[Studiotalk] studiotalk Digest, Vol 8, Issue 18

Thu May 24 10:54:06 CDT 2018

Thanks Brian -

I don't have any of the original reel-to-reel masters unfortunately. I
would certainly be using them if I had. I only have cassette copies.

On Thu, May 24, 2018 at 11:14 AM, <studiotalk-request at islemail.org> wrote:

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>    1. Re: analogue cassette to digital transfer (Bertucci, Brian (KDLA))
>
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 24 May 2018 15:06:07 +0000
> From: "Bertucci, Brian (KDLA)" <brian.bertucci at ky.gov>
> To: TBBS Recording Studio Info <studiotalk at islemail.org>
> Subject: Re: [Studiotalk] analogue cassette to digital transfer
> Message-ID:
>         <BN7PR09MB2625146D0C9F1379910A6BD8FD6A0 at BN7PR09MB2625.
> namprd09.prod.outlook.com>
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> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Hi James,
>
> At the Kentucky Talking Book Library, we don?t use any cassettes for
> analog to digital conversion ? you are right ? the noise floor is too high,
> and quality can be poor.  We have the original analog reel to reel master
> tapes of the recordings, and so we are using those to do our A to D
> conversions.  Once we started baking our reel to reel tapes at low heat to
> remove moisture, we have had excellent results getting playback without the
> tape sticking to the play head.
>
> Ideally, when digitizing, it is best to use the master recording, or a
> copy that has been copied the fewest number of generations.  Each time an
> analog recording is copied, more noise is added to the recording, so if you
> try digitizing a cassette tape that would have gone out to patrons, that
> would probably be a third generation copy.  A master cassette would be
> better, and the original session master tape would be best of all.
>
> If you do need to use cassettes, the C1 payer is probably going to be your
> best bet? as you know, cassette TB are played at a tape seed twice as slow
> as normal tape playback.  I?m not aware of any commercial decks that can do
> that.  However, I think most of your noise problems are going to come from
> the cassette copy itself, not from the C1 player (unless that particular
> player is defective).
>
> Another possible source of noise could be how are you connecting the
> player to your computer ? What audio interface are you using to input the
> signal to your computer?  The C1 headphone out jack might be a higher level
> signal than regular line level, so setting levels correctly will keep
> distortion, hum, and noise from being added at input.  Is the bad hum and
> noise audible from the C1 when listening by itself on headphones,
> unconnected from the computer?  If so, the noise is probably coming from
> the tape itself.  If the tape is fine listening standalone, but noisy when
> recorded, you might have a signal level mismatch.
>
> If you need to use noise reduction, Adobe Audition has the best noise
> reduction for taking away tape hiss ? Sound Forge also has something
> similar, but results aren?t quite as good.  Neither will be able to
> completely erase tape noise, but you can knock it down a good amount ?
> maybe enough to make a terrible recording listenable, if not pleasant.  It
> is important not to overdo noise reduction ? if used too much, it can
> create artificial artifacts in the audio, making it sound hollow, like
> talking through a tube.
>
> Brian Bertucci
> Kentucky Talking Book Library Studio Coordinator
> PO Box 537
> 300 Coffee Tree Rd.
> Frankfort KY 40602 -0537
> (502) 564-1790
> Brian.bertucci at ky.gov<mailto:Brian.bertucci at ky.gov>
>
> [twitter]<https://twitter.com/KyTBL>[facebook]<https://www.
> facebook.com/KDLA.KTBL/>
>
>
>
> From: studiotalk <studiotalk-bounces at islemail.org> On Behalf Of James
> Langton
> Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2018 9:32 AM
> To: studiotalk at islemail.org
> Subject: Re: [Studiotalk] analogue cassette to digital transfer
>
> A question for any of you who are transferring NLS cassettes from analogue
> to digital : what are you using for playback of the cassettes?
>
> I tried playing the cassettes on an old NLS cassette player but the sound
> quality is so awful (with incredible hum and background noise) that I
> abandoned that immediately.
>
> The solution seems to be an old 4-track cassette recorder or
> 'mini-studio', but many of them record/playback at DOUBLE speed, so I'm
> interested to know if there are specific brands/models that others are
> having success with.
>
> Thanks!
>
> James
> --
>
>
> James Langton| New York Public Library
>
> Manager, Audio Book Studio
>
>
> Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library
>
> 40 West 20th Street | New York | NY | 10011<https://maps.google.com/
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>
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> End of studiotalk Digest, Vol 8, Issue 18
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-- 

James Langton| New York Public Library

*Manager, Audio Book Studio*

Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library

40 West 20th Street | New York | NY | 10011
<https://maps.google.com/?q=40+West+20th+Street+%7C+New+York+%7C+NY+%7C+10011&entry=gmail&source=g>

T: 212-206 5403 <(212)%20621-0620> | jameslangton at nypl.org
<jillrothstein at nypl.org>

<http://www.nypl.org/>
Inspire Life Long Learning | Advance Knowledge | Strengthen our Communities
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