[schmoehawke]

I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode, so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3 capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.

[Rick Ruskin]

On Sat, 2 Apr 2011 15:51:06 +0000, schmoehawke
wrote:


I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.

I do this kind of work all the time.

direct contact:


Rick Ruskin
Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA
http://liondogmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/rickruskin

[Scott Dorsey]

schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

Try Steve Puntolillo. He makes a business of that sort of thing and
can probably give you Pro Tools dumps with actual correct azimuth.

the four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I have a Tascam 122 that has been modified for vernier control of azimuth
that can play the 2-track tapes. But try Steve Puntolillo, he does this
sort of work day-in and day-out.

I set this for "instant email notification.

I don't know what that means. This is Usenet, how you set your Usenet
client up is your own business.
--scott


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[brassplyer]

On Apr 2, 11:51*am, schmoehawke
wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files.


I see there's a 244 on Ebay that needs some rehabbing.

http://tinyurl.com/3wq45l7

But shouldn't that same tape play in any 4-track machine that uses
cassettes of which there are loads available?

You asked for alternate suggestions - how about playing the tape on a
standard 2-track machine twice, which will require reversing 2 of the
tracks and some minor fiddling to get them lined up. I imagine there
might be head alignment issues but might not be crucial.

[John Williamson]

brassplyer wrote:
On Apr 2, 11:51 am, schmoehawke
wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files.


I see there's a 244 on Ebay that needs some rehabbing.

http://tinyurl.com/3wq45l7

But shouldn't that same tape play in any 4-track machine that uses
cassettes of which there are loads available?

You asked for alternate suggestions - how about playing the tape on a
standard 2-track machine twice, which will require reversing 2 of the
tracks and some minor fiddling to get them lined up. I imagine there
might be head alignment issues but might not be crucial.

That'd be nice if it would work. The 244 used a standard CRO2 type
cassette tape, but ran it at double speed.

Second hand machines do sometimes come up for sale, though.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

[brassplyer]

On Apr 3, 11:10*am, John Williamson
wrote:

That'd be nice if it would work. The 244 used a standard CRO2 type
cassette tape, but ran it at double speed.


Shouldn't be any big trick to deal with with either time compression
or resampling. My ancient SoundForge 8 will do it.

[John Williamson]

brassplyer wrote:
On Apr 3, 11:10 am, John Williamson
wrote:

That'd be nice if it would work. The 244 used a standard CRO2 type
cassette tape, but ran it at double speed.


Shouldn't be any big trick to deal with with either time compression
or resampling. My ancient SoundForge 8 will do it.

It's easy enough *if* you can pull off all four tracks in
synchronisation, but cassette mechanisms often aren't consistent enough
to let two consecutive passes line up at the start and at the end. Then,
you've got to redo the equalisation to match how it's changed by the
tape speed change, as the 244 didn't use any particularly well known
curve. Then there's the Dolby line-up problem. It's not a trivial
process, getting good results. It's easier, quicker, and, if you're
paying someone to do it, a lot cheaper to find a second hand unit and
fix it.

There's a 244 for sale on eBay from a seller in London, UK for about
fifty pounds, which apparently lights up when turned on, but is sold for
spares only, as the seller can't test it. Most service spares can be
found, if that's what you end up doing.

Or, as has been suggested, contact a studio operator who has a working one.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

[brassplyer]

On Apr 3, 11:55*am, John Williamson
wrote:

Shouldn't be any big trick to deal with with either time compression
or resampling. My ancient SoundForge 8 will do it.

It's easy enough *if* you can pull off all four tracks in
synchronisation, but cassette mechanisms often aren't consistent enough
to let two consecutive passes line up at the start and at the end.


Dunno, I did it on some 4-track tapes I had using a nothing special
RCA cassette deck from Radio Shack. It's hifalutin' enough to have
pitch/speed adjustment and independent L/R input level but certainly
not a "pro" tape deck. I keep the heads clean and use cleaner/
conditioner on the pinch roller and only use it sparingly. Over the
course of a 3 - 4 minute song time drift wasn't a factor, got them to
line up with no problem. I guess I got lucky on head alignment, there
was no cross-talk that I could hear from one track to the next.

The OP stated the tracks were of secondary value so I'm guessing he
won't sweat some of the issues you mentioned - eq curve, noise
reduction etc. I sense he just wants a passably decent recording.

[david gourley[_2_]]

John Williamson put forth the notion
:

brassplyer wrote:
On Apr 3, 11:10 am, John Williamson
wrote:

That'd be nice if it would work. The 244 used a standard CRO2 type
cassette tape, but ran it at double speed.


Shouldn't be any big trick to deal with with either time compression
or resampling. My ancient SoundForge 8 will do it.

It's easy enough *if* you can pull off all four tracks in
synchronisation, but cassette mechanisms often aren't consistent enough
to let two consecutive passes line up at the start and at the end. Then,
you've got to redo the equalisation to match how it's changed by the
tape speed change, as the 244 didn't use any particularly well known
curve. Then there's the Dolby line-up problem. It's not a trivial
process, getting good results. It's easier, quicker, and, if you're
paying someone to do it, a lot cheaper to find a second hand unit and
fix it.

There's a 244 for sale on eBay from a seller in London, UK for about
fifty pounds, which apparently lights up when turned on, but is sold for
spares only, as the seller can't test it. Most service spares can be
found, if that's what you end up doing.

Or, as has been suggested, contact a studio operator who has a working
one.



I have a Tascam 244, but mine has dBx on it not Dolby. I agree that the NR
adds to the potential problems.

Scott had the best recommendation.

david

[Nil]

On 03 Apr 2011, david gourley wrote
in rec.audio.pro:

I have a Tascam 244, but mine has dBx on it not Dolby. I agree
that the NR adds to the potential problems.

I have a Tascam 234, which I think is basically the same machine
without a built-in mixer. Tape runs at double-speed, and uses dbx
rather than Dolby. I believe later versions of both the 234 and 244
used Dolby.

[Mike Rivers]

On 4/3/2011 11:04 AM, brassplyer wrote:

But shouldn't that same tape play in any 4-track machine that uses
cassettes of which there are loads available?

It depends on which tracks were used for the 2-track
recording. A standard 2-track cassette head would play
tracks 1 and 3 of a 4-track tape.



--
"Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be
operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although
it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge
of audio." - John Watkinson

http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and
interesting audio stuff

[Scott Dorsey]

brassplyer wrote:
But shouldn't that same tape play in any 4-track machine that uses
cassettes of which there are loads available?

Maybe. Problem is that there are multiple track formats and EQ formats
for the cassette 4-track machines. Also some use Dolby B and some use
dbx Type II. There are a lot of machines that will play tapes made on
a 244, but not all of them. Also the azimuth stability is poor and you
will want a machine modified for adjustable azimuth.

You asked for alternate suggestions - how about playing the tape on a
standard 2-track machine twice, which will require reversing 2 of the
tracks and some minor fiddling to get them lined up. I imagine there
might be head alignment issues but might not be crucial.

Cassette speed stability isn't anywhere near good enough to do that,
unfortunately.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

brassplyer wrote:
On Apr 3, 11:10=A0am, John Williamson
wrote:

That'd be nice if it would work. The 244 used a standard CRO2 type
cassette tape, but ran it at double speed.

Shouldn't be any big trick to deal with with either time compression
or resampling. My ancient SoundForge 8 will do it.

Tascam made lots of double-speed machines including the ubiquitous 122.
However, note that the equalization will have to be changed if you are
changing speed. This can be done, but prepare to do NR after doing the
eq compensation, so you can't use the NR in the deck.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[schmoehawke]

The tunes I am most interested in getting ripped were done in two track mode (chrome tape) - all four heads play at once and are grouped like a reel to reel half track - stereo.

I don't keep up with the latest audio gear, but someone told me a modern professional cassette deck could be configured to play all tracks at once - at normal cassette speed - then speed it up to normal, digitally.

"It depends on which tracks were used for the 2-track recording"........ALL 4!



--
"Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be
operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although
it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge
of audio." - John Watkinson

Originally Posted by Mike Rivers

On 4/3/2011 11:04 AM, brassplyer wrote:

But shouldn't that same tape play in any 4-track machine that uses
cassettes of which there are loads available?

It depends on which tracks were used for the 2-track
recording. A standard 2-track cassette head would play
tracks 1 and 3 of a 4-track tape.


http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and
interesting audio stuff

[Rick Ruskin]

On Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:49:49 +0000, schmoehawke
wrote:


The tunes I am most interested in getting ripped were done in two track
mode (chrome tape) - all four heads play at once and are grouped like a
reel to reel half track - stereo.

I don't keep up with the latest audio gear, but someone told me a modern
professional cassette deck could be configured to play all tracks at
once - at normal cassette speed - then speed it up to normal,
digitally.

"It depends on which tracks were used for the 2-track
recording"........ALL 4!



--
"Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be
operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although
it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge
of audio." - John Watkinson



Mike Rivers;928989 Wrote:
On 4/3/2011 11:04 AM, brassplyer wrote:
-
But shouldn't that same tape play in any 4-track machine that uses
cassettes of which there are loads available?-

It depends on which tracks were used for the 2-track
recording. A standard 2-track cassette head would play
tracks 1 and 3 of a 4-track tape.


http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and
interesting audio stuff


As stated before, I have the equipment to do it properly.
Email if interested in having it done here.


Rick Ruskin
Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA
http://www.liondogmusic.com

[david gourley[_2_]]

schmoehawke put forth the notion
:


The tunes I am most interested in getting ripped were done in two track
mode (chrome tape) - all four heads play at once and are grouped like a
reel to reel half track - stereo.

I don't keep up with the latest audio gear, but someone told me a modern
professional cassette deck could be configured to play all tracks at
once - at normal cassette speed - then speed it up to normal,
digitally.

"It depends on which tracks were used for the 2-track
recording"........ALL 4!




I could be very wrong about this, but it seems to me that you'd want your
source playback to be as possibly close to the orignal speed and eq without
having to resort to all of that 'tricky' stuff. That digital 'speed up'
thing also has its drawbacks, and you could be in a world of hurt. Then
there's the NR problem.


david

[schmoehawke]

Originally Posted by david gourley[_2_]

schmoehawke put forth the notion
:


The tunes I am most interested in getting ripped were done in two track
mode (chrome tape) - all four heads play at once and are grouped like a
reel to reel half track - stereo.

I don't keep up with the latest audio gear, but someone told me a modern
professional cassette deck could be configured to play all tracks at
once - at normal cassette speed - then speed it up to normal,
digitally.

"It depends on which tracks were used for the 2-track
recording"........ALL 4!




I could be very wrong about this, but it seems to me that you'd want your
source playback to be as possibly close to the orignal speed and eq without
having to resort to all of that 'tricky' stuff. That digital 'speed up'
thing also has its drawbacks, and you could be in a world of hurt. Then
there's the NR problem.


david

I spent decades on the other side of the engineer's window in studios - and I have not kept up with the tech - I believe you. The speed up thing is just something I was told - don't know how reliable. It's frustrating to have stuff you can't get to. Somebody's got to have a 244 out there somewhere. Just a straight rip is all I need - no mixing or anything. Most of it is already mixed.

[Scott Dorsey]

schmoehawke wrote:
I spent decades on the other side of the engineer's window in studios -
and I have not kept up with the tech - I believe you. The speed up thing
is just something I was told - don't know how reliable. It's
frustrating to have stuff you can't get to. Somebody's got to have a 244
out there somewhere. Just a straight rip is all I need - no mixing or
anything. Most of it is already mixed.

Three people in this thread have suggested that they either had a 244
or knew someone (like Steve Puntolillo) who specialized in such work.
Perhaps you should contact them.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[david gourley[_2_]]

schmoehawke put forth the notion
:


'david gourley[_2_ Wrote:
;929595']schmoehawke put forth the
notion
:
-

The tunes I am most interested in getting ripped were done in two
track
mode (chrome tape) - all four heads play at once and are grouped like
a
reel to reel half track - stereo.

I don't keep up with the latest audio gear, but someone told me a
modern
professional cassette deck could be configured to play all tracks at
once - at normal cassette speed - then speed it up to normal,
digitally.

"It depends on which tracks were used for the 2-track
recording"........ALL 4!


-

I could be very wrong about this, but it seems to me that you'd want
your
source playback to be as possibly close to the orignal speed and eq
without
having to resort to all of that 'tricky' stuff. That digital 'speed up'

thing also has its drawbacks, and you could be in a world of hurt. Then

there's the NR problem.


david

I spent decades on the other side of the engineer's window in studios -
and I have not kept up with the tech - I believe you. The speed up thing
is just something I was told - don't know how reliable. It's
frustrating to have stuff you can't get to. Somebody's got to have a 244
out there somewhere. Just a straight rip is all I need - no mixing or
anything. Most of it is already mixed.



I have one (dBx model) in fairly good shape, but the belts turned to goo so
I don't pay much attention to it these days.

david

[schmoehawke]

SCOTT - GOT THE EMAIL - I contacted Rick Ruskin - thanks and wish me luck. He sounds like "the man".

Originally Posted by Scott Dorsey

schmoehawke wrote:
I spent decades on the other side of the engineer's window in studios -
and I have not kept up with the tech - I believe you. The speed up thing
is just something I was told - don't know how reliable. It's
frustrating to have stuff you can't get to. Somebody's got to have a 244
out there somewhere. Just a straight rip is all I need - no mixing or
anything. Most of it is already mixed.

Three people in this thread have suggested that they either had a 244
or knew someone (like Steve Puntolillo) who specialized in such work.
Perhaps you should contact them.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[schmoehawke]

Originally Posted by schmoehawke

SCOTT - GOT THE EMAIL - I contacted Rick Ruskin - thanks and wish me luck. He sounds like "the man".

Scott - I didn't see Steve Puntolillo. If you or he sees this - he can email me at

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke



On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke



On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke



On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke



On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke



On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

I set this for "instant email notification.




--
schmoehawke

Hi Scott, I have a Porta Studio, that needs some repair, I would love to give it to someone that would interested in getting repaired, rather than the Goodwill or such. If they would just send me their address to my E-mail, they can have it, this is the 4th one that I have owned, and have been holding out on going digital, but the new age has caught up with me. Thank you, Shirley

[polymod]

wrote in message
...
On Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:51:06 AM UTC-7, schmoehawke wrote:
I have old recordings made on one. Looking for someone who can rip to
wav files. Most of it was recorded as a backup master in two track mode,
so it would be easy to jack into a sound card on a computer and stereo
record into Cakewalk or something. Don't want a "what you hear" mp3
capture on Sound Blaster. 16 bit is fine.

The four track stuff is of secondary value. If anyone out there has an
alternate rip method - I am all ears.

As a down and dirty method I've known folks to record it using Reaper and
adust the pitch slider.

Poly