The Music Keeps on Playing With a Cassette Tape Recorder
Cassette tapes were a standard means of recording and playing music in the 1970s and 1980s. They were especially in demand as the medium for the first portable music players, like the Sony Walkman. If you have a stash of cassettes that long to be heard again, check out the collection of affordable cassette tape recorders on eBay, where you will find many new and pre-owned models.
What are the features of these cassette tape recorders?Due to the high demand for cassette recorders and players, there are many variations on the basic tape cassette player. In the eBay collection you can find models with some of the following features:
- Dual cassettes with high speed dubbing - This feature allows you to record from one cassette to another quickly.
- Cassette player/CD player combination - These players are designed to allow you to listen to either cassettes or CDs.
- AM/FM tuner - You can listen either to the radio or to recorded media with this type of player.
- Headphone jack and stereo connection - Keep in mind that most of the models in this collection are meant to be components of a larger stereo system. You will need speakers or another output device to listen to music.
- Auto-reverse - This feature allows for constant music. When one side of a tape finishes, the machine automatically plays the other side.
- USB connection - This connection makes it possible to turn cassette tapes into digital files.
- Portability - A few of the cassette tape recorders are made to run on battery power and can be carried for portable recording.
There are many brands of cassette tape recorder available on eBay. Some of the brands featured in this collection are
- Sony
- Technics
- Panasonic
- JVC
- TEAC
- Marantz
- Yamaha
The cassette recorder and player that you want is dependent on your listening and recording needs. Most of the models in this collection can be incorporated into your sound system for basic stereo playback. If you are using the device for recording an interview, lecture, or meeting, you will want a portable tape recorder like the Retro-39 Shoebox Cassette Tape Recorder by QFX. If you need to record from cassette to cassette, making copies of older cassettes or creating a mix tape, a model like the TEAC W-410 with dual cassettes and high-speed dubbing might be an appropriate choice. If you are hoping to preserve old family recordings, you may appreciate a model like the Marantz PMD-300CP, which features a USB port, allowing for conversion from tape to MP3.