Transfer to Reel to Reel

[pdgmedia]

Apologies if this is way off topic - but can anyone recommend the best way of transferring lossless files to tape? I have an Akai 747DBX that is aching to play.
Thanks so much for any advice you can offer...

[Homebrew101]

looks like it has Line inputs so just use line outs for audio from either your PC or receiver

but why even convert to tape? it won't sound as good as the FLACs and definitely won't be easy to find songs

[JackDog]

You should tape some shows with it. I was at a Galactic show a few years ago and a guy plugged a reel to reel into the soundboard to record the show. You could probably only do it with local or regional bands who will allow you to get a soundboard patch, but that's what I'd do if I had one.

Here's a pic from that Galactic show:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/JeremyLykins/100_6781b.jpg

[pmonk]

looks like it has Line inputs so just use line outs for audio from either your PC or receiver

but why even convert to tape? it won't sound as good as the FLACs and definitely won't be easy to find songs

I disagree with that 100%. I used my lap top to make mix tapes and played back using Foobar and used 3.5 mm TRS to Dual RCA Stereo to run a line between my lap top and my Teac A-2300SX.

I currently have around 20 mixed 7.5 reel tapes that I play and it sound great.

[Homebrew101]

I disagree with that 100%. I used my lap top to make mix tapes and played back using Foobar and used 3.5 mm TRS to Dual RCA Stereo to run a line between my lap top and my Teac A-2300SX.

I currently have around 20 mixed 7.5 reel tapes that I play and it sound great.

:wave: Hi pmonk!

glad it sounds fine for you but by its very nature, converting FLAC to tape cannot sound as good as the FLACs themselves, now its possible your system isn't very revealing and the difference isn't noticeable but the noise floor (which didn't exist prior to conversion) on the tape is high enough that there will be a difference and tape has less dynamic range.

[pdgmedia]

Thanks guys! So I guess what I was curious about was whether one of these units was either a) essential or b) there was another obvious way that I might be missing, in terms of transferring the FLAC files to the Line In on the Akai.
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music-production/interfaces/ag/ag03/?mode=model

In terms of sound quality - I am totally okay with whatever loss (or gain) is going to take place during the conversion process. Mostly for two reasons; I'm 52 and my ears aren't what they used to be. I might miss the odd drop of Buddy Rich's foot tapping away on the floor in the background, but then I miss the odd point my better half tries to make, so I figure it's a wash :-)
To be honest, having one of these playing in the living room with friends, well sometimes that's all that matters. To me anyways :-)

http://pdgmedia.com/playpen/akai-R.jpg

[dorrcoq]

:wave: Hi pmonk!

glad it sounds fine for you but by its very nature, converting FLAC to tape cannot sound as good as the FLACs themselves, now its possible your system isn't very revealing and the difference isn't noticeable but the noise floor (which didn't exist prior to conversion) on the tape is high enough that there will be a difference and tape has less dynamic range.


Who cares about that? It's just a cool thing to do, and as he says...watching that play is a lot more fun that looking at a laptop. I just bought a Pioneer RT-10111 yesterday and am looking forward to having fun with it. I like the idea of taking it out and recording a show, too. Although the disadvantages are that it weighs a ton and recording time per reel isn't the same as recording to an SD card, or whatever. Not to mention how many people will come up and ask what the fuck it is!:lol4:

[pmonk]

:wave: Hi pmonk!

glad it sounds fine for you but by its very nature, converting FLAC to tape cannot sound as good as the FLACs themselves, now its possible your system isn't very revealing and the difference isn't noticeable but the noise floor (which didn't exist prior to conversion) on the tape is high enough that there will be a difference and tape has less dynamic range.


flac is just lossless compressed audio file.

Flac files don't play themselves. You need a play back system, and mine is a MX-110Z going into a MC-240 power amp powering a pair of Klipsch Forte II with Crites crossovers.

So if you are going to compare that with Acer lap top using Foobar or iTunes thru a cheap ass chinese made sound card going into a Beats head phone, good luck with that!

[Audioarchivist]

Thanks guys! So I guess what I was curious about was whether one of these units was either a) essential or b) there was another obvious way that I might be missing, in terms of transferring the FLAC files to the Line In on the Akai.
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music-production/interfaces/ag/ag03/?mode=model

In terms of sound quality - I am totally okay with whatever loss (or gain) is going to take place during the conversion process. Mostly for two reasons; I'm 52 and my ears aren't what they used to be. I might miss the odd drop of Buddy Rich's foot tapping away on the floor in the background, but then I miss the odd point my better half tries to make, so I figure it's a wash :-)
To be honest, having one of these playing in the living room with friends, well sometimes that's all that matters. To me anyways :-)

http://pdgmedia.com/playpen/akai-R.jpg

In terms of wanting to transfer digital to tape, for fun and pleasure without judgement (haha), to enjoy vintage gear and tape, is awesome in my book!

I'd say to do the best job of recording you need a good digital playback so a good sound card to do the best quality digital to analog conversion that you can afford. Although that unit you linked to plays and records up to 24 bit 192 khz sample rates, but I don't really know how good the DA / AD converters are inside that thing. What do you currently play flac files through?

Speaking as someone who usually goes in the opposite direction, by digitizing my old tape bootleg library going from analog to digital, I would say the best results come from the shortest signal path as possible. Instead of capturing an analog signal and digitizing it, you have a digital "signal" you need to un-digitize and capture in analog, LOL!!!! As long as you've got a good line out from a good quality soundcard or playback device, go straight into the tape machine line inputs. Good interconnects (wires, lol) between the DA converter and the tape machine are important, too. I wouldn't needlessly elongate your signal path by going through a preamp or receiver or a mixer - shortest cleanest chain works best to record (in either direction). From there, I hope you know how to set your record levels and operate your reel to reel... From there, listen to it on whatever you want... At your nice houseparty to entertain your friends, or through your Beats headphones! hahaha! Have fun!

flac is just lossless compressed audio file.

Flac files don't play themselves. You need a play back system, and mine is a MX-110Z going into a MC-240 power amp powering a pair of Klipsch Forte II with Crites crossovers.

So if you are going to compare that with Acer lap top using Foobar or iTunes thru a cheap ass chinese made sound card going into a Beats head phone, good luck with that!

What you listen to your music with isn't the question here, it is how to best transfer digital music to tape. Your preamps and speakers and whatever are great, but what's driving them? Monitoring a tape recording might be useful, but not essential. In this case, all that's needed is a good soundcard to get to tape and a flac player that he trusts. What is your analog to digital converter? I bet it's better than a Chinese made Acer laptop line out, too, right?

[pmonk]

What you listen to your music with isn't the question here,

:wtf:


it is how to best transfer digital music to tape. Your preamps and speakers and whatever are great, but what's driving them? Monitoring a tape recording might be useful, but not essential. In this case, all that's needed is a good soundcard to get to tape and a flac player that he trusts. What is your analog to digital converter? I bet it's better than a Chinese made Acer laptop line out, too, right?

As I said, I used foobar to create the a playlist that time wise would fit onto a 7.5 reel using slow speed (3 3⁄4 ips)

I ran a basic male 3.5 > Stereo RCA cord directly into my pre-amp (a Mcintosh C28 at the time) and recorded using the volume controls of the C28 and line input of the TEAC 2300sx using unopened 7.5 Maxell Ud 35-180.


I ran the recordings level somewhat hot (+3 on the VU Meters)

Made Led Zep, The Who, Pink Floyd, reggae, classic rock, blues, etc... mixed tapes.

Remember, all of these albums were recorded onto analog tape any ways, so I am using a play back format that these recordings were intended to be played!

[LeifH12345]

I've taped a few digital masters (24bit) onto cassette for fun, to test out a couple decks, and to be able to play a show in another format. Maybe a friend's car only has a tape deck and they could use some cool recordings. Stuff like that

Makes for an entirely different form of data backup too. Can't say its a sound upgrade, but still sounds nice!