Maxell XLII - 1983/85 - US/EU/CA
""The first bite is with the eye". One of the finest all round cassettes, when you take into account, shell quality, looks and performance. One of our favourites... a true classic tape and they're hardy! We've used many over the years, and they still sound great." Tony Villa
Note 1: 1983: US: +1dB: Old 1982 XLII cassette in "New" wrapper. Scarcer transition version. No UPC Bar-code. Maxell/Hitachi.
Note 2: 1984: US: +1dB: UPC Bar-code 13641. The back might be ever so slightly different than on the pictures shown here for this 1984 US +1dB version.
Note 3: 1984 EU: +1dB: UPC Bar-code 400828. European version. This tape only shows the "Maxell" name on it. No mention of Hitachi.
Note 3a: 1984 EU: +1dB: B-Grade. UPC Bar-code 400828. European version. This tape only shows the "Maxell" name on it. No mention of Hitachi. Someone cut the wrapper (see picture), and the case has one visible cut/slash on it, not deep, but it's there. Only (1) available.
Note 4: 1985 US: +2dB: UPC Bar-code 13641.
Note 5a: 1985 CA: +2dB: UPC Bar-code 13641. "Super Sweepstakes"
Note 5b: 1985 CA: +2dB: UPC Bar-code 13641. "Bonus Bucks"
Note 5c: 1985 CA: +1dB: UPC Bar-code 13641. "Gold Seal sticker". 1 Bonus Seal. Meant to move out old stock out of inventory. CAREFUL!: With this version, you will get 1 cassette that is exactly like the one of "Note 2" above, but you will get the plastic wrapper that has the "Gold Seal", which is meant to hold two tapes. If you want to "make" the 2-tape set, you will also have to buy 1 from the "Note 2" 1984 US +1dB version as long as they are available. They are 100% identical, and that is how they came originally.
Side Notes: There are a few more versions of this cassette. They will be added as I get them in. If you have any input about the information posted here that may contradict with your findings, please let me know, and we will adjust it. Thank you.
Below: Tony Villa's review on the iconic Maxell 1982~1986 line up of cassettes:
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 was formed in 1960, when a dry cell manufacturing plant was created at the company's headquarters in Ibaraki, Osaka. In 1961, Maxell Electric Industrial Company, Limited was created out of the dry battery and magnetic tape divisions of Nitto Electric Industrial Company, Limited (now Nitto Denko Corporation).
On March 18, 2014 the company was listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.[7]
The company's notable products are batteries—the company's name is a contraction of "maximum capacity dry cell"—wireless charging solutions, storage devices, computer tapes, professional broadcast tapes and functional materials.[4][5] In the past, the company manufactured recording media, including audio cassettes and blank VHS tapes, and recordable optical discs including CD-R/RW and DVD±RW.
On March 4, 2008, Maxell announced that they would outsource the manufacturing of their optical media.[6]
During the height of the Compact Audio Cassette's popularity, Maxell's audio cassettes were held in high regard, producing some of the finest examples of the standard available. The performance of the XLII-S (CrO2) and MX (pure metal particles) cassettes was regarded by many audiophiles to be the ultimate achievement in the pre digital domestic recording medium.
In the 1980s, Maxell became an icon of pop culture when it produced advertisements popularly known as "Blown Away Guy" for its line of audio cassettes. The original campaign conceived by Art Director Lars Anderson began as a two-page spread in Rolling Stone Magazine ad in 1980, and was made into television spots in 1981 which ran throughout the 1980s.[10]
Maxell audio cassettes are available in 46, 60, 90, 100, 120 and 150 minute lengths.
Maxell XLII - 1983/86 - US/EU/CA