EN 60094-1:1993/A1:1994

Overview

EN 60094-1:1993/A1:1994 (CLC adoption) is a European amendment to IEC 60094-1 covering magnetic tape sound recording and reproducing systems - Part 1: General conditions and requirements. This document updates general requirements for tape speeds, tolerances, measurement methods and referenced publications. It is intended for manufacturers, test laboratories and organizations working with analogue magnetic tape formats (reel-to-reel, cartridge, cassette) and follows a parallel vote process within CENELEC/CLC.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and references
  • Aligns EN requirements with the IEC 60094-1 base standard and updates referenced publications (e.g., Publication 617 for graphical symbols; Publication 268-11 for connector applications).
• Rated tape speed structure
  • Specifies that rated reproduction speeds shall form a geometrical progression with divisor 2, starting at 76.2 cm/s (30 in/s). This defines standard speed steps used across professional and consumer tape systems.
• Speed tolerances and measurement
  • Requires specific tolerances on rated speeds (tight tolerances such as ±0.2% for professional speeds and larger tolerances for domestic speeds where noted).
  • Wow and flutter (speed fluctuation) must be measured in accordance with IEC 386 and its amendment No. 1.
• Reproduction accuracy for commercial tapes
  • When reproducing commercial tapes at rated speed, the amendment defines permissible tolerances on reproduced frequency (for many cases ±0.5%) and requires manufacturers of commercial tapes/cassettes to control these parameters by production sampling.
• Time constants and playback characteristics
  • Amendment modifies certain time-constant values and related table entries that affect playback and measurement procedures for cassettes and other carriers.

Applications and users

• Audio equipment manufacturers (design, compliance testing)
• Professional recording studios and post-production facilities
• Archival preservation and audio-restoration labs handling legacy magnetic tape
• Test laboratories and calibration services performing wow/flutter and speed measurements
• Quality assurance teams and procurement specialists specifying interoperable tape systems
• Standards bodies and technical committees harmonizing audio-system requirements

Related standards

• IEC 60094-1 (base standard)
• IEC 386 (measurement of wow and flutter)
• IEC Publication 617 (graphical symbols for diagrams)
• IEC Publication 268-11 (connectors for interconnection of sound system equipment)

This amendment provides practical, enforceable rules for tape speed, measurement and production control-essential for ensuring playback accuracy, interoperability and consistent audio quality across magnetic tape formats. Keywords: magnetic tape, sound recording, tape speed, wow and flutter, EN 60094-1, IEC 386, reel-to-reel, cassette, cartridge, audio standards.