Buying 8-Track Tape Players and Tapes

Although they are somewhat unreliable, owning an 8-track player expands the variety of music you can listen to, and the cost of buying 8-track music tapes is sometimes less than that of equivalent cassettes or compact discs. Unlike record, CD, or cassette players, 8-track tape players and tapes are no longer being manufactured; however, you can still purchase them affordably if you know where to look. Some factors should be taken into consideration so as to make the best purchase of tapes or players, as well.

Some locations where you can find 8-track tape players for sale are eBay.com, thrift shops, yard/garage sales, and flea markets. Because not all people selling them have any tapes, some eBay sellers offer 8-track players "as is" and "untested"; it is generally not a good idea to purchase these unless they come with other desirable items, considering the relatively unreliable nature of these machines. However, if the cost is very low it may be worth taking a risk. Some 8-track tape players have additional built-in features, like a radio, record player, or digital clock.

Portable units with handles can be found (most require many batteries), as well as larger tabletop units and models designed for automobile installation. Although less common than cassette recorders, it is possible to purchase 8-track players which can also record to a tape. Most are fairly large and somewhat more expensive than regular units; they should not be confused with newer 8-track hard disk sound recording devices. For additional functionality, consider adding a cassette tape adapter to the 8-track player; this enables it to play regular cassette tapes as well, and they are frequently sold on eBay for under $20 (including shipping costs). Quadraphonic players are harder to find and more expensive, but can play special "Quad" tapes. According to wikipedia.org, these were most popular in the early '70s and offer four sound channels for improved audio quality.

8-track tapes can be purchased at the same sort of places, and sometimes appear in large piles at garage sales, used merchandise stores, or thrift shops. On eBay.com, buying them in large lots/groups (ten or more) is more economical, in which they sell (often all are a single type of music) for about $0.40-$0.70 per tape, with some exceptions. Buying a single tape on eBay can range anywhere from about $4-$60, with most closer to $5-10. Higher quality "Quad" tapes are usually the most expensive and should be played using Quadrophonic 8-track players. It is preferable to buy a tape which the seller has tested and confirmed that it works, as they are more likely to have failed than an old cassette tape or record. Wikipedia.org indicates that they are sometimes possible to repair, using various methods.

Some additional 8-track items, including repair & cleaning supplies, can be found on other websites, such as 8-track-shack.com and ecrater.com. Google Product Search can be useful for finding them.