[Audioarchivist]

Originally Posted by desiderus

Still have a few questions before get things started:
1) Do I need to use an amplifier while transferring?
2) What sort of settings are preferable on the cassette deck for transferring?

1) Only for listening to the signal after coming back out of the computer. Go direct line out of the deck to line in on the soundcard. Test first before recording. Open your audio controls for play and record, and set levels in the computer. Capture with some headroom (don't overload recording levels, but don't have super quiet). You can get close but count on probably bumping them up a bit later with an audio editor. Don't go above 0dB! peaks should maybe be -3dB or so. Count on something going louder than you expect.

2) Play tapes on normal bias setting if switchable, Dolby OFF. Playing dolby on will only dull the sound, as will high bias CrO2 or metal. If there's no switch, cover the holes on the top of the tape shell with scotch tape or something. Don't record over your tapes!

Are these your masters, or are they copies? If they're tape to tapes, unless someone like me copied them, previous azimuth probably wasn't adjusted all that well, and like said, some "damage" might have been done already. If they're masters, unless you've got crappy mics, you should be able to "focus" the sound pretty good! Miracles, maybe not. Decent sound that rivals all the digital stuff - Maybe!

Good luck and keep us posted!