【コラム】音楽メディアとしてのカセットテープ：変遷・種類・周波数特性

Column en 70s 80s 90s Cassette

20 Jul 2025

Media that preserves memories, not records

Text: mmr｜Theme: Cassette tape, a supporting role in analog music recording

Portable music revolution in the analog era

The cassette tape (Compact Cassette) was developed by Philips in 1963 and became popular throughout the world as one of the leading music media from the 1970s to the 1990s.

The advent of portable players (Walkmans)
Easy home recording
Formation of a culture of personal ownership and exchange of music

Based on this cultural background, cassette tapes became a major platform for analog music.

Historical history of cassette tapes

1963: Invention by Phillips

The first compact cassette was introduced for monaural recording.

1970s: The beginning of stereo recording and high quality sound

Popularization of stereo compatible heads
Standardization of normal (Type I) tape
With the spread of portable decks, the ``Walkman’’ culture was born.

1980s: The emergence of high position (Type II) and metal (Type IV)

Improvement of tape material to improve sound quality
Improved treble characteristics and expanded dynamic range
Increased adoption in high-end audio equipment

1990s: Decline due to the spread of CDs

However, it continued to be used deeply by some audiophiles, DIY recording culture, hip-hop and indie scenes.

Types of cassette tapes and their characteristics

Cassette tapes are mainly classified into four types:

List

Type	Types of magnetic materials	Features	Typical uses
Type I (normal)	Iron oxide (Fe2O3)	Well-balanced sound quality, but slightly inferior treble range	General music recording, voice recording
Type II (Chrome)	Chromium oxide (CrO2)	Excellent treble characteristics and good noise reduction	High quality recording for music playback
Type III (ferrichrome)	Ferrichrome mixture	Intermediate properties between normal and chrome	Currently discontinued
Type IV (metal)	Metal particles (metal)	Boasts the best magnetic properties and high S/N ratio	For high-end audio, used for professional recording

Frequency characteristics and sound quality of cassette tapes

Basic frequency characteristics

Normal tape frequency band is approximately 30Hz to 12kHz

Approximately 20Hz to 15kHz with chrome tape

Metal tape can be expanded to approximately 20Hz to 18kHz

Recording head and equalizing

Recording and playback equalization according to IEC standards differs depending on tape type.
Realizes high frequency extension with high frequency amplification circuit (ferrite head, etc.)
Optimize bias signal (high frequency magnetic vibration) to reduce distortion and noise

Dynamic range and S/N ratio

Normal type: S/N ratio of approximately 50-55dB

Chrome type: Approximately 60dB

Metal type: Performance approaching approximately 70dB

Advantages and disadvantages of cassette tapes

Advantages

Portable and easy to handle
Self-recording and editing possible
Easy music experience thanks to the spread of cassette players
Warm sound quality unique to analog

Disadvantages

Sound quality deteriorates due to tape wear and is a consumable item.
Sound quality fluctuates due to head dirt and equipment adjustments
No need to rewind or fast forward the tape
Inferior in frequency band and S/N ratio compared to CDs and digital sound sources

Contemporary significance of cassette tape culture

In recent years, cassette tapes have been reevaluated due to the return to analog and the resurgence of retro culture.

Demand as an indie and hip-hop release format
Original recording experience and the charm of physical media
For DIY use of recording equipment and audiophile collection.

summary

Cassette tape is a format that is both convenient and analog-like, occupying an important position in the history of music media.

With the improvement of materials and the development of recording technology, the sound quality has also evolved, and each type has different acoustic characteristics.

Although it is not as good as digital in terms of frequency band and S/N ratio, it continues to be loved for its warm tone and ease of operation.

List

Artist	Title	era	Genre	Comments
No Artist	Environments	1970s	Field recording/healing	Healing soundscape that captures the natural environment
The Art of Noise	In No Sense Nonsense	1987	Leftfield synth pop	Art pop x experimental, unique synth creation
Kiss	Rock And Roll Over	1976	70s hard rock	Japan's first edition cassette, cool vintage
Amany & The Badawist	Come on, Bassem	1996	Tribal/World Music	Middle Eastern/African tribal sounds
Thomas Newman	Scent Of A Woman	1992	Movie soundtrack	Original score tape for classic movies
Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen	Theme From Mission: Impossible	1996	Movie theme song	Official tape of the movie "Mission Impossible"
Dieselboy	The Director’s Cut	1998	Drum n Bass	Intense mix by American drum and bass DJ
Various	The Enjoy! Story	1988	Classic hip hop	Compilation from the early days of the Zulu Nation era
Run‑D.M.C.	King Of Rock	1985	Hip-hop/rock fusion	Pioneering popular rock and rap work
Dr. Dre	Let Me Ride	1992	Classic hip-hop/G-funk	Representative songs of the West Coast sound