Master Your Open Reel, DAT,
or Cassette To CD?
Not The Problem You Think It Is

Transferring a cassette to cd?

Open Reel? DAT? Vinyl?!

You think these audio formats are dead?

Many older independent artists return the music scene after a period of hibernation or whatever reason and want to sell CD's at their concerts or newly established websites. They'll have DAT's or open reels as their original source master.

But what if all they have left is a Vinyl LP or – gasp – a cassette?!!!

With the right equipment and mastering software the results can be very surprising!

This can save substantial re-recording, mixing and production costs; and the related time factors as well.

Mastering software like WaveLab can handle recording chores for transferring and converting to wav files.

Equalization will definitely by needed, and special filters for hum removal and other types of nasty un-wanted tones!

In the case of transferring open reels or cassette to CD, I wouldn't necessarily think of using compression (the qualities of tape saturation would take care of that), but upward expansion or multi-band expansion, especially for cassettes. Used correctly it can bring much needed life back to the music.

Imaging tools are extremely useful for analog tape transfers.

Noise reduction software may need to come in to play depending on your listener's tolerance levels for hiss and clicks!

DAT's, especially older ones, can occasionally introduce these un-wanted clicks. And these may be intermittent! I simply mean that you can play that section that had the click back again and it won't be there the second time!

Ah yes – the wonderful world of digital!

(And you thought only vinyl had clicks!!)

I keep the recorder running while transferring a DAT and apply my editing skills later if a situation like that happens. It can be handy to have two different DAT players as different machines can give markedly different playback results.

Finally, limiting will be needed if the music has to be on par with today's levels. This has to used carefully certainly in the case of cassette transfers with upward expansion applied, as the limiter may be defeating the expander's actions!

Of course no amount of software will restore badly damaged, or stored, source tapes or vinyl.

But with reasonable quality sources you can, as I've said, produce absolutely surprising results (if you know what to do - and when!); and even save yourself some money.

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