Tape vs Digital Part 1

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A tape machine was the only way music was recorded for about 40 years. Then, in the 1990s, computer technology made digital audio recording possible. There was a period when both technologies were in use, but the advantages of digital were overwhelming. The cost of a digital recording system, using commodity computers, was less than a tenth the cost of a multitrack tape machine. This vastly expanded professional-quality recording availability.

Digital recording has many advantages. But recording to magnetic tape has never disappeared entirely. In this first part of a two-part series, I talk about the practical aspects of tape recording.

In part 2, I will contrast the two technologies, and offer my opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of tape and digital.

I will return to the last episode of Basic Electronics for Recording Engineers after this short series.

Thanks for listening, commenting, and subscribing. I can always be reached at [email protected]. I enjoy reading  your reactions, suggestions for future episodes, and hearing your personal stories.

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