Agfa, BASF, and IG Farben Audio Open Reel Tapes

Copyright 2006 by Friedrich K. Engel. Reproduction in any form prohibited without the permission of Friedrich K. Engel.
Manufacturer and
Product Name

Est. Prod. Est. Prod.

Start
End

1953

Application

Material

Base
Thickn.
m

Oxide
Thickn.
m

AC
AC

-.40

16
12

Total

Matt
Back*

Coercivity
Oe

Coercivity
kA/m

Retentivity
Gauss

Retentivity
mT

Remanent
nWb/m

Remarks

-.52

no
no

86
110

6.8

337
-.-

34
-.-

540
460

750
980
930
850
500

75
98
93
85
50

1110
2250
1670
1360
1200
1110

-.Reference
Tape
-.-.-.-.-.Reference
Tape

-.90
98
95
105
135
90
105
135
100
105
115
115
115
100

-.1350
2250
1380
1260
1080
950
1050
1080
600
630
1150
1150
1350
1300

134
132
91
96
111
100
100
115
100
90
145
110
140
120
140

2010
1980
1450
1630
1110
1200
1300
1725
1800
900
1300
1100
1400
1200
840

Thickn.
m

1948

Agfa FR
Agfa FR 22
Agfa FR 25
Agfa FR 4
Agfa FR 6
Agfa FR 6004

1954
1959
1961
1954
1956

1956
1963
1961
1965

BRC
STM
BRC
BRC
BRC
REF

cub

AC

cub
Acic++
cub
cub, acic
cub

AC
AC
AC
AC
AC

40
39
40
42
-.40

26
23
18
16
24
15

66
60
58
58
-.55

no
no
no
no
no
no

240
300
250
310
250
240

24
20
24.7
20
19

Agfa FS
Agfa FSP
Agfa PE 22
Agfa PE 31
Agfa PE 36
Agfa PE 39
Agfa PE 41
Agfa PE 46
Agfa PE 49
Agfa PE 65
Agfa PE 66
Agfa PEM 268
Agfa PEM 368
Agfa PEM 369
Agfa PEM 455

1951
1954
1959
1958
1968
1986
1958
1968
1986
1961
1968
1973
1973
1988
1974

1954
1958
1963
1968

DOM
DOM
STM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
CDMT

cub
cub
cub
cub
acic
acic
cub
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic

AC
PVC
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE

-.35
25
20
23
23
15
15
15
12
12
15
21
20
30

-.15
25
14.5
12
8
10.5
10
8
6
6
10
10
11.5
13

50
50
50
35
35
31
26
25
23
18
18
27
33
33
45

no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
2 / black
2 / black
1.5 / black
2 / black

-.300
300
295
300
340
295
300
340
290
300
330
330
340
300

-.24
24
23.5
24
27.2
23.5
24
27.2
23.1
24
26.4
26.4
27.2
24

-.900
980
950
1050
1350
900

Agfa PEM 468

Agfa PEM 469
Agfa PEM 526
Agfa PER
Agfa PER 368
Agfa PER 525
Agfa PER 525 stereo
Agfa PER 528
Agfa PER 555
BASF DP 26
BASF DP 26
BASF DP 26 LH
BASF DP 26 LHS
BASF DPR 26 LH
BASF DSM 931

1975
1984
1982
1961
1984
1963
1967
1981
1963
1966
1996
1970
1975
1973
1993

2003
1990
1996
1963
1990
1967
1981
1990

acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
CrO2

PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PVC, PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE

30
30
36
33
20
30
30
30
30
16
15.5
16
15
15
19.5

15
15
16
17
10
12
13
15
18
10
9
10
10
10
6

48.5
48.5
53
52
33
50
50
48
56
26
26
26
25
29
27

3.5 / black
3.5 / black
1 / black
red
3 / white
red
red
3 / white
white
no
1.5 / black
no
no
black
1.5 / black

380
305
300
240
355
300
300
355
300
300
325
310
320
325
670

30.4
24.2
23.9
19.2
28.4
24

1340
1320
910

1982
1978
1984
1996

STM
STM
CDMT
BRC
BRC
BRC
BRC
BRC
BRC
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
DMT

28.4
24
24
26
24.7
25
25.9
53

1150
1000
1000
1150
1000
900
1450
1100
1400
1200
1400

BASF DSM 26 CR

1983

1984

DMT

CrO2

PE

19

23

no

630

50

1570

157

625

Digital Master
Tape

BASF DSM 930

1984

1993

DMT

CrO2

PE

20

28

black

630

50

1570

157

625

Digital Master
Tape

BASF Typ L-extra

1949

1954

GEN

cub

PVC

55

55

55

no

240

19

220

22

1210

BASF Typ LG / LGN

BASF LGH
BASF LGR

1948
1950
1956

1952
1954
1967

GEN
DOM
BRC

cub
cub
acic

PVC
PVC
PVC

30 ?
43
35

26
20
13

56 ?
63
51

no
no
red

81
237
300

6.4
18.8
24

264
400
900

26
40
90

-.800
1170

homogeneou
s
-.-.-.-

1990
1968

1990
1990

1970

cub

Base

Agfa F
Agfa F-2851

1990
1968

GEN
REF

Oxide

See abbreviations and notes at bottom.

no

8,7
19

1050

1350
1000
1050
1150
1150
1350
1000

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.Loop bin
tape
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.Digital Master
Tape

Agfa, BASF, and IG Farben Audio Open Reel Tapes

Copyright 2006 by Friedrich K. Engel. Reproduction in any form prohibited without the permission of Friedrich K. Engel.
Manufacturer and
Product Name

Est. Prod. Est. Prod.

Start
End

BASF LGR 30
BASF LGR 30 P
BASF LGR 40
BASF LGR 50
BASF LGR 51
BASF LGS 26
BASF LGS 35
BASF LGS 52
BASF LM 526

1967
1968
1981
1981
1986
1958
1953
1953
1995

1968
1981

BASF LM 920

1984

BASF LP 35 LH
BASF LP 35 LHS
BASF LPR 35
BASF LPR 35 LH
BASF LR 56
BASF LR 56 P
BASF PER 368
BASF PER 528
BASF PES 18
BASF PES 26
BASF PES 35
BASF PES 35 LH
BASF PES 40
BASF SM 468
BASF SM 900
BASF SM 910
BASF SM 911
BASF SP 50 M

1969
1975
1996
1971
1960
1969
1991
1991
1961
1958
1958
1967
1958
1991
1995
1984
1986
1972

BASF SP 52 P
BASF SP 54 R
BASF SPM 50 CR

1972
1983
1983

BASF SPR 50 LH
BASF SPR 50 LHL
BASF TP 18
BASF TP 18 LH
BASF Typ LG
IGF Typ C

1973
1976
1970
1970
1948
1935

1984
1984

IGF Typ C

Application

Oxide

Base
Material

Base
Thickn.
m

Oxide
Thickn.
m

Total

See abbreviations and notes at bottom.

Matt
Back*

Coercivity
Oe

Coercivity
kA/m

Retentivity
Gauss

Retentivity
mT

Remanent
nWb/m

Remarks

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.Loop bin
tape
Loop bin
tape
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.Loop bin
tape
-.-.Loop bin
tape
-.-.-.-.-.Carbonyl iron
(grey)
Fe3O4 (black)

Thickn.
m

BRC
BRC
BRCLP
BRC
BRC
DOM
DOM
GEN
CDMT

acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic

PVC
P **
PE
PE
PE
PVC
PVC
PVC
PE

33
32
23
33
33
16
25
35
36

13.5
13
9
16
17
10
10
13
12

50
50
40
52
53
26
34
48
49

red
red
green
4 / white
white
no
no
no
1

310
310
340
340
345
300
310
300
300

24.7
24.7
27.5
27.5
27
24
24.7
24
24

970
1050
1200
1200
1360
850
900
900
1570

97
105
120
110
136
85
90
90
157

1310
1365
1080
1760
2310
850
900
1170
1890

1995

CDMT

CrO2

PE

30

12

45

black

510

40.3

1370

137

1640

1982
1978

DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
STM
STM
BRC
BRC
DOM
DOM
DOM
DOM
BRCLP
STM
STM
STM
STM
CDMT

acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic
acic

PE
PE
PE
PE
PVC
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE+
PE+
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE
PE

25
25
20
20
34
32
20
30
12
16
25
23.5
23
30
30
33
30
35

10
10
11
11
15
17
11
14
6
10
10
11.5
10
14
18
15
16
13

35
35
35
36
52
54
35
48
18
26
34
35
36
48
52
52
50
48

no
no
4 / black
black
yellow
yellow
4 / white
4 / white
no
no
no
no
yellow
black
black
black
black
no

310
320
320
325
300
310
375
377
320
300
310
320
310
380
360
325
320
300

24.7
30
30
25.5
24
24.7
25.5
24.7
30.4
28.6
25.9
25.5
23.9

1100
1400
1650
1200
1000
1000
1750
1370
1000
850
900
1150
1050
1400
1340
1440
1450
1100

110
140
165
120
100
100
175
137
100
85
90
115
105
140
134
144
145
110

1100
1400
1800
1320
1500
1700
1925
1920
600
850
900
1320
1050
1960
2410
2160
2320
1430

GEN
GEN
CDMT

acic
acic
CrO2

PE
PE
PE

35
33
30

13
12
12

48
50
42

no
black
no

310
330
510

24.7
26.5
40.3

1000
1050
1370

100
105
137

1300
1260
1640

1949
1936

STM
STM
DOM
DOM
GEN
GEN

acic
acic
acic
acic
cub
spheric

PE
PE
PE
PE
PVC
AC

33
33
12
12
32
30

15.5
16
6
6
26
32

51
52
18
18
58
62

black
black
no
no
no
no

345
340
300
310
81
37

27.5
27
23.9
24.7
6.4
2.9

1100
1050
900
1100
264
237

110
105
90
110
26
24

1700
1650
540
660
690
760

1936

1939

GEN

cub

AC

28

37

65

no

95

7.5

260

26

960

IGF Typ C

1939

1943

GEN

cub

AC

30 ?

25 ?

55 ?

no

105

8.4

-.-

-.-

-.-

IGF Typ L

1943

1947

GEN

cub

PVC

50

50

50

no

86

6.8

350

35

-.-

IGF Typ LG, Typ LGN

1945

1948

GEN

cub

PVC

30 ?

26

56 ?

no

81

6.4

264

26

-.-

Abbreviations and Explanations:

1998
1969
1969
1969

1984
1969
1973
2003
2003
1969
1969
1969

2003
2003
1986
2003

25
25
25.9

g-Fe2O3 (red,
brown)
homogeneou
s
-.-

Agfa, BASF, and IG Farben Audio Open Reel Tapes

Copyright 2006 by Friedrich K. Engel. Reproduction in any form prohibited without the permission of Friedrich K. Engel.
Manufacturer and
Product Name

Est. Prod. Est. Prod.

Start
End

Application

Oxide

Base
Material

Base
Thickn.
m

Oxide
Thickn.
m

Total
Thickn.
m

Matt
Back*

See abbreviations and notes at bottom.

Coercivity
Oe

Coercivity
kA/m

Retentivity
Gauss

Retentivity
mT

Remanent
nWb/m

Remarks

AC
Cellulose acetate base
acic
Oxide is g-Fe2O3, acicular
BRC
Broadcast Tape
BRCLP
Broadcast Tape, long play
CDMT
Cassette Duplication Master Tape
CrO2
Oxide is CrO2
cub
Oxide is g-Fe2O3 , cubic
DMT
Digital Master Tape
DOM
Domestic Tape
GEN
General Purpose Tape
IGF
I.G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft (1925 1948)
PE
Polyester base
REF
Reference Tape (Bezugsbandleerteil)
PVC
PVC base
STM
Studio Master Type
Thicknesses given in m (25.4 m = 1 mil; 0.039 mil = 1 m).
* Matt Back: number gives the matt back thickness in m, followed by color.

** Originally (2006-07-15) incorrectly shown as "PVC"; corrected 2007-12-13 per F. E.

+ Originally (2006-07-15) incorrectly shown as PVC; corrected 2009-06-24 per F. E.
++ Originally (2006-07-15) incorrectly shown as cub; corrected 2009-06-24 per F. E.

Sources: Various data sheets by Agfa and BASF. Early tape data are selected from Mller, Rudolf, On Improvements of Magnetic Tape Shown by Measurements on Early and Newer Tapes, Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, 1988
October, p. 802 820; and Krones, Friedrich, Die Theorie des Magnetspeichers, in Winckel, Fritz (ed.), Technik der Magnetspeicher, Springer Berlin / Gttingen / Heidelberg 1960