TDK AR-X, why so good ?

R

rs1500us

New Around These Parts
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Sep 12, 2025
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I have been using AR-X 60 and I'm very impressed. I'm glad because I sold 80 TDK MA 110 tapes for $80 and bought these 8 AR-X 60 min tapes for $80.

Also, are 60 min tapes thicker than 90 min tapes ?

I'm also looking forward to using at least 7/8 Super ferrics(Sony, Maxell, TDK), all weird lengths (46, 48, 54 etc) that I traded for a mint but needing belts Integra 2056 deck.

Coming back to AR-X, hiss is barely audible on my Thiel CS3.6 speakers and it can take a lot of signal..
 
Wish I had the room for a pair. A pristine pair of 1.5s is still on my kind-of hunting list. I really like my current setup but would like to get back to having one set of speakers in the tiny room.
 
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Funny you say that you want a pristine pair of 1.5.

New cherry wood veneer
New set of drivers
Original boxes

Does this count as pristine ? I have been mulling to sell these..

Btw, all 1.5 models have a polypropylene ring behind the spyder of the mid/woof that degrades. For day-to-day use, it will not matter but for critical listening it matters. Coherent source service offers a repair but newer (same spec) drivers from them are a better alternative.
 
If you're going to get them, either get 2.2 (2 2 later due to Bose patent crap) model or the higher ones above 3.5.

3.5 used the separate EQ box to correct low frequencies. I never understood this other than to meet a price point on the 3.5 speaker maybe? Jim took half the crossover and stuck it into an external box. I guess we'll never know the reasoning, but it is sub-optimal.
 
Usually C60 are thicker than C90 tapes, so they can handle a little more signal before saturation.
Also cassette decks recording calibration and rec/play performance measurements are performed with C60 cassettes.
 
rs1500us said:
Funny you say that you want a pristine pair of 1.5.

New cherry wood veneer
New set of drivers
Original boxes

Does this count as pristine ? I have been mulling to sell these..

Btw, all 1.5 models have a polypropylene ring behind the spyder of the mid/woof that degrades. For day-to-day use, it will not matter but for critical listening it matters. Coherent source service offers a repair but newer (same spec) drivers from them are a better alternative.
Click to expand...

Something different is down the road for me. The system sounds good and after my expenses this summer (new truck, all new appliances, new wiring in the house), I need to put some money back in the bank. I'll keep them in the back of my mind, though.
 
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