A slightly more luxurious upper-grade model with improved sound quality from the X series. Normal / High Position / Metal.
Metal XRS (1994)
Although positioned below スーパーメタルマスター (Super Metal Master), it was effectively one of the upper-grade Metal products. Gold lettering on the black package gave it a luxurious appearance. Its shell was welded, but unlike XS I and II it used a 高精度ISシェル (high-precision IS shell). As a reference Metal cassette, it was a distinguished product set apart from CDixIV.
Explanatory note
The S in XS stands for Select, suggesting a sound-quality upgrade of the X series. The cassette combined an extra-wide-window shell like that of the X series with high-performance tape equivalent to that in the higher-grade ES series. The two types were released simultaneously in 1994 as Sony’s top Normal and High Position products respectively.
They might have been considered successors to ES-I and II. However, the third ES generation was officially released in 1996 and there was no second generation of XS. In retrospect, XS was something of a temporary substitute for ES.
METAL XRS was a related Metal cassette released alongside the XS series. It succeeded the 1992 X IV and was positioned as a mid-range reference tape above CDixIV.
XS II (1994)
Unlike I, the package used a subdued brown base colour. For clarity, the recording length appeared before the model name, as in ○○XS II. The tape was equivalent to ES II and used スーパー・ファイン・ユニアクシャル磁性体 (Super Fine Uniaxial magnetic material). A special high-dispersion system and high-density mixing technology were used, and the plastic case was slim.
XS I (1994)
The extra-wide キャンバス・ウィンドウ (Canvas Window) provided excellent visibility. The ワンピース・リジッド・シェル (one-piece rigid shell), joined without screws by ultrasonic welding, suppressed vibration, twisting and flexing. The blue package design emphasised the model name. The tape used ultra-fine スーパー・コバルト・クリスタル (Super Cobalt Crystal) magnetic material, equivalent to that in ES I.