Best way to transfer cassette recordings?

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msmales555

msmales555

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I would like to transfer my cassette recordings done with my Tascam portastudio MKII to CDRs. I have been tryign to transfer them on to my cpu using either sound recorder or sound forge, but i end up with a lot of hiss that isnt on the tape to begin with. I need to find a way that I can avoid losing sound quality. I have a pair of RCA outputs and a 1/4" phones jack output on my recorder and I have a 1/8" input on my cpu. Im assuming that is a mono imput (should i record through the line in or the mic jack?) Is there a good way to transfer my cassettes to my cpu? or do i need to invest in a cd recorder?

Thanks so very much for any help offered!
 
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You should end up with a stereo recording unless your soundcard is mono. In that case, get a new soundcard.

As for the hiss, is it tape hiss? Recorded with Noise Reduction? Played back with NR?
 
The 1/8 input on your computer soundcard is probably stereo unless it is unbelieveably cheap. What you need is a Y adapter from Radio Shack or somewhere. You can get one that has a left and right RCA jack (or 1/4 jack if you prefer) going into one 1/8 plug with a tip/ring/sleeve arrangement. About 5 bucks and even a Radio Shack employee should know what you need! You want to run the cassette output into the line in on your computer card.

Now for the bad news. Most factory PC soundcards have a horrible signal to noise ratio. As bad as 40 to 1 dB, or even worse. That's where all your extra hiss is coming from. The only way around it is to get a good soundcard. Be aware that most gaming soundcards are noisy too. You want one made for recording with a signal to noise ratio around 80 to 1 or better. Soundcards are available with lots of different features and options, so you might want to think about the future use you might put it to before buying one. Like recording multitrack on the PC (DS hates to hear that one :D ).

Get on the net and do a little research for what's out there. Everything from a hundred bucks to thousands. Here's a place to start looking, click on any of them for specs and features.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/s=computer/content/cb/index
 
in addition to acidarts excellent post ensure you arent plugging into the mic input of the on board soundcard.
you MUST plug into the LINE INPUT.its easy to confuse the two.
 
aciddart said:
Soundcards are available with lots of different features and options, so you might want to think about the future use you might put it to before buying one. Like recording multitrack on the PC (DS hates to hear that one :D )
Click to expand...

...Ouch! ;)
 
DS, I hate to admit it but... I worked in analog studios for years and even with all the advantages digital has, it does often get in the way of the creative process! I hear you man! But don't tell anyone I said that, OK? :o
 
Thank You Aciddart

Thanks for the great post! I'm not sure if i want to bother putting in a new soundcard in my already 3 year old cpu. I think i may purcahse an Mbox and run my cassette recorder into that, which should get rid of any of the quality loss, and just record the music onto my cpu using protools. After that I'll probably record most of my stuff in protools from the start when I'm at home, and continue to use my cassette recorder when away from the computer or when just having a cassette will suffice. Thanks again for all of the help!
 
cassette to CDR

msmales555 said:
I would like to transfer my cassette recordings done with my Tascam portastudio MKII to CDRs. I have been tryign to transfer them on to my cpu using either sound recorder or sound forge, but i end up with a lot of hiss that isnt on the tape to begin with. I need to find a way that I can avoid losing sound quality. I have a pair of RCA outputs and a 1/4" phones jack output on my recorder and I have a 1/8" input on my cpu. Im assuming that is a mono imput (should i record through the line in or the mic jack?) Is there a good way to transfer my cassettes to my cpu? or do i need to invest in a cd recorder?

Thanks so very much for any help offered!
Click to expand...

As mentioned the RCA to 1/8" stereo cable should get it to your pc. But
your D/Aing and I've never had much luck with that...the D/A shts all over your tunes each time and is worse than cassette hiss IMO.....you do enough D/Aing with crappy D/A chips and all you'll have left on your CD is cymbal sounds! (just joking).

Standalone CD-R burners work well for this type of transfer.
a quick way to put a cassette to CD-R.

I've had an old Pioneer CDR standalone which works like a cassette recorder...
just hit play/rec...then Finalize when done. great. Blue Back only.
then off to the car to say "daang that sounds like crap!!"

pc's....they have all the bells and whistles....and lock-ups and errors. :)
 
Adstech Instant Music

Update -

I ending up buying a device from Adstech called "Instant Music." It is designed to record your records and cassettes onto your cpu as Mp3s. It's an external soundcard - and comes with a bunch of Nero software.

I foudn it for 40 on amazon.com and the only problem that I had with ti was that the RCA cables that they provided caused hissing. After replacing those I've been recorded cassettes onto my cpu with virtually no signal loss ever since. I'd recommend to anyone else tryign to find a cheap way to transfer their 4 track cassettes onto their cpu. I mix it down right onto my cpu as an MP3. Very convenient.
 
if you could give me a sample of the hiss...and nothing but the hisss...say oh, 4 or 5 seconds of straight hiss...(the same hiss noise that you want removed from your recordings)....if you give me a sample of it in a wav file...i can remove the hiss for you if you like...

i know a really cool and neat trick t o get rid of hiss, and most background noise.

my emai is aphasia_prose@yahoo.com
my myspace is myspace.com/evilstesprit

there is also a really handy 'usb' video/audio capturing device that i use to convert analogue recordings and tapes into digital format.

but now that i have been reading the whole thread i see you fixed your problem.

hit me up anyway because were both recording musicians from the same town.

were both burghers.
 
great post / newbie question

im attempting the same thing and got the y cable from radio shak. the one post said do not go into the mic input on the pc, but use the line input. my pc (compaq presario) has 3 eight inch audio inputs....one has a pic of headphones/ one has a pic of a mic / and the last one has a small dot with an arrow under it. i am assuming that would be the line input?

by process of elimination, i think thats what it is.

anyone know? the girl at radio shak said i should go into the mic input.

which is best / mic,or line?

thanks...
 
clevodrummer said:
im attempting the same thing and got the y cable from radio shak. the one post said do not go into the mic input on the pc, but use the line input. my pc (compaq presario) has 3 eight inch audio inputs....one has a pic of headphones/ one has a pic of a mic / and the last one has a small dot with an arrow under it. i am assuming that would be the line input?

by process of elimination, i think thats what it is.

anyone know? the girl at radio shak said i should go into the mic input.

which is best / mic,or line?

thanks...
Click to expand...

You definitely should use the line input. The mic input has a preamp for amplifying a microphone level signal. The line level signal out of the recorder will be too hot for that input.
 
msmales555 said:
Update -

I ending up buying a device from Adstech called "Instant Music." It is designed to record your records and cassettes onto your cpu as Mp3s. It's an external soundcard - and comes with a bunch of Nero software.

I foudn it for 40 on amazon.com and the only problem that I had with ti was that the RCA cables that they provided caused hissing. After replacing those I've been recorded cassettes onto my cpu with virtually no signal loss ever since. I'd recommend to anyone else tryign to find a cheap way to transfer their 4 track cassettes onto their cpu. I mix it down right onto my cpu as an MP3. Very convenient.
Click to expand...
I use an Instant Music adapter too (Future Shop = $65). I send the main RCA outs of my board to the Instant Music adapter then connect the USB cable from the adapter to my laptop. I use Sound Forge Studio 6 so I can only get stereo (two) tracks maximum but it works for me. I record the tracks as .wav files - much higher quality than .mp3 - I can always convert to .mp3 later on for uploading and sharing.
 
Has anyone noticed this thread is over two years old already?
 
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