A slight diversion regarding techy stuff and tapes
Good old analogue tape is surprisingly durable, I have some tapes from the mid 50's which still sound fine
The problems arise from other causes. Firstly, the manufacturing quality of the actual tapes sometimes left a lot to be desired, there was one particular brand, that could have doubled as pretty fine sandpaper, thus requiring a change of tape heads every 100 hours or so!
Another type in the 1970's would quite happily shed its oxide all over your carpet, making the resulting playback rather quiet...The only solution to this would be a long-winded process of baking and cooling (don't try this at home people!)
Print-through has been mentioned, normally countered by storing the tape on the spool backwards....All well and good, until a well known Radio station happily played 20 Minutes of a certain Rock Stars latus opus....you guessed it!!....backwards.
It was only when said "RS" phoned in that anybody noticed.
I hope the above has returned this ever-lenghthening thread to some form of normality...My many thanks to all who have contributed. I've certainly learned a lot.
No doubt the whole subject will run and run. Tracklist for "Unearthed" will follow shortly Peace Ralphie