8 track tape vs 1st press vinyl

I remember the excitement when Toronado was introduced, I was 16. Aside from exciting front wheel drive, it was a 2 door, had HUGE doors, when I closed the door the whole very heavy car shook, seemed like it moved over an inch! Never even rode in one.

Not superior, GS, just different. There is some anomaly that is pleasing to you.
The track breaks are burned into my memory forever. Whenever I hear one of those songs, my mind plays the fade-out, fade-in.

Experiences are powerful. It was ’78, and my buddy’s parents had just bought a new Monte Carlo. As it turns out, between my family’s Sony 8-track player for the home, and his family’s old "all in one" console with TT, the Monte Carlo had the best sounding audio (cassette). My memory is of us, sitting in that car (in the driveway), playing Chuck Mangione’s "Feels so Good" release over and over, marveling at the sound quality. That experience threw a switch for me. The following summer, I worked my ass off at various odd jobs, {raking, mowing, babysitting, and delivering newspapers), just so I could buy a nice stereo system. I was 12 by that time, and already had the bug.

The problem with prerecorded tapes, and especially 8-track, is that the tapes are mass produced at speeds that do not transfer well, because the transfer equipment is set up to go as fast as possible.  What kind of stereo cartridge are you comparing to 8-track?

8-track is an adaptation of the Lear Jet flight recorder, because Mr Lear wanted the cheapest think he could get away with. As it unwinds, it scrapes off the magnetic recording medium, and was not too good to begin with.