Remember a Format Called L-Cassette (Elcassette)*

Does anyone remember a format i think was called-L-cassette.these were large looking cassette tape recorders.i think sony and marantz made them.never heard one but was always curious if they sounded any good.

 

This was over 20 years ago, so there could be a few errors in my recollections. I do recall that the format was actually called elcassette. It used 1/4 inch tape in a plastic cassette, so it was a sort of cross between reel to reel and compact cassette.

I never saw, or heard of, a Marantz machine, but Sony sold two recorders in the UK, the EL-5 & EL-7. They were silver in colour, and looked very much like the cassette machines of the day (only slightly bigger).

I did hear one of these (I can't remember which one) and it was very good, much better than just about all of the then available cassette machines, bar the expensive exotica. Unfortunately the format never caught on. I guess that the masses were happy enough with the sound quality from ordinary cassettes, and the audiophiles were using Revox or TEAC reel to reels, or Nakamichi or NEAL if they embraced cassettes at all.

I don't think that there were ever any portable or in-car elcassette players, so that probably didn't help the format gain acceptance. Second hand Sony elcassette player do occasionally appear here in the UK.

 

Spotlight Kid, I had posted a thread about this very subject a few weeks ago on the Music board and it just sat. I assumed I was in the wrong place. I saw several of these machines at the Frankfurt Audio Show back in '77 (I think). Sony, TEAC and I think one other brand. Anyway they were indeed a large format cassette tape that ran at 3 3/4 ips (same as 8 Tracks) this is double a standard cassette so S/N was better. The decks I heard sounded very good especially for the time. The only thing better was reel-to-reel at 7 1/2 or 15 ips. Unfortunately, as Mick said, they never caught on. This always puzzled me because at the time car cassette decks were just starting to sell but still not dominant and this format was much better sounding and as simple to use. Oddly enough they just sort of disappeared as quickly as the appeared never to be seen again. I never knew anyone who owned one and I’ve never seen one again. Another audiophile mystery….

 

They had a cult following for quite a while, a group of people that had new old stock for sale, unused blanks, that kind of thing. But I don't know if there is any interest anymore.

 

Is this the beastie?

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1330157120

 

yes Holy Zoo-that is it,but why would anyone want one now.with a cd recorder tape is out the window.

 

Well, it would be a good thing to buy if you had important tapes in that format that you wanted to play, and you didn't have a working machine.

And don't forget the nostalgia element.

But I agree, it wouldn't make any sense to buy it to *start* a new collection in that format.

 

Well HZ that's it but I'm not sure what good it is without any tapes (recorded or blank). I'll gotta tell you, if it had a box of blanks I'd be tempted to pick it up for my backup system but as is it's an albatross. Thanks for the link.