Abstract: Apparatus for recording and reproducing audio signals on flat rectangular recording media comprising a magnetic coating or the like on at least one side. A magnetic head on a swing arm moves across the magnetic media in mutually parallel lines guided by a heart-shaped cam, the recording medium being stationary during recording and reproducing so its visible surface can be examined without difficulty. The heart-shaped cam is of asymmetric configuration, and the magnetic head is pivotably mounted on one end of the swing arm which carries between its ends a cam follower peg which continually engages the heart-shaped cam while under spring loading. The other end of said swing arm is pivotably mounted on a sliding carriage plate which is moved stepwise perpendicularly to the chord of the curved path of movement of the magnetic head for each line. The stepwise perpendicular movement of the sliding carriage plate is produced by a mechanism which is controlled by the reversal of direction of the magnetic head.