Maxell MX-S - 1998 - US
"The same unmistakable Maxell Type IV as always. A legendary and superbly capable cassette. Still looking and sounding great as always, now in a new shell design." Tony Villa
Note 1: 60 Minutes: Wrapper has some scuffing, but no rips or cut. SOLD
Note 2: 90 Minutes: Wrapper has some scuffing. Oddly enough, only after having taken a picture focusing on the edge side of the cassette case, the angle of the light made it possible to reveal an hairline crack on the case. You can see it right under the large 'm' of "maxell" in the large white letters. Looks like it might be about 2cms long. In any case, just this 1 available. SOLD
Note 3: 90 Minutes: B-Grade: SOLD
About Maxell:
Maxell Holdings, Ltd. (日立マクセル株式会社 Hitachi Makuseru Kabushiki-gaisha), commonly known as Maxell, is a Japanese company that manufactures consumer electronics.
Maxell, originally part of Hitachi’s corporate family, emerged in 1960 when a dry‑cell plant was established in Ibaraki, Osaka. In 1961, Hitachi consolidated its dry‑battery and magnetic‑tape operations into the new Maxell Electric Industrial Company, positioning the brand as Hitachi’s key vehicle for consumer recording media.
Throughout the cassette era, Maxell became one of the most respected tape manufacturers. Their formulations, especially the XLI-S (Normal), XLII‑S (CrO₂), and MX (pure metal particle), were widely regarded as peak‑performance examples of the Compact Cassette format, earning strong loyalty from audiophiles and home recording enthusiasts. Maxell also produced a full range of consumer and professional magnetic media, including computer and broadcast tapes, before later shifting away from in‑house optical and recording‑media production.
The company’s cultural visibility peaked in the 1980s with the “Blown Away Guy” advertising campaign, which cemented Maxell’s reputation for high‑performance audio cassettes. Even as Maxell diversified into batteries, storage, and functional materials, its cassette legacy, and its long-standing connection to Hitachi remains central to its identity.