State of the audiotape art: Amateurs and professionals find their favorite tape formats enhanced by better electronics, mechanics, and magnetic oxides

Short-wave radio listeners eavesdropping on German broadcasts during World War II were among the first to realize that audio recording technology had entered a new era. Somehow “live” orchestra performances were emanating from occupied Europe on a time schedule unrelated to the musicians' logistics problems or sleeping habits. When hostilities ended, the secret was revealed — a new electronic marvel called the Magnetophon that recorded almost flawlessly on reels of iron-oxide-impregnated tape. Gone were the hiss, crackle, and miserable frequency response long associated with disc, sound on film, and wire recording techniques.