Not many have access to valuable master tapes.

We build playback machines for those that do.

Why use an ATAE precision reproducer?

1. To prevent the destruction of irreplaceable audio tapes. All tapes undergo chemical degradation over time, often making them fragile and susceptible to damage. Playback on a recorder is irresponsible in part because the frictional stresses from traveling through the recorder's headblock can damage or even destroy a tape. Further, a recorder could erase or overwrite the recording. Conservation of high-value tapes demands that only a dedicated playback platform is used.

2. To reveal how a recording actually sounds. Analog master tapes can often have astonishing sound quality. Playback on a recorder adds unwanted scrape flutter (a time base distortion) masking the recording’s true fidelity. Heritage master tapes deserve the highest quality playback that’s only available from a dedicated platform.

If you work with high-value tapes and are interested in the science behind our state-of-the-art tape playback machines, ask for our list of technical briefs. We’re in California, USA

Learn about the effort to preserve heritage master tapes at: recordedmusicpreservation.org