Maxell UD 35-180 : What is the difference???

jjones1700

Learning, always learning
I see different types of the UD 35-180 boxes in various places. Some are silver/black/blue, silver/black/magenta, black/cyan, etc. What is the difference in these? Is it just changing the look of the box or are there different "grades" of this stuff? Different years? Just curious if there is something I should watch out for.
 
jjones1700 said:
I see different types of the UD 35-180 boxes in various places. Some are silver/black/blue, silver/black/magenta, black/cyan, etc. What is the difference in these? Is it just changing the look of the box or are there different "grades" of this stuff? Different years? Just curious if there is something I should watch out for.

Only the boxes are different. Maxell told me the blue ones are the most recent with the gold being the oldest and the rest somewhere in between. All hold up very well but make sure you get sealed or are certain they were never used.
 
UD 35-180 (N)

What is the difference with the (N)?

Good question and I can only speculate that the "N" may stand for normal or standard 'cause there are other versions like XL, B [backcoated] and others..... so it's just a way, I guess, to differentiate all the Maxells.
 
I've never heard what the (N) stands for, but I do know that it's only on the latest boxes.

I have 35-90 and 35-90B from the earliest to the latest box styles. The newest stuff all has an (N). XLI 35-90B(N) and UD 35-90(N). The only obvious difference is the reel style.

They may have changed something about the formula, which they have a few times over the years as have other tape manufacturers, but I don't know. Or it could be as simple as a different reel (New reel?) since the newest ones are different than the classic reel style we were accustomed to. The old website gives no explaination.

I would kinda like to know... ‘might give them a call. :)

Other than the box and reel styles the tapes look, smell and behave the same. 30 years of consitancy… the manufacturing facility must be built in a pyramid or something. ;)
 
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I've never heard what the (N) stands for, but I do know that it's only on the latest boxes.

I have 35-90 and 35-90B from the earliest to the latest box styles. The newest stuff all has an (N). XLI 35-90B(N) and UD 35-90(N). The only obvious difference is the reel style.

They may have changed something about the formula, which they have a few times over the years as have other tape manufacturers, but I don't know. Or it could be as simple as a different reel (New reel?) since the newest ones are different than the classic reel style we were accustomed to. The old website gives no explaination.

I would kinda like to know... ‘might give them a call. :)

Other than the box and reel styles the tapes look, smell and behave the same. 30 years of consitancy… the manufacturing facility must be built in a pyramid or something. ;)

Too bad they don't make the stuff anymore. The reel is identical to an older 35-180 I have. My first box is the black/silver w/ pink (magenta?) writing. The only thing I've noticed is the (N) reel shed a little bit when I ran it for the first time yesterday. Not sure if it is just an alignment difference between my 909 vs the 909 it came off of or if it is a storage/handling problem before I got it. Either way, it sounds great and visually perfect.

I'll try to contact Maxell on monday to see if I can get an answer on the (N) and get back to you.
 
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