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Reel to reel, cassette and other analogue tape formats.

Maxell MX vs TDK MA (Metals out there)

Metals are hard to come by. Whether you manage to find an MA or a MX, and providing your deck can play their game, so to speak, they will deliver a level of performance of a totally different and superior order to types 1 and 2. Pure metal particle (usually stabilized iron and iron alloys of extreme purity) retain much more energy than other materials although goethite is indeed close. Nevertheless, they need much higher head voltages than type 1 and 2 to magnetize, a head design capability which costs money and therefore is only found on better, more expensive decks.

That said, MA is generally a less neutral sounding tape than MX which is a very well balanced metal. MA is capable of a very hot signal, and always sounds fresh, vibrant and exciting, with a near unmatched capacity for soaking up treble energy. So, it's less neutral, but more fun than MX. MX's MOLs are lower at 10kHz but more even through the bands. TDKs "Finavinx" material is composed of extremely narrow particles of uneven length. MA-X has a double coating of this particle suspension.

Both MX and MA are fanatstic tapes - as Bob says, quite rightly, snap up both wherever you can - MX is now very rare and MA is becoming tricky to find too.

Cheers - Marc


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