8 TRACK TAPE REPAIR PARTS HOW TO

No more warped sounding playbacks, the ability to skip around to individual songs thanks to the digital player and for the most part it was easier to store as well. Even more concise, the compact disc strayed from using tape altogether.

The ‘80s also brought about the CD, which was then defined as the standard for sound. Working with tape, it was not uncommon to get your tape twisted or mangled, but unlike the 8-track, you were actually able in most cases to access and repair the twisted tape with the simple act of twisting a pencil through the rollers to spool out and correct the error. They were also smaller and cheaper to make.Ĭassette tapes did have their drawbacks. But over time, as the 8-track’s faults were realized and cassettes got a closer look. The cassette tape had been around and under consideration since the advent of the 8-track, but initially was seen as the inferior platform due to a slower speed and lesser sound quality.

A cassette tape allowed for a longer playing time per side, allowing artists the ability to mirror the Side A and Side B of their vinyl offerings, often with plenty of time left over to end the side. It still used tape, but came in a more concise package and with fewer drawbacks. Primarily the audio cassette took the place of the 8-track. Losing a battle on costs to cassettes, 8-track makers started to use cheaper materials, which in turn led to more issues with wear over time, upsetting some of the primary users.Īs the ‘70s turned to the ‘80s, more options became available. By the time the ‘80s rolled around, those solutions were finally realized and the 8-track was unable to compete in the eyes of the consumer. But the aforementioned drawbacks led to the desire to create a better player. The 8-track was really the first technology where you could play music other than the radio in your car. Why Did the 8-Track Tape Go Out of Style? But it's not like they didn't try to make it easier to keep track of these cartridges. Not to mention, 8-tracks were a little bulky as well, something that wasn't hugely convenient if you were behind the wheel. It sounded something like putting the needle down on the vinyl mid-song and then starting up your power before the record got up to speed. You might get a little warping of the sound, easily signifying where you mistakenly left it last. So better watch out if you leave the tape in the player too long or your car heats up in the summer sun while the tape is stuck in its resting place in the player. The other misery of the 8-track was that it didn’t hold up well to heat. It was not uncommon for 8-tracks to separate on a time limit, and the work around was the fade-out, fade-in, which even back in the ‘70s would elicit a few groans or head shakes. Then, all of a sudden, there’s a click, and the song fades back in and makes it to its completion. Imagine if you will listening to your favorite song and it just fades out in the middle of the track. Kids today, you don’t know how good you’ve got it. Launching in 1965, the 8-track soon became a must have, with most every new model of Ford offering 8-track players by the following year.

Ampex and RCA Victor showed interest, as did automotive giants such as Motorola, Ford and GM.

It was initially sold to the radio market, allowing for recordings at “broadcast speed.” By 1962, Earl “Madman” Muntz and George “Fidelipac” Eash began working on what they called a Stereo-Pak system, a four-track cartridge that could play in cars.Įventually William “Bill” Lear, a former used car salesman, saw a way in which he could improve upon the Stereo-Pak, eventually expanding it to a “Stereo 8” eight-track cartridge, which could provide up to 90 minutes of content. And we all know that cars do hit a few bumps in the road.įidelipac Cartridge then came to the table with what they referred to as “the cart.” It used an analogue magnetic tape format that was based on an endless loop system.

8 TRACK TAPE REPAIR PARTS HOW TO

The first significant ways in which we transmitted music were via vinyl players and eventually sending out songs over the radio airwaves and this was the standard for a long time, but as the vehicle industry continued to boom in the early 20th century, the question of how to translate the music experience to cars became the big question.Īccording to ARS Technica, Peter Goldmark’s Highway Hi-Fi was one of the initial attempts, but as anyone who has walked with a heavy foot near a turntable can tell you, a vinyl record option in a car was subject to skipping. The Stereo 8, or 8-track, eventually became the first primary music player used in automobiles in the ‘60s and it grew in popularity into the early and mid-‘70s.

8 track tape repair parts