This is the sixth part of my cassette characterisation effort, looking at a few uncommon Maxell type IIs I have. For the full introduction and a description of the method please look here.
Click on the graphs for a larger version.
INDEX OF ALL CASSETTES
Maxell XLII (1994) (my calibration reference)
Relative sensitivity: (reference)
THD @ Dolby level: 0.62%
MOL400(THD=1%) : +1.8dB
MOL400(THD=3%): +5.3dB
MOL1k(THD=3%): +5.5dB
SOL10k: -3.4dB
Bias noise: -54.8dB, -59.2dB(A)
Dynamic range: 64.5dB
I repeat here the results for the tape my Nak BX-300E is calibrated for in type II position, the 1994 XLII. All following results take this as reference.
Maxell UDII (1984)
Relative sensitivity: +0.5dB
THD @ Dolby level: 1.1%
MOL400(1%) : -0.1dB
MOL400(3%): +3.7dB
MOL1k(3%): +3.9dB
SOL10k: -4.2dB
Bias noise: -52.4dB, -55.8dB(A)
Dynamic range: 59.5dB
Maxell added a budget type II entry to their line-up in 1984. Vintagecassettes.com lists it for 1985, but the one sample I have was recorded end of 1984. I remember being disappointed with it (in my ITT ST20 music centre): it sounded dull. That made me ignore any successors of this tape.
Maxell UDII-S (1986)
Relative sensitivity: +0.6dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.66%
MOL400(1%) : +1.9dB
MOL400(3%): +5.9dB
MOL1k(3%): +5.4dB
SOL10k: -3.4dB
Bias noise: -52.1dB, -55.6dB(A)
Dynamic range: 61.5dB
A short-lived super version of the UDII, indeed vastly superior, and from the look of its performance figures the predecessor of the SXII.
Maxell SXII (1988)
Relative sensitivity: +0.6dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.67%
MOL400(1%) : +1.6dB
MOL400(3%): +5.4dB
MOL1k(3%): +5.4dB
SOL10k: -3.3dB
Bias noise: -53.2dB, -57.0dB(A)
Dynamic range: 62.4dB
Despite having the house of the cheap UR, this tape seems quite excellent and is a serious improvement over the first UDII. Close to contemporary TDK SA, but slightly less sensitive.
The same tape in a better shell was sold under the name UDII.
Maxell SXII (1991)
Relative sensitivity: +0.6dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.50%
MOL400(1%) : +2.8dB
MOL400(3%): +6.4dB
MOL1k(3%): +5.8dB
SOL10k: -3.4dB
Bias noise: -54.0dB, -57.8dB(A)
Dynamic range: 64.2dB
In the original version of this article I did the testing with the Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1, and I measured less parameters. Back then I found no meaningful difference with the previous version of SXII. Now, with the new testing, it becomes clear that there were welcome gains in MOL and noise performance. Also note how distortion at Dolby level is less than with XLII! Once more, this tape is very close to TDK SA and the IEC II norm.
Maxell GPXII (1992)
Relative sensitivity: +0.6dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.55%
MOL400(1%) : +2.5dB
MOL400(3%): +6.3dB
MOL1k(3%): +5.6dB
SOL10k: -2.9dB
Bias noise: -53.9dB, -58.0dB(A)
Dynamic range: 64.3dB
GPXII was a short-lived rugged type aimed at car use. I don't know which tape was loaded. Apart from the optimal bias on the BX-300 it is very close to 1991 SXII. Perhaps it was an evolution of the latter?
Maxell UDII-CD (1995)
Relative sensitivity: +0.2dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.40%
MOL400(1%) : +2.8dB
MOL400(3%): +6.0dB
MOL1k(3%): +6.0dB
SOL10k: -2.8dB
Bias noise: -54.6dB, -58.7dB(A)
Dynamic range: 64.7dB
www.vintagecassettes.com puts this tape in 1996, but HiFi Choice reviews it already in February 1995, meaning that they must have had samples late in 1994. In that test UDII-CD behaves much like SA and the IEC II norm. Not my sample: this is more like 1994 XLII, especially if you know that I have found many XLIIs of that year requiring a bit more bias than the one I used as a reference.
Maxell UDII-CD (1998)
Relative sensitivity: 0dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.49%
MOL400(1%) : +2.0dB
MOL400(3%): +5.1dB
MOL1k(3%): +5.8dB
SOL10k: -3.0dB
Bias noise: -54.7dB, -58.9dB(A)
Dynamic range: 64.0dB
Maxell USII (1990, JDM)
Relative sensitivity: +0.5dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.52%
MOL400(1%) : +2.7dB
MOL400(3%): +6.3dB
MOL1k(3%): +5.8dB
SOL10k: -3.3dB
Bias noise: -54.2dB, -58.3dB(A)
Dynamic range: 64.6dB
A Japanese domestic market cassette apparently positioned below the UDII. The smoked clear shell with gold print is vaguely evocative of the Metal Vertex. The tape is very close to 1991 SXII and 1992 GPXII.
Maxell Capsule Cologne II (1990, JDM)
Relative sensitivity: +0.8dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.22%
MOL400(1%) : +2.0dB
MOL400(3%): +5.8dB
MOL1k(3%): +5.3dB
SOL10k: -3.3dB
Bias noise: -53.2dB, -57.2dB(A)
Dynamic range: 63.0dB
Probably the same tape as 1988 SXII.
Maxell SQ (2002)
Relative sensitivity: -0.3dB
THD @ Dolby level: 0.97%
MOL400(1%) : +0.3dB
MOL400(3%): +4.5dB
MOL1k(3%): +5.2dB
SOL10k: -2.6dB
Bias noise: -52.6dB, -56.7dB(A)
Dynamic range: 61.2dB
Made by Saehan, sold through supermarkets. Allegedly there also existed a RAKS-made version of SQ.
INDEX OF ALL CASSETTES
