758 Chapter 26
Table 26.2 Major analogue recording formats
Tracks Format Medium/speed Application(^2) ½ stereo ½ 7.5–30 ips High-quality mastering
(^2) ¼ stereo ¼ 7.5–30 ips High-quality mastering
2 Cassette ¹/ 8 15/8 ips Medium quality replay
(^4) ½ four track ½ 7.5–30 ips High-quality mastering
4 Cassette ¹/ 8 3.75 ips Personal multitrack
(^8) ¼ multitrack 7.5–15 ips Semipro multitrack
1 6 ½ multitrack ½ 15–30 ips Professional multitrack
1 6 1 multitrack 1 30 ips High-quality multitrack
16–24 1 multitrack 1 30 ips High-quality multitrack
2 4 2 multitrack 2 30 ips High-quality multitrack
Figure 26.8 : Analogue mastering recorder.
various speeds. This simple principle accounts for the many different tape formats that exist.
Each is an attempt to redefi ne the balance among complexity, sound quality, and tape cost
appropriate to a certain market sector. Table 26.2 lists some of the major analogue recording
formats. Note that the format of a tape relates to its width, specifi ed in inches.
26.8.1 Analogue Mastering
Analogue mastering is now very rare, this offi ce having been made the exclusive domain
of digital audio tape. A typical high-quality two-track mastering recorder is illustrated in
Figure 26.8.