An arrangement is designed to achieve satisfactory tape contact by setting a specific ratio for the width of a drum window and the head length of a double azimuth head. The head length L is defined as the distance from the front end of the preceding head to the back end of the succeeding head. When the drum window width W is defined as the distance of the drum window in the rotary direction, the preceding head and the succeeding head are arranged within the drum window to satisfy the relation 1....

A rotary magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus includes a stationary cylinder formed on a lower portion of an outer peripheral surface thereof with a guide lead for guiding a lower edge of a magnetic tape and defining a tape running face on an upper portion of the outer peripheral surface thereof, a first bulge portion formed on an upper edge portion of the tape running face of the stationary cylinder on a tape leaving side of the upper edge portion of the tape running face and a second b...

Disclosed in an arrangement to achieve satisfactory head contact by increasing contact face pressure at a head gap and to reduce the change in time of head contact performance in a double azimuth head. Heads in a portion in which a tape is slid are respectively constructed with each head having two different arcs with a radius of curvature R1 in a first area which includes a gap, and with a radius of curvature R2 in a second area which is adjacent to the first area. A transition portion P for tr...