If you look at the Kickstarter page for the "It's OK" Bluetooth cassette recorder, a lot of people are backing out when they realize it's mono. So now the people running the Kickstarter are saying "we are working with our supplier to improve the sound quality" -- whatever that means!
It means tens of thousands of re-tooling if what they're saying to me is true. Theyv said to me that they're making the it's OK too. I could just be being taken for a ride. You never know when you just communicate over email...
I asked NIMN Lab about the "It's OK" player and they said "It is a mono cassette player. We are upgrading the sound of the player." So no stereo upgrade.
Great video once again! I was one of the persistent HX-S video requesters and this did not disappoint, a very well rounded and honest review. Was prob around 10 years old when these were about and despite being a tape Top 40 recording nut it was all old D90's and Agfas back then, HX-S was way too exotic and out of my range, but was aware of them thru geeky audiophile uncles who waxed lyrical about TDK's finest. A strong nostalgia trip then, keep 'em coming! :-)
@Cassette Comback The folks that marketed these tapes are still alive! It would be interesting to see if you could track some of these people down (at TDK, Maxell, Denon,ect) and do short interviews with them about the origins and background of the specific tapes. Maybe if you contact these companies today they still have some of the old employee info and could direct you to them. I know it's a shot in the dark but, just a thought.
I'm not sure it isn't. The only real way to tell is to get a LOT of press and do a crowdsourcing campaign. A campaign would give a much better gauge for how much demand is out there. Of course, one of the major problems with all of the decks being made today is that they all have the same base mechanism. I have a memorex branded boombox from the late 90s with the same mechanism in it and it ain't very good. The used market does put an upper limit on a mid-tier deck produced today. Because if you are going to be spending a hundred or a hundred fifty dollars, you can probably get a very good quality used walkman.
Had a truly truly bad day at work thursday. The wife is driving me crazy and has gone to her mothers. Felt extremely low all yesterday. What did i do all yesterday and evening?? Watched every video here on this channel, it cheered me up a lot.... thanks for these.
Back in the day, the SA-XS literally blew me away. I have been a huge fan of the '88 SA-X and remember to have felt a bit let down with the '90 SA-X lineup. But then the gorgeous and great-sounding SA-XS came along. The triple coating got rid of the SA-X's sensitivity issues and the usual 3kHz frequency response dent of dual coating tape formulations. Too bad it only lasted for about 4-5 years. But while it lasted, my old trustworty Kenwood 3010 never sounded better, not even with the MA-XG.
Sven Schwingel And let’s not forget the OD cassette. TDK did put out the OD cassette from 1979 through 1981 or 1982 and lasted for about 3 or 4 years until they discontinued the OD line. It was a Type 1 tape than the AD and D cassettes.
Hi Tony! One of my friends gave me a lot of old TDK Tapes. In the lot there was few opened ( and recorded) HX-S and yesterday i tried one for testing. Damn! This tape is awesome!! No drop outs whatsoever, deep bass, great dynamic range. This is the only tape that need more positive bias than the Maxell XL-2-S but the recording results where so close to the source ( with the bias set to +2) i can't tell the differences switching from source to tape! ( Deck used fot the test= Denon DRM-700). This tape is incredible and give back few DB'smore than i put into it. The HX-S give back +4 at +1 DB input and make me think of my favorite TDK tape of all times, the AR-X. I tested them with no Dolby whatsoever. The tape itself appears concrete gray ( Metal) on a direct flashlight and the reels are straight like new even if i rewind or fast forward them at any point. The tape still looks ( and sound) like new. I was suspecting this is the ancestor of the SA-X with a double coated cobalt doped but you confirmed what i have suspected... Metal particle. The Denon HD-8 is close but much more critical to use; the tape slips in many tape decks and lose contact with the pinch roller. This is not the case with HX-S. Now i have to try Dolby on them. This is the second best TDK tape i have ever use. I have never seen an SA-XS here...
A nice cassette tape. And I do agree that it's the Rarity of this particular tape that makes it so special. Here in the US I have a few Triad EX cassette tapes which of course overseas are called That's and I know that the Triads sound amazing. I also have an odd Realistic "Radio Shack" Supertape cassette tape that is a type II metal particle which I found fairly recently actually. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet but after watching this video I might have to do it pretty soon. Of course I have a quite a few Denon HD8 cassettes as well. Nice video Tony. You were saying earlier in the video about making a prototype cassette deck and I must have missed something because I wasn't sure where you were going with that subject. I honestly do believe that within the next two years max, that there will be a high-end Audio company or possibly two that will put out a nice high-end cassette deck. It will be a limited and it will be expensive but I think it will have all the goodies included right off the bat.
The Memorex you're thinking of is the CDXII from the early 90's which used to retail for more than the MA-X. The That's EX was actually a freaky pseudochrome with metal additives, whereas the EM-X was a pure metal formulation.
Actually they came out in 1987. Eckerd's would sell them for $7.99 per cassette. Along with the HBXII. A 2 pack of MA-X would run around $12. The MA-XG back in 1993 would run you $15.99 at music expressway in North Star Mall in San Antonio Texas. For the price of the CDXII you might as well go to Sound Warehouse and buy you the Sony Metal Master cassette which sold at the same price as the Memorex CDXII.
TDK advertised it as a tape to cut through noise in a car strangely. What Hi fi had the advert and then poo pooed it in the same issue. I bought one and it took so much level, but I thought that there was some Dolby mistracking going on with it. It sounded odd with Dolby c because it played back louder than the input on my machine of the day. It was something that I just wanted to try when I was sixteen back in the day. As always thanks for another excellent video.
I found a bunch of these in a box of blanks I got for $3 a year or so ago, thought they looked great and sounded good but never checked the price on them, yowza.
Another cool video Tony. Was wondering what those haych ex sss sounded like.😄 Thank you for sacrificing one for us loyal viewers. Looking forward to the SA-XS video. Keep up the great work.👍👍
I think these tapes got lost in the shuffle with all the other regular Type 2 tapes. Either they were more expensive than a SA, UDS-UDII or XLII which were the big sellers in the USA then, or causal buyers saw the "Metal" on the wrapper and assumed they were Type 4 tapes. The only ones I bought of this type were Memorex CDX II. I still have one I recorded in 87 and it sounds very good after 33+ years despite getting railroaded and edge worn from being played plenty of times in my car deck, Walkman or boombox. It has Huey Lewis "Fore!" and Mr. Mister's "Welcome to the Real World" both recorded from CD's, yeah it was the 80's but they were great albums.
This channel is great. I owned a Nakamichi dragon at one point and enjoyed it until problems started to develop and I dumped it. Two years later and last week as a matter of fact my local highend dealer had a Nakamichi RX-505 in on consignment, which I bought and they went through. Beautiful deck, and these were the two decks I wanted to own from Nakamichi along with the Zx-9. The recording quality between the Dragon and the RX-505, are quite similar, if not the same, it’s the playback and azimuth system that sets the Dragon above it. I had a Nakamichi ZXL 1000 come across my way at another shop, but I slept on it not really knowing its worth and didn’t know if it was better than the Dragon, but after some Research I know it’s worth in their line, it’s now long gone. I would have loved to hear it. I would love to come across a Revox B215, although I have seen the Revox H1, but didn’t know what the differences were. Those HX tapes are expensive along with the Sa-XS. I have gotten back into enjoying cassette decks again with a vengeance. If you haven’t already can you do an overall of your system in general and if you did just refer me to that video. My last question is are you into open reel decks as well and if so what deck do you own? You should have a patreon account because your efforts are worth it. Keep up the great work that you are doing.
I will do some pure deck videos. No, I'm all about the nostalgia and didn't use R2R in my youth, so have no real interest in them. I don't want to do a patreon, I don't have any desire to do this full time.
It bleeding reeks that a cassette deck isn’t viably economical, but no magnetic medium now really is. My love for tape has been in reel to reel and cassette tapes. This tape sounded very good at that tape level Tony! Nothing wrong with it! But I am not as much a collector as I am a lover of this medium and I spent $30 or more per tape for metal tapes so spending that on one which is not isn’t an option. Those who can will and I say good oh for them. I just can’t now. I have an NAD 6300 which is a lovely deck. Not a Revox or a dragon, but I love it. I have my eye on a Revox B21 at the moment. Can’t see going any higher than what they want for it. B215 is unobtainium any more or out of reach. I can recap a Revox deck for $250-$350 and it would be better than new. Everyone can not do that. You can find good decks and have them recapped for not much, but a deck as nice as yours would be pretty high priced. Taping is a matter of what you can and cannot afford. I say get the best one you can afford and love it while you can. It isn’t a cheap hobby anymore. Do what you can and love it while you can! That’s all you can do! I will and I’m an old fart!👍🏻💖
Although I used dozens of tape types over the years, in the main I tended to use in Type 1 position Maxell XL1 or TDK AD for a brighter sound. In Type 2, I would use TDK SA-X but, again, for a (much!) brighter sound TDK HX-S. I only ever once used a Type 3, Sony Ferrichrome but is sounded so “veiled” and muffled with an obvious hole in the mid range frequency response I gave up with that type of dual layer tape. For Type 4, I tended to used TDK MA or Sony Metallic.
All tape machines really need to be aligned and biases set to specify tapes, you will never get the best out of the cassette tape if your machine are not aligned to it. Well other than pop luck of course., Nice videos 😊
I loved both the HX-S and the Denon HD8 and recently busted a few of each of my old mix tapes out and the TDK tape is more grey than the Denon is black so, not sure if they're the same tape being that they don't look the same at all color wise but, who knows??? :/ "Great Vid Though" :)
Interesting. From your demo here I can see why TDK didn't go further with this type of tape. As you said, the hiss was quite noticeable. And I don't know if it's down to age, but I could actually hear some distortion and dynamic compression happening at the +4 level you recorded it now. I think the more common SA-X would sound much better.
Maybe you should take a shot at Dragons' Den to get some funding, would be awsome :p But back to the real world: just as the new cassettes, good quality new decks will have to face the fierce competition of the restored vintage equipment. And honestly of the small niche the cassette revival movement is, much of it is driven by the vintage audio revival: we have 70s and 80s equipment and we want cassettes to play and record on them. Speaking of great vintage, that cassette... That grey tape makes it so cool, you wonder why we weren't flooded by them in the 80s. But for pure audio, yes they hiss a lot for a Type II. I think even the cheap Lidl Type IIs from RAKS were not so hissy, by far! And why spend all your money on a Ferrari Testarossa and let it sit in your garage under a dust cover for always, if you can get a Honda Civic Type R for a fraction of the money and ragg it off every day? This Tape HX-S just cost too much to do the most fun thing about cassettes: tear them open and record on them!
If you happen to own a run of the mill deck, I personally would love to hear what tapes sound like when not being recorded on with decks that were very expensive when new. And as you point out, a good deck can make just about any tape sound good. But it would be nice to know what I am most likely to get out of a tape with my run of the mill 90s deck.
It is popular because it is rare it is like paying Extra for the smoker's package on your new Jaguar when you don't smoke, but you just wanted it because you could afford it.
I might have a few of those in my collection. What are they value approx. sealed?. I'm a advid collector not a seller. I just found one but have a lot of the SA type 2 ones.
What is your opinion on buying used TDK tapes in bulk (SA/HX)? Not for collection but for use. Just used tapes from the 80s early 90s, no plastic covers, that I can record over. Will sound quality suffer even if I use proper bias on a well maintained tape deck? I see these bulk sales on eBay and wondering if it's a waste of money- should I buy new and sealed instead? Thank you!
Like all cassettes, it all depends on how they've been stored and in the case of used, how much they've been used. They could be bargains...but they could also be unusable.
@@CassetteComeback Should had posted my question before I purchased $70 worth of potential crap on eBay (47 TDK Type 2 II Cassette Tapes Used - SA 90, SD 90, HX-S 90) all with no cases!
Is a lightly-used HX-S worth anything? I bought one on a whim in 1986 and recorded a song on my Alba lo-fi system and it didn't sound good so I tossed it in a drawer and forgot about it (hey, I was only 12 at the time and didn't know any better). Alternatively, would a 1986 SA and a 1986 SF be a fair swap for my HX-S (unlike the HX-S, the SA and SF are much more nostalgic to me but I gave them away in the 1990s).
I've got a 1984 one which I got new at the time, has a different shell and the J card is different. I've got a couple of pictures but cannot attach them here.
Hello TONY Wanted to ask you that after trying so many tapes you have some favorite for its aspect price features, sum up if there is any holy grail in the world of tapes,I hope tony that when you are 100 years old I hope you are sure to show us this marvelous world of tapes,when I see your videos i tapes that I also have them since 40 years i work make me reputed from my youth thank you
Have you ever wondered if those lifetime warranty's are still any good lol. But yeah, I inderstand I understand I understand, you don't have to open these tapes, although it does have that special spectial which is always appreciated. Personally I'd be more than happy just watching you explain everything with a sealed tape and the same tape that's already been opened be used for whatever you need to do.
Best design than the SA, SA-X, AD and AD-X that used this same shell. Earlier version of the 1986 TDK lineup like this one used the 1982 shell which were leftovers before the transition to a newer shell with a bigger window.
Hi Tony, intresting test but, I'm wondering how the tape will behave if you Align it at type IV. Think the problem is there that the metal type IV didn't took off. And once Aligned and recorded at the type IV position, the results will be better. It's worth trying. And I really thought it was National that released the first metal tape, or am I wrong?
sorry about the project! could you do a video where you name your top brands of cassette players models not needed just an idea for those interested in the vintage stuff.some of the stuff you have is quite exotic that Revox wow! Cheers
Hi, I just bought a Willy Hermanized Nak ZX-9 and wondering if you think I should be using Dolby C or no Dolby? Also with my mostly Maxell UDXLII tapes, maybe +4 dB peaks? Sorry for being off topic. Do you sell tapes to US customers? If so, any recommendations with the ZX-9?
That ZX-9 will make any decent cassette sound amazing. Buy yourself some TDK D or other entry level Type 1 from a decent brand and be blown away by how good that ZX will make them sound... without Dolby.
Not just Mexico, Thailand, Korea and other countries that manufactured or assembled the cassettes. Not the godawful “Type 0’s” that were from China and Hong Kong.
My recollection of the only HX-S I ever bought was that it combined the worst features of Type II and IV - you couldn't record it hot like a 'true' metal, so you were stuck with increased hiss. The HD8 could handle high record levels, though - and, 34 years later, the print-through is negligible. If only they hadn't been so hard to find!
There was also another rarity from TDK called OD. OD stands for “Optimum Dynamic” which was also a Type 1 cassette which was similar to the AD and D cassette. OD lasted from about 1979 through 1981.
I'm wondering how the tape will behave if you record it with Dolby C . At least the hiss will be much more less. That brings me to the question, why you never use the Dolby? Oh and btw, I don't mind to buy cassettes you've used in the video's, I mean the wrapper goes into the bin.
Having used HX-S with Dolby C, it does perform somewhat better, but I stopped using any kind of Dolby on Type 2's, and if I do, it would be Dolby S. Dolby C's biggest problem was it was sensitive to alignment. If the deck you were playing it back was even a shade off from the recording deck, the playback would sound dead and lifeless with C engaged. You don't get that with S.
It's a shame about the portable deck, although I wouldn't have bought it anyway it would have been nice to see it on sale if commercially viable. I knew the owner of a local electronics shop who destroyed a complete pallet of Unisef cheapo Walkmans from the mid-1980s in around 1999 as they were deemed to have no commercial value. They were decent little players, very basic but made in Japan to a decent build quality. They'd have been in demand these days I'm sure. I looked into the brand a couple of years ago. They were the same company that made Lasonic and Crown stuff, I think the parent company was Miyakoshi which seems to still be around in one form or another, possibly with links to Tanashin who make all the mechs. That was the thing about the Japanese when they ruled the world; even the cheap junk was fundamentally good stuff.
It's all relative. At the time compared to the best of Sony, they were junk. Now, they would be the best you could get. My first "Walkman" was a unisef and I loved it.
I agree that this is and has been a niece market and yes no one wants to put up the money to get back into making quality tape decks any more which is a right shame.
I wasn't very impressed with the high-frequency response of this tape. There is a very noticeable decrease in the high-hat and cymbals when monitoring the tape. I don't know if that was the hiss you were describing masking the high end? Perhaps some noise reduction would be beneficial.
Bummer re deck manufacture. I guess only the legacy companies with a history of proven cassette deck designs in the archive & a willingness to test the market are the ones in a position to bring back such an item (ok and any Chinese manufacturer) but even those new cassette decks by Tascam just have a very basic off the shelf mechanism in them. One day we might be able to 3D print such things. Who knows. Kudos for even exploring the possibility.
It seems to me that someone could duplicate one of the mechanisms of the past with just a few custom manufactured parts because they're largely stacks of die-cut metal (on standoffs) which could be CNC machined. I think a study of several common '80s mechs would reveal which ones lend themselves best to this approach.
bryede I suspect that some cassette mechanisms might still be covered by patent laws. Others may have lapsed. At the moment the economics of manufacture, minimum numbers, tooling requirements, necessary marketing etc probably mean that only somebody like Sony or a particularly cavalier Chinese manufacture could afford to undertake such an endeavour. Kickstarter projects have a so so record of getting people what they want when faced with the unknown cost of potential initial manufacture errors or poor reliability (literally doing product testing and quality control on the fly) and larger than expected launch costs. Sadly software is more entry level friendly than hardware these days.
Pity about the dark ages getting in the way of making good decks again . Will AIWA surprise us again ? already made em they could resell . Unless all thats gone
I wish people who are genuinely interested in tapes & decks would realize the benefits of a Dolby "S" Deck Have you tried Dolby S with TDK SA Cassettes? For me i feel that a good chrome tape (doesn't need to be sa-X a normal sa is fine using Dolby S is hard to beat! I'd rather put my money into a dolby s deck with a budget High Bias Chrome like SA or simply cding2 tapes & its perfect. The only time im forced to use MA is when i want to play back in my personal player when im at work then im forced to use dolby B but ill pump up to 6-8 db then there fine as second best to dolby S where you dont need to pump up on SA & theres NOOOOO Noise or distortion!!! That Revox B215 you demo the HX-S on doesn't support "S" & you did mentioned noise & Distortion the recording so that revox wouldn't suit my needs . Im tempted to buy one Denon HD8 to try out but i doubt there be any advantage. I'm sticking to my Yamaha kx580 deck with BASF chrome or SA its superb !!!! Just thought i'd throw my point of view in. BTW 2 other reasons i like my choice of kx580 deck beside being able to pick em up cheapish is they have optional remote (which i brought one :)) ) & the headphone output has volume level unlike alot of decks which is a fixed level!
Hi Tony, thanks for another great video. Do you think you could make an overview video about your decks and what advantages do they have over each other? I am sure this video could easaly get much more views on youttube and attract a lot more subsribers to your channel. I am actually thinking of purchasing a ReVox to my collection of tapedecks and would love to hear about your experience with that device. There is however one video that I recently found with W&F comparison of Dragon and Revox B710 (th-cam.com/video/GaHh7aMJab4/w-d-xo.html) that made me thinking Revox did not make good transports. Maybe you could make a similar comparison es well?
Here's a 1983 version: www.ebay.com/itm/TDK-HX-S-90-BLANK-AUDIO-CASSETTE-TAPE-NEW-RARE-1983-YEAR-JAPAN-MADE/254249255817?hash=item3b326fc389:g:qrgAAOSw0hlZHSEB
My Pioneer T-700S cassette deck on the BASF FE Extra I tape gives the sound from the tape more pleasant than from the source. :) th-cam.com/video/jL6W5_ChFzA/w-d-xo.html
Can't quite understand why these cheap cassette decks are being made as mono devices rather than stereo. Surely the extra cost of manufacture cannot be that great, and the mono machines are bound to damage the market for these machines by dissappointing customers who i would imagine have long come to expect all music in stereo. I also believe that many if not all these cheap cassette players do not make it clear that these machines are in fact mono, causing, i suspect, most customers to assume stereo and end up being very dissappointed and rather miffed when they subsequently find out.
If you look at the Kickstarter page for the "It's OK" Bluetooth cassette recorder, a lot of people are backing out when they realize it's mono. So now the people running the Kickstarter are saying "we are working with our supplier to improve the sound quality" -- whatever that means!
It means tens of thousands of re-tooling if what they're saying to me is true. Theyv said to me that they're making the it's OK too. I could just be being taken for a ride. You never know when you just communicate over email...
What !? ＼(￣▽￣;)／
I asked NIMN Lab about the "It's OK" player and they said "It is a mono cassette player. We are upgrading the sound of the player." So no stereo upgrade.
@@vwestlife that's understandable ^.^
I love HX-S. Next to the XLII-S and the SA-X series, they were the cassettes I used the most.
Sax
Great video once again! I was one of the persistent HX-S video requesters and this did not disappoint, a very well rounded and honest review. Was prob around 10 years old when these were about and despite being a tape Top 40 recording nut it was all old D90's and Agfas back then, HX-S was way too exotic and out of my range, but was aware of them thru geeky audiophile uncles who waxed lyrical about TDK's finest. A strong nostalgia trip then, keep 'em coming! :-)
I learn so much from your channel. I have two used copies of the HX-S. I had no idea. The best part is that I paid just 25¢ each for them!
@Cassette Comback
The folks that marketed these tapes are still alive! It would be interesting to see if you could track some of these people down (at TDK, Maxell, Denon,ect) and do short interviews with them about the origins and background of the specific tapes. Maybe if you contact these companies today they still have some of the old employee info and could direct you to them. I know it's a shot in the dark but, just a thought.
It's a shame that the cassette deck isn't economically viable...😥
I'm not sure it isn't. The only real way to tell is to get a LOT of press and do a crowdsourcing campaign. A campaign would give a much better gauge for how much demand is out there.
Of course, one of the major problems with all of the decks being made today is that they all have the same base mechanism. I have a memorex branded boombox from the late 90s with the same mechanism in it and it ain't very good. The used market does put an upper limit on a mid-tier deck produced today. Because if you are going to be spending a hundred or a hundred fifty dollars, you can probably get a very good quality used walkman.
I have bought hundreds of type ii bulk tapes over the years on that auction site. Averaging
I think this is the most beautiful series of TDK ...
Had a truly truly bad day at work thursday. The wife is driving me crazy and has gone to her mothers. Felt extremely low all yesterday. What did i do all yesterday and evening?? Watched every video here on this channel, it cheered me up a lot.... thanks for these.
Glad to have helped.
Back in the day, the SA-XS literally blew me away. I have been a huge fan of the '88 SA-X and remember to have felt a bit let down with the '90 SA-X lineup. But then the gorgeous and great-sounding SA-XS came along. The triple coating got rid of the SA-X's sensitivity issues and the usual 3kHz frequency response dent of dual coating tape formulations. Too bad it only lasted for about 4-5 years. But while it lasted, my old trustworty Kenwood 3010 never sounded better, not even with the MA-XG.
Agree. My it's in my top 5 and my fave TDK.
Sven Schwingel And let’s not forget the OD cassette. TDK did put out the OD cassette from 1979 through 1981 or 1982 and lasted for about 3 or 4 years until they discontinued the OD line. It was a Type 1 tape than the AD and D cassettes.
Tdk hxs was designed for being driven very hot.i think their advert suggested high end in car use
Hi Tony! One of my friends gave me a lot of old TDK Tapes. In the lot there was few opened ( and recorded) HX-S and yesterday i tried one for testing. Damn! This tape is awesome!! No drop outs whatsoever, deep bass, great dynamic range. This is the only tape that need more positive bias than the Maxell XL-2-S but the recording results where so close to the source ( with the bias set to +2) i can't tell the differences switching from source to tape! ( Deck used fot the test= Denon DRM-700). This tape is incredible and give back few DB'smore than i put into it. The HX-S give back +4 at +1 DB input and make me think of my favorite TDK tape of all times, the AR-X. I tested them with no Dolby whatsoever. The tape itself appears concrete gray ( Metal) on a direct flashlight and the reels are straight like new even if i rewind or fast forward them at any point. The tape still looks ( and sound) like new. I was suspecting this is the ancestor of the SA-X with a double coated cobalt doped but you confirmed what i have suspected... Metal particle. The Denon HD-8 is close but much more critical to use; the tape slips in many tape decks and lose contact with the pinch roller. This is not the case with HX-S. Now i have to try Dolby on them. This is the second best TDK tape i have ever use. I have never seen an SA-XS here...
A nice cassette tape. And I do agree that it's the Rarity of this particular tape that makes it so special. Here in the US I have a few Triad EX cassette tapes which of course overseas are called That's and I know that the Triads sound amazing. I also have an odd Realistic "Radio Shack" Supertape cassette tape that is a type II metal particle which I found fairly recently actually. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet but after watching this video I might have to do it pretty soon. Of course I have a quite a few Denon HD8 cassettes as well. Nice video Tony. You were saying earlier in the video about making a prototype cassette deck and I must have missed something because I wasn't sure where you were going with that subject. I honestly do believe that within the next two years max, that there will be a high-end Audio company or possibly two that will put out a nice high-end cassette deck. It will be a limited and it will be expensive but I think it will have all the goodies included right off the bat.
The Memorex you're thinking of is the CDXII from the early 90's which used to retail for more than the MA-X. The That's EX was actually a freaky pseudochrome with metal additives, whereas the EM-X was a pure metal formulation.
Actually they came out in 1987. Eckerd's would sell them for $7.99 per cassette. Along with the HBXII. A 2 pack of MA-X would run around $12. The MA-XG back in 1993 would run you $15.99 at music expressway in North Star Mall in San Antonio Texas. For the price of the CDXII you might as well go to Sound Warehouse and buy you the Sony Metal Master cassette which sold at the same price as the Memorex CDXII.
TDK advertised it as a tape to cut through noise in a car strangely. What Hi fi had the advert and then poo pooed it in the same issue. I bought one and it took so much level, but I thought that there was some Dolby mistracking going on with it. It sounded odd with Dolby c because it played back louder than the input on my machine of the day. It was something that I just wanted to try when I was sixteen back in the day. As always thanks for another excellent video.
I found a bunch of these in a box of blanks I got for $3 a year or so ago, thought they looked great and sounded good but never checked the price on them, yowza.
Another cool video Tony. Was wondering what those haych ex sss sounded like.😄 Thank you for sacrificing one for us loyal viewers. Looking forward to the SA-XS video. Keep up the great work.👍👍
I think these tapes got lost in the shuffle with all the other regular Type 2 tapes. Either they were more expensive than a SA, UDS-UDII or XLII which were the big sellers in the USA then, or causal buyers saw the "Metal" on the wrapper and assumed they were Type 4 tapes. The only ones I bought of this type were Memorex CDX II. I still have one I recorded in 87 and it sounds very good after 33+ years despite getting railroaded and edge worn from being played plenty of times in my car deck, Walkman or boombox. It has Huey Lewis "Fore!" and Mr. Mister's "Welcome to the Real World" both recorded from CD's, yeah it was the 80's but they were great albums.
I recorded a SURVIVE album on a SAX-S, and can confirm that they indeed sound excellent
Wow! To me the tape recording was pretty much undistinguishable to the source. Would love to have one of those tapes in my collection!
Yeah, same here... :)
This channel is great. I owned a Nakamichi dragon at one point and enjoyed it until problems started to develop and I dumped it. Two years later and last week as a matter of fact my local highend dealer had a Nakamichi RX-505 in on consignment, which I bought and they went through. Beautiful deck, and these were the two decks I wanted to own from Nakamichi along with the Zx-9.
The recording quality between the Dragon and the RX-505, are quite similar, if not the same, it’s the playback and azimuth system that sets the Dragon above it. I had a Nakamichi ZXL 1000 come across my way at another shop, but I slept on it not really knowing its worth and didn’t know if it was better than the Dragon, but after some Research I know it’s worth in their line, it’s now long gone. I would have loved to hear it.
I would love to come across a Revox B215, although I have seen the Revox H1, but didn’t know what the differences were. Those HX tapes are expensive along with the Sa-XS. I have gotten back into enjoying cassette decks again with a vengeance. If you haven’t already can you do an overall of your system in general and if you did just refer me to that video. My last question is are you into open reel decks as well and if so what deck do you own? You should have a patreon account because your efforts are worth it. Keep up the great work that you are doing.
I will do some pure deck videos. No, I'm all about the nostalgia and didn't use R2R in my youth, so have no real interest in them. I don't want to do a patreon, I don't have any desire to do this full time.
Got that, but I do appreciate your time and keep it coming. If you sell tapes please give me your website.
It bleeding reeks that a cassette deck isn’t viably economical, but no magnetic medium now really is. My love for tape has been in reel to reel and cassette tapes. This tape sounded very good at that tape level Tony! Nothing wrong with it! But I am not as much a collector as I am a lover of this medium and I spent $30 or more per tape for metal tapes so spending that on one which is not isn’t an option. Those who can will and I say good oh for them. I just can’t now. I have an NAD 6300 which is a lovely deck. Not a Revox or a dragon, but I love it. I have my eye on a Revox B21 at the moment. Can’t see going any higher than what they want for it. B215 is unobtainium any more or out of reach. I can recap a Revox deck for $250-$350 and it would be better than new. Everyone can not do that. You can find good decks and have them recapped for not much, but a deck as nice as yours would be pretty high priced. Taping is a matter of what you can and cannot afford. I say get the best one you can afford and love it while you can. It isn’t a cheap hobby anymore. Do what you can and love it while you can! That’s all you can do! I will and I’m an old fart!👍🏻💖
I did not know they made a metal tape. I love that tape deck.
Great Review Tony! I feel as exided as you are, when unwrapping a NOS tape 😅
Never seen the HX-S before. This is similar to the SA cassette from 1986 where it used the same shell as the HX-S did.
If I remember rightly, the first SF came in the same shell too, but in a peculiar shade of blue.
@@thisisnev nope it was red and gold. Vintage cassettes should depict the 1987 TDK SD.
At least you have a video of the cassettes in there wrappers forever!
Although I used dozens of tape types over the years, in the main I tended to use in Type 1 position Maxell XL1 or TDK AD for a brighter sound. In Type 2, I would use TDK SA-X but, again, for a (much!) brighter sound TDK HX-S. I only ever once used a Type 3, Sony Ferrichrome but is sounded so “veiled” and muffled with an obvious hole in the mid range frequency response I gave up with that type of dual layer tape. For Type 4, I tended to used TDK MA or Sony Metallic.
Glue two Pandas together to make stereo! The cassette players, not real Pandas, or you'll get into trouble!!
😂
Come on! This comment deserves more likes.
Was there any bias/output differences when tuning the tape, compared to a typical type II (deck zero point)?
Don't know, the Revox automatically calibrates.
Are Maxell tapes good for recording? What should I use? I'm a beginner.
All tape machines really need to be aligned and biases set to specify tapes, you will never get the best out of the cassette tape if your machine are not aligned to it. Well other than pop luck of course., Nice videos 😊
I loved both the HX-S and the Denon HD8 and recently busted a few of each of my old mix tapes out and the TDK tape is more grey than the Denon is black so, not sure if they're the same tape being that they don't look the same at all color wise but, who knows??? :/ "Great Vid Though" :)
Still rocking my XL2's. (My favorite work horses.)
Thanks for the videos.I have ordered 2 x new Denon HD8 tapes so look forward to trying them.
Denon HD8 - great cassettes!
Ooooh! I have a few of them. I'm not unwrapping mine though. Great video!
Interesting. From your demo here I can see why TDK didn't go further with this type of tape. As you said, the hiss was quite noticeable. And I don't know if it's down to age, but I could actually hear some distortion and dynamic compression happening at the +4 level you recorded it now. I think the more common SA-X would sound much better.
Love the look of the HX-S, but the SA-XS has a really classy expensive look (or at least the wrapper does). Says absolutely about the quality though.
It's my fave TDK. I don't know why they didn't make more 😣
VHS youtube And also the OD cassette which was similar to the AD and D, but it used the same shell than the SA one from 1979 to 1981.
Maybe you should take a shot at Dragons' Den to get some funding, would be awsome :p But back to the real world: just as the new cassettes, good quality new decks will have to face the fierce competition of the restored vintage equipment. And honestly of the small niche the cassette revival movement is, much of it is driven by the vintage audio revival: we have 70s and 80s equipment and we want cassettes to play and record on them.
Speaking of great vintage, that cassette... That grey tape makes it so cool, you wonder why we weren't flooded by them in the 80s. But for pure audio, yes they hiss a lot for a Type II. I think even the cheap Lidl Type IIs from RAKS were not so hissy, by far!
And why spend all your money on a Ferrari Testarossa and let it sit in your garage under a dust cover for always, if you can get a Honda Civic Type R for a fraction of the money and ragg it off every day?
This Tape HX-S just cost too much to do the most fun thing about cassettes: tear them open and record on them!
Now that's a new one to me, never seen one of them HX's before, think I need one for my collection 🤔🤔
If you happen to own a run of the mill deck, I personally would love to hear what tapes sound like when not being recorded on with decks that were very expensive when new.
And as you point out, a good deck can make just about any tape sound good. But it would be nice to know what I am most likely to get out of a tape with my run of the mill 90s deck.
It is popular because it is rare it is like paying Extra for the smoker's package on your new Jaguar when you don't smoke, but you just wanted it because you could afford it.
Music in the background? This bassline is disturbing a little bit...
Hi Tony, is there any way to shop the site while under maintenance? Or should I practice some patience?
It will open up again today.
I might have a few of those in my collection. What are they value approx. sealed?. I'm a advid collector not a seller. I just found one but have a lot of the SA type 2 ones.
What is your opinion on buying used TDK tapes in bulk (SA/HX)? Not for collection but for use. Just used tapes from the 80s early 90s, no plastic covers, that I can record over. Will sound quality suffer even if I use proper bias on a well maintained tape deck? I see these bulk sales on eBay and wondering if it's a waste of money- should I buy new and sealed instead? Thank you!
Like all cassettes, it all depends on how they've been stored and in the case of used, how much they've been used. They could be bargains...but they could also be unusable.
@@CassetteComeback Should had posted my question before I purchased $70 worth of potential crap on eBay (47 TDK Type 2 II Cassette Tapes Used - SA 90, SD 90, HX-S 90) all with no cases!
Is a lightly-used HX-S worth anything? I bought one on a whim in 1986 and recorded a song on my Alba lo-fi system and it didn't sound good so I tossed it in a drawer and forgot about it (hey, I was only 12 at the time and didn't know any better). Alternatively, would a 1986 SA and a 1986 SF be a fair swap for my HX-S (unlike the HX-S, the SA and SF are much more nostalgic to me but I gave them away in the 1990s).
A very sexy cassette, indeed! Love at first sight... :)
Full lifetime warranty? Does it mean that they will replace this cassette (incase of malfunction) even now?
I've got a 1984 one which I got new at the time, has a different shell and the J card is different. I've got a couple of pictures but cannot attach them here.
Hello TONY Wanted to ask you that after trying so many tapes you have some favorite for its aspect price features, sum up if there is any holy grail in the world of tapes,I hope tony that when you are 100 years old I hope you are sure to show us this marvelous world of tapes,when I see your videos i tapes that I also have them since 40 years i work make me reputed from my youth thank you
Have you ever wondered if those lifetime warranty's are still any good lol. But yeah, I inderstand I understand I understand, you don't have to open these tapes, although it does have that special spectial which is always appreciated. Personally I'd be more than happy just watching you explain everything with a sealed tape and the same tape that's already been opened be used for whatever you need to do.
That's the thing, when I open a cassette I put music on them. I don't have many open cassettes that area just sitting, waiting to be recorded.
best classic design, but HX-S 60 made in 1983 year's, i have one
Best design than the SA, SA-X, AD and AD-X that used this same shell. Earlier version of the 1986 TDK lineup like this one used the 1982 shell which were leftovers before the transition to a newer shell with a bigger window.
Hi Tony, intresting test but, I'm wondering how the tape will behave if you Align it at type IV. Think the problem is there that the metal type IV didn't took off. And once Aligned and recorded at the type IV position, the results will be better. It's worth trying. And I really thought it was National that released the first metal tape, or am I wrong?
Matsushita did the Metal Evaporated tape, these are metal particle.
Thanks for this video. I use TDK cassettes.
sorry about the project! could you do a video where you name your top brands of cassette players models not needed just an idea for those interested in the vintage stuff.some of the stuff you have is quite exotic that Revox wow! Cheers
Hi, I just bought a Willy Hermanized Nak ZX-9 and wondering if you think I should be using Dolby C or no Dolby? Also with my mostly Maxell UDXLII tapes, maybe +4 dB peaks? Sorry for being off topic. Do you sell tapes to US customers? If so, any recommendations with the ZX-9?
That ZX-9 will make any decent cassette sound amazing. Buy yourself some TDK D or other entry level Type 1 from a decent brand and be blown away by how good that ZX will make them sound... without Dolby.
Off topic, but, your voice actually sounds a lot like Rick Wakeman's voice 😉
Nah. He's from London. I'm not 😀
More Noel Gallagher, know what I mean?
I like everything made in Japan
Not just Mexico, Thailand, Korea and other countries that manufactured or assembled the cassettes. Not the godawful “Type 0’s” that were from China and Hong Kong.
Please name the song, thanks.
My recollection of the only HX-S I ever bought was that it combined the worst features of Type II and IV - you couldn't record it hot like a 'true' metal, so you were stuck with increased hiss. The HD8 could handle high record levels, though - and, 34 years later, the print-through is negligible. If only they hadn't been so hard to find!
There was also another rarity from TDK called OD. OD stands for “Optimum Dynamic” which was also a Type 1 cassette which was similar to the AD and D cassette. OD lasted from about 1979 through 1981.
I'm wondering how the tape will behave if you record it with Dolby C . At least the hiss will be much more less. That brings me to the question, why you never use the Dolby?
Oh and btw, I don't mind to buy cassettes you've used in the video's, I mean the wrapper goes into the bin.
I don't use NR because the hiss doesn't bother me. It's part of the cassette experience. If I wanted no hiss, I'd listen to digital.
Having used HX-S with Dolby C, it does perform somewhat better, but I stopped using any kind of Dolby on Type 2's, and if I do, it would be Dolby S. Dolby C's biggest problem was it was sensitive to alignment. If the deck you were playing it back was even a shade off from the recording deck, the playback would sound dead and lifeless with C engaged. You don't get that with S.
It's a shame about the portable deck, although I wouldn't have bought it anyway it would have been nice to see it on sale if commercially viable.
I knew the owner of a local electronics shop who destroyed a complete pallet of Unisef cheapo Walkmans from the mid-1980s in around 1999 as they were deemed to have no commercial value. They were decent little players, very basic but made in Japan to a decent build quality. They'd have been in demand these days I'm sure.
I looked into the brand a couple of years ago. They were the same company that made Lasonic and Crown stuff, I think the parent company was Miyakoshi which seems to still be around in one form or another, possibly with links to Tanashin who make all the mechs. That was the thing about the Japanese when they ruled the world; even the cheap junk was fundamentally good stuff.
It's all relative. At the time compared to the best of Sony, they were junk. Now, they would be the best you could get. My first "Walkman" was a unisef and I loved it.
I agree that this is and has been a niece market and yes no one wants to put up the money to get back into making quality tape decks any more which is a right shame.
I wasn't very impressed with the high-frequency response of this tape. There is a very noticeable decrease in the high-hat and cymbals when monitoring the tape. I don't know if that was the hiss you were describing masking the high end? Perhaps some noise reduction would be beneficial.
Its Dolby it cuts the top end of , they say it gets rid of the hiss .
It only makes a hsss when you play a tape with nothing on it .
Loved the HXS but they were hissy as hell
Dolby is fine if your equipment is correctly aligned.
Bummer re deck manufacture. I guess only the legacy companies with a history of proven cassette deck designs in the archive & a willingness to test the market are the ones in a position to bring back such an item (ok and any Chinese manufacturer) but even those new cassette decks by Tascam just have a very basic off the shelf mechanism in them. One day we might be able to 3D print such things. Who knows. Kudos for even exploring the possibility.
It seems to me that someone could duplicate one of the mechanisms of the past with just a few custom manufactured parts because they're largely stacks of die-cut metal (on standoffs) which could be CNC machined. I think a study of several common '80s mechs would reveal which ones lend themselves best to this approach.
bryede I suspect that some cassette mechanisms might still be covered by patent laws. Others may have lapsed. At the moment the economics of manufacture, minimum numbers, tooling requirements, necessary marketing etc probably mean that only somebody like Sony or a particularly cavalier Chinese manufacture could afford to undertake such an endeavour. Kickstarter projects have a so so record of getting people what they want when faced with the unknown cost of potential initial manufacture errors or poor reliability (literally doing product testing and quality control on the fly) and larger than expected launch costs. Sadly software is more entry level friendly than hardware these days.
Super, très peut distribué en France....on avait ,,, TDK type ll,,,,, SUPER D CHROME,,,,,,SF,,,,,,,SA,,,,,,SA-X,,,,,,,SA-XS
Pity about the dark ages getting in the way of making good decks again .
Will AIWA surprise us again ? already made em they could resell .
Unless all thats gone
as far as i know Sony acquired all of their technical assets etc. the Aiwa that is out now is only in name (for marketing).
@@ahoffman83 They all deteriorated after the AIWA 410 - 500 .
The dark age is now a RULE that needs busting out
Don’t think I’ve recorded on one,
Good review.
Amazing tape😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
I wish people who are genuinely interested in tapes & decks would realize the benefits of a Dolby "S" Deck Have you tried Dolby S with TDK SA Cassettes? For me i feel that a good chrome tape (doesn't need to be sa-X a normal sa is fine using Dolby S is hard to beat! I'd rather put my money into a dolby s deck with a budget High Bias Chrome like SA or simply cding2 tapes & its perfect. The only time im forced to use MA is when i want to play back in my personal player when im at work then im forced to use dolby B but ill pump up to 6-8 db then there fine as second best to dolby S where you dont need to pump up on SA & theres NOOOOO Noise or distortion!!! That Revox B215 you demo the HX-S on doesn't support "S" & you did mentioned noise & Distortion the recording so that revox wouldn't suit my needs . Im tempted to buy one Denon HD8 to try out but i doubt there be any advantage. I'm sticking to my Yamaha kx580 deck with BASF chrome or SA its superb !!!! Just thought i'd throw my point of view in. BTW 2 other reasons i like my choice of kx580 deck beside being able to pick em up cheapish is they have optional remote (which i brought one :)) ) & the headphone output has volume level unlike alot of decks which is a fixed level!
More Revox deck porn :)
18:53 worlds smallest digital player huh? that should be a meme seriously.
15. pics my Choice
Hi Tony, thanks for another great video. Do you think you could make an overview video about your decks and what advantages do they have over each other? I am sure this video could easaly get much more views on youttube and attract a lot more subsribers to your channel. I am actually thinking of purchasing a ReVox to my collection of tapedecks and would love to hear about your experience with that device. There is however one video that I recently found with W&F comparison of Dragon and Revox B710 (th-cam.com/video/GaHh7aMJab4/w-d-xo.html) that made me thinking Revox did not make good transports. Maybe you could make a similar comparison es well?
Here's a 1983 version:
www.ebay.com/itm/TDK-HX-S-90-BLANK-AUDIO-CASSETTE-TAPE-NEW-RARE-1983-YEAR-JAPAN-MADE/254249255817?hash=item3b326fc389:g:qrgAAOSw0hlZHSEB
My Pioneer T-700S cassette deck on the BASF FE Extra I tape gives the sound from the tape more pleasant than from the source. :) th-cam.com/video/jL6W5_ChFzA/w-d-xo.html
Nice channel but first 4+ mins staring at a leather seat...and another 15 mins to review a legacy cassette **cough**
agree
What do you mean by legacy cassette?
the leather seat is now my Desktop Background- thanks!
Welcome to Capitalism... Cassettes are something from the USSR time!
similar denon HD8
The Dragon might do better with it. It's often about deck/tape matching.
It didn't. It seemed to distort earlier than in the Revox.
Too expensive to ruin the sound with dolby
so your are mistake
Everything TDK made was overrated.
And it's all rubbish compared to R2R anyway.
Can't quite understand why these cheap cassette decks are being made as mono devices rather than stereo. Surely the extra cost of manufacture cannot be that great, and the mono machines are bound to damage the market for these machines by dissappointing customers who i would imagine have long come to expect all music in stereo. I also believe that many if not all these cheap cassette players do not make it clear that these machines are in fact mono, causing, i suspect, most customers to assume stereo and end up being very dissappointed and rather miffed when they subsequently find out.
It's all about profit, by companies who don't care.