Tonträgerlängen

Tonträgerlängen refers to the duration of audio that can be stored or played back on a physical storage medium for sound. This concept is relevant to various forms of audio media, each with its own inherent limitations and typical lengths. For example, early phonograph records, such as 78 rpm discs, typically offered only a few minutes of playback per side. Later developments, like the vinyl LP (long-playing) record, significantly increased this, commonly accommodating around 20 to 30 minutes per side, allowing for full albums.

Cassette tapes also had standardized lengths, with C60 and C90 being very common, representing 60 and 90 minutes of total playback time respectively, split between two sides. Compact Discs (CDs) revolutionized digital audio storage, with a standard length of 74 minutes, later expanded to 80 minutes in most commercially produced discs. This allowed for a full album to be stored on a single disc without needing to be split.

Digital audio formats, such as MP3s or lossless audio files, do not have a fixed physical tonträgerlänge. Instead, their duration is limited by the storage capacity of the device they are stored on, whether it be a computer hard drive, a smartphone, or a dedicated digital audio player. The concept of tonträgerlängen, therefore, has evolved from the physical constraints of early media to the virtually limitless storage offered by modern digital technologies, though the historical context remains important for understanding the development of audio consumption.