lot hiss from mixingdown recording

[jungkang]

I am new in home recording. I recorded music from my synthesizer to my 4-track recorder (Tascam Porta02). The quality was good. I then mixed down all 4 tracks and recorded into a Sony cassette deck. I found that there was an extrememy loud hiss (Sony deck for mixing) while recording and playback by using the maximum Dolby noise reduction . I tried a less noise reduction selection, and it had less hiss. When I truned off the noise reduction funtion completely, it was much better. However, I still could not beliebe that the music in the Sony recorder transferred from the Tascam one would have much less clarity and still have more hiss sound. Is it normal that a mastering (mixing down) recording sounds worse than the original multi-track recording? Since my Sony is a double cassete deck, I also tried copying one tape into another at the same machine (Sony)by using the one which was originally recorded from Tascam. The copy sounded less clear and still had more hiss. I guess that this is the problem of the Sony machine, but I cannot believe that a $300 recorder sounds worse than a cheap boom box that has double cassette. I am really disappointed!!!!! I don't know if the Sony deck has defects or what, but if it does, it should not work at all????????? Does anybody have any suggestions for me? What should I do? Thanks.

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo JUNG-K-er-ROO:]

Let me get this straight. You recorded on a 4 tracker, Tascam type. So far so good. When you mix down from the Tascam, you are sending two tracks of stereo into a tape deck, namely a Sony. You do have a stereo out from your Tascam into LEFT/RIGHT plugs of your tape deck don't you?

When you play back your mix, you get HISSSSS like a Gaboon Viper? Sometink iss not kosher zumvere!

I've had two Tascam 488's and used 8 tracks to mix down. No hiss problem.

Does your 4 tracker have noise reduction? If so, forget using Dolby. Leave it off when mixing down to tape.

When you listen to your mix on the monitors, do you hear hiss? No? Well, then, there must be a short or something in your tape deck or you are using inferior tape? When was the last time you demagetized your cassette deck? That could cause sound degradation.

Can you borrow another tape deck from a friend and mix down a song and see what happens?

Hope these ideas help.



Green Hornet

 

[jungkang]

To Green Hornet

Yo Green Ccccccorn-net,
I like how you name me, so I did the same thing to you
I do have a stereo out from my Tascam into LEFT/RIGHT plugs of my tape deck.
I think I know the cause of the problem now:
1. I should connect my Tascam first to an amp then to a tape deck (i eliminated the amp part since I don't need it, but I guess my Tascam output level is low....)
2. I should not have purchased a CONSUMER type tape recorder although it's pretty good already. I was going to buy a Tascam, but it's too expensive :-(

Well.......
By the way, I thought that a multi-track recorder is just for an initial recording but not for mixing down. In your case, you obviously use a multi-track for mixing down. Maybe I should try that too........

Thank you for you help

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Junk-Junk-eroo:]

Most multitrackers, digital/analog, have built in mixers/pan, effects ins, etc.

I once bought a NEW Tascam dual deck cassette box; whoever put that box together must have been short, very short, because every time I pushed in a switch, I got much noise in my cans and TOO MUCH NOISE on the tap.

Suggest you check out a Sony tape deck in the ES category. Very nice boxes and very low transient noise.

I run my MD8 mix into a tape deck by I use an integrated Yamaha Amp and it is a great box. It has a switch to cancel out any of the amp's settings and run the signal "pure through." I can plug in two cassette decks, two sets of speakers, phono, and I have an AUX, plus a good CD circuit. So, the Yam amp is really the heart of my little studio.

Enjoy the warm weather if it is warm where you are.

Green Hornet
Green CCCCCCCOOOOOOOORRRRRRRNET is like a brass ax?

 

[zoetrope]

cheaper solution

Or you could just tell everyone you mixed everything through a $5000 gizmo that adds authentic analog tape hiss to your recordings. They'll love it.

Ok, sorry.