Pics of your Favorite Cassette Tapes

[BlazeES]

No Scotch in my vault. Have to check on the others.

What about metals?
I think you have Sony pretty much covered and a few of the TDK's vintages ... but what about others?

Side note: The last time I recorded on Scotch was when they were 'current' with those weird, hinged clam cases. Oh wait, no I take that back ... it was few years later when I first became aware of Scotch FeCr's... those shed the chrome layer something bad inside the deck of my Cutlass Supreme.
Master III I think they were. Total garbage!
Now that's what you call dating one's self

 

[J!m]

And for me, I haven’t done exchanges until recently (just made dubs for myself historically) so I’ve not tried most brands.

But once I find something that works, I generally stick with it. SAs work for me. And even at today’s prices, “bang for the buck(s)” is there.

I recently worked with a Radio Shack type-II that was okay but nothing that would make me switch brands. If I did happen to find a type-II that outperforms the SA, and costs less per tape, I’d do it.

The Maxell XL-IIS is a fine tape but not less expensive than an SA. The version without the “S” is not good enough to compel me to switch.

Plus, I have a decent supply of SAs, with another 20 good used ones (although newer) on the way. You should expect any tape from me to be a TDK SA unless it’s someone else’s project.

 

[BlazeES]

J!m, SA's are great tapes and they've stood the test of time.

I stopped buying NOS a few years back, but one of my last purchases was a steal deal of a cache of these:



Pretty amazing tape on a capable deck.

And I'm with you, when you find that one tape that works - you stick with it. All my personal mixes go onto Metal Master 90's.
When digital went full fledged in the mid-nineties, they were attainable for a song. My vault is packed with them...

I have recordings on MM from the early nineties that still sound brilliant, with no drop outs.

 

[J!m]

I agree. I’m still using tapes I bought new in the 80’s. I’ve re-recorded (the same material) onto some of them, but they were stored with my commercial made tapes, and very few of those survived while the TDKs keep going.

 

[Elite-ist]

For Type IV, I don't believe I received any mix tapes recorded to Fuji FR Metal, or Triad/That's MG-X or MR-X.

Here's a nice That's EM-X90, I received from a friend who has had a few tape exchanges with me:





Nando.

 

[BlazeES]

Did you buy them?

No. I need more blank tape like a hole in the head. I have enough now to keep on truckin' with my own creations until I'm 100 years old & plenty left over for whatever mix tape exchanges come along ... and then some. I still look to see what's hiding on shelves but have no inclination to buy. The whole process of scoring deals on blank tape used to be sport for me ... now it's just a curiosity. But I laugh at all the prognosticators endlessly talking up prices no less. I seem to still find hordes lurking in all kinds of places for tapes less than 5 bux each that flippers are charging 4, 5 ... 10x that or more, on eBoy. I've always had that knack ...

I'm probably in the wrong line of work.

 

[BlazeES]

For Type IV, I don't believe I received any mix tapes recorded to Fuji FR Metal, or Triad/That's MG-X or MR-X.

Nando.

Ah, OK Nando. That opens it up a bit more...

 

[J!m]

BlazeES: any excess TDK metal tape you want to offload, I’m your sucker. Until I’m broke anyway.

 

[BlazeES]

BlazeES: any excess TDK metal tape you want to offload, I’m your sucker. Until I’m broke anyway.

I have sealed MA-XG 90's - the last run version with the green & black composite shells I'd be willing to sell.



If you're looking for MA's, MA-X's ... or early vintage clear shelled MA-R's or -XG's, nada.
The former aren't much better than SA's of any vintage IMHO and in some cases - "bad ju ju' ... and the latter are museum pieces.

 

[J!m]

Oh DAMN!

I’ll be sending you a PM shortly...

I've never even HELD one of those. That’s like Roswell technology right there.

 

[Elite-ist]

They are some serious purveyors of cassettes, here, Jim. I had a few MA-XG tapes gifted to me by a friend, and member, here - Scott (braxus.)



Speaking of TOTL TDK tapes, you might want to avert your gaze, momentarily, as I load up my Pioneer cassette changer:



Nando.

 

[BlazeES]

Like an Elite-ist Boss !

 

[orange]

Yeah but the price- $1100!!!!!

That's $11.00, and I didn't pay that much but I don't recall what it was as it was part of a purchase from Mike Shotwell.

 

[J!m]

They are some serious purveyors of cassettes, here, Jim. I had a few MA-XG tapes gifted to me by a friend, and member, here - Scott (braxus.)

View attachment 38787

Speaking of TOTL TDK tapes, you might want to avert your gaze, momentarily, as I load up my Pioneer cassette changer:

View attachment 38788

Nando.

I have the second picture in a place of honor, in the bathroom for, er, “private time”...

 

[orange]

I believe I do have a a sealed MA-XG, unless I sent if to Tasuke in a CARE package.

 

[Miracle Mile]

Some pics...

....

 

[Miracle Mile]

Sony...

 

[Elite-ist]

Nice photos on those cassettes, Miles.

Here is the widely-used, but dependable Maxell XL II:



Nando.

 

[J!m]

XL-II gets the job done.

I do prefer the “S” variant- that’s a stellar tape, and usually less than the SA-X.

 

[Elite-ist]

Here is a pack of 1983 TDK SA 90s recently advertised on CAM. It's a ten-pack of SA 90s with a bonus SA-X 90, all sealed for $120 CAD:





Nando.