Wire Recording

The first magnetic audio format was wire recording, released in 1898. A long steel wire 7200 feet long (about 1.3 miles) and the thickness of a human hair (0.005 inches) was wrapped around a 3-inch spool and captured magnetic audio recordings.

Early uses included military communication, espionage, and deception during World War II. In the late 1940s and 1950s, wire recordings were also used for field journalism, music distribution, and personal recordings.

• Dates: 1996 – 2011
• Dimensions: Usually 3-inch reels
• Capacity: Up to one hour in length, but shorter reels with 15- and 30-minute recordings also exist.
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