Maxell XLII-S - 1986 - US/EU
"This Maxell XLII-S could be the epitome of late 80s Type II tapes. Gorgeous to look at, a really heavy, almost ceramic feeling, well made shell and tape that really does capture the top end well. You need to put positive bias on these cassettes to get the best out of them, but that also means you get the bass. A true classic." Tony Villa.
Note 1: 60 Minutes: Lightly scuffed but with one small but nasty chip one on of the edges of the case. See specific pictures 1 & 2 showing this blemish. Scarce length. Only 1 available.
Note 2: 90 Minutes: Light to moderate scuffing throughout, but still very appealing. No rips, no cuts. Only 1 available at this lower price.
Note 3: 90 Minutes: B-Grade. Light scuffing like the one above, but this one has a 3cm hairline crack on the front... see picture. Two others added Sept. 20, 2025. They're B-Grade with 1 or 2 blemishes on the wrappers, and moderate scuffing. No pieces of the wrappers missing though. Only 3 available.
Collector’s Corner: Hazy Windows…
• Maxell’s 1986–1991 line is known for its hazy see‑through windows, often making collectors wonder whether the cloudiness is residue or something worse. I finally tested it by opening a sealed MX with a bad wrapper but a foggy window. After disassembling the shell, a lightly damp microfiber cloth with diluted Windex cleared the haze completely.
• Reassembling it back onto the second shell was fiddly, but the result confirmed it: the haze isn’t permanent. If you’re opening one of these for use, take a moment to clean the windows... the tapes look far better with a clear, sharp view.
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.
Maxell XLII-S - 1986 - US