The digital age makes us lean towards CDs and other devices when it comes to music. But does that mean that cassettes are obsolete? Not really. Even though we all assume that CDs are better, we can’t rule out cassettes completely. They have more than just the retro charisma that many of us are fans of.
Now, you may wonder whether they are really better than CDs or whether they come close. If latter’s the case, what’s the point? Well, learning about them and comparing them based on various parameters will help answer this question.
Cassettes
Cassettes use metallic tape and magnetism to give us amazing sound. They have a very simple way of working. They have analog sound, and you listen to the exact sound that was recorded. There are no samples to fill in spaces when needed. However, they are loud. The movement of the tape creates a sound that not many can handle or appreciate.
Below are a few important points about cassettes:
Their dynamic range (ratio between the quietest sound and loudest sound) is around 50 dB. If you use excellent cassette players (equipped with noise cancellation, etc.), this can go up to 75 dB.
The frequency response (ability to reproduce frequencies and bass) is between 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This frequency massively depends on the quality of the cassette player as well as the cassette itself.
If you use noise reduction and other such technologies, cassettes can have a signal-to-noise ratio of 80 dB. That’s quite good!
CDs
CDs have digital files that use multiple samples of sound. These samples play very quickly, and that’s why they don’t give away any noise that you would otherwise hear. In simple terms, before reaching you, the sound is played, and the samples are added/removed wherever necessary.
Let’s take a comparative look at what they offer:
The dynamic range of CDs is around 96 dB. That’s significantly higher than cassettes.
You can expect a frequency response of around 2 Hz to 21 kHz. There are a few CD players that can exceed this frequency too.
The signal-to-noise ratio is also 96 dB.
Cassette vs. CDs – What about the sound quality?
We discussed the technical details, but what about the part that matters the most? The sound quality! CDs have it better, but cassettes are not far behind. In fact, some individuals don’t even notice the difference of good cassette players that are demagnetized, cleaned, and calibrated.
So, if you prefer cassettes, you can definitely choose cassettes but make sure you buy a tape player that has the latest technology. After all, cassettes have an old-world charm that deserves more attention than they are currently getting.
Which one do you have your eye on? We would love to know your thoughts. Please feel free to comment and let us know.