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!



fuji_jp_is_60 audio cassette tape

generic_transparent audio cassette tape

basf_ferro_super_lh_i_120_071126 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

orig_0028_philips_c90_standard_quality audio cassette tape

orig_0043_no_name_red_reels audio cassette tape

itt_ln_1 audio cassette tape

SONY_EF_blau_90 audio cassette tape

konica_sgi_60 audio cassette tape

goldstar_hp60_081022 audio cassette tape

orig_0059_fuji_cdfan1_90 audio cassette tape

basf_ferro_extra_i_100_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_ferro_super_lh_i_120_071126 audio cassette tape

tdkod audio cassette tape

fuji_jp_is_60 audio cassette tape

tdk_d120_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_ad60_080515 audio cassette tape

goldstar_hp60_081022 audio cassette tape

tdk_le_black_ar90_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_j60_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_ieci_ad_60 audio cassette tape

tdk_ieci_74 audio cassette tape

tdk_fe_90_080417 audio cassette tape

hitachi_dl90 audio cassette tape

goldstar_hp60_2_081022 audio cassette tape

tdk_d_46_071126 audio cassette tape

SONY_EF_blau_90 audio cassette tape

konica_sgi_60 audio cassette tape

fuji_cdfan1_60 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_super_120_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_ferric_90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony-hf-90 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_ix_90_081001 audio cassette tape

HIFIFERRO C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

nec_ld_60 audio cassette tape

Super audio cassette tape

maxell_ud_46 audio cassette tape

fuji_fxi_60 audio cassette tape

hitachi_dl_90 audio cassette tape

tdk_ad90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_extra_120_v2_080417 audio cassette tape

K7-Pro-90(its a ferro)_MCiPjH_121006 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_ferric_60_071126 audio cassette tape

tdk_le_white_ar90_080417 audio cassette tape

tdk_le_white_ar90_080417 audio cassette tape

SONY_EF_90 audio cassette tape

goldstar_bf60_081022 audio cassette tape

SONY-WALKMAN-60-ferro_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

sound_2000_condor_60 audio cassette tape

tdk_jet_age_60 audio cassette tape

sony_classic_54 audio cassette tape

tdkarsp audio cassette tape

tdk_optima audio cassette tape

socimag_ferro_ls_x_90_081001 audio cassette tape

snc audio cassette tape

scotch_bx_c60 audio cassette tape

philips audio cassette tape

philips_cd_one_60 audio cassette tape

lg-90 audio cassette tape

kennex_exd_90 audio cassette tape

hitachi_dl_60 audio cassette tape

goodmans_type_i_90 audio cassette tape

goldstar_hd90old audio cassette tape

goldstar_hd90clear audio cassette tape

goldstar_bf60_2_081022 audio cassette tape

fuji_fl90_090802 audio cassette tape

ecp_uf_90 audio cassette tape

basf_sound_i_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_record_100_090802 audio cassette tape

basf_lh-e-i_90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_ferro_standard_i_90_071201 audio cassette tape

agfa_superferro_90+6 audio cassette tape

maxell_ur60_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_udi90_080417 audio cassette tape

goldstar_popconcert_60_081022 audio cassette tape

ilford_hf60 audio cassette tape

jvc audio cassette tape

konica_xri_75 audio cassette tape

memorex audio cassette tape

scotch audio cassette tape

sony_hf_46___year_1988_aprox audio cassette tape

Svema audio cassette tape

tdk_d60_fals_071201 audio cassette tape

superpila_chord-x_sf90 audio cassette tape

sony_hf60_080515 audio cassette tape

scotch_bx audio cassette tape

magna_hc10 audio cassette tape

hitachi_dl_blau_60 audio cassette tape

goldstar_hp60_3_081022 audio cassette tape

goldstar_hd90 audio cassette tape

denon_dx1_90_080429 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_i_90 audio cassette tape

phillips-60 audio cassette tape

SILVERSOUND C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

teac_cassette audio cassette tape

teac_cassette11 audio cassette tape

that`s_phii_74 audio cassette tape

thats_fx60_111214 audio cassette tape

toyota audio cassette tape

TRANSYLVANIA-LH90ferro_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

maxell_ud90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_ln90 audio cassette tape

maxell_udi_cd90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_ul60_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_ur_90_071126 audio cassette tape

watson_c60_small_081001 audio cassette tape

maxell_epilaxial_xli_60_081001 audio cassette tape

maxell_LN60_080417 audio cassette tape

maxell_ud_i_120_071126 audio cassette tape

neo_tec_i_45_081001 audio cassette tape

Memorex-MRX3-Oxide-90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

maxell_ud60_081001 audio cassette tape

maxell_ur_60_080417 audio cassette tape

Master audio cassette tape

sony_hf60_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_hf90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_hf-s_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_fxi90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_fx60_071126 audio cassette tape

Kontak audio cassette tape

sony_hf_90_071201 audio cassette tape

sony_hf_90_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_hf_60_i_081001 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_60_i_081001 audio cassette tape

BASF_LH_extra_I_90_071201 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_extra_120_v1_080417 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_60_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_ix_90_2_081001 audio cassette tape

basf_ferro_sxuper_lh_120_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_lh-e_i_60_2_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_hf-s60_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_hf60_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_hf-s90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_hf-s60_super_ferric_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_super_ef_90_081001 audio cassette tape

maxell_ur90_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_hifi_60_071201 audio cassette tape

sony_hf_60_081001 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_ul60_071126 audio cassette tape

denon_dx_160_071126 audio cassette tape

ilford_pf60_i_081001 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_90_071201 audio cassette tape

maxell_udi_60_080417 audio cassette tape

philips_fs_46_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_walkman_60_081001 audio cassette tape

agfa_superferro_60_111214 audio cassette tape

anvic_ad90_111214 audio cassette tape

basf_lh-ei120_071126 audio cassette tape

HGS-C60ferro_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

HIFIFERRO-C90_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

sound_tape_super_ferro_c60_a_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

Emtec_SoundI_90_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_-_hf60_3_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_-_hf60_080417 audio cassette tape

tokaido_ferro_lownoise_c90_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

sound_tape_super_ferro_60_b_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

JESKO-C60_MCiPjH_121006 audio cassette tape

hitachi_lownoise_c60_b_oge_120922 audio cassette tape

agfa_hrs_60_111214 audio cassette tape

wegert_superferric_60_071126 audio cassette tape

waltham_ferro_lh_60_071126 audio cassette tape

tristar_tape_071126 audio cassette tape

TEAC_mdx1_100_blue_111227 audio cassette tape

stilon_iec_i_c_60_081001 audio cassette tape

Sony_ZX90_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_EF_60_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_-_hf60_super_080417 audio cassette tape

sony_-_hf60_2_080417 audio cassette tape

skc_lx60-1_071201 audio cassette tape

SilverSound_C60_111227 audio cassette tape

siemens_c60_hifi audio cassette tape

Philips_FSX_90_111227 audio cassette tape

BASF_C90_green_111227 audio cassette tape

axia_a1_150_081001 audio cassette tape

Audio_plus audio cassette tape

Acme audio cassette tape

TEAC_mdx1_100_yellow_111227 audio cassette tape

whsmith audio cassette tape

maxell_ln60-1_071201 audio cassette tape

maxell_ur60_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_ur60_b__080417 audio cassette tape

sony_firma_50_111227 audio cassette tape

sony_cdit_i_90_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_bhf60_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_ef_90_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_ef_90_080417 audio cassette tape

scotch_xs_i_90_081001 audio cassette tape

sony_ahf_080417 audio cassette tape

skc_lx90-1_071201 audio cassette tape

Reel-Cleer-Optics-I-60 audio cassette tape

Philips_StudioQuality_C90_111227 audio cassette tape

KLAUS_c90_111227 audio cassette tape

FUJI_CDFan1_111227 audio cassette tape

denon_dx_60_111227 audio cassette tape

BASF_C90_111227 audio cassette tape

AXIA_ps1_74_111227 audio cassette tape

UNION-1000-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

TELEFUNKEN-C60-1-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

SEIKO-C60_2-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

SAMSUNG-XM-H60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

STAR-PARTY-C30-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

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

UNIVERSUM-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

ROSS_C90_23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

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

PHILIPS-STANDARD-QUALITY-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

PHILIPS-MOVING-SOUND-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

PHILIPS-FE-I-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

pdmagnetics_ferro_c_90_081001 audio cassette tape

MAXELL-UR-F-60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

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

MAGTAPE-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

jvc_af_i_90_081001 audio cassette tape

IMG_0230-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

IMG_0016-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

IMG_0015-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

IMG_0012-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

IMG_0011-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

IMG_0010-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

DAK_C60_23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

crown_silver_fantasy_i_60_081001 audio cassette tape

BASF-C120-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

ampex_472_normal_60_081001 audio cassette tape

toshiba_c90_t_071126 audio cassette tape

super_ferro_i_60_071201 audio cassette tape

super_ferro_071126 audio cassette tape

sony_ef60_071201 audio cassette tape

sony_chf90_071201 audio cassette tape

sony_bhf60_071126 audio cassette tape

sanyo_c60_ln_071201 audio cassette tape

sanyo_c60_ln_071126 audio cassette tape

sanwa_c60_071201 audio cassette tape

ross_66_c30_080417 audio cassette tape

Raks60_High_Dynamic audio cassette tape

raks'n'roll_c60_071201 audio cassette tape

radioshack_ln30_080417 audio cassette tape

radio_shack_xr-120_080417 audio cassette tape

pioneer_n2_90_080417 audio cassette tape

pioneer_n1x_60_080417 audio cassette tape

pioneer_n1-60_080417 audio cassette tape

pioneer_n1_c60_071126 audio cassette tape

pioneer_n1_90_080417 audio cassette tape

pinnacle_60_080417 audio cassette tape

permaton_ferro_i_plus_080417 audio cassette tape

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

COMBO-HIFI-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

raks_ed-x60_071126 audio cassette tape

TEXATON-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

AGFA-C60-4-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

AGFA-C60-2-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

3M-C60-23-04-2011 audio cassette tape

universum_super_low_noise_c90_071201 audio cassette tape

universum_hifi_super_c60_071201 audio cassette tape

scotch_dynarange_90_080417 audio cassette tape

scotch_cx90_080417 audio cassette tape

scotch_bx60_080417 audio cassette tape

scotch_bx_60_071126 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

orwo_k60 audio cassette tape

orwo_60_weissblau_hell_071126 audio cassette tape

orwo_60_schwarzweiss_hell_071126 audio cassette tape

memorex_nb_90_071201 audio cassette tape

memorex_dbs90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_dbs_120_071126 audio cassette tape

memorex_db90_080417 audio cassette tape

memorex_-_dbs90_080417 audio cassette tape

maxim_ln_60_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_ud_i_120_071126 audio cassette tape

maxell_ln60_071201 audio cassette tape

lewis_d60_071201 audio cassette tape

levis_d_90_071201 audio cassette tape

laser_90_071126 audio cassette tape

komat_i_90_080417 audio cassette tape

jvc__gi-60_071201 audio cassette tape

iplas_-_superfero_60_080417 audio cassette tape

international_low_noise_hi_fi_c60ln_071126 audio cassette tape

hmc_90_071201 audio cassette tape

fuji_fx-i_90_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr90_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_ix_100_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_i_60_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_i_60_2_080417 audio cassette tape

fuji_dr_90_071201 audio cassette tape

denon_spankingnew_i_60 audio cassette tape

denon_dx_160_071126 audio cassette tape

coronet_ln_c90_071201 audio cassette tape

compact_cassette_c90_071201 audio cassette tape

bush_fe90_080417 audio cassette tape

boots60_080417 audio cassette tape

bfad_071126 audio cassette tape

bbc_fx90_080417 audio cassette tape

basf-sm-120_071126 audio cassette tape

BASF_LH_extra_I_90_071201 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_extra_i_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_120_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_lh_90_071126 audio cassette tape

basf_ferro_sxuper_lh_120_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

agfa_c60plus6_grey_080417 audio cassette tape

Agfa_Ferrocolor_60%2B6_Albastra audio cassette tape

Agfa_Ferro_C-60 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.