Often your local Goodwill store, and other charity shops, can be a place to find used cassette tapes - generally at very attractive prices.

I have played stereo cassette tapes in this boombox, and can verify that you get true stereo sound out of the boombox from them. The same is true when tuned in to fm stereo stations, and when playing stereo mp3 files from a usb stick. An added note - the mp3 files obtained from copying stereo cassette tapes using this boombox are also true stereo.

With the appropriate cable or cable adapter you can plug the output from your amp directly to the AUX Input on the side of the boombox. You can then record to the cassette recorder. There are no controls on the boombox to provide fade-in fade-out, however.

The boombox comes with an ac cord to plug it into a wall socket. You use it to charge the built-in internal rechargeable battery. The hours of airplay you get on a full charge will depend on how it is being used: the loudness setting for the speakers, whether you are using bluetooth, whether you are playing or recording with the cassette player/recorder. With the speakers set to moderate volume for a small room and playing the radio I have run the radio for 10 hours with no problem.