RAKS HIGH DYNAMIC (HD-I) - 1977 & 1978 - EU (TR)
"Raks are probably the biggest cassette manufacturer you've never heard of. Like SKC, you're more likely to find cassettes they made for "bigger" brands than ones they put their own name on. Closely tied to BASF, they produced some fantastic cassettes." Tony Villa
General Note: (Important!) These cassettes no longer have their original wrappers. Most were removed due to the well‑known brittle‑wrapper issues of the late 1970s, and some were opened by previous owners using an X‑Acto knife, which in a few cases left light scoring on the outer plastic. The tapes themselves are 100% new, unused, and untested.
Shells show some minor inconsistencies, and the photos highlight these variations clearly. No distinction between shell variants will be made in this listing; collectors who require a specific version may contact us to select one if available. Tape leaders and oxide also vary, ranging from lighter chocolate brown to darker brown, and in some cases nearly black.
Each cassette has been cleaned, and any damaged cases were replaced. Some cases are brand new, others show light scuffing. All tapes will be fully resealed to protect them from dust and handling. These are rare 1977–1978 issues, and once sold, they are not expected to return.
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Note 1: 1977: 46 Minutes: Scarce and unusual length for the era and for the European zone. Low inventory
Note 2: 1977: 60 Minutes: Twice the inventory of our C46 tapes. Low amount available
Note 3: 1977: 90 Minutes: Slightly higher inventory than the C60 tapes. Low inventory
Note 4: 1978: 46 Minutes: These have the exact same cases as the 1980 Ampex Grand Master II Pro cassettes, that apparently were manufactured in the USA. Only 2 available
Note 5: 1978: 90 Minutes: Same cases as the C46 above. Only 2 available
Note 6: 1978: 46 Minutes: B-Grade: The label on this one is not on properly, it's offset on both sides, A & B. Only 1 available
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About RAKS
Raks Elektronik, founded in 1972 in Istanbul, became Turkey’s leading magnetic tape manufacturer and one of Europe’s major OEM suppliers. Equipped with modern coating lines and precision shell‑molding facilities, Raks produced ferric, chrome, and pseudo‑chrome tapes such as Super Stereo, High Dynamic, and the popular CD series. Their large‑scale capacity allowed them to manufacture for brands including TDK, Sony, Philips, and Grundig. By the mid‑1990s, Raks expanded into optical media and electronics, but cassette production declined as global demand fell. Today, Raks tapes are valued for their distinctive designs and solid, reliable performance.
RAKS HD I - 1977 - EU - Made in Turkey (TR)