Mitsubishi Black Diamond

[close652]

I have these tapes in both 60 and 90 min. formats.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/close652/DSC01496.jpg

I opened a C-90 to test. It is a normal tape. Outside wrapping looks nice, inside is plain, but the words "studio quality" looked promising:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/close652/DSC01501.jpg

First surprise came as I looked at the shell.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/close652/DSC01500.jpg

It's an AKAI!

I recorded one song from LP. It lacked both highs and bass and sounded flat. I will evalute it more, but it looks I keep one unopened and the rest can go to trade.

[close652]

More pics, illustrating that they are related:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/close652/DSC01510.jpg

Mitsu:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/close652/DSC01508.jpg

Akai:
http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/close652/DSC01509.jpg

[Scorpion8]

The reel hubs are different. Same shell supplier, most likely. Maybe a different tape mill.

[D.S. UK]

In the UK, these tapes seemed to be sold exclusively in discount stores like Instore/Poundstretcher and Home Bargains rather than electronics retailers. The final batches (with the blue transparent shells) seemed to have ended up in Poundland (national one-price retailer) at £1 for 3 C90s or 5 C60s around 2005/6 together with Mitsubishi ENX VHS tapes. I have lots of these tapes which I recorded speech programming from BBC Radio 4 and 7 on and am pleased with them.

Regards.

[Des-Lab]

No. I think his instincts are spot on. It's an Akai. He just used the wrong one for comparison. See below for comparison of the two hub styles.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/tapestuff/Akai_Cassettes.JPG


http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/tapestuff/Akai_Blanks.JPG

[close652]

I compared type I to type I.

Another explanation could be that they both bought parts from a third and same manufacturer
(see the example of the same EU type reel to reel plastic archive boxes of BASF and 3M).