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.


See abbreviations and notes at bottom.

















Manufacturer and Product Name Est. Prod. Start Est. Prod. End Appli-
cation		 Oxide Base Base Thickn. Oxide Thickn. Total Matt Back* Coer--
civity		 Coer--
civity		 Reten--
tivity		 Reten--
tivity		 Remanent
Sat. Flux		 Remarks
Material -m -m Thickn. Oe kA/m Gauss mT nWb/m
      -m          
Agfa F 1948 1953 GEN cub AC -.- 16 -.- no 86 6.8 337 34 540 -.-
Agfa F-2851     REF   AC 40 12 52 no 110 8,7 -.- -.- 460 Reference Tape
Agfa FR 1954 1956 BRC cub AC 40 26 66 no 240 19 750 75 1110 -.-
Agfa FR 22 1959 1963 STM cub AC 39 23 60 no 300 24 980 98 2250 -.-
Agfa FR 25 1961 1961 BRC acic++
 AC 40 18 58 no 250 20 930 93 1670 -.-
Agfa FR 4 1954 1965 BRC cub AC 42 16 58 no 310 24.7 850 85 1360 -.-
Agfa FR 6 1956   BRC cub, acic AC -.- 24 -.- no 250 20 500 50 1200 -.-
Agfa FR 6004     REF cub AC 40 15 55 no 240 19     1110 Reference Tape
Agfa FS 1951 1954 DOM cub AC -.- -.- 50 no -.- -.- -.- -.- -.-  
Agfa FSP 1954 1958 DOM cub PVC 35 15 50 no 300 24 900 90 1350 -.-
Agfa PE 22 1959 1963 STM cub PE 25 25 50 no 300 24 980 98 2250 -.-
Agfa PE 31 1958 1968 DOM cub PE 20 14.5 35 no 295 23.5 950 95 1380 -.-
Agfa PE 36 1968   DOM acic PE 23 12 35 no 300 24 1050 105 1260 -.-
Agfa PE 39 1986 1990 DOM acic PE 23 8 31 no 340 27.2 1350 135 1080 -.-
Agfa PE 41 1958 1968 DOM cub PE 15 10.5 26 no 295 23.5 900 90 950 -.-
Agfa PE 46 1968   DOM acic PE 15 10 25 no 300 24 1050 105 1050 -.-
Agfa PE 49 1986 1990 DOM acic PE 15 8 23 no 340 27.2 1350 135 1080 -.-
Agfa PE 65 1961 1968 DOM acic PE 12 6 18 no 290 23.1 1000 100 600 -.-
Agfa PE 66 1968   DOM acic PE 12 6 18 no 300 24 1050 105 630 -.-
Agfa PEM 268 1973   DOM acic PE 15 10 27 2 / black 330 26.4 1150 115 1150 -.-
Agfa PEM 368 1973 1990 DOM acic PE 21 10 33 2 / black 330 26.4 1150 115 1150 -.-
Agfa PEM 369 1988 1990 DOM acic PE 20 11.5 33 1.5 / black 340 27.2 1350 115 1350 -.-
Agfa PEM 455 1974   CDMT acic PE 30 13 45 2 / black 300 24 1000 100 1300 Loop bin tape
Agfa PEM 468 1975 2003 STM acic PE 30 15 48.5 3.5 / black 380 30.4 1340 134 2010 -.-
Agfa PEM 469 1984 1990 STM acic PE 30 15 48.5 3.5 / black 305 24.2 1320 132 1980 -.-
Agfa PEM 526 1982 1996 CDMT acic PE 36 16 53 1 / black 300 23.9 910 91 1450 -.-
Agfa PER 1961 1963 BRC acic PE 33 17 52 red 240 19.2   96 1630 -.-
Agfa PER 368 1984 1990 BRC acic PE 20 10 33 3 / white 355 28.4 1150 111 1110 -.-
Agfa PER 525 1963 1967 BRC acic PE 30 12 50 red 300 24 1000 100 1200 -.-
Agfa PER 525 stereo 1967 1981 BRC acic PE 30 13 50 red 300   1000 100 1300 -.-
Agfa PER 528 1981 1990 BRC acic PE 30 15 48 3 / white 355 28.4 1150 115 1725 -.-
Agfa PER 555 1963   BRC acic PE 30 18 56 white 300 24 1000 100 1800 -.-
BASF DP 26 1966 1970 DOM acic PVC, PE 16 10 26 no 300 24 900 90 900 -.-
BASF DP 26 1996   DOM acic PE 15.5 9 26 1.5 / black 325 26 1450 145 1300 -.-
BASF DP 26 LH 1970 1982 DOM acic PE 16 10 26 no 310 24.7 1100 110 1100 -.-
BASF DP 26 LHS 1975 1978 DOM acic PE 15 10 25 no 320 25 1400 140 1400 -.-
BASF DPR 26 LH 1973 1984 DOM acic PE 15 10 29 black 325 25.9 1200 120 1200 -.-
BASF DSM 931 1993 1996 DMT CrO2 PE 19.5 6 27 1.5 / black 670 53 1400 140 840 Digital Master Tape
BASF DSM 26 CR 1983 1984 DMT CrO2 PE 19 4 23 no 630 50 1570 157 625 Digital Master Tape
BASF DSM 930 1984 1993 DMT CrO2 PE 20 4 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 homogeneous
BASF Typ LG / LGN 1948 1952 GEN cub PVC 30 ? 26 56 ? no 81 6.4 264 26 -.- -.-
BASF LGH 1950 1954 DOM cub PVC 43 20 63 no 237 18.8 400 40 800 -.-
BASF LGR 1956 1967 BRC acic PVC 35 13 51 red 300 24 900 90 1170 -.-
BASF LGR 30 1967 1968 BRC acic PVC 33 13.5 50 red 310 24.7 970 97 1310 -.-
BASF LGR 30 P 1968 1981 BRC acic P **
 32 13 50 red 310 24.7 1050 105 1365 -.-
BASF LGR 40 1981   BRCLP acic PE 23 9 40 green 340 27.5 1200 120 1080 -.-
BASF LGR 50 1981 1998 BRC acic PE 33 16 52 4 / white 340 27.5 1200 110 1760 -.-
BASF LGR 51 1986   BRC acic PE 33 17 53 white 345 27 1360 136 2310 -.-
BASF LGS 26 1958 1969 DOM acic PVC 16 10 26 no 300 24 850 85 850 -.-
BASF LGS 35 1953 1969 DOM acic PVC 25 10 34 no 310 24.7 900 90 900 -.-
BASF LGS 52 1953 1969 GEN acic PVC 35 13 48 no 300 24 900 90 1170 -.-
BASF LM 526 1995   CDMT acic PE 36 12 49 1 300 24 1570 157 1890 Loop bin tape
BASF LM 920 1984 1995 CDMT CrO2 PE 30 12 45 black 510 40.3 1370 137 1640 Loop bin tape
BASF LP 35 LH 1969 1982 DOM acic PE 25 10 35 no 310   1100 110 1100 -.-
BASF LP 35 LHS 1975 1978 DOM acic PE 25 10 35 no 320 25 1400 140 1400 -.-
BASF LPR 35 1996   DOM acic PE 20 11 35 4 / black 320 25 1650 165 1800 -.-
BASF LPR 35 LH 1971 1984 DOM acic PE 20 11 36 black 325 25.9 1200 120 1320 -.-
BASF LR 56 1960 1969 STM acic PVC 34 15 52 yellow 300   1000 100 1500 -.-
BASF LR 56 P 1969 1973 STM acic PE 32 17 54 yellow 310 24.7 1000 100 1700 -.-
BASF PER 368 1991 2003 BRC acic PE 20 11 35 4 / white 375 30 1750 175 1925 -.-
BASF PER 528 1991 2003 BRC acic PE 30 14 48 4 / white 377 30 1370 137 1920 -.-
BASF PES 18 1961 1969 DOM acic PE 12 6 18 no 320 25.5 1000 100 600 -.-
BASF PES 26 1958 1969 DOM acic PE+ 16 10 26 no 300 24 850 85 850 -.-
BASF PES 35 1958 1969 DOM acic PE+ 25 10 34 no 310 24.7 900 90 900 -.-
BASF PES 35 LH 1967   DOM acic PE 23.5 11.5 35 no 320 25.5 1150 115 1320 -.-
BASF PES 40 1958   BRCLP acic PE 23 10 36 yellow 310 24.7 1050 105 1050 -.-
BASF SM 468 1991 2003 STM acic PE 30 14 48 black 380 30.4 1400 140 1960 -.-
BASF SM 900 1995 2003 STM acic PE 30 18 52 black 360 28.6 1340 134 2410 -.-
BASF SM 910 1984 1986 STM acic PE 33 15 52 black 325 25.9 1440 144 2160 -.-
BASF SM 911 1986 2003 STM acic PE 30 16 50 black 320 25.5 1450 145 2320 -.-
BASF SP 50 M 1972   CDMT acic PE 35 13 48 no 300 23.9 1100 110 1430 Loop bin tape
BASF SP 52 P 1972   GEN acic PE 35 13 48 no 310 24.7 1000 100 1300 -.-
BASF SP 54 R 1983   GEN acic PE 33 12 50 black 330 26.5 1050 105 1260 -.-
BASF SPM 50 CR 1983   CDMT CrO2 PE 30 12 42 no 510 40.3 1370 137 1640 Loop bin tape
BASF SPR 50 LH 1973 1984 STM acic PE 33 15.5 51 black 345 27.5 1100 110 1700 -.-
BASF SPR 50 LHL 1976 1984 STM acic PE 33 16 52 black 340 27 1050 105 1650 -.-
BASF TP 18 1970   DOM acic PE 12 6 18 no 300 23.9 900 90 540 -.-
BASF TP 18 LH 1970   DOM acic PE 12 6 18 no 310 24.7 1100 110 660 -.-
BASF Typ LG 1948 1949 GEN cub PVC 32 26 58 no 81 6.4 264 26 690 -.-
IGF Typ C 1935 1936 GEN spheric AC 30 32 62 no 37 2.9 237 24 760 Carbonyl iron (grey)
IGF Typ C 1936 1939 GEN cub AC 28 37 65 no 95 7.5 260 26 960 Fe3O4 (black)
IGF Typ C 1939 1943 GEN cub AC 30 ? 25 ? 55 ? no 105 8.4 -.- -.- -.- g-Fe2O3 (red, brown)
IGF Typ L 1943 1947 GEN cub PVC 50 50 50 no 86 6.8 350 35 -.- homogeneous
IGF Typ LG, Typ LGN 1945 1948 GEN cub PVC 30 ? 26 56 ? no 81 6.4 264 26 -.- -.-

















Abbreviations and Explanations:














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 M-ller, 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 / G-ttingen / Heidelberg 1960
Reference tapes are unrecorded magnetic tapes with specified characteristics, not to be confused with calibration tapes, magnetic tapes on which signals have been recorded, mostly used to calibrate reproducing amplifiers. See IEC 60094-5, Clauses 2.4 and 2.5.