Maxell UR or Sony HF?
- Thread starter Makymak
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Both Sony and Maxell are for Europe market. The Sony is somewhere 2000 while the Maxell is early 90s. I have this version of the Sony HF and is ok. Nothing special, quite equal to the D of the same era. My bet is on the UR because they are older, should they being better? On the other hand, the UR where the bottom line of the Maxell products. Something like TDK B/FE and Sony EF.
TDK D is indeed the greatest of all. But I can't find them in large quantities while the other two (UR and HF) are ready available and at reasonable price. I'm jealous that at US and Canada can still buy the D in large quantities and very cheap. Here in Europe the things are different...
TDK D is indeed the greatest of all. But I can't find them in large quantities while the other two (UR and HF) are ready available and at reasonable price. I'm jealous that at US and Canada can still buy the D in large quantities and very cheap. Here in Europe the things are different...
I think the time is buy is now that the market is flooded? I think FB is a good places to buy and you can get a better deal. I just picked up 24 Maxwell UR 90 all sealed for $25.00 that night, I Like the clear tapes for testing and they look cool. I also bought some Maxell XLII off E-bay for 9 Sealed for $7.75. Back in the day I thought TDK was the best But I'm not that concerned about it now. I Sticking w TDK and Maxwell. TDK Cost more.
So when did TDK and Maxwell stop making them?
Its amazing their that many for sale.
what do you think of used , not seal tapes? Pro and Cons
So when did TDK and Maxwell stop making them?
Its amazing their that many for sale.
what do you think of used , not seal tapes? Pro and Cons
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I can find some sparce lots at FB. But, again, nothing special.
TDK (Imation) ceased production somewhere late 2000s or early 2010s. Maxell offered the last version of UR till 2018-2019 or something like that. Interesting is that at Maxell of Australia the UR is still on their products catalog.
Buying secondhand cassettes is quite a risk. The main advantage is the price. But the risk is the condition of the tape. I have bought a lot of used TDK SA and Maxell XL-II. With the Maxells I never had a problem but with the SAs it was hit or miss. Many were railroaded and chewed beyond useful condition. It's how the previous user had taken care of. And this is something that can't be found before buying.
PS. I'm just listening a recording of "Born in the USA" LP on a last generation UR at my RS-B965. It sounds good. Very damn good for the cheapest of the cheap cassette ever.
TDK (Imation) ceased production somewhere late 2000s or early 2010s. Maxell offered the last version of UR till 2018-2019 or something like that. Interesting is that at Maxell of Australia the UR is still on their products catalog.
Buying secondhand cassettes is quite a risk. The main advantage is the price. But the risk is the condition of the tape. I have bought a lot of used TDK SA and Maxell XL-II. With the Maxells I never had a problem but with the SAs it was hit or miss. Many were railroaded and chewed beyond useful condition. It's how the previous user had taken care of. And this is something that can't be found before buying.
PS. I'm just listening a recording of "Born in the USA" LP on a last generation UR at my RS-B965. It sounds good. Very damn good for the cheapest of the cheap cassette ever.
I posted a very large excel sheet with comprehensive data on TDK SA tape.
The "legends" prevail of railroading, cupping, dishing and chewed tape, and I was in a position to collect REAL data from a large lot of used SA tapes I had (at that time) recently acquired. It is posted on TH somewhere, but some searching there should find it.
My conclusions were that yes, those things happen. And that they happen to ALL tape brands. The reason for TDK being the main target for these "problems" is simply the volume of TDK tapes sold globally- there are just more of them out there, and like everything else, you only hear the "bad" news. But the percentage of "failure" is no more than any other brand, based on my data. Note that the tendency for this to happen increases with tape thickness reduction. Up to 90 min TDK tape the issue is "average"- in line with others, but as you move to thinner 100+ minute tapes, the problems get worse. Add to that the general condition of 40+ year old tape decks with questionable maintenance, and all of a sudden there is a "crisis" with "bad" tape.
I have SA tapes I recorded in the mid-80's that still sound fine. And that big lot of used tapes was several vintages, several lots within each vintage and totally unknown treatment (temperature swing, cased or not, shock/vibration) prior to my receiving them. So, they represented a good sample of "used" tape.
Another neat data point is consistency. SA tapes starting in 1983 (when the tape color went to a dark chocolate brown from milk chocolate brown) right through to the bitter end with the shit glued shells, all perform and bias very closely to one another. Like laboratory test consistency. I found that to be the most impressive data point over all the others. If you have a deck where you cannot set fine bias manually every time you record, having a deck set for SA tape will always record well regardless of tape vintage (post-83).
The "legends" prevail of railroading, cupping, dishing and chewed tape, and I was in a position to collect REAL data from a large lot of used SA tapes I had (at that time) recently acquired. It is posted on TH somewhere, but some searching there should find it.
My conclusions were that yes, those things happen. And that they happen to ALL tape brands. The reason for TDK being the main target for these "problems" is simply the volume of TDK tapes sold globally- there are just more of them out there, and like everything else, you only hear the "bad" news. But the percentage of "failure" is no more than any other brand, based on my data. Note that the tendency for this to happen increases with tape thickness reduction. Up to 90 min TDK tape the issue is "average"- in line with others, but as you move to thinner 100+ minute tapes, the problems get worse. Add to that the general condition of 40+ year old tape decks with questionable maintenance, and all of a sudden there is a "crisis" with "bad" tape.
I have SA tapes I recorded in the mid-80's that still sound fine. And that big lot of used tapes was several vintages, several lots within each vintage and totally unknown treatment (temperature swing, cased or not, shock/vibration) prior to my receiving them. So, they represented a good sample of "used" tape.
Another neat data point is consistency. SA tapes starting in 1983 (when the tape color went to a dark chocolate brown from milk chocolate brown) right through to the bitter end with the shit glued shells, all perform and bias very closely to one another. Like laboratory test consistency. I found that to be the most impressive data point over all the others. If you have a deck where you cannot set fine bias manually every time you record, having a deck set for SA tape will always record well regardless of tape vintage (post-83).
I don't blame SAs. They are good tapes. That's why I wrote "it's how the previous user has taken care of".
Unfortunately, though, it has been proven with tests that some of the later SAs are prone to railroading from the very first pass. And the reason is the rollers. The user can't prevent it. And it's not possible to replace the rollers before use. But don't go into this rabbit hole. As I said above, they are good tapes.
Unfortunately, though, it has been proven with tests that some of the later SAs are prone to railroading from the very first pass. And the reason is the rollers. The user can't prevent it. And it's not possible to replace the rollers before use. But don't go into this rabbit hole. As I said above, they are good tapes.
I don't like the seal plastic case, I seen on YouTube People drilling them out. I also seen the rollers inside the tape wobbling to much , wondering in I should out some grease on them, do they make updated rollers?
Also I just remembered, Like you said and Cars,,, and what a bad place for cassette tapes to hang out at and add the car cassette Player probaley never been cleaned.
Also I just remembered, Like you said and Cars,,, and what a bad place for cassette tapes to hang out at and add the car cassette Player probaley never been cleaned.
After using samples of both tapes, I chose the UR. For some reason, my Technics like the Maxells more than any other brand. With Maxell I get the least coloration, making practically the recording indistinguishable from the source. Don't get me wrong, still D is a great tape. But UR gives me more accurate recordings. So does XL-II against SA. But still, SA is a great tape.
Right now, I'm recording on the first UR. For rock and metal a plain ferric does the job satisfying enough!
Right now, I'm recording on the first UR. For rock and metal a plain ferric does the job satisfying enough!
It's all about what the deck is set up for.
The stock, or last setting of, the internal bias may be/have been for the Maxell tape. It's fine tape- nothing wrong with it at all. (I like XL-IIS tape a lot)
If you adjust the bias, you could make it "right" for SA instead. Or any other tape you find a huge hoard of 100 NOS tapes of.
My boom box was originally set up for type I and type IV tape (1983 "Metal" tape capability bandwagon skipped the Type II completely) but I had ESL adjust the bias to suit D and SA tape specifically when they had it. I never did (unless SA were out of stock), and never will go to metal tape for recording. They put a trim pot inside so it can be re-biased for Metal in the future.
The stock, or last setting of, the internal bias may be/have been for the Maxell tape. It's fine tape- nothing wrong with it at all. (I like XL-IIS tape a lot)
If you adjust the bias, you could make it "right" for SA instead. Or any other tape you find a huge hoard of 100 NOS tapes of.
My boom box was originally set up for type I and type IV tape (1983 "Metal" tape capability bandwagon skipped the Type II completely) but I had ESL adjust the bias to suit D and SA tape specifically when they had it. I never did (unless SA were out of stock), and never will go to metal tape for recording. They put a trim pot inside so it can be re-biased for Metal in the future.
Good Input
I also been looking into different tapes, I like The Maxell's and I heard they are still good over time and the older Type 2 have lost a little. The Sony also are really good and some of them really run smooth w less noise . Some of the TDK have not been good over time. The TDK "D" and the Metal "MA" are still been good over time and don't Curl or Railroad. Some of my old TDK Sa don't sound good But could be a lot of factors and have not really tested them but I'm saying away from the TDK Chrome.
I have bought a Bunch of tapes this month And I will be trying them out. Maxwell Type 2, Maxwell UR, TDK Ma, TDK D, and I bought a lot of Sony Tape which that will be coming this week and Sony has a lot of different type 1 and Chrome tape.
Storage is also a Big Factor w any tape and if they are Sealed they are still Old.
I also been looking into different tapes, I like The Maxell's and I heard they are still good over time and the older Type 2 have lost a little. The Sony also are really good and some of them really run smooth w less noise . Some of the TDK have not been good over time. The TDK "D" and the Metal "MA" are still been good over time and don't Curl or Railroad. Some of my old TDK Sa don't sound good But could be a lot of factors and have not really tested them but I'm saying away from the TDK Chrome.
I have bought a Bunch of tapes this month And I will be trying them out. Maxwell Type 2, Maxwell UR, TDK Ma, TDK D, and I bought a lot of Sony Tape which that will be coming this week and Sony has a lot of different type 1 and Chrome tape.
Storage is also a Big Factor w any tape and if they are Sealed they are still Old.