Passage 8-Track audio sample

[Kristopher]

Made a video just a bit ago showing how amazing stereo-8 cartridges can sound being analogue to analogue. This came up recently and decided to let people hear for themselves who insist they have hissing when mine don’t. Let me know what you think.

 

[Mark-T]

Thanks for this! It was a fun listen- and I didn't hear any hiss at all. You obviously took better care of your 8-Tracks compared to me!

 

[CarpentersToYou]

That was fun to hear ! Thanks!

 

[Murray]

Back in the day, I'm sure that my 8-tracks would have sounded better if I'd ever bothered to clean the rollers, and clean and demagnetize the tape head. Now I almost regret donating all my 8-tracks to the Salvation Army!

You named your cat Richard Carpenter, how cool is that! We should make him the forum's honorary mascot - we even have a smiley that looks just like him!

 

[jaredjohnfisher]

Made a video just a bit ago showing how amazing stereo-8 cartridges can sound being analogue to analogue. This came up recently and decided to let people hear for themselves who insist they have hissing when mine don’t. Let me know what you think.

Sounds great! Nice to see and hear you as well! For some reason, I purchased very few 8-tracks in the 70's--the format simply didn't grab me. I do recall riding in my friend's brand new '79 Olds Cutlass Supreme. For its time, it had a great stereo! I remember how great the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack sounded on 8-track! I wholeheartedly agree with you; taking care of one's recordings--regardless of the format--can make a WORLD of difference in the sound!! I've always been a bit OCD about my vinyl, but my records play almost flawlessly!

 

[Jamesj75]

And Kristopher becomes a trailblazer here at the Corner... Kudos!

 

[Kristopher]

Thanks for this! It was a fun listen- and I didn't hear any hiss at all. You obviously took better care of your 8-Tracks compared to me!

Back then a lot of people just didn’t know. You should lift your tape with gloves and clean the roller using 91% alcohol. Wait for it to dry and reel the tape back in. No surface noise to build on the film.

Back in the day, I'm sure that my 8-tracks would have sounded better if I'd ever bothered to clean the rollers, and clean and demagnetize the tape head. Now I almost regret donating all my 8-tracks to the Salvation Army!

You named your cat Richard Carpenter, how cool is that! We should make him the forum's honorary mascot - we even have a smiley that looks just like him!

I have a female cat named Karen Carpenter as well they look like twins. I still have the Carpenters kitties’ parents so they are one big happy family.

A lot of people tell me they regret it as well after coming over and hearing it for themselves. People think I’m NUTS when I play the Beatles, carpenters, Fleetwood Mac ect on 8-Track for sound quality when I don’t want to flip a record. They listen and all have the “wow” reaction. Negative conceptions that exist about tapes aren’t true. If the silver foil snap from age, you put a new one on. Pads wearing down and programs not changing? Put new ones in.

I made this video as I personally feel as an audiophile these sound slightly better then the 2017 vinyl reissues, as they were taken from a digital source and not the master tapes. The 8-Tracks DID. The new LPs lack the clarity of vocals and instruments I hear on the cartridges. Everyone has different ears so if you like digital 0’s and 1’s then listen to that. I’m analogue all the way. As cassettes came about, record labels started making their tapes cheap quality on purpose like switching to plastic rollers instead of soft ones. Glad people took the time to listen.