Sony Metal-ES - 1988 US/CA/JP
"Anything Sony ES denotes higher quality over the likes of an SR (North America) or XR (Europe). The same goes for a Sony "Dynametal" ES Type IV tape. These were made for the Canadian Market, and they are 20:1 rarer than the ones made for the US and EU markets." Tony Villa
Note 1: 46 Mins: JP: B-Grade: Does not appear to have any cracks (tactile checked), but it has multiple rips (repaired with good clear tape, no fingerprints) along the right side edge on the reverse side. See Pic. Only 1 available
Note 2: 46 Mins: JP: Lightly scuffed, with 2 tiny tears. Near perfect. SOLD
Note 3: 60 Mins: JP: B-Grade: This one has a 1.0cm (3/8") hairline crack under the "S" (SONY), and one tiny rip (repaired). Only 1 available
Note 4: 60 Mins: JP: Lightly scuffed. Near perfect. SOLD
Note 5: 90 Mins: JP: #101: Does not appear to have any cracks (tactile checked), but it has one large rip (repaired with good clear tape, no fingerprints) along the left side edge on the reverse side. See Pic. Only 1 available
Note 6: 90 Mins: JP: #102: Almost like the one above with a light to moderate scuffed wrapper, but it does not have a tear like #101. Has a couple super tiny rips (one was repaired). Tactile checked for cracks, and none were detected. SOLD
Note 7: 90 Mins: US: This one has a 1.5cm (5/8") hairline crack on the top left front corner. The yellow rubber band is not sitting over the crack as it should, but you can see it better on the second pic. It's also missing a tiny bit of the wrapper right next to the "IV" on the ridge of the cassette. See pics. SOLD
Note 8: 90 Mins: CA: SOLD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Watch below a great video by Tony Villa on a 1986 Sony Metal-ES!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
About SONY
Sony Corporation (ソニー株式会社 Sonī Kabushiki Kaisha, /ˈsoʊni/ SOH-nee, stylized as SONY) is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Kōnan, Minato, Tokyo.[9][1]
Sony began in 1946 as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo, founded by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita with a focus on turning advanced research into practical consumer technology. By the 1960s, the company had adopted the Sony name and expanded into magnetic tape, quickly becoming one of Japan’s most innovative audio manufacturers.
Through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Sony established a strong presence in the cassette market with lines such as HF (Normal), UCX/UX (Type II), and Metal‑ES/Metal‑XR (Type IV). These tapes were known for clean, stable formulations and consistently high build quality, earning Sony a reputation amongst the best in the upper tier of global tape production.
As the cassette era wound down, Sony gradually exited its in-house tape manufacturing and shifted its focus toward electronics, imaging sensors, gaming, and content creation. Unlike some of its competitors, Sony did not sell or transfer its tape-manufacturing operations; the company simply wound them down as the cassette era ended. Yet its cassette legacy, from everyday HF to the premium Metal ES, remains highly regarded.