TDK D True Mechanism Type 1 Cassette - A real TDK or Fake?

Here I take a look at stange 1979 TDK D, that may not be all that it appears to be...
Thanks to Gary Ray for taking part in this.
DECK USED : Nakamichi ZX-9
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[@tappel0]

I'm in the mood for wild speculation: Maybe TDK was outsourcing the production of the head cleaning tapes to some less than scrupulous manufacturer, who then decided to build a side business around those genuine TDK parts and molds.

[@CassetteComeback]

It could be plausible.

[@mikeedu8772]

@@CassetteComeback in uk

[@YamFZR93]

@@CassetteComeback I have an original one from 1975, it has the same colors, spine and outer logos and the gray C90 and red TRUE MECHANISM symbol, but the black J has all 3 addresses, Tokyo, New York and Germany, and also almost the same diagram and list of 7 items but the font and wording is noticeably different, the inside is all white with lime green lettering. The slip sheets do NOT have any dimples. The stripe on the label of the cassette itself is only on the right side BELOW the viewing window and it's thick black line and lime green line below. It has gold etched vertical hatch lines on the window, the shell is semi-translucent clear, Side A guide rollers have 6 spokes, Side B guide rollers are empty (same white plastic). Instead of a 120ms EQ normal label, it simply says in tiny letters MADE IN JAPAN and on the upper right there is the "Compact Cassette" logo. The case is completely clear and etched Made In Japan with a circle in the middle engraved 231A. There is also a black manufacturer's mark on top of the cassette shell that reads TDK AJC723. So it appears these were REAL, but the one you have is the forgery (or more likely, the 1979 version the FBI and TDK took issue with). What a great story, thanks for sharing, I always thought this one was unique anyway, and it sounds great.

[@grizzlyaddams3606]

@@YamFZR93 Could this be a strange case in which the fake is worth MORE than the REAL?!

[@namesurname4666]

@@grizzlyaddams3606 yes , fake /clone does not actually mean worse

[@midnightoil1814]

Bravo, Tony! Such interesting unbelievable historical investigation. Respect!

[@markstewart1807]

Well done Tony you’re thoroughness and attention to detail are commendable, and find your videos incredibly entertaining,educational and also a very relaxing and way of escaping this crazy time in which we are currently living in.

[@SynthTweakscom]

Great video as usual Tony! Nice touch interviewing Gary. Love the summary too. I agree. It doesn't matter! But it is intriguing.

[@JamesTaylor-lj1wu]

I've watched all the videos and love what you're doing with this channel. Just a quick message to say thanks for it all and that I really enjoyed this most unexpected one. Good stuff!

[@ivayloandonov4177]

Love this episode!I mean I love all the episodes but would be great to have more like this in the future-with guess with some good insight from either being involved directly into the manufacturing of cassettes and decks,some great stories from back in the days.Keep it up,bud,you already cost me nearly 800 euros for me buying an Onkyo deck,Nakamichi amplifier and german made Elac speakers :D Respect!

[@stevesstuff1450]

Nice one! Some good sluething with help from Gary, about this rather 'enigmatic' tape.... it sounded pretty decent too! Thanks for this very interesting video. :-)

[@anselmovieira6380]

Love your videos, Tony! I'm from Brazil, and these kind of topics are really fascinating. Since I was a little kid in late 70's cassstte tapes were part of my life. I never abandoned it. You channel is a real Oasis. Thanks a lot for you job.

[@ArturArocha]

Também acho.

[@lesrogers7310]

I really enjoyed the discussion around these tapes. Thank Tony and Gary for your valuable input.

[@Rick_Todd]

Very Interesting Tony , I can feel a New Channel starting " Cassette Detective " / Hope you and your family are all safe , Love from Manchester

[@CassetteComeback]

We're good. Hope you are too. It's a good idea, except for the fact I'm not that good at the detective stuff 😂

[@jvzn]

Wow, fascinating! Especially enjoyed the interview. Your theory about RAKS and the head cleaner cassette shells/cases make a lot of sense. They look and sound too good to be normal small-scale low quality counterfeits.

[@ZXRulezzz]

7:16 that pressure pad is so shy, it ran away into a corner

[@winni223]

The guy from the States, 'I just kept a couple of boxes for myself' :) You've made my day! Seriously, thanks for the interesting story and the investigation!

[@CassetteComeback]

Struggling musician, so you can forgive.

[@winni223]

@@CassetteComeback sure thing! :)

[@JohnSmith-pq7vn]

Great video again Tony. Much appreciate the effort you put into these vlogs. I agree that it is very strange for TDK never to have advertised these cassettes. I also think however that an out and out knock off also seems unlikely. Today it would be no problem, but manufacturing in the late 70's was a very different game, and counterfeiting at that sort of level was not so easily done. With the True Mechanism having been produced for a number of years, I would have thought that TDK could have had a big operation like that shut down if they wanted too. But who knows? As you said, it all just makes for a much more interesting story. I do have a couple of these tapes, and never gave it a thought before that they might not be genuine. All the best

[@leyland9999]

Great video! Producing the cassette and box in clear plastics (box is clear styrene) also saves costs, no pigments needed. I think the reason for emphasising “True mechanism” is because now you can see how well the mechanism is built. I have unscrewed both versionsnand other than the lack of pigment there are no differences at all. So, the regular D’s are true mechanisms as well…..TDK-D is a true standard, of all cassettes I have, the TDK-D and AD survived the best if it comes to resisting demagnetisation. BASF Chrome are the worst, all lacking the crystal clear reproduction they once had. That leaves no other option to re-record them.

[@MrPitatom]

Ok, this is mind blowing. Tony, I have a story that may back your interview with Gary. My Mother and Father are Greek, so back in the 1977 my family went to Greece for a holiday. While we were there, my Father bought a TDK-D "true mechanism" cassette. It appears that these tapes were being made for some time because I have a 1977 version of it. It still plays fine, and it has stood the test of time. I still have the cassette with me, and I'd like to share some photos of them with you. What is the best way to send you the pictures?

[@bekirbayburt6157]

Thanks for starting this channel.

[@JamesE707]

Must admit, I do not *ever* recall seeing these clear TDK D cassettes back in the late 1970s, if I did, believe me - I would have bought one! The first time I was aware of them was on your facebook pages, where obviously some members have uploaded images. As ever Tony, enjoyed your video!

[@YamFZR93]

I have an original from 1975. It looks like they tried to outsource them to RAKS in 1979 and decided to renege on the deal.

[@yanks1fan09]

The funny thing was that my dad was in the wholesale business at the time and he got a big stock of this to sell and they sold. It's still one of my favorites. I guess it was unique to the TDK line. Great video though. A nice lesson.

[@ramen6236]

Your Videos are like cassette asmr and I love it

[@georgepetrov7343]

Tony, great video, II watched it with interest. I bought True Mechanism TDK D-C90 from electronics store in Bulgaria in the spring of 1978. Absolutely certain about the time, these were my first casettes when I got my first cassette player Hitachi TRK 5030E. The clear plastic body and slip sheet are identical. The white on black print carton insert is identical. The only difference is that the back of the case is smooth clear plastic, yours has a rectangular texture pattern. I live in Florida now, but I still have the cassettes in my apartment in Bulgaria. Bulgaria borders Turkey and Greece, and further south is Cyprus... Combine this with the story of the gentleman from New York, your guess may be plausible... I listen to these tapes when I go back to Bulgaria and they sound the same as they were originally recorded on more than 40 years ago...original or not...

[@neilirish8640]

What an interesting story Tony ! You’ve been knocking out some great vids in lockdown - and now one involving potentially counterfeit TDK D s and FBI agents ! Whatever next ?! Congratulations on the 10k :)

[@CassetteComeback]

Cheers. It's taken a while. I don't think it will ever hit 20K

[@neilirish8640]

@@CassetteComeback This will never be a sport for the masses ! Thank goodness for that...

[@sh0t734]

I like what you're doing! Keep it up!

[@newtrussell1835]

honestly I don't get why these videos don't get more likes and views... I really like this content!

[@CassetteComeback]

It's a micro niche subject. In reality not many people are interested.

[@mapp4751]

nice work Tony quite detailed!

[@hifirulezzz]

you are talking about 0.5 dB difference on a cassette deck? pretty fine tapes. no issues with any of them.

[@danielc6925]

Nice video ! It's true. TDK D True Mechanism does look better than normal a D...

[@jamesdrake6200]

Tony, your videos are always awesome but I have to say, I really enjoyed this one a lot. Great work and I agree completely with your theories. I wondered if you'd touch on these tapes and of course, you did. Thank you.

[@m80116]

Nice interview and very useful service provided to the community. By the way... those seem very good tapes, probably similar or even better than the original D. I suspect this for a reason: if RAKS was commissioned to make a tape for TDK, and they probably did under the agreement they would eventually get a license, it's likely they chose a formula that was as close and as good or even better than the original TDK's D. And what brand was in business with RAKS at the time? BASF I believe were the ones providing the CrO2 pancakes for their Chromium Dioxide cassettes. BASF had the technology to match the performance of a TDK D, after all the IEC standards are based on BASF reference cassettes. So... good to know. A TDK which isn't a true TDK but certainly is branded and sounds like one.

[@Mouse2113]

Loved that video. Another spot, on the true mech there is no circle round the C for copyright logo like on the normal version on the j card

[@CassetteComeback]

Nice spot

[@boggsty]

Last time I came this early... nah I never come that early

[@carlfudger4528]

I grew up in NY and wonder if this is where they flooded the market with these. I have quite a few of the true mechanisms in my collection. Even have several new unopen ones. I haven't really played any cassettes in a long while but I intend on reintergrating cassettes back into my system soon, I will have to start experimenting.

[@zia-ud-dinshah4467]

Good morning sir I appreciate your this video I love it

[@gwEmbassy]

Great video, nice stories

[@christopherrigby2798]

Most intriguing because TDK always bigged up improvements in tape stock and shells across the range and the 'proper' D circa 1979 was a excellent budget tape.

[@ubtrippin9980]

Excellent episode!

[@Musicradio77Network]

I used to have the TDK D “True Mechanism” version since I was a kid, but it looks similar to the regular D, but the shells are different. The regular shell was light gray, and the other shell was clear, and the labels are the same, except the “True Mechanism” name was added. The US version was basically the same where it used the light gray shells, but the “True Mechanism” version in the US does not. The one I used to have as “Donna’s Tape” written on it, and it has music from a movie that it was recorded off of TV back in the 1980’s including songs from “Grease”, “Saturday Night Fever”, “Guys & Dolls”, “Rock & Roll Mom” and others, not the soundtrack albums, just recordings off of TV. There wasn’t a “True Mechanism” versions of the SA, MA, and SA-X.

[@CassetteComeback]

That's why I mean, if it was much better than the regular shells, sci only use it on the D?

[@mapp4751]

unrelated to this video,what brand of cassette deck do you favour,from price point,quality and reliablity? especially for those of us that cannot afford the high end stuff like your tasty Revox and Nakamichi! i am currently searching for a good vintage deck! Thank you!

[@stevenholt1867]

I wonder what happened to cassette decks with stereophonic microphone inputs.

[@markorendas1790]

WOW THIS IS LIKE A HIGH LEVEL INTERNATIONAL INTERPOL INVESTIGATION!!!!

[@CassetteComeback]

😂

[@Jim_2E0HKM]

Interesting video Tony as ever.. A cassette I really loved in the late 80s was the TDK Ferric! Came in multipacks in a brilliant white shell with a paper. Label on, the TDK was not in the usual type face, was a bullet proof cassette with good sound in any old player and never failed unlike the clown memorex which all ended up in bits in the bin after my boom box destroyed them. We're these fakes? They were bought from a major retailer, just can remember which.

[@CassetteComeback]

I have some of these. They weren't fakes as far as I can tell. They're just very obscure. UK only it seems and they used the short lived TDK! Japanese logo. Very decent and quite collectible now.

[@Jim_2E0HKM]

@@CassetteComeback yes, I managed to get some good quality 2nd hand ones in a collection of others but with writing on the inlays, they sound as good as the later FE in my deck so must be similar, good to know there not Fake

[@DougieFresh1970]

Today I scored a box of used vintage TDK 1977 & 1979.. D-C90 Precision Mechanism (green) AD-C90 Super Precision Mechanism (green) OD-C90 (green). Plus SONY that look to be vintage but not finding dates on the inserts. Even got one Nakamichi SX C-60. Thrift stores are the place to find these gems.

[@Badassvidsz]

Nice video i do love cassettes :-) What is the Aiwa model cassette deck under the Nakamichi ZX-9 at 18:00 ? It looks either like mine which is the ad-f850 or the ad-s950 which is identical yet is superior model it has dolby s calibration 400Hz & 10KHz tones

[@CassetteComeback]

It's the AD-S950. Brilliant deck and the one I've had the longest.

[@Badassvidsz]

@@CassetteComeback Sure it is if i judge from ad-f850 still having it since 1996 and playing like new yours ad-s950 is even superior .

[@robertg9894]

Hi there, first off let me start by saying, love the content I'm a long time subscriber. Love the cassette knowledge you put out. I would like to know if you can tell weather or not the cassette tape I have is real or fake. I have a TDK D90 now I dont have the case that a problem I assume but that's because I purchased the cassette at thrift shop. Is there in way I can email you the picture. And if its something interesting maybe you could feature it on your next video for other to get knowledge. I've tried looking for the exact cassette online but cant find any info.

[@CassetteComeback]

Glad you're enjoying the videos, but there are lots of fake cassettes out there. I don't want to become the fake cassette Hunter 😁

[@robertg9894]

@@CassetteComeback Well maybe I used poor choice of words. Maybe you can tell me about the type of cassette tape I have. If it's a good, decent, or just plain bad/knock off?

[@miguelque9102]

Last year someone on the local auction site sold tons of used blanks for 1~2 CNY per tape, and that's where I got these 60 and 90 minutes version of "True Mechanism". I thought these were just normal TDK D of the same era but intended for "professional usage", like what Maxell did with "Communicator". Well, at least it's a decent tape for its price.

[@Zankuho]

I still have a TDK D-C60 True Mechanism used since early 80s. Quality of its tape is so bad that regular 2-head deck can't do any good with this cassette regardless of calibration. Good job, Nakamichi!

[@comicmania2008]

Interesting, it sounded and looked great to me - wouldn't mind buying a couple of these at the right price. If they really were fake, they certainly went through a lot of trouble to counterfeit them and even make them sound really nice and to look more ''glam and blingy''! Maybe a dodgy TDK employee sourcing or stealing raw materials from TDK, putting them together in Turkey, then attempting to flood the market by supplying them from the the more respectable Cyprus! Nice investigation Tony, I hope we get to the truth, maybe someone will come forward to the group to put us out of the suspense? Great vid, enjoyed it!

[@CassetteComeback]

I doubt we will every know the true story, but the beat theory that has been thrown up since is that they were TDK destined for poorer markets, that somehow ended up on the "grey / black" market of countries they were never supposed to be sold in...and TDK tried to do something about it.

[@andreashagendorf8454]

Yes, it doesn't matter, but it makes up for a quite good story that's enjoyable to listen to.

[@flashback1123]

surprised you don't mention the difference in SMELL coming from the cassettes and from the cardboard J cards. Remember in the 80s you could tell which cassettes were FAKES by the smell. The FAKES smelt cheap. Oily smell and static on the plastic shells. The cardboard J cards on the FAKES reeked of cheap printing. colours would run when wet. And of course the loose cellophane around the fakes would often move when pressed by your fingers. Hope this helps. Enjoying your videos 👍👍👍

[@RoughJustice2k18]

Just like the Japan-made Maxell LN, UD and UR tape series of the early 1980's which had a strong smell when new - proving their freshness and how genuine they were.They were also better quality.

[@flashback1123]

I'm thinking more of the millions of fake TDK D cassettes in faded red/orange wrappers... just horrible! 😵

[@professionalvr]

I have a TDK D 90 True Mechanism cassette, which has a copyright year of 1975-1977. It lacks the address in Japan. The sheet on the inside has green lettering. The box on the outside isn't frosted as yours and it has a square on the right with "MADE IN JAPAN" written on it. The shell lacks the True Mechanism logo on it and the C-90 font is green. I'm wondering if my cassette is an earlier example of the said TDK D True Mechanism cassettes or not ?

[@simplifygoals]

professionalvr I also have one of these, It's a bit different.. Seems genuine TDK to me..

[@Konstantin_Terletskiy]

Nice interview! Interesting story, Tony, great! It was really nice to listen to Gary's story and your investigation. When I looked at Gary's SONY Walkman, I could understand what was a prototype of Soviet-made Elekronika-331-Stereo "walkman" (see rw6ase.narod.ru/00/mg_kp/elektronika331.html). It was also quite heavy metal shell guy with stereo microphones in it!!! Unfortunately, not a lot of them had been produced in late 1980s, so today they are extremely hard to find.But it was never called "Walkman", since it is SONY's trademark, just "portable cassette recorder". But the idea and look are very similar to that Gary's Walkman. Also pay attention that one of the pictures of that walkman was made with 1982 TDK D inside. The site says that tape recorder "was in experimental production by the Aliot Plant in Novovoronezh, Voronezh Region, Soviet Union since 1986 till 1989". Actually I remember seeing an advertisement of this recorder in one of 1986 issues of "RADIO" magazine. Also the picture with techical parameters says "Frequency response 40-10000 Hz at Type I tape, can use Type I tape for both record/playback, and Type II tape for playback only. Frequency response is specified for Soviet-made MK-60 cassettes". Watch video of this recorder here kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZWohKGOj9uresU&feature=emb_logo. Author of the video shows that the black recodrer even contains SONY head and motor inside.

[@manofreelsnrhythms]

Pls give me back those days...

[@Ale.K7]

Fascinating!!

[@kirkmooneyham]

So, what are the odds that some company later bought the original TDK machinery, and turned out fakes, but fakes mostly made on that equipment? They changed the things they had to change due to supply, and came up with the "True Mechanism" thing to account for that?

[@taunusv4power]

I was just scrolling through some eBay listings and there's a lot of cassettes with some used true mechanism tapes

[@nimam81]

My guess is these were genuine TDKs made for specific markets (ex. Third world countries). They probably had lower than optimal quality tapes inside. They were not intended for EU or North America. Other manufacturers have done it too. For example, Maxell, Sony, and Denon made their popular cassettes for the Iranian market with added text in Persian. As it sounds crazy to see the True Mechanism printed on these tapes, Japanese manufacturers did similar things in different ways to attract customers in third world countries and make them pay a little bit more. I bought a Panasonic TV in Middle East from an authorized distributor. There were two versions of the same TV. One was made in Malaysia and the other was made in Japan. The only differences between the two were “Made in Japan” printed on the front and “Made in Japan” labels attached to the back of the supposedly Japanese made TV. However, peeling off the labels in the back revealed the embossed “Made in Malaysia” on the back of the Japanese made TV. Panasonic would honor the warranty claims and serial numbers were genuine. TDK also had a factory in Iraq around the same time that manufactured TDK tapes for the local markets and they looked very similar to the genuine TDK Ds. TDK just didn’t sell these in EU, USA, or other first world markets and they didn’t want some one else illegally import them.

[@CassetteComeback]

It could well be. Thanks for sharing.

[@aadam-kz5my]

I like your theory.

[@PaulTaylor1]

Right. Sorry if this is a stupid question, but it's been gnawing away in the back of my mind. Why would the azimuth vary from one tape to another? I thought azimuth was a property of the deck itself? Once you've aligned it, shouldn't it be correct for all tapes (except ones recorded on a misaligned deck)?

[@CassetteComeback]

The azimuth is a part of anything that is the peak. The best part of a tape might not be right in the middle. It might be towards the centre or the edge. In reality, it's a small thing that mostly won't be noticed, but Nakamichi built record head azimuth adjustment because they wanted to make the ultimate.

[@bryede]

The cassette shell affects azimuth due to the fact that much of the tape guidance happens in the shell. The azimuth control is an attempt to compensate for slight differences in the angle of tape travel.

[@tranxvillanueva1092]

When this will become vintage i saw a original from 1999

[@nvo7024]

That was probably the most distressful video on this channel, if not the whole utube. I couldn't focus on the subject, instead looking at Gary then Tony then Gary and placing myself (53, grey beard, half-mad after a month of lockdown) in the picture ... Am I more like Tony or like Gary? No, I can't be "that" old... but wait maybe I am... As for the subject, IMO, the Cyprus-Turkey-RAKS connection is possible, but more likely that Cyprus was merely a "port of convenience", a place to launder true country of origin. The tapes, quite likely, have never been in or around Cyprus physically; paperwork is as fake as the merchandise (and much easier to fake...).

[@CassetteComeback]

Yeah, it's just a theory, but I can't think of anything that good that came from China, Singapore or Hong Kong at the time.

[@YamFZR93]

hahahaha, I'm not far behind you, and to make the crazy times even more impressive, I have one of those cassettes from 1975 and on one side I have a hippie group from 1968 and on the other side some Vaporwave ultra weird music from around 2015.

[@MyspaceNihilist]

This actually led me down a bit of a rabbit hole. I found a TDK catalogue that lists the 1994 SA-XS type 2 as 'having the lowest noise floor of an TDK tape ever'. Could you by chance look into that claim? I don't see how good a noise floor could be seeing as I don't think TDK ever made pure chromes.

[@TDKcassettes90]

Connor Mullins there was a TDK KR in like 1973-74 right before SA was developed, so i believe KR was their only pure chrome tape

[@kiirunavaara]

It is very well possible that the claim is correct. the early 90's versions of SA-X and SA-XS were some of the quietest FeCo tapes ever made, their S/N ratio always rivaling the contemporary BASF Chrome Super/Maxima, which must have been the quietest tape of them all, but with slightly lower MOL compared to the TDK products. I don't think the single layer KR tape from the early 70's already had as low noise as a late, refined double or triple layer FeCo like the SA-X and SA-XS.

[@mikegerrish3459]

The J-cards on the 'real' tapes have a grid pattern over-printed on the outside, like a watermark, that replicates the pattern on the black part of the case.

[@MarcovandenHout]

Would the manufacturing/serial numbers give any clue? They seem to follow a pattern though I couldn't find a breakdown of the code in a quick Google search.

[@waymorelonesome6446]

I've got one that says, on one line, TDK AXD722. That mean anything to anyone, I can't read my other one but it starts with Z and doesn't seem to say TDK or it's rubbed off.

[@kiirunavaara]

A fellow cassette lover has done some investigation on this: www.tapeheads.net/showpost.php?p=775354974&postcount=229

[@Musicradio77Network]

BTW, I just got a bunch of TDK “True Mechanism” D’s off of eBay about two weeks ago and it looks great, and it’s the same ones that I used to have since I was a kid. A lot of them are the 60-minute ones and a few 90-minute ones. Those were absolutely good than the regular D’s.

[@grizzlyaddams3606]

The C-60 is in Orange on the cassette. The 90 is Green on the J-card. Not sure about True Mechanism but I can dig the mystery. I wonder if these were sold in legitimate retail outlets? If so, someone would know if they were ordered from TDK or not.

[@flaghari]

Where can I send u a pic

[@toneyisaiah408]

I still can't believe that people don't listen to cassette tapes in 2020.

[@flaghari]

For Asia markets . I have 2 of these will show u someday .

[@umeshupadhyay...]

I have also got four to five cassettes of this TDK with some number on it printed as ACC 122 and the original recording of Dubai is good of Indian music but I just played only once on my ZX 7 cassette deck because this tape is depositing oxide particles on playback head and other moving parts.I did not throw it out but can not play also. It means in yhe area around middle east it was sold jn large numbers and it is not a true mechanism but true cassette mechamism.The colour of the reel tape is brown as you showed in your video. Umesh India.

[@nikolaykrotov8673]

Quick web search shows that those True mechanism cassettes were produced for commercial market and not for direct consumer sale. They look genuine and perform close enough to canonic D.

[@CassetteComeback]

So why have so many consumers got them and remember buying them retail?

[@LachezarDolmov]

This is true history!

[@manueldi_77]

I think they saved cost by using less printing colors for the C-90. This might be the reason why the C-60 is in color as they could use the red color for it...

[@CassetteComeback]

It's a good point. 3 colour printing. Red, orange and black...

[@fedepede04]

You could try to compare them to one of those Turkish tape, if you have one 😁

[@TomZ23]

If you notice there are only three colors printed. The tape contains red, black, and green. The case contains red, black, and orange. The gray is probably produced by a dithering process. It would have cost a lot more to include a fourth color, green on that cover. Just a thought...

[@CassetteComeback]

Yeah, you're not the first to mention this. I'm not a printer, but 4 colour printing is a lot more cost? The C60 just reused the orange for the 60. But why did they do it for the regular D and not the true mech?

[@TomZ23]

@@CassetteComeback Probably, another reason it may have been a counterfeit cassette saving money.

[@flaghari]

.Some TDK tapes say Japan or TDK on the edges .I have a old SAX in dark brown color.

[@FrightfulAccountant]

We should find someone that was on the FBI-case at the time, all we want to know about the whereabouts of the True Mech should still be in an archived file. The truth is out there.

[@Johnathan_Waters]

It was 1979... even that old as the hills mechanism must have been "the new hotness" at some point. I think that is what we're seeing here. Must have been a very big deal at the time!

[@jamesdurber88]

After looking about the internet, there seems to be lots of FBI raids regarding fake film and cassettes,, so its seemed to be a problem - billboard has quite a few small bits on these

[@CassetteComeback]

Yeah. I found some about SA and Sony cassettes.

[@EZ647]

Your theories about Raks are interesting, I almost believed. But even if that were true, from a certain point of view, it is still an original rejected by disputes between companies. I have a fake True mechanism in my collection, also on my website. I will send you the links privately or by e-mail if you are interested. I think the True Mechanism is just a marketing move and its only difference is in the transparency of the shell. To make matters worse, TDK had a branch in Iraq, Baghdad. They produced TDK cartridges as well as Eic cartridges.

[@CassetteComeback]

It's very plausible this was the case. It's also being said they could be for poorer markets, like the later T1, J, Fe etc, hence why they weren't "promoted" as such. Because they would be cheaper than the regular D, the thought is that they may have been "smuggled" into the primary markets that they were never intended for and so could be sold cheaper than the regular D. TDK didn't like this and got the authorities involved. Again, all theories, but at the moment, this is the one that makes the most sense to me give that after using a couple, they are as good as a regular D.

[@audio70]

I believe they are original tdk, as I have some of this type from the previous generation, 1975/1978, C60 and C90 and the internal components are identical to those of the normal TDK D, including the leader tape. I also have a really false TDK "true mechanism" from 1979/1980, which shows the terrible quality of the sheel, printing of the jcard and labels, as well as the poor quality of the case. These tapes must have been produced for a specific market.

[@CassetteComeback]

That seems to be the more likely theory that's developing. Made for poorer markets, like the later TDK J, B, T1 etc...and they never featured in any TDK adverts.

[@PaulTaylor1]

Observation - if you were a counterfeiter who had black, red and yellow ink in your printer, but no blue ink, you could have the C60 in orange - but you couldn't have the C90 in green... (This assumes that the stickers are genuine and not printed by the counterfeiter.)

[@luthiercremona]

Interesting video Tony!!By the way I saw this "True mechanism" cassette on sale, AND was planning to buy it, but after seeing this video..mmmm I woun't do it, even if it sounds better than the original one.I want to have the original cassette.Original cassettes have their mistic and taste that only Time can brings.Congrats for your channel!As somebody Said ....Finally something Interesting to see!!!! Best regards!Rafael

[@CassetteComeback]

"Finally something interesting to see" That hurts 😢

[@luthiercremona]

Hi Tony!!Sorry I'm afraid my comment was missnderstood,I wanted to mean your Channel Is very interesting AND all your videos a you made!!!I wasn't making reference to this particular video. sorry if I wasn't clear.Indeed I'm a big fun of your channel.Take into account that ny native language Is spanish.I Made all my efforts to write properly but sometimes I made mistakes.Sorry for the missunderstanding Hope this finds you well.Big Hi Tony from Argentina!Wating for your next video.Regards!Rafael

[@JamesE707]

Thought just occured to me, if these are TDK, might they be an older circa 1974/75 iron oxide stock? Grab and oldie TDK D, and compare? ;o)

[@CassetteComeback]

I did compare to it to the 72 D and they weren't the same...the 72 seems the same as the 79

[@JamesE707]

@@CassetteComeback Interesting, thanks Tony.

[@birishluck]

Stolen parts and they made a run for it for some quick cash. US caught them, but where else were they distributed? Nice vid!

[@GBOAF216]

I remember back in the day, the fake tapes were KDK branded, looked identical in every way in the packaging style and design except for the KDK branding.......

[@CassetteComeback]

Yeah, but they didn't perform as well as these and weren't as naughty, they would be classed today as an "homage" 😁

[@mikeedu8772]

Are cassette tape camping back

[@montynorth3009]

These True Mechanism cassettes are too good to be counterfeit. A counterfeiter would try to make a copy as near exact as possible in order to maintain his market,rather than come out broadcasting a new name and drawing attention to them. I think TDK are behind them,and I would speculate that it started as a bright marketing idea that was soon abandoned because they could not justify any advantage over the standard D. The reputation of TDK may have been a factor with the directors and why there are no historical records of these tapes. Like the Foreign Legion,they just want to forget.

[@CassetteComeback]

It's very plausible this was the case. It's also being said they could be for poorer markets, like the later T1, J, Fe etc

[@kiirunavaara]

There were several different counterfeits of the True Mechanism D, I have some myself, and out of what I can see of the example Gary is showing here, he has probably one of the fakes too: The label is improperly cut, the spacer around the erase tabs inside the shell has a more generic, rounded shape rather than the distinct square shape in the genuine TDK's of that time, and he talks about the sound quality being low. So I believe every word he is saying. Cool memory! Now here is my annoying "but"...: Tony, I really think you have a genuine TDK True Mechanism there. Zeddie also has a "real" one. I also have some. There were at least 5 different versions made by TDK. The earlier ones still have the multiple addresses on the j-card. The fact that they are not mentioned in any TDK ads we can find on the web is admittedly strange. On the other hand, my thought on this is that they were mostly sold in Near/Middle East markets. I have never seen them in the wild anywhere in continental (Western) Europe or Scandinavia. This might be why they are not included in the European and US ads. Also, I don't think the True Mechanism is to be considered as a step up compared to the regular D. It is rather a budget model with a fancy clear shell, performing the same as a D. (Yes, I've seen they are biasing a tad differntly, but still close enough for different batches of the same formula). The grey C-90 print is the only thing I don't understand, but still, this is consistent through all the different versions from 1972 to 1979. Even in later years, TDK continued the concept of putting the same tape into an alternative, clear shell. There was a DS and an AD-S: vintagecassettes.com/tdk/tdk_files/tdk_year/tdk_84j.htm Concerning Raks, I don't think they were involved. Everything about Raks cassettes is different: Tape, leader, shell construction, hubs, slip sheets, Norelco case... it would have been a huge effort for them to install toolings solely for the True Mechanism cassettes to make them look close enough to a real TDK product, and then not even continue to use it for their own brand. Hope I don't take away all the positive feelings about this video now, only because I come to a completely different conclusion, because I really like the investigation you've done :-)

[@CassetteComeback]

Hey, I don't say that they're fake or real. I present what I know and postulate on what they could be. I'm not convinced either way, in the end I think they're a decent cassette and worth having. I have no problem with differing opinions, I ask in the video for people's thoughts. Maybe someone can bring something to light about them, and you have expressed your doubts in a lucid, friendly way. I have no problem with being corrected, it's how we learn.

[@ychesnokov]

A cassette can tell a story...

[@roelc16]

The TDK D-90 True Mechanism tape is also listed at vintagecassettes in the catalogue of TDK in 1975-1978: vintagecassettes.com/tdk/tdk_files/tdk_year/tdk_75.htm But also in the catalogue of 1979-81 if I may believe vintagecassettes: vintagecassettes.com/tdk/tdk_files/tdk_year/tdk_79.htm Pretty strange, because blanc cassette shells are from a later time...

[@CassetteComeback]

Just because they're on there...

[@JamesE707]

It still doesn't mean they are TDK, much information today on the web is second hand. Only a TDK spokesperson could tell us I suppose?

[@Lavagemstomacal]

There's any good modern compact cassette player nowdays? The Broksonic TSG 45 have a great design, but is hard to find and some people say that they are very fragile. The compact cassette players that i've seen on Urban Outfitters and Amazon are the chinese ones, the design is terrible and people say that they sound like shit.

[@CassetteComeback]

Unfortunately there isn't...

[@AB-hx9hs]

Cyprus does not border Turkey; it is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean and don't have good relations with Turkey.

[@steveg5122]

It doesn't really matter at all. If the tape works, use it, right? Is it going to ruin your day, probably not

[@waymorelonesome6446]

I think they are real, but if there is nothing different about the "mechanism" they were probably destroying them for fear of a lawsuit, and the FBI just told people it was about counterfeiting. I have a C60 and C90 and they look pretty authentic. I also thought that the grey "90" was that colour because it was the same colour as the "True Mechanism" label so it was meant to distinguish it.

[@CassetteComeback]

So why is it still orange on the 60?

[@MihasLinkou]

This is a big mistake. This is the third generation of TDK “True Mechanism” from 1979. The first TDK “True Mechanism” cassette was made in 1975!

[@user-fy6sz8cy8u]

Nice cassette

[@otomobilmece]

TDK D True mecanism but not true.....it's fanny... infact very vintage and searching version from this unblievable history....thanks Tony...😎 ....RAKS is a Nice Quality Turkish tape cassette...We never know , maybe TDK influenced Raks to do a good job on quality cassettes produced...😀🧿

[@anthonynewcome128]

with the D being there best selling cassette, i guess this was the ideal test bed for customer feed back, as they would of got a lot out very quickly, not so much with the OD or AD. i guess they proved unreliable or just didnt sell that well or even just had no real world benefits over the D.. but i suspect very small minor tweaks were made to shell construction,slip sheet, guide rollers off the back of these for the whole range.......maybe

[@harrystevens3885]

At that time period for TDK to get Raks to make their cassettes would be like Coca-Cola getting Acme cola to make their drink. I personally think they are genuine Japanese TDK tapes. Fantastic interesting watch though.

[@CassetteComeback]

I was just ruminating...you could well be right.

[@harrystevens3885]

​@@CassetteComeback Of course Tony! It wasn't a criticism, in fact the entire video is brilliant, interesting and one of the best you have done and you have done many a good one. A thoroughly enjoyable watch.

[@tarstarkusz]

Don't forget that Turkey invaded and took over Cyprus in 1974. So Cyprus WAS Turkey in 1979. The Cypriots have still not booted them. This makes your theory even more sound.

[@bryede]

I wonder if any ex-TDK employees will ever be found who might know what was going on. Is it possible to compare the bias point to a '79 RAKS?

[@CassetteComeback]

If I had a Raks that old, I would have