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

ampex_472_90 audio cassette tape

basf_edition_no4_90_ii_081001 audio cassette tape

orig_0037_pdm_cd_x_60 audio cassette tape

tdk_dj2_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_sound_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_extra_ii_90c_081001 audio cassette tape

basf_crsii90_090802 audio cassette tape

basf_edition_no4_90_ii_081001 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_maxima_ii_60_111214 audio cassette tape

SILVER SOUND C90show_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_c_90_2_1972_090322 audio cassette tape

ampex_472_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_sa_80_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_sa_60 audio cassette tape

denon_hd8_90_111214 audio cassette tape

orwo_audio_cr_e_ii_hifi_60_1_1989 audio cassette tape

tdk_black_limited_sa60_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_record_90_111214 audio cassette tape

sony_ux-pro_90_111214 audio cassette tape

sony_cditii_74 audio cassette tape

memorex_90 audio cassette tape

SONY-UCX-S-60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

sony100 audio cassette tape

tdk_sa_90_limited_090802 audio cassette tape

tdk_sa-x_100_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_sf46 audio cassette tape

tdk_sf90_b__080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_chrome_sa-x_c-90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_maxima_ii_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_extra_ii_60e_081001 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

sony_ux50_chiara audio cassette tape

SONY-WALKMAN-100_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

soundbreeze_cr90 audio cassette tape

sony_cditii_60 audio cassette tape

quantegy_472_90 audio cassette tape

memorexchromeii audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_s_90 audio cassette tape

FUJI-FRII-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

fuji_drii_90 audio cassette tape

denon_hd6_90 audio cassette tape

bbc_cds_90_090322 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_maxima_ii_90_111214 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_c_60_2_1972_090322 audio cassette tape

maxell_udii_120_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90 audio cassette tape

orwo_audio_cr_e_ii_hifi_60_2_1989 audio cassette tape

fuji_k2_90_ii_081001 audio cassette tape

hitachiud audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90_b__080417 audio cassette tape

maxell-b-90 audio cassette tape

sound_2000_chrom_60 audio cassette tape

radioshack_hd60 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii audio cassette tape

konicakxhr audio cassette tape

ICM HIFI CHROMDIOXID C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_super_90 audio cassette tape

basf_record_90_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_sm-x90_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_cding2_90 audio cassette tape

that`s_cdii90 audio cassette tape

the_band_basf_a_080417 audio cassette tape

toshiba_c-60ax audio cassette tape

TRAVELLERS SOUND C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

VISONIK C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

maxell_uds_ii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_-_udii_60_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_ud_ii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_udii-s_120_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_udxlii-c90_090802 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii-s100_071126 audio cassette tape

orwo_cre_ii_60_090811 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_90_081001 audio cassette tape

NIKKO C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

maxell_udii_s90_080417 audio cassette tape

MaxellXL2-60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

permachrom_c60_090802 audio cassette tape

Porst-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

radioshack_hd90_111214 audio cassette tape

ScotchXS2-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

SHAPE C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_extra_ii_90e_081001 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_maxima_ii_60_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_ucx-s90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_ux_90_ii audio cassette tape

sony_ux_s_60_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_ux60_071201 audio cassette tape

sony_ux90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_cr-e_ii_90_071126 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

hgs_cro2_60_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_fxii90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_ux_pro_90_081001 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxidII_90_1_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

orwo_60_schwarzweiss_hell_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_sxii60_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_ms_90_071126 audio cassette tape

orwo_cr_e_ii_60 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_super_90_071126 audio cassette tape

AGFA-STEREOCHROM-60+6_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

AUDIO-CLUB-CHROMDIOXID-C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

AUDIO-SONIC-C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

AUDIOSERVICE-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

HOBBY-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

ICM-HIFI-CHROMDIOXID-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

Denon-HD7-90a_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_-_ux-s60_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_cd-it_pro_74_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_-_ux60_080417 audio cassette tape

skc_pure_chrom_c60_071126 audio cassette tape

tokaido_chromdioxide_super_c60_2_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

MARK-II-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

Kamichi-C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_extra_ii_60c_081001 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

EUROCHROM-C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxidii_60_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_super_ii_90_081001 audio cassette tape

AUDIO-SONIC-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

AUDIO-CLUB-CHROMDIOXID-C60-show_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

akai_gx90_080429 audio cassette tape

vision_-_chromdioxid_60_080417 audio cassette tape

tokaido_super_chrome_071126 audio cassette tape

thats-emx90_071126 audio cassette tape

TDK-SAX90brown_111227 audio cassette tape

TDK-SAX90_111227 audio cassette tape

Sony_UX-S_60_111227 audio cassette tape

Scotch_XSII-SX90_111227 audio cassette tape

Philips_UltraChrome_C60_111227 audio cassette tape

Maxell_XLII_90_111227 audio cassette tape

Mart_Chroomdioxide_C60_111227 audio cassette tape

Denon-HD7-90b_111227 audio cassette tape

DENON_hd6_60_111227 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_sm_cassette_120_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_sm_120_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_120_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_120_2_071126 audio cassette tape

artb_crx_90_081001 audio cassette tape

Anvic audio cassette tape

agfa_crii_120_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_cdit_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_cdit_ii_74_081001 audio cassette tape

MARK II C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

maxell_udii90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_udxlii-c90_090802 audio cassette tape

tdk_cding2_60_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_cdit_ii_64_081001 audio cassette tape

maxell_xlii_100_071126 audio cassette tape

Scotch-C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

BASF_SM_60_111227 audio cassette tape

BASF_ReferenceSuperII_90_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_chiara_ux70_071126 audio cassette tape

BASF_reCorD-II_90_111227 audio cassette tape

Magna_Chromdioxid_60_111227 audio cassette tape

BASF_goforit_90_111227 audio cassette tape

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

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

mallory_duratape_crd60_ii_081001 audio cassette tape

iplas_-_chromdioxid_60_080417 audio cassette tape

BBC-CDS-90-PIC audio cassette tape

technics_rt-60xa_080417 audio cassette tape

pdm_500crolyn_90_080417 audio cassette tape

IMEA-EURO-TAPE-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

raks_hd-xii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

thats-ex90_071126 audio cassette tape

thats_cdiif_60_080417 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

memorex_mrx3_oxide_120_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_hbs_ii_76_071126 audio cassette tape

memorex_hbii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_crx_iis_100_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_crx_iis_90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_crx_iis_60_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_-_chrome_biasii_super_premium_cassette_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_udii_90_071126 audio cassette tape

magna_chromdioxid_ii_s_90_080417 audio cassette tape

jvc_afii-90_071126 audio cassette tape

fuji_zii_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_fr-ii_60_071126 audio cassette tape

euroaudio_ex_ii_90_071201 audio cassette tape

dupont_c_90_071126 audio cassette tape

denon_hd8_100_071126 audio cassette tape

denon_hd8_75_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_reference_maxima_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_maxima_design_edition_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxidii_60_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_super_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_sm_cassette_120_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_sm_120_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_120_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_chromdioxid_120_2_071126 audio cassette tape

akai_sx60_071201 audio cassette tape

akai_gx90_chrome_071126 audio cassette tape

agfa_stereochrom_60+6_080417 audio cassette tape

agfa_crii_60_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_cr-eii90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_cr-e_ii_120_071126 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_chromeextra_ii_60_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_super_ii_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_chrome_extra_ii_60_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.