Anyone still use MiniDisc, DDC tape or DAT tapes?

I have a Sony Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) player/recorder, along with three classical tapes (2 Philips, 1 DG). I haven't tried it out yet. It uses a special codec to reduce data storage. I expect it will sound much better than an analog cassette.

I had a Sony DAT recorder I bought in 1991 with a few dozen pre-recorded tapes and a couple dozen blank 60 minute tapes.  I gave all of it away for free, here on Audiogon 5 years ago and even covered shipping from RI to New Mexico. 

@stereo5 

I'm so sad to read this.  Whoever you gave it to, probably sold it on eBay. I still have my Sony DTC-59ES with several blank tapes.  

I also had a DCC deck, that stopped working. I sold it for parts locally. 

The DCC tapes, I sold off in packs on eBay. 

@jasonbourne52 

DCC decks can also play analog cassettes.  But the DCC tape sound will be much better.  Hipsters will claim that you need a high end analog cassette to get better sound, but that would cost more money.  So you're better off with DCC tape sound. 

Sony never made a DCC machine, Philips and clones plus Matsushita yes.

An era where Sony and Philips parted.

Still using my MDS-JA333ES, MD was a nice format.

@chris_g ,

The unit I gave away was a Sony DTC 75ES. Had I known tape was going to make a comeback, I would have saved it.

@petg60,

I had that same Minidisc recorder. I bought mine from the Sony outlet, it was a B stock.  It died 2 years after purchasing it. 

Will hipsters catch on to these formats?

@stereo5 , that was unlucky. 

I have a pair of Tascam DA20’s DAT players that are not operational — the tray won’t open. Normally an easy fix but the last time I looked a few years ago there was no one who was still repairing them. I thought about giving it a try myself but there’s also a ‘shedding’ problem w/ DAT tapes after about 5 years where they gum up the heads. So I wouldn’t be able to listen to any of my old tapes.

It was a lot of fun while it lasted. RIAA killed DAT but it still had a big following with tape traders. There were a few bands like the Grateful Dead that encouraged taping of their performances. The very first time I heard Dave Matthews Band was on DAT, before they had a record contract.

My DA 20’s are gathering dust. If anyone has any ideas on a good home for them I’d appreciate it.

I was a concert ‘taper’ for many years. I still have all my master DAT’s, as well as all the tapes I received in trades. Still have my whole field recording rig, too. Mics and all, including the Tascam DA-P1 and a couple Sony D8’s.  

@jriggy that is just too cool. ‘Tapers’ such as yourself are responsible for recording and preserving an incredible treasure trove of music that would otherwise be lost forever.

I got into trading a little so I could access this music that couldn’t be bought from a store. I had some friends who were really into trading and got me hooked. 
 

Have you since transferred your music off of your DAT tapes?

@rhg3 i have not. I did give some of the best recordings I pulled to a guy who uploaded them, I think. I believe a source of mine has been needed to fill the gap only once or twice.