Tape Speed

Background

This page describes why different tape speeds are used.

Why do it

Professionals tend to use 15ips or 30ips (inches per second) with 15ips the more common. with these higher tape speeds the frequency responce recorded on the tape and hence the reproduction is maximized. However the tape does not last so long hence the professional machines have spool diameters of 10.5 inches to 14 inches or more.
They also mainly use two track machines to provide the maximum width of tape increasing the signal to noise ratio.

Home users Look at the price of tape and make a quality/cost choice:
higher speed - better quality, higher cost.
Lower speed - lower quality, lower cost.
speeds can go from 1.875ips, to 7.5ips with a nominal 3.75ips for a balanced choice.
Again for cost tapes tend to be four track using two each way for sterio recordings.

Notes:

Tape speed and the tape head gap are intertwined; for further information on this see the Tape Head Gap Page