Looking for a hifi unit with a cassette player

Middy

For my parents!

They have hundreds of tapes which they will not get rid of as some of their tapes - they have never been on sale in CD format.

They have downsized property and currently have the separate units in a stereo cabinet.

santer_2

What price range?

http://www.hifi-tower.co.uk/Auna-Stereo-Hifi-Twin-Cassette-Tape-Deck-CD-Player-Turntable-Vinyl-to-MP3-USB-Converter_i1370.htm

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/hfs-cd-music-system/cmt-eh15

almillar

Separate units? Well if the amp has a spare stereo phono unit, why not just buy a proper cassette HiFi separate? Richer Sounds want over £200 for once since they're so unpopular these days, but you'll find a glut of them on eBay (or to save postage look locally on Gumtree to save on postage). Treat them to a nice Nakamichi...

googler

Middy wrote: »

For my parents!

They have hundreds of tapes which they will not get rid of as some of their tapes - they have never been on sale in CD format.

They have downsized property and currently have the separate units in a stereo cabinet.

If they're happy with the current units (and can we assume that they're replacing a previous player?), then get them a standalone cassette deck. Second-hand ones are selling for (almost) peanuts on eBay.

Can you be more specific about what they have at the moment and how much you or they wish to spend?

macman

Couldn't help being reminded of this sketch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSINO6MKtco

malkie76

Would it not be better to transfer the tapes onto CD for permanent storage ? Either by paying someone to do it for you, or plugging a tape deck into your PC and creating your own CDs ?

googler

malkie76 wrote: »

Would it not be better to transfer the tapes onto CD for permanent storage ? Either by paying someone to do it for you, or plugging a tape deck into your PC and creating your own CDs ?

Why?

The tapes are already in the parents' house; for the sake of a few quid on a cassette deck, and 2-3 mins to connect it up, the parents have the means to play them.

With 'hundreds' of cassettes, it's going to take hundreads of hours to transfer them, surely?

...and the OP gives no indication that the parents have, or even want, a CD player.....

s_b

plus so long as tapes arent stored near any damp they will still work fine long after the cd copies fail to work

WhiteChristmas

If you've got a Heart Foundation electrical shop nearby, buy something from them. It might cost a tenner more than off Gumtree, but the smug glow you get from doing some good is worth twice that.

googler

More detail from the other thread -

"My parents have moved into a smaller property and looking for something to replace their existing music system. They have separate units at the moment in a stereo cabinet. They are 18-20 years old. in something like this.

Looking for a hifi unit that plays cassette tapes as they have hundreds of cassettes and refuse to get rid of them as some of music on there has never been available on CD.

Budget is around £150. Want a mini sized hifi system as the unit can sit on their CD cabinet."

buglawton

British Heart Foundation is a great idea, the branch near me has lots of such units. Play a cassette in it in their branch to make sure the sound is crisp & clear as the tape heads can wear out or might just be dirty - a quick clean with solvent on an ear-bud fixes this). Avoid the ones with dual cassette decks they tend to be worse quality.