It's a good argument, but has it been tested. Has anyone tried to store a back coated tape without it's back coating to see the difference? If I remember correctly (where is Rich Hess when you need him) the SSS was first discovered in ampex 400 series, but it was the new binder they used. I don't see how that is affected by the back coating, and why doesn't it affect all back coated tapes. I have many different tapes with back coating, some of them almost 30 years old by now that play like the day I bought them. Maxell XLI, BASF pem468, BASF dpr26, emtec 911 (not 30 years old). To put the blame on the back coating just because if is from the same era. It should have sown up in all back coated tapes. What am I missing? Shai On 12/22/2010 8:47 PM, Michael Biel wrote: > On 12/22/2010 2:27 AM, Shai Drori wrote: >> I have many tape that are back coated that show no SSS. In my >> experience there is no connection whatsoever. >> Shai >> > > But how often have you found non-backcoated tapes with SSS? > > Mike Biel [log in to unmask] > > >> On 12/22/2010 8:46 AM, Michael Biel wrote: >>> The one saving grace of 8mm is that I don't think I have come across >>> a backcoated tape in this format. So if there is any truth to SSS >>> being a reaction to backcoating, that reduces that problem. >>> >>> Mike Biel [log in to unmask] >