Cassette tapes have been around since the 1960s, allowing people to record, play, and share audio more easily and conveniently than ever before. The tech inside a cassette tape isn’t that different from what came before it — two reels of magnetic tape with audio signals recorded onto them — but its tiny size and durable plastic armor made it perfect for everyday use.
Cassette tapes are so small, in fact, that they’re still considered compact by today’s standards. This practical size and retro appeal have caused a cassette tape revival in the last few years, with new albums from big artists like Taylor Swift being released in this format. Below, we explore the lifespan of the cassette tape, showing you how to spot a dying tape and keep it in working condition for as long as possible.
SO, DO CASSETTE TAPES GO BAD?
As sturdy as the plastic casing of a cassette is, the magnetic tape inside is incredibly delicate. The layer of magnetizable material that covers the plastic tape is sensitive to moisture, dryness, and extreme temperatures. Even if you keep it in an optimum environment, these elements will inevitably degrade the magnetic tape over time.
On average, a cassette tape has a lifespan of 30 years. You can increase (or decrease) this by storing it well (or poorly), but 30 years is the life expectancy of most cassette tapes.
WHY DO CASSETTE TAPES GO BAD?
Part of what makes cassette tape degradation so inevitable is just how many factors contribute to it. Let’s go over each one.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Cassette casing is made to protect the tape inside from direct handling but it’s not airtight. As such, heat, humidity, and dust can get inside the casing and cause damage.
Heat and humidity are particularly dangerous because they can quickly distort the tape and its magnetic layer. The tape can get sticky and separate or start to grow mold, which can easily lead to loss of audio. If you keep your tapes on a window sill, sunlight and UV rays can damage your tape too. Dust can also build up inside your tape and affect its playback ability.
MECHANICAL WEAR
Using your tape also degrades it. The more you play your tape, the more wear and tear it will go through, slowly bringing it closer to the end of its life. Playing the cassette while the tape is twisted can also cause damage.
IMPROPER STORAGE
Your tapes will be more vulnerable to environmental factors if they aren’t stored properly. The more your tapes are exposed to the elements, the quicker they will go bad.
You can also accidentally damage your tapes if you store them near magnets. All of the audio information on your tapes is stored magnetically, so letting other magnets get near your tapes will mess with the tiny fluctuations on them.
TAPE AGING
No matter how well you look after your cassettes, the tape will age. Magnetic signals don’t last forever and will slowly lose their properties over time. “Print-through” effects can also cause the signals on one bit of tape to partially transfer onto another area, causing audio bleed.
HOW CAN I TELL IF MY CASSETTE TAPE IS GOING BAD?
A lot of the above damage happens inside your cassette casing on a small scale, so it isn’t always easy to spot. Here are some signs of decay to look for.
- Muffled or distorted sound when you play your tape
- Audio cutouts when you play your tape
- Issues with playback speed when you use your tape
- Physical damage like crinkling or warping of the tape
- Visible mold or discoloration both on the tape and the edge of the plastic cassette
CAN YOU STOP CASSETTE TAPES FROM GOING BAD?
You can’t stop your tapes from going bad indefinitely. They will always degrade eventually. However, you can extend the life of your cassette tapes to keep enjoying them for as long as possible. Here’s how.
PROPER STORAGE
Storing your cassette tapes properly is one of the most important parts of looking after them. Here are some tips:
- Store your tapes at 50 to 70°F with a humidity level between 20% and 40%
- Store your tapes vertically to make sure no weight is pressing down on them
- Store your tapes in a lidded box to reduce the amount of dust and moisture that can reach them
- Keep your tapes away from sunlight and away from magnets
PROPER MAINTENANCE
Make sure you maintain your tapes to keep them healthy and playable. This means rewinding each tape after use and making sure the tape looks neat and well-positioned in the cassette. You also need to play your tapes to keep them healthy — at least once a year to make sure the tape doesn’t start sticking together.
DIGITIZATION
It’s important to digitize the audio recordings of your cassettes because their life span is finite. This way, you keep the recording even after the tapes are gone. If you really enjoy the cassette tape format, you can digitize your recordings as a backup and also transfer them to new cassettes that you can keep using.
DIGITIZE YOUR CASSETTE TAPES TODAY
At EverPresent, we digitize over 10,000 hours of audio from formats like cassettes every year, and we can help you digitize your collection. We can give you the files back on CDs, USB drives, or even tapes.
We handle projects both small and large, and it doesn’t cost anything to have a chat and find out how we can help. Get in touch today to talk project size, pick-ups and drop-offs, and file formats.
