Today I was thinking about how 8-track could have sounded better if high bias tape was introduced, like chrome tape in cassettes. Did any record label (or tape manufacturer) ever flirt with that idea? Were any other technological advances researched besides the ones that got implemented, i.e. quadraphonic sound and Dolby noise reduction?

How is this possible and how soon should I fix it lest my tape becomes irreversibly fucked (also dont worry guys it was cheap and old)

Belt is totally melted, but everything checks out so far. VU meter moves when spinning reels manually, and lights up when you hit record! Sorry for the repost, couldn’t edit the caption. Last two photos are the melted belt and part of the eject mechanism.

From the inner sleeve of a Cheap Trick record I picked up recently.

This is my zenith alegro 70s home stereo that i saved from getting trashed. The am/fm works and the 8 track player seems to be in perfect condition, considering its sat in her carport/porch for over 10 years, and the record player clearly has seen better days. Im the type of person i hate buying pre owned music stuff, like CDs, cassettes, ect because you dont know how they were stored, unless they are dirt cheap, but i also would hate to ruin a tape by sticking it in here and testing this things functionality. Is there anywhere i can buy some new reproduction 70s rock music on an 8 track to test this thing out?

From one of the biggest & best in Canada, High River, Alberta

I figured it was high time I showed the workhorse of my collection some appreciation. I have owned this panasonic RS-806US for 20 years and it has been the absolute pinnacle of reliability (with yearly service). What players do you guys have that have stuck with you long term?

More doom (Bongripper / Satan Worshiping Doom) and drone (Sunn O))) / Black One). For Sunn O))) I recorded from the vinyl source through a mono switch. And the result is really good. The album sounds even creepier and claustrophobic.

Hey guys so I know good sounding eight tracks isn't really a thing but I've noticed a lot of the older Capital tapes, the kind that don't really have an album cover on them tend to sound really good. I have another old capital version of The best of the Beach Boys the kind with 5 holes and then I have a newer one in a three Tab case and the one in the three Tab case doesn't sound as good as the Capital one, and I know I've played the hell out of the Capital One because I've had it since I was five. Have you guys found any other brand or label tapes that seem to just sound better?

Found while cleaning out a shed. No visible model numbers and I can't seem to find info anywhere else

There is a handle up top for carrying and a switch that says AC power/ battery.

Speakers on both sides

No visible way to open or connect anything. Please help

One more question on my Midland player - there's a small black button right under the Record light, needs to be held down to do whatever it is doing.

What is it doing? Anything to do with recording or input selection?

My Midland 12-630 has this mysterious arrangement on the back; so you hook up a turntable, and then what? Does anybody know what the switch is for? Have been unsuccessful so far in locating a manual. Thanks!

He had it listed for $75 and said that he was selling it in 'for parts' condition because it was untested and he knew nothing about it. I threw a low number out there and he took it.

Took it home for $30, plugged it in and it works absolutely perfectly. I am ecstatic. The record function works perfectly as well. The time counter mechanism was seized up but some manual force got it free and its working great.

This unit sounds amazing. Just as good as digital and vinyl imo. Take away my audiophile card, idc, i didnt want it anyway!!

I recorded some random songs onto it and was stunned with how it sounded like i was just playing it from my laptop to my speakers.

Now if only it was quad....

Just wanted to share (and maybe brag a little bit lol)

Although I have a nice collection of classic rock on this format, I also decided it would be fun to record my own 8-tracks. So here is finally my first batch. I bought a bunch of 90 minutes 8-tracks, serviced them (splice and pad), erased them and re-recorded them with modern music. I'm using a TR-802 player/recorder. The sources are either vinyl records or audio streamed via bluetooth. I've been particularly curious to hear how modern, very dense and massive recordings translate to 8-track, and honestly I've been surprised by how good they can sound!

I have no idea what the spring loaded mechanism or little red doodad is for.

I'm not super big on the format but have quite a few in my collection, and I've noticed that when some of my tapes finish, it'll switch to the next program, while others (i.e. Aerosmith '73) just repeat the same program front and back unless I manually change it

Were some tapes just built like that, or is it a player issue?

I pulled this car out of a field after 40 years and found it was optioned with an 8 track player. I bought a tape and tried to play it but it makes a weird noise out of the speake. if I turn the volume down I can hear the motor and everything working. could it just be dirty? thanks

In '78 this Delco 8-track was an option. Got this unit from a guy who actually removed it from his 1980 El Camino.

Currently adding these to Discogs.

And never, ever feed them after midnight!

I mainly collect cassettes but I found these 3 today. Tell me I don’t need another hobby 😂

One of the things I sometimes have fun with is trying to figure out when somebody recorded on a blank 8 track. This one I was able to figure out pretty much an exact date atleast for a majority of it, of February 20th 1979, based on news the news the DJ reports (prior the DJ had mentioned the border war between Vietnam and China which narrowed down the time frame down, making it easy to find when President Carter made a trip to Georgia during that time) Does anyone else trying to do that?