when James was 13-14 years old/techno tracks recorded onto cassette

[tllkt]

The album consists of ambient techno tracks recorded onto cassette reputedly dating as far back as 1985, when James was 13-14 years old. (From Selected Ambient Works 85–92 Wikipedia article.)

I have two questions about this sentence.

1. How would you read the "was 13-14 years old" part out loud? Is "was thirteen to fourteen years old" acceptable?
2. Why is there no indefinite article before "cassette"?

 

[Rover_KE]

1. Yes.

2. No article is necessary.

 

[teechar]

2. Why is there no indefinite article before "cassette"?

In the above, "cassette" is used as a class (type) of something, not as an instance (a singular object). Therefore, we do not use an article with it.

 

[tllkt]

In the above, "cassette" is used as a class (type) of something

Is it the same thing as "a movie shot on film"?

 

[emsr2d2]

Is it the same thing as "a movie shot on film"?

Yes, or an album recorded on vinyl.