Tony, I have both cassettes that you tested in the movie. As Fuji wrote in the catalog, DRI is a entry-level tape with 370 Oe coercivity, which is typical for ferric tapes and and retentivity 1200 Gauss (is a little bit less that typical). However, Fuji used the trick in the form of two layers of magnetical particles, closer to the base material are longer, and closer to the head are smaller because the high tones do not penetrate deeply into the tape. This is due to the effect of the write head aperture. There is one more problem for the treble, the magnetic field will be able to change the phase before the tape leaves the field of head gap and slightly weakened the recording. I think you know that. Let me quote Fuji: Every sound has a different frequency. The frequency of sounds that we can hear in music range from 20Hz to 20kHz. Ehen these sounds are recorded on magnetic tape, the low frquency (long wave lenght) signals reach the deep, inner section of magnetic layer, while high-frequecy (short wave lenght) signals magnetize only a shallow area close to surface of the magnetic layer. Conventinal audio tapes utilize a single, solitary magnetic layer for all frequencies - from the highest to the lowest (An excellent example is BASF LH SM cassette or ORWO Fe I LH). If that layer is composed of relatively large-grain magnetic particles possessing high retentivity, it will do an especially good job of handling low-frequency characteristics; it will deliver a high MOL in the lower frequencies and powerful bass sound. Unfotunately, it also will offer poor response to high frequencies and increse bias noise. Extremely fine magnetics particles with high coertivity, on the other hand, provide good gigh-frequency performace - they offer extendes highs and reduce noise. They make it impossible to achieve maximum output level of low freqencies. In another words, it is exceptionally difficult to simultaneously enhance all response characteristics by utilizing a single magnetic layer. Recognizing this, Fuji (and others tape companies) has divides the magnetic layer into two for better results. The upper layer double - cotated audio tapes optimizes high-frquency characteristics. Togheter they provide unprecedented performance across the entire frequency range. And I think DRI tape sounds so good for this reason. I can't say that for type II tape DRII. I feel a bit colorless sound. I noticed that this applies to most Double Coating with Cobalt modified layer tapes. The Fuji catalog announces: The advantages of Fuji Double Coating technology extend to the type of particles that are used for each layer. The upper layer offers high coercicity through the employment of ultra-fine Beridox-DC magnetic particles, which are as fine as those used for Super VHS video tape. These uncommonly fine particles not only deliver optimum high-frequency performance, but dramatically reduce bias noise as well. Fuji used another technology described as Double orientation (sets things straight). This means that the elementary magnets in the magnetic layer in production process are orienting twice by electromagnet to bring out their full potential. Secondary orientation eliminates any inconsistencies remaining after primary orientation. And as you can see (hear), this technology in the case of type II tape had an effect, although I read the same information in the Maxell and That's catalog. It is very interesting how the uncomfortable values of magnetic retention and coercion were dealt with. I also have AXIA PS-2 type II tapes and I think they sound a bit better (Fuji for the Japanese market). And in my opinion the J'z1 type I tape is a bit worse than DRI. However, I have to say that with all admiration for this technology I prefer the sound of Pure Chrome tapes (like BASF Chrome Maxima II or AGFA Stereochrom HD). Although I have my own opinion on these tapes, thank you for the interesting film and experience with sound samples. Thanks to this, I can choose tapes that suit me soundly. Good job!
For those shopping at the website for Type IIs to record on, take the Socimag CD. Not that good looking, but the tape inside is a step up. That been said, back in the day the DRII was quite well enough for a lot of people. Type II s where quite popular at the start of the cassette demise in the 90s. They record clear, and everyone wanted a copy from their cd for in their car stereo or in their walkman. Today a Type I makes more sense. And for 98 pence, a quarter of the price of a FOX, this DRI is gonna make vinyl to tape duplicators happy!
ACME is the name of the products that were used by Wile E. Coyote to try and trap and kill the Road Runner with.. Those tapes could shatter or melt a tape deck on the next play or recording attempt ...Back OFF
A decade ago I got a box of ten DR tapes for all of about AU$20. At the time had just picked up a JVC 3-head with manual bias adjustment, and set out making some mix-tapes, from CD and computer sources - with Dolby C enabled just to see what sort of results I'd get. To my complete amazement, I discerned very little difference between the source & tape. I picked up DRIIs later on, which I often played in the car so I didn't listen to so much hiss. Been years since I've played with my trio of 3-heads, and discovering your channel has me thinking I'll start again rather than find new homes for them.
I don’t think I ever used one of these. However the ZII from that era was one of my favorites. Never has a single problem with them, and they still play almost perfectly.
What HI-FI may said that the DR was a cooking ferric best used for cooking, but I thought that they were equal to a TDK D in all respects. A good competent tape from memory. Use with Dolby though. With Dolby S a very satisfactory recording.
Back in 2018 I found a 4 pack of the DRI at a local thrift shop for .50 cents (yes .50 cents!)!I recorded some of my mom's old vinyl for her on them, and they sounded great.In 1992 when I saw Metallica I hade a taper ticket, and was able to record the show.I used a SHARP QT 12 Boombox with built in stereo mics.Also I used a couple of DRII 100 min. cassettes, and selector switch set to the type 2 setting.The sound came out great, and the master tapes are still in great condition!
Have a FUJI marked DR-I. Flea market find. As your video was streaming, loaded up in my TEAC R-919X and calibrated. Recorded a bit. Consistent with your findings. Curious as to the difference in the markingp; DR-I. Earlier? Later? Off to see what I can find on Google. Well done, Tony! Cheers!
I picked up a few of each of these a while ago. I was impressed with the DRII for the price. The DR is not bad either. However, they are not as easy to find for me. Had to go to Amazon for them and they did not have a lot in stock at the time.
coincidence was about to ask you regarding these and the video came up. got 6 sealed pieces dr2 for approx 260 rupees (under 4 dollars) total lets hope they sound great
They might be SKC, I've had some of the AX, CD and QX tapes from you and they all have that little stub of leader tape poking out of the hub like the DR1 does. I've not seen this on any of my other none SKC tapes. BTW, its always a pleasure to seen a new Cassette Comeback video.
Wow. Another score in the bulk lot I copped yesterday. A Fuji FR-1 90. Can't wait to take a listen based on the review of the 46 on your site. 1982?! What?!!! I wasn't even 2 digits yet.
Expected result. Fuji DR is not super ferric, but pretty decent entry level ferric, so it can be recorded well on good deck, but it can't take too much signal. I have one older version DR 1, for me records pretty good
I have a couple of those DR I, they work decently as far as basic ferrics go, I used one of mine to record some festive music and give it that slightly warmer analogue sound. Also there is another version of DR I with a much darker tape inside, that one can be a bit hit and miss I think, I only have one of it and mine works reasonably well, an unspectacular tape that developed a couple drop outs after being in the Walkmans for a few weeks, but I've heard a few complaints about the darker tape version being less stable to record on.
Thank you for enabling the comments. Can you smell this DR II again, or possibly some other from other batches as well? I just smelled one, and I definitely sense the waxy smell of chrome. Very faint compared to the smell of a BASF pure chrome, but it's there. Might be a cobalt doped chrome? Mine looks completely identical to the one shown in your video. The smell got stronger after I wound it in the middle where the tape was not exposed probably in the last 20 years.
I have a FUJI DR cassette in essentially the same wrapper, non European version, and it has different hubs , similar to Sony style hubs. Grey hubs with small holes all the way around in , lots of three holes with dark grey retainers.
Reminds me I do have three of the DRII's, time to open up perhaps. People forget Fuji had a great photo film reputation which they sure weren't gonna trash with 'me to' tapes. That series may be cheap, may be a bit so-so in the packaging but as you say, they deliver in deck and that's what counts.
I bought a handful of the DRIIs online about 10 years ago when I was getting back into cassettes. Mine are the ones with the JPII-style shell and hubs with holes all the way round. I like them. They do sound a bit "toppy" if not biased properly, but are great for recording vinyl. The again, I have a Nak 480, and it seems to be able to get the best out of any tape I throw at it. P.S. Fuji did make "chrome" for years and still do. I have loads of it in my fridge, but I use it to take photographs...
I have many of the Fuji cassettes from the 1980’s including the DR from about 1986 or 1987. I also remember the DR-I which was the US version of DR, and it continued right up until the 1990’s and the 2000’s.
The best Fuji are those double coating ones. That DR with the leader clipped on underhand and sticking out is sloppy... but there's many like that. I always detach those and trim them.. otherwise you get a "thump" audible from leaving a dent in the tape from take-up.
I got those Fuji DR back in 2004 with 10 pack box, as mentioned it was the most inexpensive compare to the TDK. Made in China, but does the job during my Panasonic portable tape recorder!
Yes, that's what I heard as well. The tape seemed a little unstable, like there was a lot of micro dropouts. The DR, although having a bit more noise, actually sounded better to me.
The pack of DRII's that I've got suck in my deck. Flutter that gets worse as the tape plays. I'm not discounting that my deck may be playing a role here, but they're the only tapes I've got that do this. They're not in the same shells as the tapes in this video though. The shell does look a bit like a clear version of the JP-II's, but to my eyes the rollers/guides look a little asymmetrical, which I suspect is adding to the flutter.
I've used both Fuji and Axia (Japanese market Fuji) tapes, and they were decent, but nothing to make me throw TDK or Maxell under the bus. Never tried the Type 1 tapes; I was a bit of a snob and I never put anything lower than Type II in my deck, with the exception of the odd AD-X...
Those Cassette's are the last i remember, but true the recorder was those early 2000 cd/fm/cassette mini boomboxes, so the quality was always meh.. and lame, so blame the recorder. Personally if i could swap the case i would put the tape into a solid color ones , since i never been fan of those generic , thin transparent style. but you truly show that the tape itself are really good, and a blind test on the DR2 i would take a while before i notice it was a Cassette, but the hiss would of course spoil the secret. Never the less, indeed, good decent tapes :-)
Needing a good supply of type II tapes for my studio equipment but also hoarding some type I's for dubbing vinyls i dont want to bother with and other equipment i find myself a bit reliant on fuji currently. Tapes are flying off ebay a lot faster than they were 4-5 years ago and especially type II's. I dont require anything fancier then TDK/Maxell SA/XLII but recently i have been grabbing as many of the "CD" branded late 90s type II's i can find but Fuji DRII is a widely available and reliable tape. I just dubbed two albums on a late 80s DRI with dolby B and it sounded very good. Its getting to a point where to keep up i will have to toss a few bucks each payday at cassettes to avoid paying more later. I really would like a large batch of blue/green maxell UR. I have 85 maxell all the way to modern ones and those are my favorites. will be checking your store to see what you got
Is the DR-I available in the UK? They are in the US. I have some older vintage DR cassettes that at first I did not like. Now, after finally getting them dialed in on my decks, they are decent tapes. Not sure if the DR-I and the DR you are the same cassette with different marketing. Regardless, I found there are 2 versions of the DR-I in the US. There is the maroon label like your example and there is the gray/black and aqua colored version. I like both versions, but the maroon version has darker tape and less hiss than the gray/black/aqua one. Also, the high frequencies are a touch brighter. I tested a few samples and came up with the same results. Agreed that these are the cheapest decent quality TYPE I and TYPE II available. It is now Dec 2020 and they have gone up in price due to the demand and dwindling NOS supply though. However, I have noticed that the maroon colored cassettes are a bit pricier.
I tried the z ii tape, that was mentioned on the back of the wrapper. That one takes a lot of level. They were a few euro each, still in the wrapper. I think those might be as good as a sax.
There is taking tapes and trying to mimic the source, but there is a better way and much more tapey interesting way which is kicking down the bias and recording with Dolby but playing back without Dolby which makes beautiful of old. You cannot click back and forth while recording but you can align them back afterwards and see which one you feel sounds more vibrant and lively.
I think the crew who are back into tapes now are people for whom tapes are nostalgic. And those people have lost some Hertz. And tapes give us a way to get those Hertz back.
@@CassetteComeback hmm .. I thought, you might like the type-0 shell and placed maxell c-60 tape in it :) but I had the same curious question 'huh, why is he blurring that?' .. I never had the transparent DR/DR-II .. only the older FUJI's, which I mostly used like others mentioned when funds were lacking to by proper TDK D or better.
I always treat the DRII the same as a BASF true chrome regarding the recording levels +1db at most and no Dolby, I found them smooth sounding with a pleasant fizzy top end.both excellent value tapes. Can't imagine they have been anywhere near China considering the quality of the product and the years they where manufactured. Worst thing about them is those horrible slim cases.
@@CassetteComeback The hubs are like the DR you've shown, with no holes. It actually says HIGH(CrO2) POSITION and DOUBLE COATING on the thing, if that helps to narrow it down.
Hi Tony, how are you? Another great video! I want to give you a great suggestion, of a cassette, from Sony's Type I basic line tapes. It's the EF-X. I've seen some for sale on Ebay, from people in Europe. If you have a oportunity to buy one, take it! For sure you will be amazed! And if you could, make a video! It will be also very interesting! Hugs from Brazil!
I have heard worse! That guy selling that garbage will ruin his own reputation Tony! If you sell crap, the word gets around! It bares no repeating! Nothing wrong with a C 60, but I am partial to C 90s myself! You keep calling it as you see it mate! I hope you sell a bunch over the holiday!😊🎄
Thanks Tony... those two Fuji's sounded very decent, but a bit 'dull' in the higher frequencies - on both tapes and tracks, they lost some of the hi-hat sounds... but over all, good, and handled higher peaks pretty well... :-) And thanks for extra bit about the ACME tapes... I brought them up in an earlier video's comments as I'd seen them on Ebay at what looked a "reasonable" price for a CrO2 tape-but they looked cheap and nasty...good to know they're garbage!! Many thanks for that ;-)
Really used to like FUJI media and their packaging around this time. First VHS tapes I bought were FUJI and they were really made by them. I don't believe FUJI ever outsourced VHS (even if the shells later became generic looking - earlier generation VHS shells which stopped around 98 were something really special and solid), not sure about the audiocassette side. FUJI never let me down and were widely used/stocked by pro audio/video suppliers for duplication.
Hi, Tony! So, the DR-I was for the US market? I bought a few used DR-Ix in october. I have a few of these DRs as well. The DR-Ix has the same hubs as these DRs, the shell is different, and the slip sheet has unusual C shaped grooves around the hubs. The tape in them is much darker, greyish-brown, are they cobalt doped? I'm so frustrated I can't try them out, because all of my decks are out of order currently. The only working one is a Technics M205, but its head is so worn out it's useless, probably unable to record, since it's very muffled for playback as well. I have an other, working M205 with replaced head, but it's not yet calibrated to the new head, which is quite different from the original. I have two Aiwa AD-R450 (one of them is cactus beyond repair, I keep it only for parts, the other one is waiting for new belts), an Akai HX-2, also waiting for belts, and I just bought an Aiwa AD-F450 and an AD-F460, which are not yet arrived, but at least one of them probably just needs new belts (the other one is missing the power switch, so who knows what happened to it, but they were cheap, about 10USD each).
There are a lot of similar named Fuji models: DR, DR-I and DR-Ix. All of them do exist in different versions, made by different OEMs (mostly Saehan, SKC, that yet unknown Chinese factory, even some Sony), and some made by Fuji themselves. Some versions can be found with identical tape for all three designations. Yes, DR-I was mainly a US market thing, while we were offered DR and DR-Ix in Europe. To add even more confusion, DR-II was entry level in Europe, while the DR-II that was sold in the US was sometimes identical to the higher grade EU model JP-II, later called K2. Even these do exist as SKC, Chinese, original Fuji, and Sony versions. Not seen any Saehans there yet, but you never know :-)
@@kiirunavaara Thanks. Wow, very complicated brand. I think I'll stick to my Sony HF-S-es and SuperEFs. Those are known things. Too much variables with Fuji, it seems. But the DR-Ix-es I bought seems decent. Can't wait to test them properly. The recordings on them were probably made with a mediocre boombox, so I can't judge them based on the recordings they came with.
@@CassetteComeback The one I have looks like this: live.staticflickr.com/3336/3346863852_c8f04a3e58_b.jpg. Even though 96% of the stickers on both sides of mine are worn off, I can still see the distinctive D-C90 text.
Just had a NOS 5-brick of Fuji DR turn up. Just opened one up and wound it on to look at the tape and it looks crinkled on one edge. Hopefully the other four aren't the same else I'm buying no more of them....
Now these shells are really hard to identify. The hubs - especially in the DR II - are an accurate remake of an original Fuji design. But the rest of the mechanics is completely un-Fuji-esque, as well as the tape. In my opinion, tapes and shell are quite different from SKC, too. The last China made SKC cassettes were not very good, dropout city (especially on the type II) and similar issues. These here are a big step up. On an Axia with the same shell, it says Made in China (printed on the back side, in Japanese): www.45spaces.com/audio-compact-cassette-blank-tapes/r.php?r=aud862711 A cassette with identical looking shell (and tape) is this Manatex: forum2.magnetofon.de/bildupload/Manatex_HD-X_90_offen.jpg and forum2.magnetofon.de/bildupload/Manatex_HD-X_90.jpg So yes, these are not easy to find out more about. I only know that the tape is much better than what you would expect, especially in the type I DR.
@@CassetteComeback Fully agreed. That type I has a touch of a BASF Sound I or Fe Extra I: Sound quality, colour, and does not railroad or otherwise deform, regardless how much you beat it in the car stereo. I really wonder where they found such a tape in China... maybe they purchased ECP stock from Siberia, but that's only speculation.
On par on price with the UR/FE/FX/Philips Ferro at the time, and about the same quality. Just a good honest tape, and 9/10 didn't need any more. Still better than 90% of 80s tapes for sure.
Fuji DR using Fuji Shell, Made by SKC, Tape SKC China, Hubs generic China. Fuji DR-II using Fuji Shell, Made by SKC, Tape SKC QX?, Hubs design Fuji, Made by SKC, Made in China
@EZ647: Are you really sure about SKC here? The inside architecture of the shells is completely different from anything Fuji or SKC I've seen so far, even the slip sheets. The tape in the DR type I is closer to a BASF or ECP product than to the tapes which could be found in China made SKC cassettes. You are right about the hubs, those in the DR II are a perfect copy of an original FUji design. These can sometimes also be found in the DR type I.
@@kiirunavaara My opinion: Fuji and SKC have worked together for years, Fuji Shell has been used in both Fuji and SKC cartridges, I think Fuji has provided SKC with shell and hub molds to cover production demand for other markets around the world. Shell used in Fuji DR and DRII have also been used in some new Axia cartridges, such as the Axia AX1 The serial number on these Fuji cartridges corresponds to SKC China. SKC produced many quality batches, QX can take many forms, as well as GX tape. The SKC GX has had extreme differences in tape performance over the years.
@@EZ647 You've got a point there with the serial number, indeed! I know about the ties between Fuji and SKC, but still the shells are different inside from anything that Fuji or SKC ever made. Why would they make the efforts to design new molds, at the demise of the product life cycle? Especially, when the very same shell construction already appeared earlier on some off-brand tapes, such as Alba and Manatex, for example: forum2.magnetofon.de/bildupload/Manatex_HD-X_90_offen.jpg Inside that one, you can find SKC style hubs, but with SKC-untypical double clamps, mor like in the Emtec tapes with China shells. Now we could both be right: What if they were still assembled at the Chinese SKC factory, but with parts they sourced from elsewhere? Forward could be one of these suppliers: They have always proven to be very flexible when it comes to imitating hub designs, they have made many customized outside designs on their shells, and are about the only known halfway-quality source for cassette shells in Hong Kong/China. Still just a theory, I will try to investigate this further :-)
@@kiirunavaara I don't have access to all tapes, I didn't know about Matanex. The SKC could design the Shell, just as the new Shell SKC GX designed for 2001. Relations between manufacturers were complicated, it is impossible to reveal all the information. I cannot offer more than opinions and conjectures. Thank you for the conversation. It is extremely difficult for me to discuss in another language. Otherwise I would have joined Tapeheads.net long ago.
@@CassetteComeback My bad :( , it doesn't say Made in Germany it just address Fuji strasse 1 ,D-47533 Kleve, Germany and same in Russian too, and more Russian text . There is also Japan address, Japan could make cassettes for Russia too but but why they put Germany address on then. This all together leans me think that it's made in Germany.
collect audio tape like it's a freaking currency show like it's going to happen all over the time when we stopped when we sneeze so you get audio tape and it's well and it's making me silly and I can't stop thinking about audio tape
Tony, I have both cassettes that you tested in the movie. As Fuji wrote in the catalog, DRI is a entry-level tape with 370 Oe coercivity, which is typical for ferric tapes and and retentivity 1200 Gauss (is a little bit less that typical). However, Fuji used the trick in the form of two layers of magnetical particles, closer to the base material are longer, and closer to the head are smaller because the high tones do not penetrate deeply into the tape. This is due to the effect of the write head aperture. There is one more problem for the treble, the magnetic field will be able to change the phase before the tape leaves the field of head gap and slightly weakened the recording. I think you know that. Let me quote Fuji: Every sound has a different frequency. The frequency of sounds that we can hear in music range from 20Hz to 20kHz. Ehen these sounds are recorded on magnetic tape, the low frquency (long wave lenght) signals reach the deep, inner section of magnetic layer, while high-frequecy (short wave lenght) signals magnetize only a shallow area close to surface of the magnetic layer. Conventinal audio tapes utilize a single, solitary magnetic layer for all frequencies - from the highest to the lowest (An excellent example is BASF LH SM cassette or ORWO Fe I LH). If that layer is composed of relatively large-grain magnetic particles possessing high retentivity, it will do an especially good job of handling low-frequency characteristics; it will deliver a high MOL in the lower frequencies and powerful bass sound. Unfotunately, it also will offer poor response to high frequencies and increse bias noise. Extremely fine magnetics particles with high coertivity, on the other hand, provide good gigh-frequency performace - they offer extendes highs and reduce noise. They make it impossible to achieve maximum output level of low freqencies. In another words, it is exceptionally difficult to simultaneously enhance all response characteristics by utilizing a single magnetic layer. Recognizing this, Fuji (and others tape companies) has divides the magnetic layer into two for better results. The upper layer double - cotated audio tapes optimizes high-frquency characteristics. Togheter they provide unprecedented performance across the entire frequency range. And I think DRI tape sounds so good for this reason. I can't say that for type II tape DRII. I feel a bit colorless sound. I noticed that this applies to most Double Coating with Cobalt modified layer tapes. The Fuji catalog announces: The advantages of Fuji Double Coating technology extend to the type of particles that are used for each layer. The upper layer offers high coercicity through the employment of ultra-fine Beridox-DC magnetic particles, which are as fine as those used for Super VHS video tape. These uncommonly fine particles not only deliver optimum high-frequency performance, but dramatically reduce bias noise as well. Fuji used another technology described as Double orientation (sets things straight). This means that the elementary magnets in the magnetic layer in production process are orienting twice by electromagnet to bring out their full potential. Secondary orientation eliminates any inconsistencies remaining after primary orientation. And as you can see (hear), this technology in the case of type II tape had an effect, although I read the same information in the Maxell and That's catalog. It is very interesting how the uncomfortable values of magnetic retention and coercion were dealt with. I also have AXIA PS-2 type II tapes and I think they sound a bit better (Fuji for the Japanese market). And in my opinion the J'z1 type I tape is a bit worse than DRI. However, I have to say that with all admiration for this technology I prefer the sound of Pure Chrome tapes (like BASF Chrome Maxima II or AGFA Stereochrom HD). Although I have my own opinion on these tapes, thank you for the interesting film and experience with sound samples. Thanks to this, I can choose tapes that suit me soundly. Good job!
17:23 What's that all about?
These Fuji tapes sound fine, at least to me.
For those shopping at the website for Type IIs to record on, take the Socimag CD. Not that good looking, but the tape inside is a step up. That been said, back in the day the DRII was quite well enough for a lot of people.
Type II s where quite popular at the start of the cassette demise in the 90s. They record clear, and everyone wanted a copy from their cd for in their car stereo or in their walkman. Today a Type I makes more sense. And for 98 pence, a quarter of the price of a FOX, this DRI is gonna make vinyl to tape duplicators happy!
I'm reminded of Doritos Nacho Cheese (red) and Cool Ranch (blue). The musical choices along with the tapes used oddly fit their respective flavors.
ACME is the name of the products that were used by Wile E. Coyote to try and trap and kill the Road Runner with.. Those tapes could shatter or melt a tape deck on the next play or recording attempt ...Back OFF
A decade ago I got a box of ten DR tapes for all of about AU$20. At the time had just picked up a JVC 3-head with manual bias adjustment, and set out making some mix-tapes, from CD and computer sources - with Dolby C enabled just to see what sort of results I'd get. To my complete amazement, I discerned very little difference between the source & tape. I picked up DRIIs later on, which I often played in the car so I didn't listen to so much hiss.
Been years since I've played with my trio of 3-heads, and discovering your channel has me thinking I'll start again rather than find new homes for them.
I don’t think I ever used one of these. However the ZII from that era was one of my favorites. Never has a single problem with them, and they still play almost perfectly.
Hello.The Fuji cassettes have gut quality, but very underrated.
Another good video. That track 'Mirror Mirror' was pretty good. I think i have some Fuji tapes from days of old. Please keep up the good work.
What HI-FI may said that the DR was a cooking ferric best used for cooking, but I thought that they were equal to a TDK D in all respects. A good competent tape from memory. Use with Dolby though. With Dolby S a very satisfactory recording.
I just purchased 30 pieces normal position and 20 chrome position NOS , both are AMAZING , well done FUJI.🎉
You’re not alone with the weather, Tony
Here in Norway we also have awful weather this time of year
Were lucky if it snows
Moscow, Russia is with you, Tony. Dark clouds, raining and snowing, fog and drizzling today.
@@nneeerrrd Thanks. I prefer Moscow Region. And it is not always that bad as that day
Back in 2018 I found a 4 pack of the DRI at a local thrift shop for .50 cents (yes .50 cents!)!I recorded some of my mom's old vinyl for her on them, and they sounded great.In 1992 when I saw Metallica I hade a taper ticket, and was able to record the show.I used a SHARP QT 12 Boombox with built in stereo mics.Also I used a couple of DRII 100 min. cassettes, and selector switch set to the type 2 setting.The sound came out great, and the master tapes are still in great condition!
I have a 60 minute version of the type 1, but the hubs have little holes in lots of three on them, and the tape looks slightly darker than yours.
Have a FUJI marked DR-I. Flea market find. As your video was streaming, loaded up in my TEAC R-919X and calibrated. Recorded a bit. Consistent with your findings. Curious as to the difference in the markingp; DR-I. Earlier? Later? Off to see what I can find on Google. Well done, Tony! Cheers!
Why did you "blur" the acme tape shot out....? 👈👀👉
It was an FX mess up. Couldn't be bothered re-rendering the video just to get rid of it...
Great video! I like Fuji tapes, my dad used to buy them in the mid '90s.
Tony. Do you know if the DR you tested in this episode is the same formulation as the 80s version of the DR? Thanks
It'll be different. The 80s ones were actually made by Fuji. These late ones are made by Saehan.
I picked up a few of each of these a while ago. I was impressed with the DRII for the price. The DR is not bad either. However, they are not as easy to find for me. Had to go to Amazon for them and they did not have a lot in stock at the time.
coincidence
was about to ask you regarding these
and the video came up.
got 6 sealed pieces dr2 for approx 260 rupees (under 4 dollars) total
lets hope they sound great
You'll be fine.
i don't know about anyone else on here, but i've always found any post 1986 XLII-S to be the best tape for warming up digital sources.
The late XLII-S are quite superb
17:23 Why is this part censored out?
Couldn't agree more. I have a handful of each and while nothing to wet your pants over they won't let ya down.Great for mix tapes.
They might be SKC, I've had some of the AX, CD and QX tapes from you and they all have that little stub of leader tape poking out of the hub like the DR1 does. I've not seen this on any of my other none SKC tapes. BTW, its always a pleasure to seen a new Cassette Comeback video.
These are good cassettes used quite a few of these. DR2 especially nice in my DR-8
Wow. Another score in the bulk lot I copped yesterday. A Fuji FR-1 90. Can't wait to take a listen based on the review of the 46 on your site. 1982?! What?!!! I wasn't even 2 digits yet.
Please do a video on Fuji Z series - Z, Zii, Metal Z
I have a few dozen ZII mix tapes from back in the day and they all still play great.
Perfect timing!! Another Cassette Comeback video, just in time for me to enjoy whilst doing the washing up...👍👍👍
Expected result. Fuji DR is not super ferric, but pretty decent entry level ferric, so it can be recorded well on good deck, but it can't take too much signal. I have one older version DR 1, for me records pretty good
Well ive just bought 6 of these
I have a couple of those DR I, they work decently as far as basic ferrics go, I used one of mine to record some festive music and give it that slightly warmer analogue sound.
Also there is another version of DR I with a much darker tape inside, that one can be a bit hit and miss I think, I only have one of it and mine works reasonably well, an unspectacular tape that developed a couple drop outs after being in the Walkmans for a few weeks, but I've heard a few complaints about the darker tape version being less stable to record on.
Thank you for enabling the comments.
Can you smell this DR II again, or possibly some other from other batches as well? I just smelled one, and I definitely sense the waxy smell of chrome. Very faint compared to the smell of a BASF pure chrome, but it's there. Might be a cobalt doped chrome? Mine looks completely identical to the one shown in your video. The smell got stronger after I wound it in the middle where the tape was not exposed probably in the last 20 years.
Haven't used one for a while, but I guess it's possible. Towards the end I'm sure they were loading whatever they had lying around in to them.
I have a FUJI DR cassette in essentially the same wrapper, non European version, and it has different hubs , similar to Sony style hubs. Grey hubs with small holes all the way around in , lots of three holes with dark grey retainers.
Just bought a few from you today! Can't wait to start recording! :)
Reminds me I do have three of the DRII's, time to open up perhaps. People forget Fuji had a great photo film reputation which they sure weren't gonna trash with 'me to' tapes. That series may be cheap, may be a bit so-so in the packaging but as you say, they deliver in deck and that's what counts.
I bought a handful of the DRIIs online about 10 years ago when I was getting back into cassettes. Mine are the ones with the JPII-style shell and hubs with holes all the way round. I like them. They do sound a bit "toppy" if not biased properly, but are great for recording vinyl. The again, I have a Nak 480, and it seems to be able to get the best out of any tape I throw at it.
P.S. Fuji did make "chrome" for years and still do. I have loads of it in my fridge, but I use it to take photographs...
Ah, I've never been a photographer, so don't know much about film, but nice you're keeping them cool.
5:43 well that was a very dull sounding ping compared to your previous pings.
I guess my heart wasn't in it as much 😂
He needs some negative bias...
I have many of the Fuji cassettes from the 1980’s including the DR from about 1986 or 1987. I also remember the DR-I which was the US version of DR, and it continued right up until the 1990’s and the 2000’s.
Love the smokey look of the fuji DR 1
The best Fuji are those double coating ones. That DR with the leader clipped on underhand and sticking out is sloppy... but there's many like that. I always detach those and trim them.. otherwise you get a "thump" audible from leaving a dent in the tape from take-up.
I got those Fuji DR back in 2004 with 10 pack box, as mentioned it was the most inexpensive compare to the TDK. Made in China, but does the job during my Panasonic portable tape recorder!
To my ears it sounded like the dr2 distorted even at the 3-5db volume you had it set to at beginning.
Yes, that's what I heard as well. The tape seemed a little unstable, like there was a lot of micro dropouts. The DR, although having a bit more noise, actually sounded better to me.
@@MacXpert74 To me it sounded more like the levels were a little too much four it to handle.
@bloxyman22 Yeah, it could be he just recorded it too hot, I'm not sure.
My DR2 tapes have the three-hole SKC hubs. :-) Mine also reek of the chrome smell. I wonder if some of these used up old chrome leftovers?
The pack of DRII's that I've got suck in my deck. Flutter that gets worse as the tape plays. I'm not discounting that my deck may be playing a role here, but they're the only tapes I've got that do this. They're not in the same shells as the tapes in this video though. The shell does look a bit like a clear version of the JP-II's, but to my eyes the rollers/guides look a little asymmetrical, which I suspect is adding to the flutter.
Dual capstan decks help with the W&F, as I have experienced this with the DRII as well.
I've used both Fuji and Axia (Japanese market Fuji) tapes, and they were decent, but nothing to make me throw TDK or Maxell under the bus. Never tried the Type 1 tapes; I was a bit of a snob and I never put anything lower than Type II in my deck, with the exception of the odd AD-X...
Late Fuji and Axia were mostly Saehan in Korea made, so they're not spectacular.
Those Cassette's are the last i remember, but true the recorder was those early 2000 cd/fm/cassette mini boomboxes, so the quality was always meh.. and lame, so blame the recorder.
Personally if i could swap the case i would put the tape into a solid color ones , since i never been fan of those generic , thin transparent style.
but you truly show that the tape itself are really good, and a blind test on the DR2 i would take a while before i notice it was a Cassette, but the hiss would of course spoil the secret.
Never the less, indeed, good decent tapes :-)
Needing a good supply of type II tapes for my studio equipment but also hoarding some type I's for dubbing vinyls i dont want to bother with and other equipment i find myself a bit reliant on fuji currently. Tapes are flying off ebay a lot faster than they were 4-5 years ago and especially type II's. I dont require anything fancier then TDK/Maxell SA/XLII but recently i have been grabbing as many of the "CD" branded late 90s type II's i can find but Fuji DRII is a widely available and reliable tape. I just dubbed two albums on a late 80s DRI with dolby B and it sounded very good. Its getting to a point where to keep up i will have to toss a few bucks each payday at cassettes to avoid paying more later. I really would like a large batch of blue/green maxell UR. I have 85 maxell all the way to modern ones and those are my favorites. will be checking your store to see what you got
Is the DR-I available in the UK? They are in the US. I have some older vintage DR cassettes that at first I did not like. Now, after finally getting them dialed in on my decks, they are decent tapes. Not sure if the DR-I and the DR you are the same cassette with different marketing. Regardless, I found there are 2 versions of the DR-I in the US. There is the maroon label like your example and there is the gray/black and aqua colored version. I like both versions, but the maroon version has darker tape and less hiss than the gray/black/aqua one. Also, the high frequencies are a touch brighter. I tested a few samples and came up with the same results. Agreed that these are the cheapest decent quality TYPE I and TYPE II available. It is now Dec 2020 and they have gone up in price due to the demand and dwindling NOS supply though. However, I have noticed that the maroon colored cassettes are a bit pricier.
My biggest qualm with slimcases is that they don't fit into most cassette storage slots (especially the pull drawer type).
I have some DRs and I believe they've got the traditional SKC hubs rather than these ones. Weird
no tony, some of the axia and fuji line up have reversible slim cases.
I tried the z ii tape, that was mentioned on the back of the wrapper. That one takes a lot of level. They were a few euro each, still in the wrapper. I think those might be as good as a sax.
The ZII are very underrated
There is taking tapes and trying to mimic the source, but there is a better way and much more tapey interesting way which is kicking down the bias and recording with Dolby but playing back without Dolby which makes beautiful of old. You cannot click back and forth while recording but you can align them back afterwards and see which one you feel sounds more vibrant and lively.
I think the crew who are back into tapes now are people for whom tapes are nostalgic. And those people have lost some Hertz. And tapes give us a way to get those Hertz back.
Btw 89p is not same in Norway for the DR
They easily go for 50-100NOK, around 5-10 pounds
Oh, I sell them the cheapest in the world. If I get a good deal, I try and pass it on. That's why I'm not really making any money 😁
Censorship at 17:24? Why?
A spurious FX mess-up in editing and I couldn't be bothered re-rendering it for that 3 seconds.
@@CassetteComeback hmm .. I thought, you might like the type-0 shell and placed maxell c-60 tape in it :) but I had the same curious question 'huh, why is he blurring that?' ..
I never had the transparent DR/DR-II .. only the older FUJI's, which I mostly used like others mentioned when funds were lacking to by proper TDK D or better.
I always treat the DRII the same as a BASF true chrome regarding the recording levels +1db at most and no Dolby, I found them smooth sounding with a pleasant fizzy top end.both excellent value tapes. Can't imagine they have been anywhere near China considering the quality of the product and the years they where manufactured. Worst thing about them is those horrible slim cases.
Yeah, for a Fe/Co they DRII can't take a lot of signal before they distort.
My DR-II is very different. It looks sort of like that jp you showed a screenshot of. It is very bright in sound. Smells like a crayon.
Must be earlier. Didn't know Fuji did a chrome, but it could be filled with SKC cobalt doped chrome.
@@CassetteComeback The hubs are like the DR you've shown, with no holes. It actually says HIGH(CrO2) POSITION and DOUBLE COATING on the thing, if that helps to narrow it down.
Hi,
Any thoughts about AXIA tapes? looks like they are made by Fuji
They are, but not made by Fuji. Mostly Saehan.
@@CassetteComeback
Thank you for the fast reply!
I've got some new ps metal and k2.
Guess no way other then to test them live :)
Hi Tony, how are you? Another great video! I want to give you a great suggestion, of a cassette, from Sony's Type I basic line tapes. It's the EF-X. I've seen some for sale on Ebay, from people in Europe. If you have a oportunity to buy one, take it! For sure you will be amazed! And if you could, make a video! It will be also very interesting! Hugs from Brazil!
I have some EF-X in stock that I got from Mexico. If they're that good, maybe I'll have a listen to one...
Sniffing tapes = LVL master! Very informative videos by the way, many thanks!
89p for a basic ferric? That's about $1.10 or $1.20 US, no? How much would you charge to ship to the 'States?
Too much for them to be a good price anymore.
@@CassetteComeback - :( Thanks for your honesty.
hold on I think they might be skc but I have a feeling they might be Saehan.
Really leveling the playing field, treating on the Dragon!
Given' the Fuji a fair fighting chance ;)
I thought type II was meant to be chrome?
I have heard worse! That guy selling that garbage will ruin his own reputation Tony! If you sell crap, the word gets around! It bares no repeating! Nothing wrong with a C 60, but I am partial to C 90s myself! You keep calling it as you see it mate! I hope you sell a bunch over the holiday!😊🎄
Thanks Tony... those two Fuji's sounded very decent, but a bit 'dull' in the higher frequencies - on both tapes and tracks, they lost some of the hi-hat sounds... but over all, good, and handled higher peaks pretty well... :-)
And thanks for extra bit about the ACME tapes... I brought them up in an earlier video's comments as I'd seen them on Ebay at what looked a "reasonable" price for a CrO2 tape-but they looked cheap and nasty...good to know they're garbage!! Many thanks for that ;-)
Really used to like FUJI media and their packaging around this time.
First VHS tapes I bought were FUJI and they were really made by them. I don't believe FUJI ever outsourced VHS (even if the shells later became generic looking - earlier generation VHS shells which stopped around 98 were something really special and solid), not sure about the audiocassette side.
FUJI never let me down and were widely used/stocked by pro audio/video suppliers for duplication.
I have used some of these back in 2001/2002.
Hi, Tony! So, the DR-I was for the US market? I bought a few used DR-Ix in october. I have a few of these DRs as well. The DR-Ix has the same hubs as these DRs, the shell is different, and the slip sheet has unusual C shaped grooves around the hubs. The tape in them is much darker, greyish-brown, are they cobalt doped? I'm so frustrated I can't try them out, because all of my decks are out of order currently.
The only working one is a Technics M205, but its head is so worn out it's useless, probably unable to record, since it's very muffled for playback as well. I have an other, working M205 with replaced head, but it's not yet calibrated to the new head, which is quite different from the original. I have two Aiwa AD-R450 (one of them is cactus beyond repair, I keep it only for parts, the other one is waiting for new belts), an Akai HX-2, also waiting for belts, and I just bought an Aiwa AD-F450 and an AD-F460, which are not yet arrived, but at least one of them probably just needs new belts (the other one is missing the power switch, so who knows what happened to it, but they were cheap, about 10USD each).
There are a lot of similar named Fuji models: DR, DR-I and DR-Ix. All of them do exist in different versions, made by different OEMs (mostly Saehan, SKC, that yet unknown Chinese factory, even some Sony), and some made by Fuji themselves. Some versions can be found with identical tape for all three designations. Yes, DR-I was mainly a US market thing, while we were offered DR and DR-Ix in Europe.
To add even more confusion, DR-II was entry level in Europe, while the DR-II that was sold in the US was sometimes identical to the higher grade EU model JP-II, later called K2. Even these do exist as SKC, Chinese, original Fuji, and Sony versions. Not seen any Saehans there yet, but you never know :-)
@@kiirunavaara Thanks. Wow, very complicated brand. I think I'll stick to my Sony HF-S-es and SuperEFs. Those are known things. Too much variables with Fuji, it seems. But the DR-Ix-es I bought seems decent. Can't wait to test them properly. The recordings on them were probably made with a mediocre boombox, so I can't judge them based on the recordings they came with.
2020/2021 - cassette prices rising
Thanks, Covid! ;-)
I have lot of DR1 tape. Not the best, but good tape.
I'd reckon that the TDK D-C90 and it's counterparts are also "dirty ferrics".
Depends on the vintage. Early 80s, yeah, but as the tape went from deep brown to black ish, not so much.
@@CassetteComeback The one I have looks like this: live.staticflickr.com/3336/3346863852_c8f04a3e58_b.jpg.
Even though 96% of the stickers on both sides of mine are worn off, I can still see the distinctive D-C90 text.
Just had a NOS 5-brick of Fuji DR turn up. Just opened one up and wound it on to look at the tape and it looks crinkled on one edge. Hopefully the other four aren't the same else I'm buying no more of them....
That dr2 is not the double coated cassette like the older dr2's
Now these shells are really hard to identify. The hubs - especially in the DR II - are an accurate remake of an original Fuji design. But the rest of the mechanics is completely un-Fuji-esque, as well as the tape. In my opinion, tapes and shell are quite different from SKC, too. The last China made SKC cassettes were not very good, dropout city (especially on the type II) and similar issues. These here are a big step up. On an Axia with the same shell, it says Made in China (printed on the back side, in Japanese): www.45spaces.com/audio-compact-cassette-blank-tapes/r.php?r=aud862711 A cassette with identical looking shell (and tape) is this Manatex: forum2.magnetofon.de/bildupload/Manatex_HD-X_90_offen.jpg and forum2.magnetofon.de/bildupload/Manatex_HD-X_90.jpg So yes, these are not easy to find out more about. I only know that the tape is much better than what you would expect, especially in the type I DR.
Yeah. The DRII isn't as good a Type 2, as the DR is a Type 1, if you get what I mean 😁
@@CassetteComeback Fully agreed. That type I has a touch of a BASF Sound I or Fe Extra I: Sound quality, colour, and does not railroad or otherwise deform, regardless how much you beat it in the car stereo. I really wonder where they found such a tape in China... maybe they purchased ECP stock from Siberia, but that's only speculation.
damn ... i wanted a DR 1 to do a video for quite a while - looks like i HAVE to buy some cassettes from you now - or rather, no excuse not to.
Thought there was distortion before you turned it up
On par on price with the UR/FE/FX/Philips Ferro at the time, and about the same quality. Just a good honest tape, and 9/10 didn't need any more. Still better than 90% of 80s tapes for sure.
Usei esses modelos em 1991,tinha eu 16 anos!
Type I was a winner for me. The type II, ummm
Super! 💯😊
I want audio cassette
How peruchas I'm in India
We always had Golden Wonder as a kid, so blue = salt and vinegar (none of this Walkers nonsense).
Yeah, walkers came and messed it all up. KP, Tudor, Supermarket brands, blue = salt & vinegar.
Walkers used to have the colours the right way round. Changed in about 97 iirc (vague childhood memory). McCoys swapped it round too more recently.
tony gets moist at a k2 don't you know....
😂
Fuji DR using Fuji Shell, Made by SKC, Tape SKC China, Hubs generic China.
Fuji DR-II using Fuji Shell, Made by SKC, Tape SKC QX?, Hubs design Fuji, Made by SKC, Made in China
Nice. I don't think it's QX tape in the DRII. The QX I've had are better and can take more signal before distortion.
@EZ647: Are you really sure about SKC here? The inside architecture of the shells is completely different from anything Fuji or SKC I've seen so far, even the slip sheets. The tape in the DR type I is closer to a BASF or ECP product than to the tapes which could be found in China made SKC cassettes. You are right about the hubs, those in the DR II are a perfect copy of an original FUji design. These can sometimes also be found in the DR type I.
@@kiirunavaara
My opinion:
Fuji and SKC have worked together for years, Fuji Shell has been used in both Fuji and SKC cartridges, I think Fuji has provided SKC with shell and hub molds to cover production demand for other markets around the world. Shell used in
Fuji DR and DRII have also been used in some new Axia cartridges, such as the Axia AX1
The serial number on these Fuji cartridges corresponds to SKC China.
SKC produced many quality batches, QX can take many forms, as well as GX tape. The SKC GX has had extreme differences in tape performance over the years.
@@EZ647 You've got a point there with the serial number, indeed! I know about the ties between Fuji and SKC, but still the shells are different inside from anything that Fuji or SKC ever made. Why would they make the efforts to design new molds, at the demise of the product life cycle? Especially, when the very same shell construction already appeared earlier on some off-brand tapes, such as Alba and Manatex, for example: forum2.magnetofon.de/bildupload/Manatex_HD-X_90_offen.jpg Inside that one, you can find SKC style hubs, but with SKC-untypical double clamps, mor like in the Emtec tapes with China shells.
Now we could both be right: What if they were still assembled at the Chinese SKC factory, but with parts they sourced from elsewhere? Forward could be one of these suppliers: They have always proven to be very flexible when it comes to imitating hub designs, they have made many customized outside designs on their shells, and are about the only known halfway-quality source for cassette shells in Hong Kong/China. Still just a theory, I will try to investigate this further :-)
@@kiirunavaara
I don't have access to all tapes, I didn't know about Matanex.
The SKC could design the Shell, just as the new Shell SKC GX designed for 2001.
Relations between manufacturers were complicated, it is impossible to reveal all the information. I cannot offer more than opinions and conjectures.
Thank you for the conversation. It is extremely difficult for me to discuss in another language. Otherwise I would have joined Tapeheads.net long ago.
type 1 not so bad))
Great tapes
whistling down the road. ua-cam.com/video/D9-dUF7DaZ4/v-deo.html
No way chain no good quality
It's written on wrapper, Made In Germany, also written in Russian, for export to Russia and eastern Europe.
Where does it say "Made In Germany"?
@@CassetteComeback My bad :( , it doesn't say Made in Germany it just address Fuji strasse 1 ,D-47533 Kleve, Germany and same in Russian too, and more Russian text . There is also Japan address, Japan could make cassettes for Russia too but but why they put Germany address on then. This all together leans me think that it's made in Germany.
collect audio tape like it's a freaking currency show like it's going to happen all over the time when we stopped when we sneeze so you get audio tape and it's well and it's making me silly and I can't stop thinking about audio tape
ow ow oww
in russian it says: audiocassette type time