reel to reel
Vintage tape format
Reel to reel describes audio or video equipment that uses two separate spools—one feeding tape, one collecting it—rather than a self-contained cassette.
The format dominated professional recording from the 1950s through the 1980s: The studio still has a working reel-to-reel machine.
Audiophiles prize reel-to-reel for its warm, high-fidelity sound.
Also written reel-to-reel.
- tapeAdhesive strip on roll
- magnetic tapeCoated strip storing data
- audio tapeMagnetic sound recording medium
- magneticAttracting iron or attention
- spoolCylinder for winding material
recording · recording studio · analog · tape deck · deck · playback · vintage · audio · studio · master · master tape · oxide · splice · track · quarter inch · hiss · bobbin · rewind
- audio equipmentspeakers, microphone, headphones, amplifier, amplifiers
- Analog Eratypewriter, rotary phone, record player, phonograph, turntable
- obsolete techfloppy disk, VHS, dial-up modem, cassette tape, floppy disks
- recordingsaudio recording, albums, studio albums, video recording, live albums
- retro electronics8-track, 8-track player, answering machine, Atari, Betamax
- vintage officetypewriter, adding machine, mimeograph, dictaphone, Rolodex
reel to reelcassette
Magnetic audio cartridge
compact cassette · cartridge · 8-track · microcassette · cassette tape
reel to reelMP3
Lossy audio compression standard
streaming · digital audio · CD · compact disc · cloud storage