ln 1998 we witness the proliferation of blank with gold-coloured black; all brand except the Axia, have one or more model.
In these years, many big electronics chains, apparel, ecc. have begun to make produce from third parties, with your own brand, blank MiniDiscs, like Benetton, Fnac, Muji, Tsutaja, Virgin.
Sony Lumina 1° series
Sony introduces a blank glitter, in only two colors.
Produced in the duration of 60 and 74 minutes.
Even in this case, as in Sparling, the cases appear fully transparent and slide open. of course plastic is rigid.
Note the presence of stripes on the sides of the case for easy scrolling.
High production for 74, non easy to find 60 min.
TDK MD-RXG
Produced in sizes 60, 74 and 80 min, sold in Japan and Europe, perhaps the most popular and most successful blank manufactured by TDK.
It is only a TDK XA with a shutter changed.
The case is transparent and you can open a book; labels are very colorful and allow to customize the collection.
High number production.
Victor Crystal Gold
What to say; same colors, same stripes with the same angles, written in the same colour, varying the shutter (little).
It is a TDK XA or XRG slightly modified.
Not easy to find
Maxell Gold & Platinum 2° series
Aesthetic evolution of the first series, produced with duration of 60 and 74 min.
The changes affect only the shutter; in the logo, a G and a P stylized; the appearance looks very questionable.
It was produced in large quantities.
Sony Prism 2° Edition.
In this model the contrast black-gold is flanked by an innovative design and very nice.
It was marketed in Japan as Prism, while in Europe it was marketed under the name Premium over the next year.
Produced with recording time of 60 and 74 minutes.
Unfortunately, reappears the houses with black back.
It was produced in large quantities.
Axia PS J
With this model Axia starts producing blank with a veritable bas-relief on the front surface of the shell thatgive the blank looks.
Products with duration of 60 and 74 minutes, light and dark in color.
The colors on the shell and the shutter are exactly reversed in the two models.
The case has a blue color, like the previous PS; note the differences in colour of the labels depending on the color of the blank and the buttons to open the houses have a different color than those of PS.
Really very beautiful and studied.
It was produced in medium quantities, 74 > 60.
TDK Studio
To counter the Sony PRMD the TDK produces his "Studio" which is only a XRG with a different shutter and a larger case.
Always the same colors, the same oblique lines on the shell, no imaginationion.
Maxell Pro Japanese version
Maxell also produces its "Pro", anything particularly interesting, the case is the first product of soft plastic.
Likely to have been a marketing flop.
Hard to find.
Axia Mayor Hits
Axia is not captured by looking at any price to a "pro" model; prefer to appoint "For Mayor Hits" his model.
Added to the bas-relief we look drawn on shell to "whirl";
It is produced in 60 / 74 minutes, gray, gold and blue.
The shutter resumes the texture and the blank colors; the case/label recall the color of the different shell.
A very nice series.
This pattern was used by Axia in many later models of great production.
The 74 min uncommon, 60 min rare.
TDK Fine 1° series
This model incorporates the production of "color" series by TDK, produced in four colours and in two different versions, 74 / 80 minutes.
With this model the TDK begins to place sixteen engravings on the upper part of the shell, less visible; it appears likely that to facilitate the extraction of the blank.
This feature will be present in Lucir 1 & 2 series, XG, Fine, Gold & Silver, PoShe etc.
Uses a smooth surface for the shell.
The case is opening and the label are colored.
Very high production for 74, less common 80 min.
Maxell Crystal " Batman
This blank is an indication of the failure in the sale of the Maxell "Pro"; the shell is perfectly equal and the differece is only in the shutter.
The case is still of "old" model.
It was produced in medium quantities.
TDK Music Jack 2° Series
TDK begins production of 2° MusicJack series; is nothing more than a 1° series in four different colours, produced only in the time of 74 minutes.
As in previous series the case has a slit in the center of the case in order to facilitate the release of blank.
The case is transparent but still in one piece; the label has bright colors.
Production not so broad as that of the 3° series.
Maxell Colors, Japan, Europe
The Maxell Colors is perhaps the most absolute product blank, flamboyant colors, looks nice, overall affordability, good reliability were the advantages of this product.
The shutter is made of plastic, the look has nothing pretentious.
I am many years I use the md, and I never had a problem
with a plastic shutter, plastic-plastic coupling in the coupling mechanism allows a symmetrical components wear doubling the life.
I have had more problems with the metal shutter, very beautiful, more professional, but the aluminium deforms easily.
It was produced in the period of 74 and later 80 minutes and marketed in Japan and Europe for several years.
As you can see from the photographs the model presented many variations; color of identical front and rear shell with black lettering on the shutter, shutter ever written in black with white or black rear shell,
shell of the same color on both sides and written on the shutter of the same color.
The case, transparent, features sliding opening.
It was produced in very large quantities.
The Usa variant show the old Maxell logo.
