Super Normal

'Super Ferric' Type I Cassettes

I was always skeptical of high end Type I tapes, that boasted Type II performance

but still remained in the Normal stable. I thought it was just a marketing ploy. I always felt

Type I tapes lacked that high-end sizzle that Type II tapes gave as standard. Well, they

generally do, but the higher up the ladder you go they do get brighter, and there's that

big fat bottom end! Here is a test using the following tapes to see what the fuss

is all about.

All recordings were made on a Pioneer CT-S810S

with Super Auto BLE and no NR was used.

The music: Grace Jones - Nightclubbing (2014 Remaster)

Queen - Greatest Hits (Remaster) and Suzanne Vega - Days of Open Hand

(Original 1990 DDD)

Test #1 Sony

HF-S (1986-87) and HF-ES (1985)

The HF-S sounded fat and warm in the bottom end and the treble was precise, inviting

but never over-fizzy. Suzanne Vega's 'Tired of Sleeping' sounded very detailed, punchy

and crystal clear, especially the rim shots, but remained warm and very analog sounding. Grace Jones's 'Walking in the Rain's' reggae pulse sounded excellent on this tape,the hi-hats sizzling like they should and 'Queen's bass-heavy 'Another One Bites The Dust' chugged powerfully along like a juggernaut. A TDK SA would sound a little sterile in comparison I reckon. I just can't find fault with this tape.

The HF-ES is a notch up the ladder and all I can say is there is a noticeable difference, and

that difference is it sounds that much more warm, punchy and beautiful. I was kind of expecting this as I have heard a lot about these tapes. The Vega track was played back as faithfully as a Type I can perform and the detail in the treble was gorgeous and never overstated, like some Type II's can do. Grace Jones's 'Walking in the Rain' was even richer and 'Another One Bites The Dust' was tight and John Deacon's bass was in the room! This is one of the most beautiful sounding tapes I have ever heard.

Test #2 TDK

AR and AR-X (both 1988)

The AR sounded very precise and the bottom end was tight and warm but not as full

as the Sony tapes. The soundstage on the Vega track was very precise, if not a touch mechanical. I'm going by my ears here, and the performance offered by each tape paints a different picture in my mind. Again Grace Jones's 'Walking in the Rain' was tight and powerful with the bass pulsing like an engine humming. 'Another One Bites The Dust' was crystal clear but tight and punchy.

The AR-X was the top of the TDK Type I range and this is again a noticeable notch above the AR. The Vega track was very precise and the bass punched through in stabs of syncopation with the drums to aural delight. I like this kind of thing in music. The hi-hat on Grace Jones's 'Walking in the Rain' was executed with a metallic sheen I didn't notice on the other tapes. This is very exciting stuff indeed and 'Another One Bites The Dust' was again super-punchy and exact. I mean, I could hear the whole picture with nothing left out.

This is a different sounding tape to the Sony HF-ES but it's quite amazing in it's

own way. Now I'm getting to hear what all the fuss is about! 

Test #3 Maxell

Test will resume when I track some of these down.