ääninauhan

Ääninauhan, often translated as sound tape or audio tape, refers to a magnetic tape medium used for recording and reproducing sound. It was the dominant form of audio storage for several decades before the advent of digital formats. The tape itself is a thin plastic film coated with a magnetic material, typically iron oxide or chromium dioxide. When sound is recorded, a microphone converts sound waves into electrical signals, which are then used to magnetize the particles on the tape in varying patterns. This creates a physical representation of the sound.

Playback is achieved by passing the magnetized tape over a read head, which detects the magnetic variations and converts them back into electrical signals, which are then amplified and sent to a speaker. The most common formats for consumer use were cassette tapes and reel-to-reel tapes. Cassette tapes, introduced in the 1960s, offered portability and ease of use with their compact design and integrated player/recorder mechanism. Reel-to-reel tapes, larger and requiring separate playback and recording units, were often used in professional recording studios and by audiophiles due to their higher fidelity and durability. Despite their obsolescence in many areas, sound tapes remain a significant part of audio history and are still used in some niche applications and by collectors.