New vs Old - Last Generation Maxell UR

[@glennhornbeek2165]

I thought I was the only one who cared about this type of stuff! I AM NOT ALONE!!! nice video!

[@TechieZeddie]

There are so many more of us out there. :) www.tapeheads.net

[@peacearchwa5103]

Thank you so much for your detailed inspection and testing. With the exception of Walmart's ONN cassettes (which reportedly have flimsy assembly), Maxell UR cassettes are the only new brand carried at retail stores in the US, so your evaluation is helpful. With the small resurgence of sales of blank and pre-recorded cassettes, one wonders if Maxell might continue this series by using a different manufacturer, even if it involves a price increase.

[@TechieZeddie]

Probably not. The market isn't big enough for a huge company like Maxell, even with us tapeheads. Looks like if we want new tapes, it'll be NAC, ATR, and FOX.

[@Musicradio77Network]

Techie Zeddie Or maybe one of the stores will be ready to sell Capture C60 cassettes replacing the Maxell UR’s, or maybe RTM Fox C60 cassettes will be making its way to the US at some point by 2020.

[@thespeez]

@@TechieZeddie - ATR? Who are they?

[@TechieZeddie]

@@thespeez www.atrtape.com/ - they make audio tape, including cassettes.

[@glennhornbeek2165]

The only good thing about CDs was the ease of making mix tapes! I taped so many CDs to those 90s Maxell tapes!

[@TechieZeddie]

So much easier now with streaming music and playlists! I use Google Play Music myself. I also find interesting things in KZbin to record, such as a kids cover of Tool songs, live concerts, etc. :)

[@gixxerboy555]

indeed

[@SterkeYerke5555]

LOL, we owe the CD much more than that. There's a huge amount of music going all the way back to the early 80s that's available digitally thanks to the CD, and therefore easy to share nowadays. Without the CD we would've had to digitize everything starting somewhere this century, if digital audio would even have taken off at all the way it did. That also implies everything would have to be remastered, 'cause analog masters don't really tend to make the most of digital audio. Bottom line: most music from the 80s and 90s that isn't very popular anymore would now be much harder to find and sound worse

[@jonathansoko1085]

2021 and they are still made and supplied, which is good. As long as Cassettes and player are still made and sold i cant really complain to much since these get the job done and arent expensive yet like type 2s. IF they do stop making these i am not looking forward to spending 100$ for 5 of them.

[@johnstark5324]

When I recapped my Teac C-3X I bought a shipping crate of 90 min UR tapes, 500 of em for $45 shipped! I'll never run out! The C-3X makes some damn nice recordings on UR and I calibrated it to UR. They are perfect for the boat as I would cry if I got some type II or Metal tapes full of salt water. Tapes for Catalina island on the cheep! They sound great pulling in Yellow tale! LOL!!!!

[@TechieZeddie]

Wow! I'd sell some for other tapes just to get some variety! I like how the URs sound, but after seeing so many for sale (and seems like you can still buy them new in stores) I get bored of them. I feel no hesitation to open one up, record, write on the labels and J card, give them away, etc. I don't have that many left of the ones I bought in 2018, but I don't feel bad using them up because I can just go to the corner Walgreen's and pick another 5 pack up (though they are relatively pricey at $10). I have lots of the previous generation URs that i originally owned in 2000, which is in way better condition than these yellowed hub URs. I probably should have asked for a refund. 🤷‍♀️

[@hirelingful]

amazing deal! by the time i actually need the tape for daily use, i want a similarly inexhaustible supply like that -- with my tascam you get like 22 minutes recording time from a C90. i'm going to end up hoarding mainly the EOL maxell URs... maybe a more "exotic" older type ii as a special treat once in a while.

[@RUfromthe40s]

I was taken by surprise when a friend who worked in the warehouse from the biggest comercial surface , he phoned me telling that they were going to incinerate all cassettes still in the warehouse and i took my biggest car a old mercedes from 71 ,the 350SE and filled it with boxes of C60 and C90 sa-x also from TDK the SA´s C90 and a lot of UX-pro from Sony ,i´m good for life as i only started to record again cassettes in 2017 when putting new belts on a pioneer CT-959 that had not work for a long time as i trade a new CT-S603S(only 4 monthes of work, still with warranty not with a date for anything it could have, the seller my friend would only then put a date on the warranty pappers, trade it for a BMW 2002 from 74 restored in mid 80´s and when having the money to buy it again as the FLEX function was perfect to make old good recorded cassettes sound new again, but at my friend store , tells me that sony is making a promotion of the midle range MD deck for what today is 250€ ,so i instead of buying the pioneer deck again with the same money i bought the MD deck and a extra cassette deck from sony ,simple without auto-reverse ,the reason why i only re-started to record cassettes again in 2017 ,also had a CD-R from pioneer with the litle turntable and the computer i had bought in 2002 had a already good CD rom and recordings were made on the computer as i downloaded all new album´s to record into a cd in wave and the minidisc was more to record compilations as i also bought a radio MD player for the car, but how good it sounded the cassettes in the CT-959 with only new belts ,some types of music with more filled sound sounded better recorded in cassette and only SA-X as i still have dozens of them and the others i refer ,this not counting perfect stored cassettes that never were played outside my home and still good to record by the hundreds, or maybe thousand and something. Now i do record cassettes and one of my three MD decks because they didn´t work for maybe 4 years started to have problems when executing the TOC ,i had to record again MD´s to avoid them to get out of work, as i took also some boxes of MD blanks from TDK all black when getting the cassettes ,this in 2004, the UR and Basf LH-extra I (till 1984,this last) were perfect type I cassettes, depending on the source a type I cassette can sound better than a type II if the deck is good, i used to buy AR´s and AD-X or only AD tapes from tdk and UR´s , XLI-S from maxell so i had all to re-record again, some were not perfect as it were the cassettes i bought to listen in the car but most of them are still perfect as i always took care of my cassettes and i was amazed by it´s sound after re-record them starting in 2017. Normally in a new system i had bought from Sony ES the first amplifier was a very good TA-F690ES but what even surprised me more was the sound of the sources this almost in direct sound , the turntable i had since 1974 had a new stylus and the akai deck i was using before i bought a ES from sony and with a Pioneer PD-7300 ,my first standart size cd player ,well the less good sounding source was the cd player as the cassettes and records had a more filled and deep sound while the cd sounded a bit steril but if i recorded a cassette from a cd , it sound a lot better than the cd , in my old Pioneer system the cd sounded better as it was a 78 integrated amplifier with some HPM-1100 bought already in the 80´s , and the new and expensive complete sony ES system wasn´t as good as the old with a 78 pioneer amp. but not bad just diferent in sound , today i sure am using a 70´s amp. as they sound a lot better with good modern speakers but the HPM´s were perfect for this amp., sorry for having refered to other matters than the cassette quality ,as the expression" U R, what?" makes a lot more sense to me today, as before i only bought them because they were perfect built and cheaper not thinking if it was better than others

[@barnabas5688]

Wilko in the UK sell these for £4 for a pack of 5. That's an absolute bargain - they may not look much, but I find they sound lovely

[@TechieZeddie]

I agree. After doing some recording on both tapes, I found the old one had dropouts. It's probably due to the way it was stored. It looks sun-beaten, so may not be a fair comparison. Even so, just standing on it's own, the new UR still sounds amazing for a tape that can be bought in 2019. Although they cost $10 for 5 at my local Walgreens.

[@comicmania2008]

Yeah, I've been buying them from Wilcos in my town in UK. They don't seem to be bad tapes to be honest, got some nice results with these tapes.

[@RUfromthe40s]

i think all UR´s are great tapes if one has a average deck or very good one but what surprised me the most was re-recording UR´s from 84 and 85 they sound amazing good when calibrating they seem perfect cassetes the next were also good but none like the first before there were the UL, bought 4 this last december and how amazed i was recording them in a technics 90´s deck with calibration in the CT-959 from Pioneer and in the DRM-800a from Denon, denon tapes are good but expensive and not made by other brand like all others that are from components brands, Denon are exclusivelly for Denon and very good cassettes,nakamichi decks are ok ,some of them but none better than a pioneer or teac and i have all top end models since 74 till 2000 and also a 680ZX, 700ZXL and a BX-2, the DRAGON is the worst deck i ever had but the ZX-9 works ok,the CR-7a also a fine deck, the cassette deck 1 also very good and thye XDR-1 allthough only took it from the box this last month of December

[@grbluen]

Thanks Zeddie! From a fellow Tapehead!

[@EddieJazzFan]

Did you notice the darker shelled cassette has a five screw construction while the newer one has only four screws.

[@TechieZeddie]

I did!

[@darinb.3273]

I heard you comment about the tape being exposed to sun light ... although that can definitely cause discoloration to ... other causes is simply the passage of time (chemicals used) or perhaps stored in a elevated temperature such as an attic ... in my experience those can cause such things like that ... if I'm not mistaken something about the acidity of the chemicals used at the time

[@TechieZeddie]

Yes, I did read about experience like that after I made the video. That could have happened here, too.

[@tobymummert3035]

I am from York Pennsylvania, USA and we do have Walgreens! We have them all over the place! I really lucked out last weekend because I went to a local record store that I've been shopping at for 25 plus years and Paul the owner had two cardboard boxes filled with sealed cassette tapes! There were Maxell UR's, BASF, Scotch, and I believe some Memorex. All normal bias. I picked out a sealed 15 pack Box of 2005'ish Maxell UR's and a sealed 2 pack Maxell UR's 1986. I got them for only $20 USD! Then yesterday I travel to another local record store that I've been dealing with for probably well over 25 years and I bought a currant sealed 7 pack Maxell UR's for $11.99 USD. I think the current UR's just look sharper then the previous UR's. I haven't had a chance to try them out yet on either my Yamaha KX- 390 or my Nakamichi CR-2A. I have had my experiences with UR's for many years and I've always had great luck with them so I don't have to try out any of the 2005 UR's but I am interested in the current UR's.

[@TechieZeddie]

Hmm... maybe I should ask some record stores to see if they have unsold blank cassettes in the back room, lol.

[@tobymummert3035]

@@TechieZeddie You should try to go to some of your local record stores and see if they do have any unsold sealed cassettes tapes in the back room! That's actually where the sealed 15 pack box of the Maxell UR's we're being kept! I'm seriously considering just going and buying the whole rest of them! The owner said I can get them for $1.50 USD EA. And the more I buy the less he will charge me! About probably 6 to 8 months ago he had another cardboard box filled with sealed High Bias cassette tapes which of course I bought a bunch for $1 USD EA even though there was a sealed block of Maxell UD-XLII's 90 min and a sealed block of TDK CD POWER 110 min, plus a rather rare PDMagnetics Type II 500 CROLYN 90 min ( made by DuPont, which my mother used to work at one of their facilities here in York PA back in the 1980s) along with one or two others then I can't remember off the top of my head at this time. Since I got back into collecting cassette tapes as a fun hobby, I've actually got some really good deals. Have you ever heard of Loran cassette tapes? They used to make them for automobile stereo demonstrations for Ford and perhaps one or two other car manufacturers in the late 1970s and 1980s. They had pre-recorded music on them for the demonstrations of course but they also sold blank recordable cassette tapes as well. Loran cassette tapes were designed with a rather thicker and sturdier shell that was very attractive that could withstand much more heat and sunlight then the average tape at that time. From what I understand, they were to be very, very good recordable cassette tapes as well. I was fortunate enough to come across 3 sealed a few months ago. I haven't gotten the chance to try them out yet but they look really sweet! Another tape to check out, is the 3M BLACKWATCH 2020 and 4040. These particular tapes which I only have two of because they were so very expensive, cost $8.99 USD EA back in the early 1990s. They were expensive and they were phenomenal cassette tapes! To this very day they were the best cassette tapes I have ever recorded on. I only bought two because they were so expensive!

[@hirelingful]

the last european maxell UR is pretty much the only cassette still readily available here in the UK. i'm in the process of restoring an old tascam porta-one, for which i'll eventually need a supply of new tapes. (it's calibrated for type ii, but...) the only other things i've been able to source cheaply are a bunch TDK FE 90s, some 1997 TDK-Ds i still had sealed, and a pack of 1998 sony FX(I?)s.

[@TechieZeddie]

Those 1997 TDK D are very good tapes! I think better than the current generation URs. If you can find sealed cassettes from the 90s from big brands, it's hard to go wrong. Even the current URs are decent if you can't get any new old-stock. Or look for used fancier tapes if cost is an issue. They can still sound good if taken care of properly.

[@hirelingful]

@@TechieZeddie it'll be a while before i get to try any of them out, so thanks for the tip re TDK-D!

[@nazcaplain]

I'd often wondered at the formulation changes of recent Maxell tapes so this is an informative comparison. My long fascination from the 80's to now with cassette recording on dozens of different decks has lead me to the conclusion that what's satisfyingly sufficient is a decent, well calendared normal bias tape recorded on a 3 head deck with manual bias controls as you obviously know. The other factor is having perfect azimuth, and that's the hard part. What's the point in making a tape for someone with a very expensive CRO2 or Metal tape if their azimuth is off or they're playing it on subpar equipment anyway? So I'm off to bid on a brick of UR tapes!

[@TechieZeddie]

I always stock up on good type I cassettes when the price is right for that exact reason. TDK D, Maxell UR, and Sony HF for me. I'd even buy Memorex dBS (the clown tapes) because they're pretty iconic and they perform very well, too.

[@cubdukat]

I've always wondered why having a tape head adjustable for azimuth was even a part of the spec for cassettes. They had to know that the lower you got on the build quality totem pole, that would be the most obvious weak link.

[@comicmania2008]

Hi Zeddie, have you tested any Sony tapes at all? I've just acquired a bunch of brand new HF90s and FX90s. Can't seem to find any proper reviews on these, but they seem really nice tapes! Good video btw, thanks for upload and showing these Maxell tapes, there doesn't seem to be many other types left to buy in the shops in the UK. Hope the stock doesn't dry up any time soon!

[@TechieZeddie]

I recorded on a last gen HF, and they are okay. The only one to avoid is the 95-96 version with the gray wrapper. They squeal, and I think partially because the pressure pad gets dry and really hard. It feels like pressed wood! I never had a FX. I don't think they were in the US.

[@MitchellHang]

I got an "Assembled in Korea with Japan and U.S. components" UR tape at a thrift store the other day, and checking online I also found a few URs that say "made/assembled in Mexico." I wonder what the quality of those is like.

[@TechieZeddie]

I think the year it's made is more telling. The newer ones (2000+) are most likely SKC tape (Korean). Very good tape, to be honest. SKC makes excellent tape they only seem to market and sell under their own name in Korea.

[@johnniewalker5344]

Amazon has lots of blank tapes, I like the TDK tapes, I have some left over also Maxell and a few RCA. I probably should do a comparison...I use an AIWA 3500 deck.

[@petervanvalderen9136]

Just bought a whole bunch from Amazon in Europe. Wrap looks different with a planet on front. If i read it well it is made in Hungary. Sounds pretty decent. Thank you for the cool vid.

[@TechieZeddie]

You're welcome! Cassette Comeback did a good video on the different European Maxell URs. I found it fascinating that your URs have different designs! I don't know if the tape pack is different or not.

[@sevcaczech5961]

There was never a production of Maxell cassettes in Hungary. Only the central dealership for Europe is there. Your UR is made in Malaysia, you will for sure find Malajsia writen on the bottom line on the backside of your UR.

[@sevcaczech5961]

@@TechieZeddie "a planet on front" version was/is widely available in Europe and also Tony had them in his review. ;)

[@TechieZeddie]

Yup. I watch his videos as well. The European URs look different than the US. My focus was the US URs.

[@petervanvalderen9136]

@@sevcaczech5961 you're right. I looked a second time. Distributor in Hungary. Made in Malaysia.

[@comicmania2008]

I haven't got a calibration setting on my deck (Aiwa AD F-460), but I have got a bias adjust! It's hard to know where to set this, I normally just leave it turned to 'normal / CrO2, it seems to work, I've had good recording results, but not sure my tapes could sound better perhaps!

[@TechieZeddie]

The way to use the bias on your deck (being a 2 head) is to record, then review the recording and compare to source. If it's too bright or too dull, you adjust the bias. Aiwa usually have a nice guide sticker on top of the deck that shows you the popular tapes of the time and where the dial should point at. If you stick with TDK SA, you can just leave it straight center. Maxell XLII needs it to be at the very beginning of the right teal section, basically turn slight right off center. For UR, you need to turn left off center into the blue section. www.walkman-archive.com/articles/guide-excellent-recordings_03.html

[@comicmania2008]

@@TechieZeddie Hi, thanks for getting back to me, I'll try that. I do already review my recording by recording a test piece. I'll bare in mind what you say though!

[@josecastano447]

Now that is one beautiful looking JVC tape deck!👍

[@TechieZeddie]

Thanks! I made it myself! 😂 Lol jk

[@bobosemlimit]

This Maxell UR uses this wrap since 1996. The difference is where was made or assembled. There´s Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea versions. The last I think is China. My last UR was a little bad tape, it was made in China. I bought it in 2007

[@TechieZeddie]

Nope. This wrapper was first used in 2002. 1996 has a different red wrapper. 1996-1997 vintagecassettes.com/maxell/maxell_files/umaxell96.htm 1998-1999 vintagecassettes.com/maxell/maxell_files/umaxell98.htm 2000-2001 vintagecassettes.com/maxell/maxell_files/umaxell00.htm 2002-2005 vintagecassettes.com/maxell/maxell_files/umaxell02.htm 2006+ Same wrapper but different shell and silk screen on the shell.

[@Miguelramirez-ow7ot]

You might get lucky and find these at Walgreens near the photo stuff. I seem them all time at bi-mart. Bi-mart is only in three states though...

[@TechieZeddie]

That's where I got mine in 2018! Walgreens

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

Walmart sells cassette tapes now, their ONN brand. Sure they are type 1 and not very good quality but they are NEW today in 2021

[@jaha_trini_2]

Hi Zeddie, The older tapes were actually made that way, there's no aging or anything involved. That's how they were made. Yup, the paper, the stickers, the j-card, everything.

[@TechieZeddie]

Really? I'll have to buy some older NOS (2000) URs to compare

[@jaha_trini_2]

@@TechieZeddie I really noticed it back in the day too! Some of the green URs use those cream hubs too!

[@TechieZeddie]

@@jaha_trini_2 the J cards look big funky and off color too though. It could just be the way mine were stored. They were in the closet for a long time, so no UV light, ut my parents don't have AC so maybe it's humidity.

[@Meerlu]

Are those Ikea Lack tables?

[@TechieZeddie]

Yes they are! They're glued together!

[@Meerlu]

@@TechieZeddie Heh, neat :)

[@Meerlu]

@@TechieZeddie I just got 6 of these, what kind of glue did you use? I have some wood glue.

[@TechieZeddie]

@@Meerlu I used some sort of double sided 3M squares to stick the feet of one table to the top of the other table. Holding strong still!

[@Meerlu]

@@TechieZeddie Heh, I ended up using blue tac :P

[@Badassvidsz]

I'm glad as a cassette lover - fun ? { you may call it as you like } i'm , that cassettes are still produced but i don't think cassettes of today have the same quality standards of 80s but yet again like i said i'm glad thay are still produced next is the cassette decks separates tho :-)

[@verastaki]

I purchased 2 more 5-Packs of Maxell UR 90 Minute Tapes at Fred Meyer, and there where 8 more 5-Pack Maxell UR 90 Minute Tapes left after I bought mine. 2 days later, there was only 3 more 5-Pack Maxell UR 90 Minute Tapes left. 3 days after that, none left, sold out! A week later on May 15, 2020, the price label for Maxell UR 90 Minute Tapes is completely removed, and replaced by Maxell CD-R/CD-RW Blank discs. Micro Cassettes also gone! Only stores I can still find Brand New, Blank Maxell UR 90 Minute Tapes is at Walgreen's: Maxell UR 90, Radio Shack: Maxell UR 120, 90, 60, F.Y.E.: Maxell UR 90, 60, K-Mart: Maxell UR 90, 60, Best Buy's: Maxell UR 90, 60, Three different Record/Music Stores: All: Maxell UR 120, 110, 90, 60. Is Maxell going to stop selling Blank Tapes soon? Since Fred Meyer's stopped selling them, so did some Walgreen's stores. We're going to end up buying Walmart's Onn Brand 90 & 60 Minute Tapes, if good, decent quality Maxell UR Tapes, the only good quality Blank Audio Compact Cassette Tapes left today, besides Onn & FOX RTM Blank Tapes. Please don't tell me that Maxell stopped producing Blank Compact Cassette Tapes.

[@TechieZeddie]

Unfortunately I heard they are :(. Only new tapes to buy are the Capture Series and RTM. ATR still selling but not sure if they are brand new tape or NOS.

[@daniellefko6527]

Old tapes are very good.

[@TheIslandDivision]

I was curious and had to go look. I found a Mexico made UR 90 in my supply. Physically it is the same as the Korean made.

[@TechieZeddie]

I believe they are assembled in Mexico but the tape itself is made in Korea.

[@Miguelramirez-ow7ot]

I know it's tempting but never buy onn cassettes from Walmart. Only thing those onn branded cassettes are good for would be for artsy fartsy stuff

[@TechieZeddie]

Not even for curiosity reasons? Do they wear out heads or something?

[@Miguelramirez-ow7ot]

@@TechieZeddie they're extremely noisy and cassette decks chew em up

[@TechieZeddie]

@@Miguelramirez-ow7ot thanks for the heads up!

[@AndyX]

sell me that classy jvc deck ,,im jealous

[@TechieZeddie]

You know...I'm not selling the JVC TD-V661, but I AM thinking about selling the TD-V531 though. It's still has some issues with getting the right mode, but I think it's just a matter of replacing the gear. I replaced it with something that has the same diameter and teeth count but it still not perfect. I finally found the gear on eBay but I don't want to spend any more money, effort, and time on it, since I already have 2 other good 3 head decks. www.ebay.com/itm/143578978734

[@victorcheaprum443]

are they mono or stereo?

[@TechieZeddie]

Depends on the equipment, not the tape.

[@howtobebasic2122]

the most embarrassing thing i bought was going to Walgreen's TODAY to pickup a 5 pack of Maxwell cassettes

[@TechieZeddie]

Why embarrassing?

[@howtobebasic2122]

@@TechieZeddie i'm surprised there still being sold these are probably the last new blank cassettes you can buy in stores today.

[@TechieZeddie]

@@howtobebasic2122 In store, yes. This or the Walmart ONN tapes, which are very bad. I also tested that out too. You can hear it for yourself!

[@howtobebasic2122]

@@TechieZeddie the ONN ones are basically a no name Chinese brand making el cheapo cassettes, heck there's 1 old lady in my church that still brings music on a cassette and we've told her to get in to the 21 century, meaning sooner or later we won't be able to play a cassette kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHS1iYSgf7mohNE&t=

[@TechieZeddie]

Cool video! Yeah for daily use these days, I wouldn't recommend cassettes either. Nice deck. Glad you got it fixed!

[@vasekk4504]

New Maxell cassette is very bad.A lot of iron oxide is released from tape. I recommend old Maxell tape

[@TechieZeddie]

How recent? The ones I got in 2017 were still good and I haven't experienced any oxide shedding with them.

[@Albee213]

These are decent tapes to copy CDs and play back in car or other cheaper stereos where you do not care so much about sound quality. I use them in my old Plymouth Grand Voyager that came with a cassette player stock. For recording and playing back on a decent sound system they are just not there. Even with the bias adjusted to get the most out of the high end running with Dolby B (forget about C) deadens the sound and you have to then crank the treble which increases the tape hiss. They are described perfectly on the back for what they are good for.

[@TechieZeddie]

Perhaps my ears aren't as golden as yours. I thought they sounded good on my decks and even my Aiwa "walkman" with the ath-m50x headphones. The only tape that sounds better is the TDK D, but I'd say not a huge difference.

[@DineshSingh-pr4ij]

13 Reasons Why

[@Vasiliy1971]

Greetings!Also sick of the topic of cassettes and cassette decks, of the cassettes of type 1, most like TDK D , and Sony Super EF 1988 blue and yellow.