Maxell XLI-S - 1988 - US
If you are considering this cassette, it is very likely because you know their real value in terms of their capability and performance for exceptional sound reproduction. Some of these well-known Super Ferric tapes are now incredibly sought after because of one major reason. These will perform so well that if you close the "curtain" on someone and ask him what Type of tape they are listening to, most will not be able to tell. The main reason why these are superior is simple. They can be played on any basic cassette player, walkman, boombox, and all the way to the most sophisticated Nakamucho-like valued high-end cassette decks, without the need for the 70microseconds chrome/metal setting.NOTE: Wrappers show light scuffing throughout. No rips. Hazy see-through windows are a common annoyance of this run from Maxell, often making anyone second-guess themselves as to what it might actually be? Is it something that can be wiped off or is it... mold? Well, I decided to test this annoyance. Read below.
Personal NOTE: This Maxell line-up (1986~1991) has a very unusual and annoying hazy see-through window. I truly dislike this characteristic about this design, and so I decided to see for myself, if this haze could be removed (wiped-off clean?), or not? I unsealed a brand new MX with a bad wrapper, but with that annoying hazy window. I opened it right up, removed the screws, carefully removed the slip sheet off to the side, and proceeded to wipe off, or wipe down the window of that "easy" first shell. Lo and behold, wiping off the window worked beautifully! I always suspected it could not have been Maxell's intent to have that window looking so pathetically unclear. A mildly humid microfiber cloth with a bit of watered-down Windex and this hazy window was gone to make way for a super clean sharp-looking window. See the last picture of this collection. Cleaning the other more "difficult" shell and putting everything back properly, i.e. the slip sheet exactly where it should go, the tape pancake reels, the small metal plate, pressure felt pad, and the plastic tape guides in place was no easy feat as expected! Conclusion? If you are going to open one of these up for use, go that extra mile and wipe these "hazy" windows and enjoy these brilliant tapes from Maxell looking clear and sharp!
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 XLI-S - 1988 - US