Update: aight, I'm keeping it. Check out my new next gen audio rig 3000:
I cleaned it out and it seems to work fine. The drive belts seem okay: not dry, but maybe a little loose, although the BPM of the music sounds about right. I paid $50 for it.
I have no bloody idea why I'd need it or would want to keep it. I just wanted to try it out, knowing that the store's policy is "no questions asked" if I return it within 30 days. Also, retro is fun...?๐คฃ
Honestly, same. Except I keep having to remind myself just before I buy a cassette deck that I have exactly one 30+ years old mix tape to play on it.
I like the idea of cassettes, and the mechanics. I enjoyed listening to cassettes back in the day, but I haven't kept the small collection (and anyway I'd cringe now at my music of that time).
I don't see much music available on tapes that I'd want to listen to now either, but I know in my gut that someday I'm going to buy a deck for my home stereo setup. Just because... I guess retro is fun, yeah? ๐