I found a Nak deck that really blew my mind, using a Telarc Cassette I picked up in a thrift for .25 cents. The theory is that even cassettes, with all their issues, might still provide a more "liquid" sound than CD's with their inherent bandwidth limitations. (I'm quoting from the 'net, so take that FWIW.) I was very fond of the Slatkin/Barber survey on RCA and EMI but I didn't like the sound at all on CD, I like the sound on cassette. Considering that the deck was $10 and the casettes are often 4 for a dollar, you can't help but experiment. The Nak was the only player I found that still ran smoothly and had good bass and an soundstaging.
Cassettes.......pre-recorded and otherwise....
WHile most serious audiophiles have disowned pre-recorded tapes since their mid-80s heyday when they outsold LPs(or even before) ...they were never known for hi-fidelity and for good reason...cheap tape and hi-speed dubbing made them unreliable and almost unlistenable...however home-taping...in real time...with a decent tape...and recorder..was a significant improvement...however by the time this process really advanced...dolby S, etc...the CD had surpassed the cassette...at any rate...any decent pre-recorded tapes that come to mind? I know BASF chrome was used briefly in the 80s...and HQ cassettes in the 90s...any others?