Quote:
Originally Posted by m0cemdave
I found the biggest problem with cassettes was poor interchangeability between machines. It was rare to find two players with the same azimuth alignment, and the resulting poor frequency response was exaggerated if Dolby was in use..
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Yes, this, a lot. It was a huge problem. The narrow tracks and slow tape speed seemed to make the azimuth adjustment extremely critical. I'm surprised that more good quality cassette decks didn't make the adjustment a front panel control. I know it's mechanically difficult but some manufacturers managed it, just not many.
My own experience with cassettes, and that of my friends at the time (mid 1980s to about 2000) was that they were reliable with decent quality equipment, if well maintained, which it had to be if you cared about the sound quality. I used a lot of cassettes in my student radio days (we even used them, leaderless and cut down to a few seconds long, as jingle cartridges) and I don't remember any tape chewing problems. None of us had cars, though, so perhaps that helped!
Chris