Sony UX - 1992 - US
Sony’s UX (U.S. version) is their entry‑level premium Type II, using a noticeably better formulation than the pre‑1988 UX. Most evidence suggests Sony reassigned their existing Type II chemistries in 1988: UX likely adopted the former UX‑S stock, UX‑S moved up to the former UX‑ES, UX‑ES stepped into the former UX‑Pro, and UX‑Pro received Sony’s newest high‑bias formulation.
Some older pre‑1988 UX inventory may have been redirected into other series such as CD‑it II, though that remains speculative. If you have confirmed insight into Sony’s 1988 formulation changes, I’d welcome it and share it here.
Bottom line: This UX uses Sony’s upgraded post‑1988 chemistry, better performance, lower price.
Note 1: 60 Minutes: Typically any 60 Minutes tape, is much rarer than that of the same tape in the 90 minutes length. SOLD
Note 2: 90 Minutes: These wrappers have little or no scuffing. Still available at $7.92!
Note 3: 100 Minutes: Wrapper has light to moderate scuffing throughout, but no rips or cuts. SOLD
Note 4: 90 Minutes: B-Grade: A combination of a heavily scuffed wrapper, but no cuts or tears. One other has very tiny rip and the wrapper is lightly scuffed, and one other is about a box-fresh cassette with a crack on the back of the case. Can't be seen as it is covered by the wrapper. Sorry, there is no need for actual pictures. Only 3 available
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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.