📼 HOW, WHERE, AND WHY TO LISTEN TO CASSETTES NOW? | Most Popular Questions About Cassettes

December 28, 2025

For this Metakultura article, we spoke with Oleksandr, the founder of the cassette label "CTYC," to learn what it takes to listen to music on cassettes today, and most importantly, who this activity is for.

Currently, the audio cassette label "CTYC" (or Studio of Ukrainian Singers' Releases) has released over 50 works for Ukrainian artists. This project is the result of the ideas and engineering creativity of Oleksandr Balov and his assistant—a toy octopus named Bobynka.

On our website, you can find more than 30 cassettes from the "CTYC" label, and the number of people interested in listening to music in an unconventional way is growing. Thus, the number of questions about how to best do it is also increasing. So... let's figure it out together!

— Can cassettes really be used as intended?

Yes, of course!
Besides being a cool and unusual souvenir that you can give to a loved one, an audio cassette can also be listened to!
Moreover, sometimes secret bonus materials are released specifically for cassettes, which cannot be listened to online :)

— Why are cassettes becoming so popular?

A cassette is not just an archaic music medium. It is, first and foremost, a powerful tool for conveying the creator's ideas to listeners. It's a tool through which the author can convey not only what is recorded on their Bandcamp, SoundCloud, or Spotify, but also a piece of their own soul. That piece that fans will cherish in their memory, as if a sincere one-on-one conversation took place between them and the singer. No other medium provides this level of immersion into the favorite artist's work like a cassette does.

— How to use cassettes as intended?

Basically, it's very simple – buy a player, insert a cassette, press the Play button, and you're done! And you'll learn all the other nuances as you go along – we don't want to reveal all the details of your first journey into exploring analog technology (:

Video: t.me/SadsvitMusic Telegram channel

— Where can you buy a player now and which one to choose?

Players, in the format of a cassette player, music center, and cassette deck, can currently be purchased used on marketplaces such as OLX (check the player's functionality before buying), as well as new ones on AliExpress or in online stores (look for models like FiiO CP13, We Are Rewind, Teac w1200).

From our observations, truly high-quality used players have:

Dolby NR (Dolby B NR) noise reduction system,
aluminum body,
special rechargeable gumstick batteries

Examples of high-quality cassette players:

Panasonic RQ-S / RQ-SX model line (but for their maintenance or repair, you should contact a specialist)
Sony Walkman WM-GX / WM-EX (those with an aluminum body)

*When buying a used cassette player, we recommend immediately performing its preventative maintenance (replace all rubber belts, tension rollers (idlers), clean the tape transport mechanism and lubricate where necessary)

— Do cassettes need any special care and how durable are they?

With proper storage, an audio cassette can last a very long time, for decades. As for their care features – please, store your cassettes in a dry place at room temperature, avoid damp places and any magnets nearby (cassettes really do not like magnets nearby).

— Where can you buy cassettes by contemporary Ukrainian artists (how to support the cassette industry)?

Currently, several labels/publishers release new cassettes in Ukraine:

STUS;
DoYouWannaLofi;
Bloomed in September Tapes.

— Which releases should one start with to get acquainted with cassettes?

If you don't have cassettes in your own collection and want to start your acquaintance with this format, we recommend these albums:

*The list is only our recommendation. We are sure that each of you has a favorite album that you can listen to from beginning to end, so we advise you to start your acquaintance with it ☺️