If you’re old enough to remember the launches of either the cassette or the CD, you’ll remember the turmoil each caused. The latter, of course, had greater impact than the former, because the cassette threatened only open-reel tapes, while prerecorded cassettes (and the ill-fated 8-track) never sold in great enough numbers to become a dominant format.
Both were cul-de-sacs of sorts. The cassette eventually disappeared because it was fundamentally flawed, even when accessed via the finest machines from Nakamichi, Tandberg, Revox, TEAC, Sony et al. All it ever offered was cheap copying and – until the tape eventually unspooled – portable player convenience.
DEMISE IS PREMATURE
CD, on the other hand, nearly killed the LP, and spawned dozens of 5in types and tweaks. It was the dominant pre-recorded carrier for…
