Tape Speed
Tape Speed lists the speeds at which a reel-to-reel machine records or plays tape, expressed in inches or centimetres per second.
The playback speed must match the recording to reproduce its intended timing and pitch. The same speed may be shown in both unit systems; that is one operating speed, not two separate settings.
Tape Speed — Reel-to-Reel
For a fixed tape length, a higher speed gives less playing time. The recording performance can also change with speed, so compare frequency-response and noise figures at the same stated setting. Check any equalization or operating-mode restrictions attached to each speed.
This field is separate from fast-wind speed, rewind time and percentage varispeed adjustment. A list of supported speeds does not quantify how accurately or steadily the transport maintains them. Speed accuracy and wow and flutter provide different information about that behaviour.