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If you had to choose between these two tape's Maxell XLII-S and TDK SA-X which would you choose and why?Thanks,Ron..
Follow Ups:
both are discontinued, grab all "made in japan" you can find
do a search. My preference is TDK as it just sounded better to my ears. But my experience relates more to their metal formulations, and I wound up with Sony Metal ES as best for my deck Nak 682ZX with my system.
Even though Nak's are biased for Nakamichi made by TDK and TDK tape? Thanks I'll watch for Sony Metal ES!
"Music is love"
Teresa
Maxell XLII-S vs TDK SA-X - a pretty debated subject - basically because it just depends which you prefer. If you prefer the variety that analogue reocrding provideds with small differences from one tape to another - use both. Suggestions that you should get all you can find that's made in Japan is all well and good if you can find that - however, the TDK made in Europe had a poor reputation a few years ago for consistency. Maxell from England are great however. Also, TDK tapes that say tape made in Japan and assembled in Thailand are absolutely fine.Sound wise, TDK has a greater dynamic range as it has a lower noise floor, and maxell has a more steeply rising sensitivity - but both tapes have a rising sensitivity.
Both are superb type IIs - incidently (and you see this coming up time and again) Nakamichi sounds excellent with all tapes - confining yourself to TDK tape just because they were factory calibrated for ZX/SX/EX (analogues of MA/SA/AD) is not especially relevant - these tape formuale changed either every year or every other year. A Nak with bias control or more comprehensive tape tuning will compensate for these variations and by definition the variations existent with other brands.
Unfortunately other than the 700/1000ZXL, no other Naks has the external recording equalization calibration capability so tapes other than those listed in Nak user manuals might not be able to get a extended flat response ( bias and level are only two of the three parameters to obtain a perfect flat frequency response on the tape ).Both the SA-X and XLII-S are listed as compatible tapes in most Nak decks so the affects should be very minimial. Both are great tapes and the decision is up to your own taste ( which of the two your ears like ). Both tapes sound great on my STUDER and TEAC as well as DRAGON.
I used Sony Metal ES, TDK MA, MA-X and Maxell MX and MX-S and also the Sony UX Pro 70, TDK SA and Maxell UD XL II for non metal tape. I still have these (some new Sony and 1 or 2 TDK metal, others need to be erased).I recently bought some high end heavy cassettes (just a few) from ebay.
If you wish, send me email and maybe I can send you a sample of each (if I have them).
I wound up with Sony due to it being a bit cheaper (friend has a store) and just about equal to TDK MA-X but perhaps a bit smoother sound. TDK was the most extended. Maxell less defined to my ear.
But it all could have been how the deck was adjusted.
"Music is love"
Teresa
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