Maxell UDXL-I - 1981 - US/EU
Another legendary cassette. At around this time (early 80's until about the late 80's) Maxell and their competitors were throwing everything and the kitchen sink into producing the best performing cassette tapes, period. The competition was real and it was all about manufacturing cassettes with the highest possible standards. The quality of the shells, design appeal, ergonomics, even the J-cards and labels got attention, and finally the actual tape formulation and performance.
This is a most nostalgic and definitely one of my favourites lines from Maxell. The other was the 1984-85 line up. Today is November 29, 2024 and nowhere on line can I find this version of this cassette in the C60 minutes length. I found a couple of the C90 lengths though. As far as a "collector's piece", I will suggest it here that with all tapes and different manufacturers, the C60 versions of any tape line-up, Maxell or any other manufacturer, they are always scarcer than their C90 counterparts. As to the why, you are welcome to speculate. I'm certain some out there, have actual facts about this.
Note: The wrappers have very light scuffing throughout, but there are no rips or cuts.
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 UDXL-I - 1981 - US/EU