WOW GM 8 Tract $1300

[72freak]

Lots of dreamers out there! Look at what folks are asking for their trucks on the "for sale" side of the board.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by James the III

Because 8 tracks sound better, than the cassette tapes back then..
it was not till the type II tape that the cassette sound got close to the 8track..
cassettes won out for one reason, easier to carry.. same reason the c/d killed vinyl.. not that they sound better..

I'll bow out after this. But, boy, with me being quoted followed by inaccurate statements it's hard not to set it straight. You'll never convince me 8-tracks ever sounded better than cassettes and the same would be true if you could ask all my friends who had 8-tracks that rode in my car. Maybe it's that I stayed away from Kraco and other junk. My deck was made by Ampex and my speakers were Eutaws, both professional grade.

Cassettes won out for other reasons as well, as shown by other members throughout this thread. 8-track lost out because it was junk from the get-go. Cassette is still good 45 years later. Store bought tapes are recorded at high speed, sacrificing fidelity. You record your own tapes you choose the quality of tape from the start and record at 33 1/3 rpm, same speed music was intended to be listened at.

So CDs replaced LPs (for most) because they were easier to carry? I can count on one hand in the times I ever carried my albums anywhere but from the store to home or from the shelf to the turntable. LPs require deeper shelving, so take up more living space. But that was never an issue till the next new thing came out. And that is what was about. The general public is out there waiting for the next best thing to leap on in hopes of fulfilling their lives. New is not always better, but you can't convince the majority of that.

I bought a turntable from the classifieds from a person who didn't need it anymore, since they got rid of all their albums when CDs came out. I thought that was the dumbest thing, but thanks for the top notch turntable for super cheap. I still enjoy listening to my 300+ albums on it, much of it never put on CD. When I was buying my Bose 801s in the '80s I mentioned to the salesman that I might be buying a turntable soon. He said I better get one now while they are still around. Now top audiofiles scrounge for good turntables and listening to albums is considered a higher level experience. That's why I make my own way and don't follow trends. I like what suits me and that has worked out better than following the herd

[GR8-68]

I have not bought a cd, cassette, or any type of audio equipment in years. Sirius and spotify have replaced me having to purchase any of it.
I do still have my stereo system though in my man cave including the turn table

[Grumpy old man]

I'm happy with the stock AM radio and stock speaker The best way to listen to country music and , I'd rather listen to my engines !
Posted via Mobile Device

[James the III]

Originally Posted by special-K

I'll bow out after this. But, boy, with me being quoted followed by inaccurate statements it's hard not to set it straight. You'll never convince me 8-tracks ever sounded better than cassettes and the same would be true if you could ask all my friends who had 8-tracks that rode in my car. Maybe it's that I stayed away from Kraco and other junk. My deck was made by Ampex and my speakers were Eutaws, both professional grade.

Cassettes won out for other reasons as well, as shown by other members throughout this thread. 8-track lost out because it was junk from the get-go. Cassette is still good 45 years later. Store bought tapes are recorded at high speed, sacrificing fidelity. You record your own tapes you choose the quality of tape from the start and record at 33 1/3 rpm, same speed music was intended to be listened at.

So CDs replaced LPs (for most) because they were easier to carry? I can count on one hand in the times I ever carried my albums anywhere but from the store to home or from the shelf to the turntable. LPs require deeper shelving, so take up more living space. But that was never an issue till the next new thing came out. And that is what was about. The general public is out there waiting for the next best thing to leap on in hopes of fulfilling their lives. New is not always better, but you can't convince the majority of that.

I bought a turntable from the classifieds from a person who didn't need it anymore, since they got rid of all their albums when CDs came out. I thought that was the dumbest thing, but thanks for the top notch turntable for super cheap. I still enjoy listening to my 300+ albums on it, much of it never put on CD. When I was buying my Bose 801s in the '80s I mentioned to the salesman that I might be buying a turntable soon. He said I better get one now while they are still around. Now top audiofiles scrounge for good turntables and listening to albums is considered a higher level experience. That's why I make my own way and don't follow trends. I like what suits me and that has worked out better than following the herd

Sorry if my quoting you offended you.. but facts are facts..
The headroom, channel separation , the low and highs db drop off.. all better.. want better you needed a reel to reel..
Even in the high point of the Cassette and 1000.oo decks they only where a "little" better than the outdated not improved in ten years 8 track

Problem with c/d's is the lack of dynamic range.. db rise.. As that takes data space and they rather jam 60 minutes of music on a disc than 40 minutes of music and have the dynamic punch of a live band..
The format can do it. but The industry made the choice to put more filler songs on one disc that better sound.. And can't blame them as most buyers bought cd players with junk d/a converters..
If file sharing didn't kill the industry.. I love to see what could've been with double sided DVD disc that has more than enough room to make a recording with huge dynamic punch, and not have the noise problems/limits of tape and vinyl..

[hamjet]

No, 8 tracks don't sound better as mentioned but thats not what I'm looking for. It's the period correct, cool factor. just like some are still running AM over FM. Some are running stock factory correct engines over the new and improved fuel injected engines because it's what they want to do. It comes down to, YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOURS, OTHERS WILL DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH THEIRS...ok, I'm off my soap box. LOL

[Mollzyie]

The finer points of 8-track





.... Said no one ever .

[70cst]

I do have a GM 8 track that has been internally refurbished - I still need to do the cosmetics.

I bought this NOS RCA 8 Track-AM FM radio a couple years ago - not sure if I will ever use it.

[weq92f]

Here ya go...

[70cst]

Originally Posted by weq92f

Here ya go...

Now that is cool ...

I have heard of such options but you don't see these tat often.

[weq92f]

another...

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by 70cst

This will be bought by the guy who has a high dollar restore who wants to add that final touch

IMO, that's exactly what this is all about, the one final touch.... or two...... that puts the vehicle over the top at shows. Technology is not the issue in most cases, it's something that is not easily obtainable, either factory or period aftermarket, that the other guy won't have.

[chewychevy67]

I have an 8 track for my truck because when I drive my truck I want to feel like I'm in 1967. I have a few tapes I like ready for it when the truck is done. And it's quite the conversation piece.

[saskred]

Originally Posted by chewychevy67

I have an 8 track for my truck because when I drive my truck I want to feel like I'm in 1967. I have a few tapes I like ready for it when the truck is done. And it's quite the conversation piece.

I agree with you 100% on this. Nothing to do with audio quality etc

[70cst]

Originally Posted by chewychevy67

I have an 8 track for my truck because when I drive my truck I want to feel like I'm in 1967. I have a few tapes I like ready for it when the truck is done. And it's quite the conversation piece.

Spot on ...

[palallin]

The distinction in audio quality between a cassette and an 8-track is irrelevant in the case of the vast majority of players/environments. One thing I will say, however, is that I have lost far more cassettes to automobile players than I have 8-tracks. 8-track players just don't seem to chew up tapes.

[1968aj]

what I remember which is not much; 8tracks came out for cars and then cassettes later. that's when everybody ripped out their 8 track to upgrade to cassettes.then you got a reel to reel for the house with a quadrophonic receiver

[James the III]

Originally Posted by palallin

The distinction in audio quality between a cassette and an 8-track is irrelevant in the case of the vast majority of players/environments. One thing I will say, however, is that I have lost far more cassettes to automobile players than I have 8-tracks. 8-track players just don't seem to chew up tapes.

The difference is that in the early 70's what did you find in a home.. 8 track players or cassettes..
sure the oem's didn't really care about any distinction in audio, it was what does most buyers have in their homes that they might want to play in the vehicle..

[special-K]

Cassette . At least that's how it was in my world. It was 8-tracks in cars and reel to reel or cassette in home. Of course, turntables were most common by a long shot...everyone had those. I had a dual head cassette by Teac, IIRC, as well as real to reel (which I just sold last summer). As far as OEM equipment, 8-tracks went out and it went to AM/FM Stereo in the '70s with no tape options available. The '70s saw am explosion in FM stations and people moved away, for the most part, from AM. In the '70s is when cassette got big but aftermarket. Toward the later '70s it went to in-dash and that's when you started seeing OEM AM/FM Cassette offered.

I realize putting a GM accessory 8-track is about cool factor, not technology. My part of the conversation here hasn't been about comparing technology. What I am saying is back then when GM offered this 8-track I chose to have a cassette deck. So, those are also from the era and add cool factor to a truck. They didn't have CD, satellite radio, or MP3. I still play cassettes, they sound great as when I started driving in '71, and they fit in the dash. I have had 1/2 dozen of these GM 8-tracks. I bought them because I am into the rare and unusual as well as that which is not reproduced. I had a collection of all that kind of stuff, such as tissue dispensers, drip rail mouldings, grille guards, etc and sold it all. I'm more into the basics now and don't plan any more pristine factory correct restorations. I don't have a museum. I only want what I can use now. I can use a cassette deck. And, now that they are considered obsolete by so many I think that gives them all the more cool factor. Era correct aftermarket stuff is just as cool as OEM stuff to me. Hickey fans will agree and so will vintage speed buffs. as far as trucks goes, I dig having accessories like saddle tanks, cargo hooks, Bartens bumper, aluminum slots, snap on tonneau covers, etc.

If someone else wants an 8-track, that doesn't bother me and I don't care how much they pay. I do what I can and am secure with others doing whatever they want. I just know I was listening to cassettes in my vehicle at the same time these trucks were still being sold. I also put a cassette deck in the '72 C/10 I bought in '73, my first truck

[Coley]

Originally Posted by weq92f

another...

Underdash record player...very cool.
...but...that must be a ford truck installation (not Chrysler) in the picture because the guy is wearing white gloves.

All Good
Coley