Which one do you like better?

[hagais]

The blur on the first is too heavy so I chose the second one.

[MarcelLuettmann]

The blur on the first one could be even stronger (less DOF). Oen teh aperture even more and use deep focus fusion a.k.a. focus stacking to get the heart completely in focus.
Or, instead, pull out even more tape to enlarge the distance between the heart and the cassette.
As long as one could tell it's a cassette, the cassette is sharp enough, I'd say.

The viewer's focus should be on the heart. As strong as possible. A sharp cassette just distracts - shall I look at the heart? at the cassette? the heart? the cassette? where? It's like putting the horizon in the middle. Or having the restaurant's most expensive wine with an extra hot meal. Or opening two bottles of beer at the same time. Or going out with two girls. And a two-seats-Ferrari.

Let the viewer's eyes rest on the heart. Because that's what makes the photo a great photo.

Marcel

[dimitrz]

Depends on the context .....

In event of no context the second photo