1985 Deutsche Grammophon “Walkman Classics” Chromuim Dioxide Cassette

In the previous post I cited portable players as instrumental in the increasing dominance of the audio cassette format during the early to mid 1980s. And here’s an exhibit to demonstrate just that. So great was the link between the sale of analogue cassettes and the Sony Walkman personal stereo system, that record company Polydor / Deutsche Grammophon went to the trouble and expense of licencing the Walkman brand from Sony for a series of classical tapes.

EMI Studio DRM XDR Chromium Dioxide Audio Cassette

Going from yesterday’s epitome of 1970s lo-fi, to the other extreme – a 1990 paragon of audio cassette fidelity. High spec chromium-dioxide tape media, XDR quality control processing, Dolby HX Pro noise reduction, full digital remastering – all in a highly successful effort to bring a 1965 recording up to 1990s fidelity standards.

Mid 1970s Scotch Dynarange C120 Cassette – Blue Label

A lo-fi feast, in the shape of a two-hour Scotch Dynarange audio cassette, from an era long before the personal computer was a thing – let alone the Internet. In fact, it even predates Pot Noodle. Us kids were all still getting our powdered food fixes from Vesta curries, paellas and chow meins when this beast was sitting on the retailers’ shelves.