Tape head pitch spacing

A method, comprising:

• in response to receiving a request to perform a readback operation on data tracks of a magnetic recording tape, selecting a first array of read transducers for reading in response to determining a lateral condition of the magnetic recording tape is contracted;
• selecting a second array of read transducers for reading in response to determining a lateral condition of the magnetic recording tape is expanded,
• wherein a center-to-center pitch of the read transducers in the first array is less than an as-written center-to-center pitch of the data tracks being read,
• wherein a center-to-center pitch of the read transducers in the second array is greater than the as-written center-to-center pitch of the data tracks being read;
• and
• buffering data received from the first array during performance of the readback operation, and concatenating the data received from the first array with data received from the second array in response to transitioning from the first array to the second array.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a magnetic head having a first array of read transducers, a first array of write transducers, a second array of read transducers and a second array of write transducers,
• wherein a center-to-center pitch of the read transducers in the first array of read transducers is less than a center-to-center pitch of the read transducers in the second array of read transducers,
• wherein a center-to-center pitch of the write transducers in the first array of write transducers is less than a center-to-center pitch of the write transducers in the second array of write transducers, and
• wherein the read transducers in the first and second arrays of read transducers are aligned with the write transducers in the first and second arrays of write transducers along an intended direction of tape travel thereacross.