© Unsplash (photo by Steven Weeks)

Limitations of Analog Tape Recorders' Dynamic Range

 

The analog tape recorder (a.k.a. analog tape machine) cannot respond to the full 120 dB of dynamic range that human ears can. Therefore it can never really fool the ear into thinking the recording is real. The dynamic range that an analog tape recoder can accommodate is much smaller than we might think. A well aligned, properly cared for machine with perfect tape tension, no electronic ground loops, etc., is capable of about 60 - 65 dB dynamic range at best. The limits of the levels are bounded by the maximum output level (MOL) before distortion on the high side, and the noise floor due to tape hiss on the low side. The difference between these two levels as measured in dB is the recorder's dynamic range. Many factors affect the dymanic range of an analog tape recorder. Two of the most important are the speed of the tape recorder and the tape formulation. For a given tape formulation, the faster the tape speed (usually a choice of 15 ips or 30 ips — 'ips' stands for "inches per second") the better the dymanic range. This is because at higher tape speeds, more tape crosses the record head in a given time and that means more magnets are available for recording. This means more energy, louder signal, farther away from the tape hiss, hence greater dynamic range. 

 

 

 

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