If the vinyl record is a delicate piece of art, the Audio Cassette was the rugged, portable rebel of the music world. Introduced by Philips in 1963, it dominated the 70s, 80s, and early 90s because it was the first format that allowed people to "take their music with them" and—more importantly—record it themselves.

A "Deck" is a component designed to plug into a Home Audio Receiver. It doesn't have its own speakers; it focuses entirely on high-fidelity sound and recording.

• Single vs. Dual Decks: * Single Decks were often higher quality, focusing on one high-end motor and head.Dual Decks (The "Dubbing" King) allowed you to put a pre-recorded tape in "Well A" and a blank tape in "Well B" to make a copy. This is how the "Mixtape" culture was born.
• 3-Head Systems: Professional decks had separate heads for Erase, Record, and Play. This allowed you to listen to the recording while it was happening to ensure the quality was perfect.