Relative newbie to the digital audio world here, so be gentle please.

I want to get cassette tapes of original music that I recorded years ago
onto CD. In the process, I'd like to do some minor tweaking (e.g., roll off
that 50 Hz bass sound, edit out that unnecessary chorus, etc).

After talking to several people and doing my homework, my current plans are
to get a Powerwave USB audio Interface for the A/D into the machine (there's
no audio in on my machine), then use Toast w/ Jam to write the CDs, and
possible get a equalizer plug-in to do the tweaking.

What I'm looking for is a reality check here. While I don't need absolute
professional recording studio quality, I'd like to do as best as I can here.
For example, if there is A/D USB input that would give me superior quality
for, say, another $50, I could go for that.

Also, are there any "gotchas" that will seriously improve/degrade quality?
E.g., I saw a thread somewhere that spoke about having to keep the input
level in the middle on your System Preferences.

I'm using a 733 G4 Mac about 2 years old w/ 768M, running 10.2.8. Thanks in
advance for your advice.

I have no experience with Macs, so on the recording side....

I think the biggest issue for you is going to be having a good cassett deck
to tape from. The computer, digital equipment and modern A/D converters
will give you better performance than the cassett tape is capable of, so the
deck and condition of the tape itself will determine what's the best you'll
be able to do. In addition to the EQ you mentioned, there are also plug-ins
for noise reduction, and some decent aural exciters out there, and many can
be had for free (is Mac able to use the DirectX stuff?). If you can get a
viable track into the computer, you should be able to do a lot with it.

In recording to digital, as with analog, you want the strongest signal you
can get without overloading anything, of course. Digital distortion happens
very suddenly so you will need to experement a bit to know how hot you can
run the signal when recording to the computer, so you get all you can
without crossing the line.

Good luck, and enjoy. You should have no problem getting the hang of the
digital toys.

Walt

Eric Heilner wrote:

Relative newbie to the digital audio world here, so be gentle please.

[swush, swush]

I want to get cassette tapes of original music that I
recorded years ago onto CD.

That is a very good idea. It could even be urgent. Good news are that
compact cassettes seem to have a good storage life, way better than the
tape you would use if it was worth recording ....

In the process, I'd like to do some minor tweaking (e.g.,
roll off that 50 Hz bass sound, edit out that unnecessary
chorus, etc).

First ensure that your deck is in working order.

After talking to several people and doing my homework,
my current plans are to get a Powerwave USB audio Interface

I don't know it. In my opinion the optimum sound card will be Midiman
Audiophile, not the best available if the sky is the limit, but the best
available if budget is a limit. Midimans stuff is not costly, so if it
is way cheaper, then it is not good enough, things can only be
manufactured so and so cheaply.

I will strongly discourage you from USB Audio unless there is no other
choice, it can be made to work, but getting an AD on the PCI bus to work
is way more likely to be plug and play.

then use Toast w/ Jam to write the CDs,

I don't know it. Most burner software does seem to come with a basic 16
bit audio editor, and such is probably all you need for this.

and possible get a equalizer plug-in to do the tweaking.

No processing is better than plain no processing, processing is always a
trade-off and there will always be better processing tomorrow. If it is
just for archive and for preserving, please do nothing. I don't adhere
to this myself, but that is because I have the aim of getting better at
restoring and processing, and one only gets better at something by doing
it.

What I'm looking for is a reality check here.

Hmm ...

While I don't need absolute professional recording studio
quality, I'd like to do as best as I can here.

Which is why I say: first ensure that you have a tape deck that is able
to play back the cassettes. If you have to send it to service, and if it
is the deck that was used to record them on, then DO get the service
place to comprehend that you want it to restore tapes recorded on it and
that they may NOT touch playback head alignment.

For example, if there is A/D USB input that would give me
superior quality for, say, another $50, I could go for that.

Addressed above.

Also, are there any "gotchas" that will seriously
improve/degrade quality?

All processing distorts, but 32-bit processing distorts less. If you
have to do it in 16 bit, then do nothing.

E.g., I saw a thread somewhere that spoke about having to keep the input
level in the middle on your System Preferences.

This would depend on the actual sound hardwarre.

I'm using a 733 G4 Mac about 2 years old w/ 768M, running
10.2.8.

Aha, jetzt kann es gesagt werden. You could have provided this info up
front, but at least it was in the first post, thanks. My understanding
is that the suggested sound card will work also in a mac. It may be
slightly more than you contemplate, but it also is slightly more, i. e.
it is a card that you simply move to the next machine when you upgrade
hardware and then at least once more. It is not a card that is likely to
rapidly become obsolete unless the PCI bus does. (not a comment on USB,
I just don't like USB - except for my joystick ... )

Thanks in
advance for your advice.

Ymmv ... seasons greetings!


Kind regards

Peter Larsen


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