![]() ![]() ![]() Music technology owes a profound “thank you” to him, and Shacknews offers best wishes and condolences to his friends and family following his passing. Lou Ottens had a profound effect on audio and formats as they have evolved even today, whether it was through the portable cassette or any of his other innovative work. Even further, as the versatility of portable audio expanded, Ottens would aid Phillips and Sony in transitioning to CD and digital formats and further pursing consumer accessibility to listen to music anywhere. Mixtapes of our favorite tracks could be arranged. Years of innovation upon the original design would bring simple consumer audio recording. Suddenly, we could change what artist we wanted to hear with just the swap of a cartridge. The cassette tape was Ottens’ answer to the large reel-to-reel tapes that provided high-quality sound but were seen as too clunky and expensive. Suddenly, we could listen to music wherever we wanted to if we had the device for it. ![]() The world of music changed after the cassette tape was invented. Reportedly, the original prototype of the cassette tape was a wooden form, but it was lost when Ottens’ apparently used it to as a prop for his jacket while changing a flat tire. "Lou was an extraordinary man who loved technology, even as his inventions had humble beginnings," said Philips Museum Director Olga Coolen. He was also a quirky fellow as noted by music technology experts. Ottens’ invention was eventually licensed to consumer electronics company Phillips, and the work they did together made cassettes an everyday staple of entertainment. Lou Ottens' efforts on the cassette tape would eventually go to Phillips for commercial use, but his invention had a profound effect on the entire audio industry for decades to come. The result of his work was the compact cassette, introduced officially in 1963. He wanted to make something that the every day consumer could afford and bring with them at their leisure. Ottens took on the task of reducing the size of audio down to a far more compact and portable form. The medium was high quality, but bulky and impractical outside of home listening. Far back in the 1960s, audio was still handled via large film. Lou Ottens’ passing was recently reported via Dutch news outlet NRC Handelsblad (thanks NPR), who listed his age at 94. Recently, the inventor of the cassette tape and part collaborator in creation of CD technology passed away at 94 years old. How would you have put together your favorite mix? What would you have jogged to? Are you even old enough to answer that question? Regardless, Dutch engineer Lou Ottens arguably had a huge influence on the trajectory of audio and playback for years to come. Ottens’s cassette tape was about half the width of RCA’s tape cartridge, which had been released in 1958, and ran at half speed, requiring less tape and further cutting down on size. What would life be like if the cassette tape had not been invented. ![]()
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