about tapedeck
Tapedeck.org is a project of neckcns.com, built to showcase the amazing beauty and (sometimes) weirdness found in the designs of the common audio tape cassette. There's an amazing range of designs, starting from the early 60's functional cassette designs, moving through the colourful playfulness of the 70's audio tapes to amazing shape variations during the 80's and 90's. We hope you enjoy these tapes as much as we do!

about audio tapes
The compact audio cassette medium for audio storage was introduced by Philips in 1963 under the name Compact Cassette. Although there were other magnetic tape cartridge systems at the time, the Compact Cassette became dominant as a result of Philips' decision (in the face of pressure from Sony) to license the format free of charge. It went on to become a popular (and re-recordable) alternative to the vinyl record deck during the 1970s. During the 1980s, its popularity grew further as a result of the Sony Walkman, with cassette sales overtaking those of LPs. (Vinyl overall remained ahead due to greater sales of singles, although cassette singles achieved popularity for a period in the 1990s).

The mass production of compact audio cassettes began in 1965 in Hannover, Germany, as did commercial sales of prerecorded music cassettes (also known as musicassettes; MC for short). The system had been initially designed for dictation and portable use, thus the audio quality of early recorders was not well suited for music. Some early models also had unreliable mechanical design. As time went on, various improvements (in particular, the introduction of Dolby noise reduction) resulted in the format being taken seriously for musical use.

Although its use in the West has declined as a result of more advanced technologies, it remains widespread, and is still the dominant medium for listening to music in many third world countries.

In essence, the audio cassette is simply a cassette-based (and smaller) version of the older reel-to-reel tape format. It consists of two miniature reels, between which an oxide-coated plastic tape, or magnetic tape, is passed and wound. These reels (along with some other mechanical parts) are held inside a protective plastic shell.

Four single audio tracks are available on the tape. These are paired to produce two stereophonic tracks – one played when the cassette is inserted with its 'A' side facing up, and the other when it is turned over (with the 'B' side up), thus mimicking gramophone records.

(Source: Wikipedia, right here. Wikipedia Copyright stipulations apply.)

send us your tapes
Have you got some cool audio tapes lying around? Send us a picture then, we'd love to get e-mail from you!

Please take a picture of your tape on white background from straight above without using a flash. The tape should measure about 800x600 pixels on the image. Please try to use as little JPG compression as possible (quality 10 or better when saving from Photoshop) and send the files to tapes@tapedeck.org

Thanks you all so much for the contributions tapedeck.org has already received - without your input this site would be impossible. Thank you very much: Alexandru, Diego, Ahmed, George, Dominik, Marcello, Jouse, Pascal, Niko, Jaromir, Tim, Paul, Luciano, Marc, Andreas, Colin, Alexander, Roland, Maurice, Sven, Radu, Daniel, Scott, Reinhard and Ronny!



orig_0030_fisher_c-90_cr audio cassette tape

orig_0021_daimon_chromdioxid_90 audio cassette tape

basf_crsii90_090802 audio cassette tape

tdk_le_black_ar90_080417 audio cassette tape

hitachi_dl90 audio cassette tape

orig_0008_philips_cd_one_90 audio cassette tape

orig_0004_brinkmann_super_ferro_sf-i_90 audio cassette tape

ampex_472_90 audio cassette tape

basf_edition_no4_90_ii_081001 audio cassette tape

orig_0028_philips_c90_standard_quality audio cassette tape

denon_hd8_90_111214 audio cassette tape

SONY_EF_blau_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_dj2_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_ma-x_90_1a audio cassette tape

orig_0059_fuji_cdfan1_90 audio cassette tape

BASF Limited Ed. Coca Cola 90 B Side_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

BASF Limited Ed. Coca Cola 90 A Side_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_maxima_ii_mit_logo audio cassette tape

basf_lh_sm_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_sound_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_extra_ii_90c_081001 audio cassette tape

basf_gruen_c_90 audio cassette tape

basf_crsii90_090802 audio cassette tape

basf_edition_no4_90_ii_081001 audio cassette tape

tdkod audio cassette tape

sony_cdit_90 audio cassette tape

SILVER SOUND C90show_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

compact_cassette_c90 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_c_90_2_1972_090322 audio cassette tape

ampex_472_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_ma-xg_60_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_ma-x_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_ma-x_90_1a audio cassette tape

tdk_ma_c90_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_le_black_ar90_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_fe_90_080417 audio cassette tape

hitachi_dl90 audio cassette tape

EXCLUSIV-C90-Brown_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

denon_hd8_90_111214 audio cassette tape

SONY_EF_blau_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_ferric_90_071126 audio cassette tape

rekordtechnics audio cassette tape

sony-hf-90 audio cassette tape

maxell_mx_90 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_ix_90_081001 audio cassette tape

tdk_sf90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_record_90_111214 audio cassette tape

sony_ux-pro_90_111214 audio cassette tape

Super audio cassette tape

hitachi_dl_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_ad90_080417 audio cassette tape

K7-Pro-90(its a ferro)_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

memorex_90 audio cassette tape

sony_ef_rot_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_ad90_c__080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_d-c90_2_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_d-c90_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_le_white_ar90_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_ma-r90_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_ma-x90_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_sa_90_limited_090802 audio cassette tape

tdk_sf90_b__080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_le_white_ar90_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_chrome_sa-x_c-90_071126 audio cassette tape

SONY_EF_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_cding2_90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_ux-s_sfu_90a audio cassette tape

sony_ucx-s_90_1 audio cassette tape

tdkhxs audio cassette tape

soundbreeze_cr90 audio cassette tape

tdkarsp audio cassette tape

tdk_d-c90_080417 audio cassette tape

socimag_ferro_ls_x_90_081001 audio cassette tape

snc audio cassette tape

radio_shack_concertape_90 audio cassette tape

quantegy_472_90 audio cassette tape

memorexchromeii audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_s_90 audio cassette tape

lg-90 audio cassette tape

kennex_exd_90 audio cassette tape

k_mart audio cassette tape

goodmans_type_i_90 audio cassette tape

goldstar_hd90old audio cassette tape

goldstar_hd90clear audio cassette tape

FUJI-FRII-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

fuji_frmetall_90 audio cassette tape

fuji_fl90_090802 audio cassette tape

fuji_drii_90 audio cassette tape

ecp_uf_90 audio cassette tape

denon_hd6_90 audio cassette tape

bbc_cds_90_090322 audio cassette tape

basf_sound_i_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_lh-e-i_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_ferro_standard_i_90_071201 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_maxima_ii_90_111214 audio cassette tape

agfa_superferro_90+6 audio cassette tape

denon_hd8_90_111214 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90 audio cassette tape

maxell_udi90_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_k2_90_ii_081001 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90_b__080417 audio cassette tape

jvc audio cassette tape

maxell-b-90 audio cassette tape

mazda_super_cobalt_c90 audio cassette tape

memorex audio cassette tape

scotch audio cassette tape

superpila_chord-x_sf90 audio cassette tape

scotch_bx audio cassette tape

konicakxhr audio cassette tape

JESKO-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

goldstar_hd90 audio cassette tape

denon_dx1_90_080429 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_super_90 audio cassette tape

basf_record_90_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_i_90 audio cassette tape

SOUND C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

tdk_sm-x90_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_cding2_90 audio cassette tape

no_name_90 audio cassette tape

teac_mdx90 audio cassette tape

that`s_cdii90 audio cassette tape

thats_mrx_90pro audio cassette tape

toyota audio cassette tape

TRANSYLVANIA-LH90ferro_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

triad_mg-x90_1 audio cassette tape

maxell_ud90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_uds_ii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

SamsungXM-5-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

maxell_ln90 audio cassette tape

maxell_ud_ii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_udi_cd90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_udxlii-c90_090802 audio cassette tape

maxell_ur_90_071126 audio cassette tape

QHF-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

Yashimi audio cassette tape

Memorex-MRX3-Oxide-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90_081001 audio cassette tape

NIKKO C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

maxell_udii_s90_080417 audio cassette tape

OLYMPIC C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

Porst-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

radioshack_hd90_111214 audio cassette tape

radioshack_mp-x90_111214 audio cassette tape

ScotchXS2-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_extra_ii_90e_081001 audio cassette tape

Master audio cassette tape

sony_hf90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_ucx-s90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_ux_90_ii audio cassette tape

sony_hf-s_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_fxi90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_hf_90_071201 audio cassette tape

sony_hf_90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_ux90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_cr-e_ii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

International_90 audio cassette tape

BASF_LH_extra_I_90_071201 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_ix_90_2_081001 audio cassette tape

basf_cr-e_ii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_ucx-s_90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_ux_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_ux-es_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_ucx_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_hf-s90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_fxii90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_metal_sr_90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_super_ef_90_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_ux_pro_90_081001 audio cassette tape

maxell_ur90_080417 audio cassette tape

myama_ms800_c90_081001 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxidII_90_1_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

sony_hd_f90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_fx90_080417 audio cassette tape

philips_fe_i_c90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_ms_90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_metal_vertex_90_081001 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_90_071201 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_super_90_071126 audio cassette tape

anvic_ad90_111214 audio cassette tape

AUDIOSERVICE-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_super_sm_cassette_90_071126 audio cassette tape

HIFIFERRO-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

HOBBY-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

ICM-FERROCHROM-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

ICM-HIFI-CHROMDIOXID-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

acme_ms800_c90_081001 audio cassette tape

Denon-HD7-90a_111227 audio cassette tape

Emtec_SoundI_90_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_fecr_90_080417 audio cassette tape

tokaido_ferro_lownoise_c90_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

MARK-II-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

BASF-Coke-bottle-1-of-3-B-side_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

BASF-Coke-bottle-1-of-3-A-side_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chromeextraII_90_1_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

BASF-Coke-bottle-2-of-3-B-side_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

BASF-Coke-bottle-2-of-3-A-side_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

BASF-Coke-bottle-3-of-3-B-side_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

BASF-Coke-bottle-3-of-3-A-side_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_super_ii_90_081001 audio cassette tape

AUDIO-SONIC-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

akai_gx90_080429 audio cassette tape

tristar_tape_071126 audio cassette tape

thats-emx90_071126 audio cassette tape

TDK-SAX90brown_111227 audio cassette tape

TDK-SAX90_111227 audio cassette tape

Sony_ZX90_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_-_hf60_super_080417 audio cassette tape

Scotch_XSII-SX90_111227 audio cassette tape

Philips_FSX_90_111227 audio cassette tape

Maxell_XLII_90_111227 audio cassette tape

Denon-HDM_90_111227 audio cassette tape

Denon-HD7-90b_111227 audio cassette tape

BASF_C90_green_111227 audio cassette tape

Audio_plus audio cassette tape

artb_crx_90_081001 audio cassette tape

Anvic audio cassette tape

Acme audio cassette tape

sony_cdit_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_udii90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_udxlii-c90_090802 audio cassette tape

sony_cdit_i_90_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_ef_90_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_ef_90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_c_90fecr_081001 audio cassette tape

BASF_ReferenceSuperII_90_111227 audio cassette tape

scotch_xs_i_90_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_ahf_080417 audio cassette tape

skc_lx90-1_071201 audio cassette tape

SCOTCH_ferrichrome_90_111227 audio cassette tape

BASF_reCorD-II_90_111227 audio cassette tape

Philips_StudioQuality_C90_111227 audio cassette tape

KLAUS_c90_111227 audio cassette tape

BASF_goforit_90_111227 audio cassette tape

BASF_C90_111227 audio cassette tape

UNIVERSUM-C90-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

TDK-SF-90-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

TDK-SA-90-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

ROSS_C90_23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

PHILIPS-SUPER-QUALITY-C90-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

pdmagnetics_ferro_c_90_081001 audio cassette tape

NO-NAME-C90-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

MAGTAPE-C90-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

jvc_af_i_90_081001 audio cassette tape

IMG_0016-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

IMG_0011-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

BBC-CDS-90-PIC audio cassette tape

audiomagnetic_xhe_i_90_081001 audio cassette tape

toshiba_c90_t_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_ma-xg90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_chf90_071201 audio cassette tape

pioneer_n2_90_080417 audio cassette tape

pioneer_n1_90_080417 audio cassette tape

pdm_500crolyn_90_080417 audio cassette tape

COMBO-HIFI-C90-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

raks_hd-xii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

universum_super_low_noise_c90_071201 audio cassette tape

thats-mgx90_071126 audio cassette tape

thats-ex90_071126 audio cassette tape

thats_mg-x90_071126 audio cassette tape

scotch_xsii-sp_90_071126 audio cassette tape

scotch_xsii_071126 audio cassette tape

scotch_master_ii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

scotch_dynarange_90_080417 audio cassette tape

scotch_cx90_080417 audio cassette tape

philips_ferro_c90_071126 audio cassette tape

philips_fe_i_c90_071126 audio cassette tape

philips_cd_extra_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_nb_90_071201 audio cassette tape

memorex_mrx_is_90_b__080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_mrx_is_90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_hbii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_dbs90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_db90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_crx_iis_90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_-_dbs90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_udii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_mx90_071126 audio cassette tape

magna_chromdioxid_ii_s_90_080417 audio cassette tape

levis_d_90_071201 audio cassette tape

laser_90_071126 audio cassette tape

komat_i_90_080417 audio cassette tape

jvc_afii-90_071126 audio cassette tape

hmc_90_071201 audio cassette tape

fuji_zii_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_fx-i_90_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_fr_metal_90_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr90_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_90_071201 audio cassette tape

euroaudio_ex_ii_90_071201 audio cassette tape

dupont_c_90_071126 audio cassette tape

coronet_ln_c90_071201 audio cassette tape

compact_cassette_c90_071201 audio cassette tape

bush_fe90_080417 audio cassette tape

bbc_fx90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_reference_maxima_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_maxima_design_edition_90_071126 audio cassette tape

BASF_LH_extra_I_90_071201 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_extra_i_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_ferrochrom_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_ferrochrom_90_2_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_super_90_071126 audio cassette tape

akai_gx90_chrome_071126 audio cassette tape

agfa_lnx90_080417 audio cassette tape

agfa_ferrocolor_90+6_oliv_080417 audio cassette tape

agfa_c90_orange_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_cr-eii90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_cr-e_ii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_cr_maxima_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_cr_ii_focus_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_chromesuper_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_chromeextra_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_super_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_90_2_080417 audio cassette tape

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tapedeck.org responsive layout

after changing the ad layout (which only supports the site and does NOT make me rich, by the way) on tapedeck to inline, tape-sized ads i was finally able to make tapedeck even more responsive: sizing your browser now gives you 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6 columns of tapes, depending on the space available. go ahead and try it! a few pics are on facebook

Isolating Tapes 101

[photo album] http://on.fb.me/MX2BHS — isolating this denon tape was a real piece of work. Still, properly isolated tapes make better tees! Remember that. New Stuff coming soon to Tapewear!

Updates first on Facebook

to stay up to date with the tapes we post, be a fan of tapedeck on Facebook — all updates are posted there first, sometimes days before officially appearing on the site! on Facebook, you'll also get updates on the tapes we're going to post in the future: the shape of tapes to come.