Analog to Digital - Vinyl, Tape, Cassettes
Analog Studio Tape
2" 24 and 16-track
1/2" 2-track
1/4" mono, 2-track, 4-track
If you want a copy of old tape recordings just to hear them again, or revive abandoned musical projects from years back, that's what I do.
Even in the best conditions, tapes can come off the shelf and not play because the compound that binds the oxide to the mylar tape very slowly picks up water vapor even if it's wrapped in plastic bags and boxes.
As a matter of well-documented fact, some tapes from the 1970's and afterward were manufactured with a material that absorbs moisture from the air and becomes tacky and sticky, making the tape impossible to play and will permanently damage the recording if you try. It will squeal and shed its oxide off as it is dragged over the heads and guides of the machine.
The first thing I do is look at the tape, figure out what kind it is, what condition it is in, what it needs, and how to get it to play. If I have to bake the tape, the best thing to do is to warm the reel of tape in a convection oven that heats to about 130 degrees for some hours.
All tapes are given a catalog number, and files named and labelled. There will be one file for each track, e.g. 24-track tape results in 24 individual mono WAV file recordings of each track of the tape that will play in sync in your DAW. Or I can mix it for you here.
Rate for all reel tape transfers- $50 setup, plus $80 per 30ips 2500’ reel, $95 per 15 ips reel. Baking included. Tapes on plastic reels $10 each extra. Add leader or fix broken splices $10 each.
Recordings with excessive noises can be digitally fixed with excellent results. Crackles, pops, hiss, hum- all can be diminished. Regular $85/hr studio rates apply.
1/2" 2-track
1/4" mono, 2-track, 4-track
If you want a copy of old tape recordings just to hear them again, or revive abandoned musical projects from years back, that's what I do.
Even in the best conditions, tapes can come off the shelf and not play because the compound that binds the oxide to the mylar tape very slowly picks up water vapor even if it's wrapped in plastic bags and boxes.
As a matter of well-documented fact, some tapes from the 1970's and afterward were manufactured with a material that absorbs moisture from the air and becomes tacky and sticky, making the tape impossible to play and will permanently damage the recording if you try. It will squeal and shed its oxide off as it is dragged over the heads and guides of the machine.
The first thing I do is look at the tape, figure out what kind it is, what condition it is in, what it needs, and how to get it to play. If I have to bake the tape, the best thing to do is to warm the reel of tape in a convection oven that heats to about 130 degrees for some hours.
All tapes are given a catalog number, and files named and labelled. There will be one file for each track, e.g. 24-track tape results in 24 individual mono WAV file recordings of each track of the tape that will play in sync in your DAW. Or I can mix it for you here.
Rate for all reel tape transfers- $50 setup, plus $80 per 30ips 2500’ reel, $95 per 15 ips reel. Baking included. Tapes on plastic reels $10 each extra. Add leader or fix broken splices $10 each.
Recordings with excessive noises can be digitally fixed with excellent results. Crackles, pops, hiss, hum- all can be diminished. Regular $85/hr studio rates apply.
Vinyl
Clean your vinyl, transfer to CD or digital files.
Pops, clicks and noise are only for the sentimental- hear what's in the grooves.
Pops, clicks and noise are only for the sentimental- hear what's in the grooves.
Your LPs may be superior to the CD reissue. Assuming the vinyl master was properly done and a good pressing made, there are several advantages over remastered CDs when it comes to some legacy recordings. First-pressing LPs were cut from a brand-new master tape at the time. Some LPs never got released on CD, master tapes get lost, or the wrong tapes used for the remaster, or the mono mixes are not reissued, and so on.
I can transfer your most beloved LPs and 45s to WAV files, or burn them onto audio CDs.
The process is this:
Clean the record of fingerprints and any especially difficult materials like food, sugar, mold, paint, or material stuck on. I start by looking for big stuck-on stuff, then apply an enzymatic cleaner that breaks down organic materials like fingerprints, dust, food, saliva, etc. which really gets a lot of the old crud out after a couple minutes. I wash the grooves with a VPI 16.5 wet record cleaner. I apply a solution, and extract it all back out with a strong vacuum, much like a carpet cleaner does. Once the record has come clean, it's ready for transfer.
The equipment is a Pioneer linear tracking turntable, a Clearaudio Talisman cartridge, an Ayre P-5xe phono stage into a Tascam DVRA1000. All balanced interconnects by Transparent. If the records have scratches and surface noise, I can work on minimizing those digitally, in many cases completely removing it.
Due to the nature of the work, these sessions are unattended.
12” LP transfer: $50 setup, plus $50 per disc. Includes VPI cleaning.
I can transfer your most beloved LPs and 45s to WAV files, or burn them onto audio CDs.
The process is this:
Clean the record of fingerprints and any especially difficult materials like food, sugar, mold, paint, or material stuck on. I start by looking for big stuck-on stuff, then apply an enzymatic cleaner that breaks down organic materials like fingerprints, dust, food, saliva, etc. which really gets a lot of the old crud out after a couple minutes. I wash the grooves with a VPI 16.5 wet record cleaner. I apply a solution, and extract it all back out with a strong vacuum, much like a carpet cleaner does. Once the record has come clean, it's ready for transfer.
The equipment is a Pioneer linear tracking turntable, a Clearaudio Talisman cartridge, an Ayre P-5xe phono stage into a Tascam DVRA1000. All balanced interconnects by Transparent. If the records have scratches and surface noise, I can work on minimizing those digitally, in many cases completely removing it.
Due to the nature of the work, these sessions are unattended.
12” LP transfer: $50 setup, plus $50 per disc. Includes VPI cleaning.
Cassette Tapes
Cassette tapes transferred, I have a bank of six Nakamichi decks set up. Cassettes won't need to be baked.
$50 setup, plus $25 per cassette, repair broken tape $35
$50 setup, plus $25 per cassette, repair broken tape $35
ADAT
ADAT transfer rate: $50 setup, plus $65 per pass of up to 3 tapes of 16-bit ADAT standard 42 mins
e.g. 1-3 tapes $115, 4-6 tapes $180, 7-9 tapes $245
e.g. 1-3 tapes $115, 4-6 tapes $180, 7-9 tapes $245
4-track Cassette
These recordings can sound great if you transfer them to digital. The weakest link in these machines is the electronics, and mixes made on the original machine aren't so good.
Taking the four raw tracks out into a digital session will bring out the best of the original recording. A mix made that way can sound very good, without much noise.
Taking the four raw tracks out into a digital session will bring out the best of the original recording. A mix made that way can sound very good, without much noise.
CDs authored from WAV files: $40 first CD, additional copies $10 each.
