Tape Track Formats, Width, and recorder Quick Reference List
Explore a comprehensive list of audio tape formats, complete with their respective widths, number of tracks. Additionally, some equipment examples for each format is listed.
Analog Formats:
1/4″ 1-track – Ampex 350, Revox A77
1/4″ 2-track – Ampex 350, Ampex ATR-100 series, Revox A77
1/4″ 4-track – AMPEX ATR-100 series (Quadraphonic), Revox A77, TEAC A-3440
1/4″ 8-track – Fostex R-8 (Dolby C), Tascam 48
1/2″ 2-track – Studer A820, Sony APR-5000, AMPEX ATR-100 series (Ampex ATR-102), Fostex E22
1/2″ 4-track – AMPEX ATR-100 series (Quadraphonic)
1/2” 8-track – Tascam 38 (DBX), Otari MX-5050 Mk III, Tascam TSR-8
1/2” 16-track – Fostex B-16 (B16-D, B16-DM) (Dolby C), Fostex E-16 (Dolby C), G-16(S) (Dolby-S), Tascam MSR-16 (Most came with DBX, latest with Dolby-S)
1″ 8-track –
1″ 12-track –
1” 16-track – Otari MX-70, MTR-90, Tascam MS-16, ATR60-16, Tascam 85-16B
1″ 24-track – Tascam MSR-24(S), Fostex G24S (S stand for Dolby-S)
2″ 8-track – Ampex MM1100
2″ 16-track – Ampex MM1100, Ampex MM1200
2” 24-track – Otari MX-80, Otari MTR-90, Otari MTR 90 II, Otari MTR-100, Ampex MM1100, Ampex MM1200, Studer A80 Mk II, Studer A820, Studer A827
2″ 32-track –
Digital:
1/2″ 24-track – Sony PCM-3324 (16-bit/44.1kHz)
1/2″ 48-track – Sony PCM-3348 (16-bit/44.1kHz)