Experts remind us that with analog, preserving the recording's delicate amplitude versus time relationships is critical. Everything in the playback chain matters, but the time-base accuracy stems entirely from the tape transport mechanism.  

Many surviving master tapes have become fragile with age. Playback using an old studio tape recorder with forced-guidance or fixed-pin lifters could irreparably harm those tapes, as could pulling the tape's oxide layer over unnecessary erase and record heads. The use of modern, specialized hardware is indicated.

What's needed is a state-of-the-art, single-head, playback-only optimized tape machine, offering laboratory grade speed stability from a highly sophisticated, ultra-low-flutter, precision guidance transport. Experts would insist on using the finest available tape playback equipment: a Model One or Model Two reproducer from ATAE.

Complementing ATAE's professional-grade tape transports, the playback electronics must be closely matched to the play head installed in the reproducer's headblock and must accurately align to the standard playback equalization curves. Our five different models of tape playback electronics each deliver industry leading performance and sound quality.

For over 30 years our mission has been to help preserve the treasure from the golden age of music recording, half a century's worth of original analog master tapes stored in record company archives. Few people know how good legacy master tapes can actually sound. We hope the state-of-the-art tape playback hardware we're building changes that.

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