TDK AD - 1979 - US / EU
"A fantastic Type I cassette. You want more bass than a Type II? It's here. You want treble like a Type II? It's here. Use some NR and a bit of negative bias, and be amazed at how good a "lowly" Type 1 can be..." Tony Villa.
Most definitely one of my favourite TDK cassette lineup, the 1979 series. Iconic and already with well developed tape formulations. These should not disappoint in any way. These were TDK's best Type I tapes at this moment in time, or maybe just behind the TDK "OD". Hard to say...
Note 1: 60 Minutes: EU: Box-fresh cassettes but lightly scuffed. These have the brittle wrappers we all know about. This is the nature of these wrappers from the era of 1970~1980. Only 1 available
Note 2: 90 Minutes: US: Box fresh cassettes with nearly or perfect wrappers. These may have perfect wrappers but you may get a small split on them (or not), or in a short time the wrappers can split open quite unannounced. This is the nature of these wrappers from this era, 1970~1980. Very limited stock
Note 3: 90 Minutes: US: B101: Wrapper has a large split on the reverse side. SOLD
Note 4: 90 Minutes: US: B102: 100% Box-fresh cassette with a perfect wrapper, until the day the stock was verified, and this is the way it was found. Multiple splits It's been inserted into a proper cassette plastic sleeve to avoid mishandling it, and make it even worse. See pictures. Only 1 available
Note 5: 90 Minutes: EU: Wrapper has a large split on the reverse side. Inserted into a proper plastic cassette sleeve to keep it from getting damaged further. The very 2 last pictures are from a previously sold cassette. Only 1 available
About TDK:
TDK’s origins trace back to 1935, when the Tokyo Denki Kagaku Kogyo company was founded to commercialize ferrite, a magnetic material invented by Dr. Takeshi Takei that would become central to modern recording technology. By the 1950s and 1960s, TDK had evolved from a materials science firm into one of Japan’s most important manufacturers of magnetic tape, supplying both industrial and consumer markets.
With the rise of the Compact Cassette, TDK quickly established itself as a global benchmark for tape quality. Their formulations, especially the AD (Normal), SA (CrO₂), and MA (pure metal particle) series became reference points for consistency, durability, and performance. The SA and MA lines earned near‑legendary status among home recordists and audiophiles, helping define what “premium” cassette tape meant throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
TDK eventually sold its magnetic tape business to Imation in 2007. Today it is a major supplier worldwide of electronic components, sensors, and energy devices. Its strong focus on advanced materials and sectors such as EVs, renewables, and industrial automation keeps it positioned as a top-tier technology company.
TDK AD - 1979 - US