Is there any interest in 8-tracks for game collectors?
I've been wondering this for a while; since 8-tracks are fairly similar to game cartridges, do game collectors have more of an interest in collecting them? Me and my family had inherited 7 or 8 boxes full of them a while ago and there up there with my records, so I'm curious to see what you guys view on it is. While it's a decade or so off from most video games, with the same feel to them as cartridges I'm thinking there might be something there.
Comments
Nope. As far as music media go, 8 tracks are pretty bad. I'm sure there are people that collect it (there are people that collect everything), but most go with the vinyl record or CD because they are better in virtually every way. Tape cassettes are making somewhat of a comeback, but I don't think the 8 track will because there isn't much about it that makes it better than its counterparts.
Are they more durable? Records and cds can get scuffed and ruined over time. I've had cassettes wear out on me and needed to be replaced. Never actually used 8-track, though. About the same durability as VHS? Which seems to hold up better than some of my audio cassettes.
I found one that was used by GM dealers to showoff the 8-track player in their cars, and I have one that was signed by the artist, Kitty Wells. I'd like to sell the Wells someday.
I think that's about it.
Nope. As far as music media go, 8 tracks are pretty bad. I'm sure there are people that collect it (there are people that collect everything), but most go with the vinyl record or CD because they are better in virtually every way. Tape cassettes are making somewhat of a comeback, but I don't think the 8 track will because there isn't much about it that makes it better than its counterparts.
Are they more durable? Records and cds can get scuffed and ruined over time. I've had cassettes wear out on me and needed to be replaced. Never actually used 8-track, though. About the same durability as VHS? Which seems to hold up better than some of my audio cassettes.
8 tracks and cassettes use the same technology, or similar enough that the degrading rate would be similar to cassettes and VHS (i.e., wearing out through play or degrading due to environmental factors).
Nope. As far as music media go, 8 tracks are pretty bad. I'm sure there are people that collect it (there are people that collect everything), but most go with the vinyl record or CD because they are better in virtually every way. Tape cassettes are making somewhat of a comeback, but I don't think the 8 track will because there isn't much about it that makes it better than its counterparts.
Are they more durable? Records and cds can get scuffed and ruined over time. I've had cassettes wear out on me and needed to be replaced. Never actually used 8-track, though. About the same durability as VHS? Which seems to hold up better than some of my audio cassettes.
8 tracks and cassettes use the same technology, or similar enough that the degrading rate would be similar to cassettes and VHS (i.e., wearing out through play or degrading due to environmental factors).
Yeah, I get that aspect of it but I've seen wear more with audio cassettes so I was just wondering if the bigger tape itself had something to do with added durability. Seems plausible but I don't really know. Perhaps thickness would be a factor? All things I don't know and I'm just throwing out there in response to whether there is a benefit to collecting a tape based product.
Nope. As far as music media go, 8 tracks are pretty bad. I'm sure there are people that collect it (there are people that collect everything), but most go with the vinyl record or CD because they are better in virtually every way. Tape cassettes are making somewhat of a comeback, but I don't think the 8 track will because there isn't much about it that makes it better than its counterparts.
Are they more durable? Records and cds can get scuffed and ruined over time. I've had cassettes wear out on me and needed to be replaced. Never actually used 8-track, though. About the same durability as VHS? Which seems to hold up better than some of my audio cassettes.
It was a miserable format. The only thing they really had going for them was that for automobile use they were better than the competing formats back when. But that day is long past.
The tapes themselves were very susceptible to jamming and breaking (they were this weird continuous loop contraption). (They usually could be repaired but it was a pain in the butt to do so - I made my beer money in college by fixing them for people). The players had a moving head that would adjust up and down to match four pairs of stereo tracks (hence eight track) - those heads would sooner or later get out of alignment and in cars you would have to take out the unit to adjust the head (if the manufacturer bothered to make a provision to adjust the head) and put it back in. Most people resorted to jamming matchbooks at the top or bottom of the cartridge while they were in the machine to try to get the tape back in alignment with the head.
In addition the tapes wear simply due to use (it was a contact medium after all) - plus the tapes are now old enough that physical degradation of the tape itself (even if never used) is very possible - eventually the magnetic coating starts to flake off the base.
To the best of my knowledge the only collector's market for 8 tracks are for the quadrasonic (an early four channel system) tapes.
Nope. As far as music media go, 8 tracks are pretty bad. I'm sure there are people that collect it (there are people that collect everything), but most go with the vinyl record or CD because they are better in virtually every way. Tape cassettes are making somewhat of a comeback, but I don't think the 8 track will because there isn't much about it that makes it better than its counterparts.
Are they more durable? Records and cds can get scuffed and ruined over time. I've had cassettes wear out on me and needed to be replaced. Never actually used 8-track, though. About the same durability as VHS? Which seems to hold up better than some of my audio cassettes.
I don't think so. The external case may be, but I'm pretty sure the tape itself isn't very durable or really made to last. They're notorious, even more so than VHS and tape cassettes, for being eaten. There is also bleed-through where two tracks will play at the same time.
But I didn't grow up with an 8-track player in my car so I have no nostalgia for the little bargain bin space takers.
As an odd aside I once had an 8 track copy of Tres Hombres by ZZ Tops. For some reason the song La Grange was missing the vocals. It was great goofing on my friends when I first played it for them and they would keep waiting (as I first did) for the vocals that would never appear.
I often wonder how many cool things like this get lost to the vestiges of time. I was once listening to the Greg Kihn show before it went off air, and he played an extended version of Jimmy Castor Bunch's "Troglodyte" that was only ever released on some rare LP or albumn way back when. To this day I haven't been able to find any mention or upload of it since.
As an odd aside I once had an 8 track copy of Tres Hombres by ZZ Tops. For some reason the song La Grange was missing the vocals. It was great goofing on my friends when I first played it for them and they would keep waiting (as I first did) for the vocals that would never appear.
I often wonder how many cool things like this get lost to the vestiges of time. I was once listening to the Greg Kihn show before it went off air, and he played an extended version of Jimmy Castor Bunch's "Troglodyte" that was only ever released on some rare LP or albumn way back when. To this day I haven't been able to find any mention or upload of it since.
Looks like it might have been a 12" single.
https://www.discogs.com/Jimmy-Castor-Bunch-Its-Just-Begun-Troglodyte-Cave-Man/master/1071166
There is also this with some different mixes:
https://www.dustygroove.com/item/43765/Jimmy+Castor+Bunch:Troglodyte+(Cave+Man)+(prehistoric+rmx,+orig+mix,+intro+remix,+freestyle+rmx,+name+vac)
If you are going to "collect" any music formats please use vinyl and CDs.
8-tracks and cassettes are honestly the absolute "worst" way to listen to music in my opinion.
If you are going to "collect" any music formats please use vinyl and CDs.
To be fair, if you're listening to really low quality music (perhaps something like raw black metal or ambient/noise) having it crystal clear actually hurts the experience so cassettes are viable for certain genres. A lot of stuff I listen to is released exclusively on either vinyl or cassette. Though, this is a very niche thing. Your average music, yes, does sound better when it's in a higher quality format.
8-tracks and cassettes are honestly the absolute "worst" way to listen to music in my opinion.
If you are going to "collect" any music formats please use vinyl and CDs.
To be fair, if you're listening to really low quality music (perhaps something like raw black metal or ambient/noise) having it crystal clear actually hurts the experience so cassettes are viable for certain genres. A lot of stuff I listen to is released exclusively on either vinyl or cassette. Though, this is a very niche thing. Your average music, yes, does sound better when it's in a higher quality format.
I am having a very hard time understanding what you mean, in all respect of course.
I am not into black metal or any of that super heavy stuff although I can respect some of the musicians for their technicality but that is an exception in most genres.
I guess the only thing I can compare it to is watching horror flicks on VHS over Blu-Ray because the crisp quality of the images can sometimes take away from the practical effects and make them appear less real etc.
You would honestly just have to send me an examples so I can compare.
It's kind like that episode of Everybody Love's Raymond where Ray buys his dad a fancy CD player and all of his favorite records, and his dad doesn't like it because the imperfections of the vinyl were part of the experience.
That, and cassettes are easier to find and often cheaper, and my car's cassette player works better than the CD player. Someday I'll get an after-market set that I can just connect to via bluetooth or Aux.
Edit: ^^^ Also, what he says.
You really can't get a better sound than a vinyl that is in good condition, with a high quality turn table and proper stereo setup will always beat out CDs in terms of sound quality or any digital format for that matter.
The hiss and pops you hear from vinyl is from dummies who didn't take care of their records, similar to that of people who leave CDs out and they skip when scratched it isn't because vinyl just makes those noises naturally.
That, and cassettes are easier to find and often cheaper, and my car's cassette player works better than the CD player. Someday I'll get an after-market set that I can just connect to via bluetooth or Aux.
It's funny because I have a cassette player in my car that I can hook up through AUX and I also have all my Hell cassettes in there with it.
Vinyl is actually "much" superior sound quality to that of a CD however you "do" require some nice equipment for it to reach that level of sound quality.
You really can't get a better sound than a vinyl that is in good condition, with a high quality turn table and proper stereo setup will always beat out CDs in terms of sound quality or any digital format for that matter.
The hiss and pops you hear from vinyl is from dummies who didn't take care of their records, similar to that of people who leave CDs out and they skip when scratched it isn't because vinyl just makes those noises naturally.
I'm not much of a sound expert, I was just providing an example of how someone can enjoy imperfections in a format. Clarity doesn't nessecarily equal a better experience. It depends on who's listening to the music and what they prefer.
It's kinda like the modern signal conversion boxes for video games with scanline generators. It's a degraded experience, but people like it for whatever reason.
Now, if I'm listening to Katy Perry or Kanye West, sure, I'd prefer crisp and clear audio. That experience is better the closer to perfection the format reaches.
That, and cassettes are easier to find and often cheaper, and my car's cassette player works better than the CD player. Someday I'll get an after-market set that I can just connect to via bluetooth or Aux.
It's funny because I have a cassette player in my car that I can hook up through AUX and I also have all my Hell cassettes in there with it.
I used to have one of those Cassette to AUX converters when I was in middle school, but it never really worked right. My buddy also had one of those radio transmitters that never really worked right and were faded out quite quickly.
When I was in high school, I bought a cheap radio that had AUX and I prefered that because I could use my iPod instead of having all sorts of other media to carry around with me.
Vinyl is actually "much" superior sound quality to that of a CD however you "do" require some nice equipment for it to reach that level of sound quality.
You really can't get a better sound than a vinyl that is in good condition, with a high quality turn table and proper stereo setup will always beat out CDs in terms of sound quality or any digital format for that matter.
The hiss and pops you hear from vinyl is from dummies who didn't take care of their records, similar to that of people who leave CDs out and they skip when scratched it isn't because vinyl just makes those noises naturally.
I'm not much of a sound expert, I was just providing an example of how someone can enjoy imperfections in a format. Clarity doesn't nessecarily equal a better experience. It depends on who's listening to the music and what they prefer.
It's kinda like the modern signal conversion boxes for video games with scanline generators. It's a degraded experience, but people like it for whatever reason.
Now, if I'm listening to Katy Perry or Kanye West, sure, I'd prefer crisp and clear audio. That experience is better the closer to perfection the format reaches.
Oh trust me I am not going to be the dude who will not buy a record or something because it has a few hiss or pops but if it is constant....No way.
Vinyl is actually "much" superior sound quality to that of a CD however you "do" require some nice equipment for it to reach that level of sound quality.
You really can't get a better sound than a vinyl that is in good condition, with a high quality turn table and proper stereo setup will always beat out CDs in terms of sound quality or any digital format for that matter.
The hiss and pops you hear from vinyl is from dummies who didn't take care of their records, similar to that of people who leave CDs out and they skip when scratched it isn't because vinyl just makes those noises naturally.
I'm not much of a sound expert, I was just providing an example of how someone can enjoy imperfections in a format. Clarity doesn't nessecarily equal a better experience. It depends on who's listening to the music and what they prefer.
It's kinda like the modern signal conversion boxes for video games with scanline generators. It's a degraded experience, but people like it for whatever reason.
Now, if I'm listening to Katy Perry or Kanye West, sure, I'd prefer crisp and clear audio. That experience is better the closer to perfection the format reaches.
Oh trust me I am not going to be the dude who will not buy a record or something because it has a few hiss or pops but if it is constant....No way.
You really shouldn't listen to the stuff I'm into.
Vinyl is actually "much" superior sound quality to that of a CD however you "do" require some nice equipment for it to reach that level of sound quality.
You really can't get a better sound than a vinyl that is in good condition, with a high quality turn table and proper stereo setup will always beat out CDs in terms of sound quality or any digital format for that matter.
The hiss and pops you hear from vinyl is from dummies who didn't take care of their records, similar to that of people who leave CDs out and they skip when scratched it isn't because vinyl just makes those noises naturally.
I'm not much of a sound expert, I was just providing an example of how someone can enjoy imperfections in a format. Clarity doesn't nessecarily equal a better experience. It depends on who's listening to the music and what they prefer.
It's kinda like the modern signal conversion boxes for video games with scanline generators. It's a degraded experience, but people like it for whatever reason.
Now, if I'm listening to Katy Perry or Kanye West, sure, I'd prefer crisp and clear audio. That experience is better the closer to perfection the format reaches.
Oh trust me I am not going to be the dude who will not buy a record or something because it has a few hiss or pops but if it is constant....No way.
You really shouldn't listen to the stuff I'm into.
Probably not.
Vinyl is actually "much" superior sound quality to that of a CD however you "do" require some nice equipment for it to reach that level of sound quality.
You really can't get a better sound than a vinyl that is in good condition, with a high quality turn table and proper stereo setup will always beat out CDs in terms of sound quality or any digital format for that matter.
The hiss and pops you hear from vinyl is from dummies who didn't take care of their records, similar to that of people who leave CDs out and they skip when scratched it isn't because vinyl just makes those noises naturally.
I'm not much of a sound expert, I was just providing an example of how someone can enjoy imperfections in a format. Clarity doesn't nessecarily equal a better experience. It depends on who's listening to the music and what they prefer.
It's kinda like the modern signal conversion boxes for video games with scanline generators. It's a degraded experience, but people like it for whatever reason.
Now, if I'm listening to Katy Perry or Kanye West, sure, I'd prefer crisp and clear audio. That experience is better the closer to perfection the format reaches.
Oh trust me I am not going to be the dude who will not buy a record or something because it has a few hiss or pops but if it is constant....No way.
And I certainly enjoy viynl as well, I have a few and I hope to have a nice collection someday with a nice setup like you outlined.
I think there is something relaxing about putting a record on that you don't get from a CD or the like.