Tascam M-30 and Tascam 34: How do I dub vinyl records to tape with these?

SS, fair enough. I've done direct comparisons from my LPs and the 88/24 digital recording and couldn't tell ANY difference. I listened on both headphones (AKG and Sennheiser), my JBL 308 monitors and my IMF TLS50Mk2 speakers. Even the noise profiles sounded the same. That's usually a dead give-away for me.

My cassette deck is an old Harmon Kardon but it was never equal to the original records, even with metal tape.

Here's a review of my deck, written in 2000 roughly 8 years after production had stopped on the unit. Note -- I don't write this to show off, just to show that a lot of people don't really know what cassette as a format was capable of at the end of its run during the '80s / early '90s. My cassette dubs don't equal the original records, but neither do the digital dubs. Any dub unless it's digital-to-digital is going to lose something I'd think. But back to cassette, technology and sound quality performance continued to improve, albeit at a price almost no one was willing to pay. I bought mine used 15+ years ago:

...

"OLDE WORLDE - NAKAMICHI CR-7E CASSETTE DECK GET THE NAK
The very best cassette deck ever made? You'd have to look long and hard to better the Nakamichi CR-7E, says David Price.

When you meet someone at a party or down the pub and get talking about hi-fi, here's a great way to find out just how well they know the subject: If they
reckon Nakamichis are the best cassette decks ever made, they know something. If they say the Dragon is the best, they think they know a lot. If they say it's the CR-7E, they really do.

You see, the Dragon - wonderful, mad creation that it is - isn't actually the best thing the legendary Nipponese cassette masters did. It's a big, bold, lavish technological tour-de-force, that's for sure - but it was never their last word in terms of sound quality. That accolade went to the ZX-9, and then the CR-7E came along with better record/ replay electronics and sounded even better still.
The Dragon isn't a one-off product. In Japan, Nakamichi have traditionally been known as cassette deck specialists, but actually produce a whole range of audio electronics - from receivers to CD players - most of which is pretty unremarkable stuff. Commonly available in Japanese hi-fi shops at prices some 40% lower than over here, it's seen as good, solid, respectable fare - quite like Audiolab used to be known here. To differentiate their high end 'statement' products they market a range of gear under the Dragon brand, including CD players and amps. It's madly expensive, complex and packed with high tech.

In 1988 though, Nakamichi decided that all their conspicuous technology used in the Dragon could be refocused towards getting the very best sound with absolutely no compromises. Out went mind-bogglingly complex auto-reverse mechanism with automatic electronic azimuth adjustment, and in came a beautifully engineered direct-drive, dual capstan unidirectional transport automated for convenience and given remote control too.

At £1095, it cost £155 less than its flagship bigger brother, but sounded even more stunning. Its feature list is Spartan by comparison - the usual logic controlled transport keys in the middle, with fader up, down and REC MUTE buttons beneath. Counter mode selectors and timer controls made a token gesture towards domestic acceptability, and then there was the manual tape sector (for types I, II and IV cassettes) with switchable EQ.

For the first time on a Nakamichi though, these weren't strictly necessary as the CR-7E could also chose tape types automatically if desired. Adjustable playback azimuth - a grand name for what NAD modestly call PLAY TRIM - meant the '7's record/replay head could be motor-adjusted by up to two- thirds of a degree to play tapes recorded on lesser decks to their best potential. There was switchable Dolby NR (B and C, but as per Nak tradition, no HX or S). You also got an amazing set of meters with switchable PEAK HOLD - and the claim that they read up to +10dB was no idle boast!
Although Nakamichi's rivals had offered auto tape calibration for many a long year, Nak debuted theirs with the CR-7E. It was simple to use - you just loaded a blank tape, pressed AUTO CALIBRATION, a light flashed for fifteen seconds and you were ready to record. Sound quality is startling - better than every other cassette deck in the world bar none; it even gives high quality semi-pro open reels (like Revox's B77) a sharp slap around the face. (note--I don't agree with that statement, just bolded to emphasis that the deck made a serious SQ impression. Reel is better IMO)

With a decent metal tape, you can casually record at +10dB, such are the Nak's stunning discrete heads, and even beer-budget ferrics sound better than anyone else's cassette deck running the most expensive metals. Pitch stability, dynamics, depth perspective, noise levels - everything - is superb. Replay of pre-recordeds is a revelation - if they're decent all-analogue copies they'll trounce even a modern high end CD player. In fact, the Nak's resolution far exceeds CDs - to fully hear what it's capable of you need live recordings or a high end vinyl source.
£500 should get you a minter - not much for a piece of hi-fi history with performance that blows the very best MiniDisc recorder into the dust. Just make sure it's been looked after meticulously and is fully boxed. It's easy to tell a good used example - if it sounds like nothing you've ever heard on earth, then it's working properly!

This review was published in the January 2000 issue of Hi-Fi World.
"


How effective is Amadeus Pro's repair functions? Some of my albums have clicks and pops from years of use. That always drove me crazy, hence the reason I used to dump LPs to cassette or reel. Reaper doesn't allow you to redraw waveforms. Audacity will, but its a bit of a pain to do so. It would be nice to have a system with a better repair algorithm.

I don't use it. Most all my records NM and don't have much in the way of needing repair. However, I have used the repair function in the past and thought it was good in the beginning, but stopped using it. I couldn't fail but notice where the repair had been made. Perhaps if I'd spent more time finely adjusting the functions I might have made a more acceptable repair, but I found I was bothered less by a rare tic or click than by hearing that slight split second dip you hear when you play over a repair.

Program info here:
Amadeus Pro - Audio waveform editor / sound and voice recorder for macOS X

You can look at these sections of the manual for info on the Amadeus repair functions:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/AmadeusProManual/v2.8/manual.pdf

9 Sound Restoration
9.1 Elimination of pops and cracks

I used the "interpolate" function a lot, but I as wrote, I always ended up hearing the fix and decided it was just better to leave the sound of the record un-futzed with. In the end I was less bothered by the click than the fix.

I don't have much experience with digitizing software, just Amadeus Pro, Vinyl Studio (I liked Amadeus Pro better) and the free one people like whose name I've forgotten...that's right -- Audacity.
 
How can this be so difficult- anyone who has hooked up a receiver in the past and understands the terms of the connection should have this done and working in less than 5 minutes. I would.

Really? "Access", "RCV", "Send", "Cue Out", "Buss In", "Monitor Out", "Assign", "Pan" "Remix", "Submix In", "Submix Out" ...

Care to tell us what receiver you've used and hooked up with these terms? I for one would be pretty interested. My old Acuphase just has line-ins and outs, tape record and play, and some phono and aux ins and outs...

Show us a pic of yours.
 
How can this be so difficult- anyone who has hooked up a receiver in the past and understands the terms of the connection should have this done and working in less than 5 minutes. I would.

I think I was unfair with my last post, so, if you would, explain to me how I can take my "REC OUT" from my preamp and into the board, connect a proper out from the board to the tape deck, and adjust the settings topside to make it work right. I'll post pics again so you can explain it simply to me.

IMG_7890.jpg

IMG_7888.jpg
 
Any -10dBV or around that signal can be plugged into the line input of the M30 mixer. I think you need the access send an recv jack jumpered with either the plastic small jumpers they had or just use a 6" RCA to RCA. Any length will work but just to keep the mess in control. Once the Line in of say module 1, 2 are input select the line input at the top of the module- this is the second switch down place in center- for those two input modules make sure to jumper the send and recv RCA jack otherwise the signal will not go through. Then assign to a Buss. I would select Buss 1 and the second Module Buss 3. Now that will get meters 1, 3 working. Then take RCA cables out of the Buss 1, 3 they are called Line Out on the mixer. Also make sure the jumpers at the top are also in as well for the access send and recv- these again need to be connected and the mixer comes with jumpers for these originally. Then as the Line (Buss) outs provide input to the 34 deck line in then in source mode the deck should show like signal to what the mixer meters 1, 3 are showing- 1 to left and 3 is the Right channel. The Master fader needs to be near the grey color on the panel as this means unity gain. If you have no other buss switches down on the input module then the pan pot should not be affecting the signal. If others are pushed down -either release them or pan 1 hard left and the 2 module hard right. Might be best just use the 1, 3 busses and avoid confusion.

For playback, put deck into Repro mode and then tape deck outputs 1 and 3 and put them into Tape inputs on same mixer modules. Now when you want to play back the tape through the mixer you switch from Line in to Remix which means tape and you can use the Modules to assign to other busses OR you can simply use the Sub mixer section on the mixer to provide playback into the monitor system. Just set the switches to tape and the tape input to the input modules will be selected there and output through the Sub Mix master to the monitor system. You may have to switch the monitor switch to Submix otherwise the monitor is hooked to the buss system. When you have any trouble with signals getting through the first place I go is the block diagram to see where the signal can be interrupted. In these diagrams there are not Op Amps and other circuits but just the functional concepts. Page 19 at bottom has a lot to look at. Hook the amp of your choice to the Monitor outputs left and right and these can even be powered speakers as well.

The Owners manual has all this stuff in it just as I mention it here.

When people have trouble with their unit I ask did you read the owners manual? When they say NO then I say well? The answers are in there. You do not have to start at page one but I usually go looking for he block diagrams.

The comment about the receiver has to do with understanding inputs and output that is all. That is what all these other terms are except they call them different things due to their function. Why does this have to be hard. I have known high school kids that did it in front of me. Plenty of Radio people too. Producers that are sharp usually did not need my help when I walked in and asked is it all hooked up- sometimes they would need help with one to two things.
 
Any -10dBV or around that signal can be plugged into the line input of the M30 mixer. I think you need the access send an recv jack jumpered with either the plastic small jumpers they had or just use a 6" RCA to RCA. Any length will work but just to keep the mess in control. Once the Line in of say module 1, 2 are input select the line input at the top of the module- this is the second switch down place in center- for those two input modules make sure to jumper the send and recv RCA jack otherwise the signal will not go through. Then assign to a Buss. I would select Buss 1 and the second Module Buss 3. Now that will get meters 1, 3 working. Then take RCA cables out of the Buss 1, 3 they are called Line Out on the mixer. Also make sure the jumpers at the top are also in as well for the access send and recv- these again need to be connected and the mixer comes with jumpers for these originally. Then as the Line (Buss) outs provide input to the 34 deck line in then in source mode the deck should show like signal to what the mixer meters 1, 3 are showing- 1 to left and 3 is the Right channel. The Master fader needs to be near the grey color on the panel as this means unity gain. If you have no other buss switches down on the input module then the pan pot should not be affecting the signal. If others are pushed down -either release them or pan 1 hard left and the 2 module hard right. Might be best just use the 1, 3 busses and avoid confusion.

For playback, put deck into Repro mode and then tape deck outputs 1 and 3 and put them into Tape inputs on same mixer modules. Now when you want to play back the tape through the mixer you switch from Line in to Remix which means tape and you can use the Modules to assign to other busses OR you can simply use the Sub mixer section on the mixer to provide playback into the monitor system. Just set the switches to tape and the tape input to the input modules will be selected there and output through the Sub Mix master to the monitor system. You may have to switch the monitor switch to Submix otherwise the monitor is hooked to the buss system. When you have any trouble with signals getting through the first place I go is the block diagram to see where the signal can be interrupted. In these diagrams there are not Op Amps and other circuits but just the functional concepts. Page 19 at bottom has a lot to look at. Hook the amp of your choice to the Monitor outputs left and right and these can even be powered speakers as well.
Seems pretty much exactly what [MENTION=156101]quiberon[/MENTION] guided me through over the past week or so.

The Owners manual has all this stuff in it just as I mention it here.

When people have trouble with their unit I ask did you read the owners manual? When they say NO then I say well? The answers are in there. You do not have to start at page one but I usually go looking for he block diagrams.

Did it occur to you that, since I have the manual, have read it, and don't understand could possibly be the reason I came here looking for instruction? No?

The comment about the receiver has to do with understanding inputs and output that is all.

Little more than that, wouldn't you say? Five minutes? No snark? You wonder about people who don't read manuals, I wonder about people who swoop in with pithy BS without having read the content of the thread from the beginning and think they're contributing anything but their own personal buffing and signaling.


That is what all these other terms are except they call them different things due to their function. Why does this have to be hard. I have known high school kids that did it in front of me. Plenty of Radio people too. Producers that are sharp usually did not need my help when I walked in and asked is it all hooked up- sometimes they would need help with one to two things.

See my note on personal signaling above and feel free to move along.
 
Why are you trying to include the M30 mixer into the equation? The ADL has line level outputs. You could easily just feed the signal directly to the Model 34, couldn't you? Plus that takes one more level of electronics out of the process.

That would have been my first choice if I was dubbing to tape.
 
TalismanRich, you have brought back quite a few memories with some of the items and brands that you mentioned in your reply to my post.

AND, a definite shame that you had the flood and lost all the covers, however all might not be lost if you have a look in Youtube, you could possibly find that someone has put a posting that shows the cover of some of the LPs. Actually I did this with one of the LPs that I was working on, as the cover that was on the LP that I had, over the years had somewhat deteriated and was too far damaged for it to be able to be fixed in Photoshop.

David
 
Years ago there was a website that had nice scans of the inserts and back slips for a lot of CDs. Everything was sized to just dump it to a printer, trim it on the paper cutter and slide it into a CD case. I did a few covers, but I don't remember what the site was anymore.
 
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