BASF Chrome Maxima II - 1989 - EU
CAREFUL! These are pure Chrome Type 2 cassettes - If you have a deck calibrated to Ferro-Cobalt Type 2, typically Japanese 2-Head decks, you will need to calibrate to these pure Chrome cassettes to get the best results.
Many cassettes say, "Chrome POSITION", but do not use any chrome particles in their tape formulation at all. BASF developed the first Chromium Dioxide "Chrome" tape and patented the technology. Most other manufacturers did not want to license it, and therefore, their Type II tapes are cobalt doped ferrics.
Why use true chrome tapes when they do not take a lot of signal? The benefits are: Extremely low hiss and brilliant reproduction, but they should be recorded at 0db levels. Best for music with a high content of classical, instrumental, and jazz sounds. Again, unless you calibrate your deck(s) to use pure chrome tape, they will sound horrible. Careful: Absolutely no returns or refunds on any true chrome tapes.
"...take the time to calibrate your deck to use these tapes, you'll find they're one of the best ever made. We love them... one of the greatest all round cassettes ever made, the big window, the solid shells, the gold screws... and the low low hiss. Record something special on these, they're worth the price." Tony Villa
Note 1: 60 Minutes: Box-fresh cassettes. Brand new and very few left!
Note 2: 90 Minutes: Box-fresh cassettes. Brand new and also, very few!
Note 3: 60 Minutes: B-Grade: Clean new cassette. The wrapper however, it has a few tiny pin-like perforations on the front side. Hard to see, but a picture is provided.
Note 4: 90 Minutes: B-Grade: Lightly scuffed and with two other blemishes. Not the one shown in the picture. Careful, this one has the RED "Neu * New * Nouveau" line strip like the others cassettes shown here.
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 Maxima II - 1989 - EU - Made in Germany