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Old 2007-03-10, 08:12 PM
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Audioarchivist Audioarchivist is offline
Recording/Mastering Engineer
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Re: converting cassette to cdr

I would like to add that it's extremely important that the playback deck tape heads be re-aligned to the tape you're playing back.
Azimuth adjustment is critical, and is the main reason that cassette generational losses happen.
Take the door off most tape players, and you will see the playback head is held on with 2 screws. One (usually on the left side) is spring-loaded. While playing the tape you want to digitize, take a mini precision screwdriver and start turning that screw slowly back and forth. You'll notice the music will kind of go in and out of focus. It's a bit like tracking on a VCR.
The best way to get it right is to find the 'brightest' setting you can through your stereo, then if you can listen in mono, fine tune the azimuth to be the brightest in the high frequencies you can.
It's really amazing how much difference it will make. If done right, quality will be heard. If not done, that's what makes people think cassettes are low fidelity pieces of crap - they're not!
And yes, keep your tapes safe for future reference, especially any master original tapes. I've been Re-Mastering casssettes that are 30+ years old, and it's amazing what kind of performance can really be squeezed out of those old tapes.
Good luck.
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