I appreciate the concern about patents, but if the tape machine is the only source of the pure 40kHz fidelity I need, I’ll sign. I’ll make sure the license covers every frequency band I use, no interference, and keep the warranties for the parts. If we lock in a flat fee and a clear clause that my tweaks stay mine, we’ll both be safe. It’s just a matter of protecting the waveform, not letting the legal noise bleed into the tape.