First Thread: analog mastering issue

[djdefo]

Hello everybody, I'm really happy I found this site and I find it very interesting.

I want to ask you if I'm doing something wrong by recording my music on an 8-track Tascam DP01FX hard disk recorder, master it within the machine and then make a second recording on my Hitachi D-850 cassette deck, as an analog master.
The reason of this process is that when I record a master in the DP-01FX and export it in my PC via USB, the wave file I get has a ridicolously low volume, and the only way I figured out to get some serious gain (I make hardcore hip hop beats so I need them to blast but without losing dynamics) is to make an analog master as final step, but often the results are not the ones I expected.
Is anybody having similar issues, so that we can find a solution together?

I'm sorry for any mistake in my english, it's not my language
cheers!

 

[Massive Master]

but often the results are not the ones I expected.

I have to ask -- What sort of results are you expecting running a high-resolution digital recording out to a 30+ year-old deck representing the lowest quality analog formats ever created?

And not that I'd want to pour gas on the "mastering" = "making it loud" thing, but if you're simply looking for volume, why don't you just use your PC and some sort of freeware program that doesn't involve running the recording out to 1-7/8" ips tape that gives less than 1/32" to represent each track?

 

[djdefo]

And not that I'd want to pour gas on the "mastering" = "making it loud" thing

I know it would be much easier to export the DP01fx's masters directly into the computer and eventually process them with a DAW, but i'm getting something like -40 dBs as overall volume of the mix... normalizing them means lots of background noise. With my deck I can amplify the signal to a decent level, but yes, it's 31 years old and the Dolby noise reduction profiles have some static in them...

 

[Massive Master]

This sounds like something that needs to be repaired in the Tascam unit...

 

[djdefo]

well I bought it from an online shop brand new just 3 months ago, the only thing that was recorded with it was a mic test... it works perfectly in every single function...

 

[Oancient1]

djdefo

I have had low volume issues with inexpensive standalones like the the DP, but -40dB is indeed riduculous. What are the DP's meter indications telling you when you record and master on it? I assume you are relying on the meter indications to set the levels, and not on the volume of the sound coming out of your headphones or monitors.

 

[djdefo]

of course I rely on the onboard meters, the fact is that the LCD screen doesn't have any numeric reference... when I listen to the master tracks from the recorder volume is ok, and can get pretty loud, but when i export them on my computer and load them in Audacity the waveform is extremely thin, almost merging with background noise (wich is very low indeed)...
xD I'm a total noob I know