Seems kind of quiet on the cassette side of things here at S2G ...... Wondering if any of my friends have experiences with TDK's last real metal formula cassette tape, MA-EX. Various tape lengths,C46, C60, C-74, C-90, maybe others. These were Japanese market items, I was fortunate to have a buddy who was residing in Yokohama, Japan, who exchanged a few ten packs with me during early 2000s. Once in a while you'll find MA-Ex cassettes on the ebay scene, but now, like many other premium metal formula cassette tapes, they are costly. Really good recording and playback performance (from my use). Any of you have opinions? Cheers, Bleusy ************
I've been trying to find all of my metal tapes that have been boxed up; mine are thrift store finds and metal tapes are very hard to find in the wild. Those must have been TDK's Swain Song in the waining days of cassettes. Audio Magazine rated the TDK MA-XG the best of 88 different tapes in 1990. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Audio/90s/Audio-1990-03.pdf
I'm not so sure those are Japanese exclusive... as I recall having seen a television ad for blank cassettes of the different lengths/runtime you mentioned, targeted at youth/CD listeners market. (Sigh) makes one think of how the availability of such tapes in the day would've "...hurt record sales!". I guess by the time these came to market, the record companies didn't really care anymore, and figured the future was in downloadable MP3s at that point.
TDK MA-EX cassette wrappers are predominantly Japanese text, partial English. When available commercially in Japan during early 2000s, there were not any available in USA. Perhaps European or South American, Middle Eastern or India or Australia countries ? Anyone have additional info to contribute ?? TDK MA-EX is likely one of the very best metal cassette tape products produced for use in mobile audio and walkman players, just study over the quoted performance specs on the wrapper. Extraordinarily good. Bleusy ************
Here's an old Japanese Website on the Wayback Machine, unfortunately some of the photos are gone. https://web.archive.org/web/20051211144156/http://homepage1.nifty.com:80/mkx/tape/index.htm And some Japanese Magazines with cassette information, you just need a translator.. https://translate.google.com/transl...,15700149,15700168,15700186,15700191,15700201 https://translate.googleusercontent...700201&usg=ALkJrhg_rhG5MP5q7vkDuFDa_QZ6ikEvjA
I'm looking at the TDK MA-R46 and the That's Q 90, and I'm waiting to see Cassette Comeback doa review of them both!
$19.00 USD in 1992 was big money, for a kid you were thinking, do I want to pay more for my tape than the album or CD cost me?
Oh-My-Gosh ..... And now days those same TDK MA-XGs as NOS fetch significantly more $$$'s I'd rather purchase a ten pack of MA-Ex than a couple MA-XGs. Now, just to be able to find some of those cassettes !!! https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...tleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=TDK+MA-EX+Cassettes Cheers, Bleusy ************
