Keith, old XL-IIS were made in Japan. The ones still available are made in England and they are of inconsistent quality and I would not recommend them to anyone. It is hit and miss, even within the same batch. I toss out approx. two or three out of twenty. one of five. You have to test every tape before use, and be ready to dub again if needed. I've bought them dirt cheap but IMHO not worth the hassle.