Audio Cassettes: The End Of An Era - 8th May 2007 11:51am
Originally Posted by BBC News
The digital world has finally caught up with the humble audio cassette as electrical retailer Currys announced it will stop stocking them.
Last year Currys sold just 100,000 tapes compared with 83 million in 1989.
The store will also phase out tape decks, which are currently available in less than 5% of audio equipment.
Currys said that the tape was no longer able to compete with MP3 players - some of which store the equivalent albums as 1,500 cassettes.
Last year Currys sold just 100,000 tapes compared with 83 million in 1989.
The store will also phase out tape decks, which are currently available in less than 5% of audio equipment.
Currys said that the tape was no longer able to compete with MP3 players - some of which store the equivalent albums as 1,500 cassettes.
Its sad to see it going this way, but hey its 44 years old now, its outlived VHS, seen off DAT, Minidisc, DCC, Stereo8 and formed the basis for many video technologies like Hi8 and data storage solutions like the the 3M DC.
Personally, although standard Ferric Oxide tapes give decent sound, I have always used Chrome or on rare occasions full metal tapes. The sound quality out of metal is near-CD quality, and Chrome is a good in-between.
Im pretty sure one will still be able to buy cssettes in many places for the next few years, it willd probably hit 50 before its gone completely. Lets see if MP3's and their players are still around in their current form in 40 years time...
BBC News Report