"none" ""dave\"@(none)" wrote in message
...
Telamon wrote:
In article ,
"David Eduardo" wrote:

The problem with these over many years is the tape formulation kept
changing to improve the high end so you needed to have amplifiers with
selection switches depending on the tape formulation. Some even
required
different heads (gap) depending on the ferro grain size in the tape.
I never experienced that. By 1960, the format for 2 track mono (forward
and reverse) and, later, for two track stereo were the same in consumer
and boradcast applications. You are likely thinking of the mid to late
50's stuff, which was not as standardized.

Nope. Before my time.

Consumer decks used 4 tr stereo, 2 tracks in each direction.

Not all of them. The early ones like the Wollensak were mono, one track each
way. And many consumer decks, like the Sony 777 series, came as either two
or 4 track, depending on the consumer need. The break point was around $500
with those below that cost being as you describe, and those above having
options. Even the $2000 Otari of the late 70's and 80's came with either
configuration.