TS EN 61120-4

TS EN 61120-4 is the part of the standard that addresses measurement methods for the properties of magnetic tape used in professional 6.3 mm reel-to-reel digital audio recording and reproducing systems. It focuses on the tape medium itself, providing a technical framework for defining and evaluating magnetic-tape characteristics that influence system performance.

Why magnetic-tape properties matter

In digital audio systems, the tape is more than a storage carrier: it is a critical medium that affects recording stability, replay consistency, and overall interchangeability. Characteristics such as the magnetic layer structure, surface condition, and mechanical behaviour can influence recording density, error tendency, and tape transport behaviour. Measuring these properties helps create comparable results across production batches and across different test laboratories.

Technical focus of this part

• Reel-to-reel digital audio recording and reproducing systems using 6.3 mm magnetic tape for professional use
• Definitions related to magnetic-tape properties
• Methods of measurement for those properties
• Common terminology supporting technical comparison of audio tapes

In general technical terms, a standard like this supports measurement consistency more than it prescribes a product design. When different laboratories evaluate the same tape using aligned definitions and methods, the results are easier to interpret and compare. TS EN 61120-4 therefore serves as a terminology-and-measurement reference for the specific tape medium used in this class of professional digital audio systems.