The Complete Handbook of Reel-to-Reel Tape Players & Recorders

Chapter 1: Understanding Reel-to-Reel Tape Players & Recorders

Reel-to-reel tape players and recorders are precision electromechanical instruments designed for the storage and reproduction of analog audio signals on magnetic tape. In common use, they are called tape machines, deck recorders, or simply reel-to-reels. A typical machine consists of a tape transport that moves the tape at a constant speed, a head block containing magnetic heads that record and read the signal, and the electronic circuitry that powers the heads and processes the audio signal. Understanding how these parts work together is essential whether you plan to operate a single machine at home or manage a professional studio facility.

The tape itself is a plastic ribbon, most commonly made of polyester or acetate, coated with a thin magnetic layer containing particles of ferric oxide or other magnetic materials. When the machine is recording, the audio signal is converted into a varying electrical current and passed through the record head, which is a small electromagnet. The magnetic field from the head aligns the magnetic particles on the tape as it passes. The pattern of alignments, called a residual magnetic pattern, is the stored recording. To play the tape back, the playback head senses these magnetic patterns as the tape passes over it, and it generates a tiny electrical signal in response. This signal is amplified and sent to the output.

While the principle of magnetic recording is old, the reel-to-reel format remains in use because it offers performance characteristics that other media