Cassette Recording: Is it Worthy?
The pros and cons of older cassette multitrack recorders, what to look for when considering a tape-based unit, using cassette in tandem with your digital outfit, and more

Even though basic digital recorders have never been more affordable, there are those who continue to seek the simplicity and charm of old cassette-tape multitrackers. First arriving in the early 1980s, these bantamweight, easy-to-operate and mainly four-track “porta-studios” were a godsend for musicians who’d struggled to make anything listenable on the oversized and underwhelming reel-to-reel tape decks of the time.
Though a considerable improvement, cassettes, like reel tape, were prone to analog idiosyncrasies such as “wow” and “flutter” and also ran slower than conventional tape machines, resulting in more background noise or “hiss.” By the time the first digital multitrackers dropped a decade later, many of those who’d lived through the entire tape era were more than happy to move on.
But as the never-say-die vinyl format has shown, there remains a healthy enthusiasm for analog methods and machinery, and for those looking to dip their toes into tape, a functioning cassette four-tracker is a relatively safe place to start. Here we briefly look at the benefits and disadvantages of these digital predecessors, what to look for when considering a tape multitracker, using cassette in tandem with your digital recorder, and other thoughts.
Why cassette? At this stage, one has to ask the question. Certainly it’s not about cost—the price point for an old-stock cassette multitracker in good condition is practically the same as an entry level digital machine, and that’s not counting the blank tapes you’ll subsequently need to acquire. As far as efficiency goes, it’s hard to beat the endless record time available through microSD cards and other digital storage media, versus the roughly 45 minutes offered when using a cassette. And while some tape units come with multiple microphone and instrument inputs for connecting directly, to get the best sound you’ll still want to have the same quality signal chain out front (i.e., a good microphone through a pre-amp interface) as you would for any digital recording.
How does it sound? Getting that “old tape vibe” is typically the motive cited by those interested in cassette recording, and while there’s no denying the appeal of working with anything analog, the medium does have its sonic limits. Unlike professional reel tapes which operate at 15 inches per second or higher and come in widths up to 2 inches, cassettes are a mere 1/8” across and crawl across the heads at less than 2ips. Accordingly, many of the attributes that reel tape is famous for—the ability to handle enormous amounts of level without distorting, tremendous bass response—don’t really apply to cassette.
That said, there’s something unique about working with a cassette recorder, and particularly for those born into the digital age, it’s an opportunity to understand the discipline and workarounds required when you’re only allotted a handful of tracks. And despite the limitations, it’s possible to make decent-sounding recordings on cassette—especially if you loop in your computer once you (immediately) run out of tracks. Back in the day this part was always the Achilles heel of cassette recording—after filling tracks 1-3, you had to copy everything to track 4 in order to free up three more tracks; you’d then mix everything to a separate cassette deck, from which you would subsequently make cassette copies for the public. By the time the music reached listeners, it was already three generations removed from the original, and the noise build up could be…well, annoying.
Luckily digital has taken all that off the table, meaning you can now just fill up all four cassette tracks, mix them to your regular recording platform, then copy that back to your cassette player and continue. This approach makes the whole cassette venture that much more viable—as I recently discovered upon finally dubbing some old four-track cassette tapes to digital, and being very surprised at how good those original tapes actually sounded.
What to look for. Bear in mind that cassette tape machines contain moving parts that are upwards of four decades old, as well as record/playback and erase heads that become worn (or worn out) over time, so be sure to inquire about condition and usage first. You’ll want to regularly clean the heads with a Q-tip and some strong isopropyl alcohol, and also use a demagnetizer on occasion to keep them functioning properly. Record with higher-quality blank cassettes only, such as Maxell’s XL-II 90 high-bias tape or similar product.
Some later cassette models offered up to eight separate recording tracks, though doing so across a scant piece of tape always seemed like a dicey proposition, so four tracks is likely your best bet. For most folks, however, the cassette experience isn’t about fidelity anyway, but rather the novelty of operating an analog recording device, while also gaining some insight into how our heroes from the past managed to get so much good work done using so little technology.
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