BASF Chrome Super II - 1991 - EU
PURE CHROME TAPES WARNING:
These are true chromium dioxide (CrO₂) Type II tapes. If your deck is biased for cobalt‑doped Type II (TDK SA, Sony UX, Denon HD, Fuji FR‑II), performance will be off and very disappointing, unless you properly calibrate it. Most “Chrome POSITION” tapes aren’t real chrome; DuPont’s CrO₂ patent kept many brands on ferric‑cobalt instead. Pure chrome behaves differently and can seem unpredictable on decks without proper bias or level adjustment. Please purchase only if you’re comfortable working with genuine chrome formulations, as returns aren’t accepted.
"So what does this mean sonically? Well, they don't take a lot of signal, record these at no more than 0db (...) the benefit of a pure chrome tape is low hiss and brilliant reproduction, even at lower recording levels. Many decks that you can't manually adjust the recording level and the bias, do not like these tapes, as they've been set up to use the likes of the TDK SA. However, if you can, and you take the time to calibrate the deck to use these tapes, you'll find they're one of the best ever made. We love them." Tony Villa
So, late on, BASF changed their formulation to be comparable to Japanese Type II. Hence these are not pure chromes like the earlier BASF Type II (you can tell by smelling the tape, if it smells like wax crayons, it's a pure chrome) but it means they perform well in most decks. Actually, these are among our favourite Type IIs, they're very good and still have SOME chrome in the formulation.
These are just fantastic to look at, with a very unique design and some Gold lettering and gold colour screws on the shell. Made in Germany.
Note 1: 90 Minutes: Box fresh perfect cassettes. Low inventory
Note 2: 90 Minutes: B-Grade: Cassette is 100% new and never used. The wrapper is 100% complete and attached to the cassette as original. I scored it open to take the pictures you see here. SOLD
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Watch below a video on BASF Chrome tapes by Tony Villa:
About BASF:
BASF SE is a German chemical company and the largest chemical producer in the world.
Founded in 1865, BASF became one of the true architects of cassette technology. Their deep expertise in magnetic chemistry shaped everything from early ferric formulations to the reference‑grade chromium dioxide tapes that defined real Type II performance. BASF shells were engineered with precision, their oxide coatings were remarkably consistent, and their true‑chrome behaviour remains instantly recognizable to anyone who’s ever dialed in a deck properly.
Even after the BASF name left consumer media, their formulations lived on through EMTEC and later Recording The Masters, keeping the BASF lineage active in modern tape production. For collectors and recording enthusiasts, BASF’s influence is still very much alive, a technical legacy that continues to matter every time one of their tapes hits the heads.
BASF Chrome Super II - 1991 - EU