Maxell XLII - 1986 - US
The first generation of this classic cassette that featured the oval shell that Maxell would be renowned for.
Has pronounced treble compared to its counterpart, the TDK SA. Best used with decks with bias adjustment. This however gives it great bass too.
When you get the bias right, this is a remarkably good cassette with superb dynamic range and low noise.
NOTE 1: 90 Minutes: Made for the US market. There are a few available. Compare... you now where... One example is at USD$21.44+shipping, with 17 watchers (?!).
NOTE 2: 90 Minutes: Canadian version with Blue seal "Super Sweepstakes". Only one available.
NOTE 3: 90 Minutes: B-Grade (B101): Canadian version with Blue seal "Super Sweepstakes". Front is perfect. Back has one rip and one light cut (not a deep cut).
NOTE 4: 90 Minutes: B-Grade (B102): Canadian version with Blue seal "Super Sweepstakes". Front is perfect. Two hairline cracks on the back.
About Maxell:
Maxell Holdings, Ltd. (日立マクセル株式会社 Hitachi Makuseru Kabushiki-gaisha), commonly known as Maxell, is a Japanese company that manufactures consumer electronics.
Maxell was formed in 1960, when a dry cell manufacturing plant was created at the company's headquarters in Ibaraki, Osaka. In 1961, Maxell Electric Industrial Company, Limited was created out of the dry battery and magnetic tape divisions of Nitto Electric Industrial Company, Limited (now Nitto Denko Corporation).
On March 18, 2014 the company was listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.[7]
The company's notable products are batteries—the company's name is a contraction of "maximum capacity dry cell"—wireless charging solutions, storage devices, computer tapes, professional broadcast tapes and functional materials.[4][5] In the past, the company manufactured recording media, including audio cassettes and blank VHS tapes, and recordable optical discs including CD-R/RW and DVD±RW.
On March 4, 2008, Maxell announced that they would outsource the manufacturing of their optical media.[6]
During the height of the Compact Audio Cassette's popularity, Maxell's audio cassettes were held in high regard, producing some of the finest examples of the standard available. The performance of the XLII-S (CrO2) and MX (pure metal particles) cassettes was regarded by many audiophiles to be the ultimate achievement in the pre digital domestic recording medium.
In the 1980s, Maxell became an icon of pop culture when it produced advertisements popularly known as "Blown Away Guy" for its line of audio cassettes. The original campaign conceived by Art Director Lars Anderson began as a two-page spread in Rolling Stone Magazine ad in 1980, and was made into television spots in 1981 which ran throughout the 1980s.[10]
Maxell audio cassettes are available in 46, 60, 90, 100, 120 and 150 minute lengths.
Maxell XLII - 1986 - US