A method according to one embodiment includes forming at least two write transducers for writing to a magnetic medium, the at least two write transducers being positioned adjacent each other and aligned along a line; and forming a shield structure having shields adjacent at least three sides of each of the at least two write transducers, the shields being formed of a magnetically-permeable material.

A computer-implemented method for screening a multichannel head, according to one embodiment, includes measuring a channel signal to noise ratio value for each read transducer over a plurality of sense currents, wherein each transducer is one of a plurality of transducers in a multichannel head. The measured channel signal to noise ratio values are compared to a specification of a pre-defined value. The multichannel head is dispositioned to enable the multichannel head to perform to the specification of the pre-defined value, if possible.

An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a substrate, read and write transducers positioned towards a media facing side of the module, and a closure. The write transducers include write poles having media facing sides with zero or near-zero recession from a plane extending along the media facing side of a substrate of the module. The read transducers each have two shields. Media facing sides of the two shields are recessed a same amount from the plane, and are more recessed from the plane than the write poles.

A method according to one embodiment includes forming at least two write transducers for writing to a magnetic medium, the at least two write transducers being positioned adjacent each other and aligned along a line; and forming a shield structure having shields adjacent at least three sides of each of the at least two write transducers, the shields being formed of a magnetically permeable material.

A method according to one embodiment includes forming a lower shield of a shield structure; forming a portion of a magnetic yoke for each of at least two write transducers above the lower shield of the shield structure; and forming an upper shield of the shield structure above the portions of the yokes of each of two of the at least two write transducers, the shields being formed of a magnetically permeable material, wherein the upper and lower shields are magnetically connected.

An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a substrate, read and write transducers positioned towards a media facing side of the module, and a closure. The write transducers include write poles having media facing sides with zero or near-zero recession from a plane extending along the media facing side of a substrate of the module. The read transducers each have two shields. Media facing sides of the two shields are recessed a same amount from the plane, and are more recessed from the plane than the write poles.

An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a substrate, read and write transducers positioned towards a media facing side of the module, and a closure. The write transducers include write poles having media facing sides with negative, zero or near-zero recession from a plane extending along the media facing side of a substrate of the module. The read transducers each have two shields. Media facing sides of the two shields are recessed a same amount from the plane, and are more recessed from the plane than the write poles.

An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a substrate, read and write transducers positioned towards a media facing side of the module, and a closure. The write transducers include write poles having media facing sides with negative, zero or near-zero recession from a plane extending along the media facing side of a substrate of the module. The read transducers each have two shields. Media facing sides of the two shields are recessed a same amount from the plane, and are more recessed from the plane than the write poles.