DAT Digital Audio Tapes
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) is a professional 4 mm digital format introduced in 1987, delivering clean, lossless 16‑bit audio at 32–48 kHz for mastering, archiving, and field recording. All DAT tapes use a high‑coercivity metal‑particle formulation, giving the format consistent performance across brands. Compact, reliable, and precise, DAT became a studio standard throughout the 1990s.
Note 1: 30 Mins: DIC DAT 30XR: One was open for photography. It will be offered as "brand new" if you order 2 or more. Low Inventory
Note 2: 60 Mins: Hitachi R-60DA: Part of the wrapper on one of the edges has been removed or disintegrated (?). See 3 pictures. Only 1 available
Note 3: 90 Mins: Panasonic RT-R90P: Low inventory
Note 4: 90 Mins: Maxell DM 90: Low inventory
Note 5: 90 Mins: Maxell R-90DM: Low inventory
Note 6: 120 Mins: Panasonic RT-R120P: Very few available
Note 7: 120 Mins: Maxell DM 120: Good inventory
Note 8: 124 Mins: BASF DAT Master: Very few available
Note 9: 125 Mins: Maxell DAT125 Pro: These are not factory sealed... they are factory Unsealed ;). Very few available
Note 10: 12 Mins: Maxell DDS Cleaning Cartridge: Careful: This is a used cartridge. It looks like it was not used much though. Only 1 available
About DAT Technology:
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) was developed by SONY and introduced in 1987 as a compact, high‑fidelity digital recording format using 4 mm metal‑particle tape and a helical‑scan mechanism adapted from video technology. It delivered and enabling exact digital clones, and quickly becoming the studio standard for mix-downs, mastering, and archival work through the 1990s.
DAT Today: Consumer adoption remained limited due to cost and copy‑protection concerns, but today DAT survives among enthusiasts who restore old recordings, transfer archival masters, and preserve early digital history—valuing its precision and role in bridging analogue and digital eras.