Introduced at Abbey Road in 1986, the Studer A820 24-track tape machine is one of the last generations of analogue multitrack recorders.

It is still used on sessions today when the “luxury” of tape recording is at a project’s disposal.

Since multitrack recording came into its own in the 1960s, there has been constant demand for an increased track count. Following 4 came 8, 16 and then finally 24-track tape machines.

Released after the popular A800 and before the final range of A827s, the Studer A820 was considered the superior machine by Abbey Road staff.

In the 1980s and 1990s, manufacturers were concentrating their efforts on creating equipment with a higher track count by making use of digital tape technology. Machines such as Sony DASH recorders were used at the Studios and could provide up to 48 tracks on 1/2 inch tape.

Finally in the 2000s, hard disc and computer recording began to be trusted on important recording sessions. DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) are now the industry standard and allow an almost unlimited track count.