To address Uncle_DaveO's question, Quantegy will soon stop delivering audio tape. They are the last gasp of the Ampex Electric Corporation, formerly located in Redwood City, California. Products from their current Alabama operation have never received the respect that earlier ones did, although designations like '456 Grand Master' are still sold.

The German company called BASF is now part of Emtec and they appear happy to sell recording tape, even blank cassettes. Several places on the net are listed including this one:

                      The Tape Company

Several other tape manufactures exist, many of them are located in Japan. Also, China will supply anything you want in the future as long as a profit can be made.
   
                      Here Is Emtec

As far as cassettes go, most people I know have always used TDK or Maxell anyway. Sony, Maxell, Emtec (=BASF), Panasonic, Ination, Quantum, Fuji,Taiyo Yuden and TDK are listed at the above web site. Buy case lots if you want to plan for the future.

Quality cassette cases are held together with screws. If things really get desperate, the case can be disassembled and reloaded with new tape.

Does anyone else think there should be a separate thread with a title such as "alternate recording techniques of the future" or "new technologies replacing tape and CD"?