PURPOSE: To prevent signal level from lowering by forming a recess at a posi tion corresponding to the entering end of magnetic tape on the peripheral side face of a fixed drum where a rotary head is located.

CONSTITUTION: A protrusion 12 is formed at an upper end part on the peripheral surface, i.e., peripheral side face, of a fixed drum 11 in a rotary head unit 10 at a position where a rotary head 5 separates from a magnetic tape 4, and the protrusion 12 is a microprotrusion formed in parallel with the profile of a lead 6. A recess 13 is formed in parallel with the profile of the lead 6 around the protrusion 12 formed on the peripheral side face of the fixed drum 11 and one end of the recess 13 is located immediately before a signal recording end point corresponding to 180° winding angle of the magnetic tape 4 on the peripheral side face of the fixed drum 11 developed in the traveling direction (a) of the magnetic tape 4. The other end of the recess 13 is located between the signal recording end point and the separating end of the magnetic tape 4. This constitution prevents lowering of signal level and occurrence of jitter due to vibration of the magnetic tape 4 by increasing the contact face pressure between the rotary head 5 and the magnetic tape 4 at the separating end of the magnetic tape 4.