A method of defining storage format in a data storage device having a plurality of storage media and a plurality of corresponding data transducer heads, each transducer head for recording on and playback of information from a corresponding storage medium. A storage format is defined in at least one region on each storage medium, wherein each region includes a plurality of concentric tracks for recording on and playback of information. The method includes: moving each storage medium with respect to the corresponding transducer head and reading data from each storage medium with the corresponding transducer head; measuring a record/playback performance capability of each transducer head; selecting a group of track densities, one track density for each region on a storage medium, based on the measured record/playback performance capability of the corresponding transducer head.