape ever made. 'People will hear a whole new product.' While you may think of cassette tapes as old-fashioned options, many people are still interested in the format. Lee Rickard, 32, co-founder of independent record label Burger Records, which is based in Orange County, a suburb of Los Angeles, explained the appeal, saying: 'Music just sounds different on tape, sometimes as it was originally intended to sound. 'Cassettes are compact, tangible, instant collectables, often with original and numbered artwork — and as cheap as a cup of coffee, so you can support your local artist without buyer's remorse. 'We worked with Green Day to produce a cassette version of their Dookie album, but most of the acts are young and unknown — for now.' Among National Audio Co's repeat customers are heavy metal band Metallica, Twenty One Pilots, and several up-and-coming bands. But cassette tape is no longer widely produced, and since 2014, when National Audio Co's main producer ceased production, stockpiles have been shrinking. Tape-making is not a simply process, and requires a finely calibrated slurry of metallic particles and polyurethane, miles of Mylar, 48 feet of ovens, a small amount of radioactivity and a very precise slicer. And while Mr Stepp has kept the details of his new production method a secret, he hopes to ship the first cassettes with the tape by January. 
They were the must-have item of the 90s, but it seems that cassette tapes are
now under threat. Experts have warned that the world is running out of
cassette tape, and new production methods are required
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 13.
#1. To: Deckard (#0)
what do you do about those devices that chew up tapes? or about tape streach
You don't fall for this crap to begin with. I was sick to death of cassettes in the '70s, eagerly awaited the arrival of CDs (development covered in the tech news of the day) and never looked back.
Though easier to use and seek tracks, I've found my CDs to be deteriorating relatively quickly. I wasn't altogther thrilled with cassette tapes either. Looking forward to 8-Tracks again. Woo-Hoo!
I have about 1,400 CDs dating back to 1983 and have never noticed any deterioration in any of them over that time. All are commercial, purchased discs, with no CD-Rs except for a handful of those containing family audio and things I created. A few years ago, I ripped all of them to 128kbps WMA format and stored them on my home media server, then archived all the discs in a basement closet. They all ripped just fine, with no evidence of visible or digital deterioration. But now I can easily transfer my collection to portable players (like my treasured Cowon J3 and my BlackBerry Z10 phone) as well as call up any song in moments via the server. Hipsters are as dumb as democRats for claiming to hear better audio via vinyl and cassettes.
"CD-Rs": THAT may be my problem. A few years ago, I ripped all of them to 128kbps WMA format and stored them on my home media server, then archived all the discs in a basement closet. They all ripped just fine, with no evidence of visible or digital deterioration. Do you suggest the WMA format over the others? And what kind of CD?
If you were using CD-Rs, that could very well be the problem; their inherent design and chemistry makes them prone to deterioration and manufacturing quality varied all over the map. My understanding is that high-humidity environments are particularly bad for CD-Rs as it can oxidize the disc materials. Commercially-pressed CDs are just that - pressed, and not 'burned' like CD-Rs, so unless they delaminate there's not much to go wrong and I've never seen one do that. I've had CD-Rs fail during recording, but for discs that worked I don't recall having any that failed later. But I live in the Northwest, where it's relatively cooler and much lower humidity than some places down south. When I decided to rip my CD collection for future use on players and servers, I did some testing with MP3 and WMA, the two universally-supported formats (except Apple never supported WMA, but I have never owned an Apple product so screw them). I found that 128k WMAs were sonically-equivalent to 192k MP3s (the level at which I couldn't tell the difference from the original CD) for my ears and were 1/3 smaller, so I went with that and have never regretted the decision.
#15. To: Hank Rearden (#13)
Commercially-pressed CDs are just that - pressed, and not 'burned' like CD-Rs, so unless they delaminate there's not much to go wrong and I've never seen one do that. Thanks. That would help explain my problem. Bummer. Lotta work has been wasted. When I decided to rip my CD collection for future use on players and servers, I did some testing with MP3 and WMA, the two universally-supported formats (except Apple never supported WMA, but I have never owned an Apple product so screw them). I found that 128k WMAs were sonically-equivalent to 192k MP3s (the level at which I couldn't tell the difference from the original CD) for my ears and were 1/3 smaller, so I went with that and have never regretted the decision. Excellent overview and advice. Thanks again.
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#3. To: paraclete (#1)
(Edited)
what do you do about those devices that chew up tapes? or about tape streach
#6. To: Hank Rearden (#3)
I was sick to death of cassettes in the '70s, eagerly awaited the arrival of CDs (development covered in the tech news of the day) and never looked back.
#9. To: Liberator (#6)
Though easier to use and seek tracks, I've found my CDs to be deteriorating relatively quickly.
#11. To: Hank Rearden (#9)
All are commercial, purchased discs, with no CD-Rs except for a handful of those containing family audio and things I created.
#13. To: Liberator (#11)
"CD-Rs": THAT may be my problem. Do you suggest the WMA format over the others? And what kind of CD?
Replies to Comment # 13. If you were using CD-Rs, that could very well be the problem; their inherent design and chemistry makes them prone to deterioration and manufacturing quality varied all over the map. My understanding is that high-humidity environments are particularly bad for CD-Rs as it can oxidize the disc materials.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 13.
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