Maxell brings back classic 1970s cassette tapes — 1970s ferric formula is custom-made for vintage PC data drives

Maxell brings back classic 1970s cassette tapes — 1970s ferric formula is custom-made for vintage PC data drives

The UD series debuted in 1970, and these Type I cassettes earned a reputation as a worthy rival to TDK SD and Sony HF ferric alternatives.

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Maxell UD tapes were originally launched in 1970 as a high-output, low-noise mass-market cassette line. Later in the decade, they moved to PX gamma‑hematite iron oxide , a purer and more advanced ferric formulation for higher output, lower noise, and pleasing frequency response. Sources suggest UD tapes were often chosen by major music labels for commercial pre-recorded cassette releases. Maxell UD tapes earned a place in cassette music lore alongside TDK SD and Sony HF rivals.

A wave of UD revivals began in 2016, with tapes marketed by Maxell in retro packaging. Last year, Maxell collaborated with Disk Union on the release of the first batch of UD-60U tapes to “a great response.” Now they’re back on sale, and they are priced at 990 yen ($6.25) each, or 2,900 yen ($18.28) for a triple pack. Denkyosha Co. is listed as the distributor.

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