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Nagra1970s-90s (field-recording standard)2-trk reelHome / Semi-Pro$$$$Collector-Grade($3,000+)

Nagra IV-S

Sound recordists and collectors wanting the legendary portable professional field-recording deck.

Calculate pitch & speed changes for the Nagra IV-S

Free tool — see the exact pitch shift and BPM change using this deck's real supported speeds.

Strengths

  • The legendary portable field-recording standard used across decades of film and documentary production
  • Battery-powered portable operation with genuinely professional fidelity was almost unheard of when it was built
  • Extraordinarily well-built — surviving units are often still fully functional many decades later

Trade-offs

  • Extremely expensive on the collector market specifically due to its legendary film-industry reputation
  • Genuinely obscure to music producers specifically, since its fame comes from location film/documentary sound, not music recording

Full Specifications

Full technical specifications for the Nagra IV-S
SpecificationValue
BrandNagra
ModelIV-S
Era1970s-90s (field-recording standard)
Typical Price TierCollector-Grade ($3,000+)
Tape Speeds3.75 IPS / 7.5 IPS
Track Count2
Reel Size7"
Tape Width0.25"
Head Configuration
Noise ReductionDolby A (optional)
VarispeedNo
Pitch Control RangeNone

A relative used-market guide, not a live quote — real prices vary by condition, region, and timing. Check the Reverb/eBay links on any item for current listings.

Match Score Explorer

Weight what matters to your workflow. Every deck is re-scored live against your priorities, benchmarked against the Nagra IV-S.

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This deckNagra IV-S
Match57
Audio Fidelity75
Flexibility40
Ease of Maintenance45
Tonal Neutrality68

Ranked against 34 other decks

  • Audio Fidelity90
    Flexibility50
    Ease of Maintenance45
    Tonal Neutrality65
  • Audio Fidelity76
    Flexibility80
    Ease of Maintenance40
    Tonal Neutrality55
  • Audio Fidelity85
    Flexibility70
    Ease of Maintenance30
    Tonal Neutrality68
  • Audio Fidelity94
    Flexibility55
    Ease of Maintenance15
    Tonal Neutrality78
  • TASCAM 38
    Match60
    Audio Fidelity85
    Flexibility55
    Ease of Maintenance40
    Tonal Neutrality58
  • Studer A80
    Match59
    Audio Fidelity97
    Flexibility30
    Ease of Maintenance25
    Tonal Neutrality82
  • Audio Fidelity82
    Flexibility45
    Ease of Maintenance38
    Tonal Neutrality72
  • Audio Fidelity98
    Flexibility25
    Ease of Maintenance20
    Tonal Neutrality85
  • Revox A77
    Match57
    Audio Fidelity80
    Flexibility35
    Ease of Maintenance60
    Tonal Neutrality52
  • Audio Fidelity82
    Flexibility42
    Ease of Maintenance32
    Tonal Neutrality70
  • TASCAM 34
    Match56
    Audio Fidelity82
    Flexibility45
    Ease of Maintenance42
    Tonal Neutrality55
  • Audio Fidelity78
    Flexibility40
    Ease of Maintenance55
    Tonal Neutrality50
  • Audio Fidelity68
    Flexibility58
    Ease of Maintenance42
    Tonal Neutrality55
  • Audio Fidelity72
    Flexibility65
    Ease of Maintenance38
    Tonal Neutrality45
  • Audio Fidelity76
    Flexibility32
    Ease of Maintenance58
    Tonal Neutrality52
  • Studer B67
    Match55
    Audio Fidelity82
    Flexibility30
    Ease of Maintenance35
    Tonal Neutrality72
  • Audio Fidelity78
    Flexibility45
    Ease of Maintenance45
    Tonal Neutrality48
  • Revox A700
    Match54
    Audio Fidelity75
    Flexibility35
    Ease of Maintenance40
    Tonal Neutrality65
  • Audio Fidelity72
    Flexibility40
    Ease of Maintenance42
    Tonal Neutrality60
  • Audio Fidelity78
    Flexibility30
    Ease of Maintenance42
    Tonal Neutrality65
  • Audio Fidelity75
    Flexibility32
    Ease of Maintenance45
    Tonal Neutrality62
  • Audio Fidelity68
    Flexibility40
    Ease of Maintenance55
    Tonal Neutrality48
  • Audio Fidelity82
    Flexibility30
    Ease of Maintenance50
    Tonal Neutrality48
  • Audio Fidelity85
    Flexibility32
    Ease of Maintenance40
    Tonal Neutrality50
  • Fostex R8
    Match52
    Audio Fidelity62
    Flexibility55
    Ease of Maintenance48
    Tonal Neutrality42
  • Audio Fidelity60
    Flexibility50
    Ease of Maintenance45
    Tonal Neutrality52
  • Audio Fidelity68
    Flexibility35
    Ease of Maintenance45
    Tonal Neutrality58
  • Audio Fidelity72
    Flexibility35
    Ease of Maintenance38
    Tonal Neutrality62
  • Audio Fidelity65
    Flexibility35
    Ease of Maintenance48
    Tonal Neutrality55
  • Audio Fidelity68
    Flexibility30
    Ease of Maintenance45
    Tonal Neutrality58
  • Audio Fidelity65
    Flexibility35
    Ease of Maintenance42
    Tonal Neutrality55
  • Teac X-10
    Match46
    Audio Fidelity55
    Flexibility35
    Ease of Maintenance52
    Tonal Neutrality42
  • Audio Fidelity50
    Flexibility30
    Ease of Maintenance42
    Tonal Neutrality48
  • Ampex 351
    Match41
    Audio Fidelity78
    Flexibility25
    Ease of Maintenance25
    Tonal Neutrality35

Maintenance & Supplies

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