A magnetic recording system utilizing a plurality of surfaces on a magnetic recording disk with recording zone boundaries established on the respective surfaces of the disk based on performance characteristics of the read/write transducer associated with the surface. The performance of the read/write transducer from the aspects of the width of the track written by the transducers as well as the recording performance at the expected recording frequency, are both utilized in building disk drives. Since the zone boundaries are established uniquely for the performance of each transducer, rather than by defining the boundaries of all zones for all surface in advance based on assumed performance characteristics of the heads, the zone boundaries on one surface of the disk will not necessarily align with the zone boundaries on another surface of the disk. Similarly, when a plurality of disks are utilized, the zone boundaries will not necessarily be aligned. Improved utilization of the available stroke on the disk drive permits further improvement in recording density. A magnetic recording system utilizing track pitch based on a track width characteristic of the read/write transducer used in the system.