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Post by A Barron on Dec 13, 2020 18:49:26 GMT
I have been given a bunch of reel to reel audio recordings (from the sixties and seventies) and have been asked to digitise them for someone I know. They are a mix of home recordings and radio recordings. (Maybe they include some missing material, who knows?)
I have also been given a Truvox R94 reel to reel tape recorder/player that seems to work fine although the plug needs updating to square pin rather than rounded. I have been trying to find how to connect the recorder to a computer. All the guides I have found use Audacity which I can do, but they either miss out how to connect it to the computer or mention hardware that is no longer available.
Does anyone either know how, or know of a guide I could follow so I know what to do/what do buy if I do not have it all ready?
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Post by richardwoods on Dec 13, 2020 19:24:30 GMT
Personally as I’ve said before on the forum, I’m old school about this. I would make high bit rate analogue to digital recordings using CD-R audio discs using a Hi-Fi separate CD recorder so you’ve got hard digital copies on CD & then import them from the disc. That way you’ve got low loss digital reference hard copies that you can refer back to if something goes wrong.
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RWels
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Post by RWels on Dec 13, 2020 20:28:36 GMT
Personally as I’ve said before on the forum, I’m old school about this. I would make high bit rate analogue to digital recordings using CD-R audio discs using a Hi-Fi separate CD recorder so you’ve got hard digital copies on CD & then import them from the disc. That way you’ve got low loss digital reference hard copies that you can refer back to if something goes wrong. On the other hand, CD-R can go bad over time and become unreadable. They aren't totally easy to copy to a computer, and they're 44.1 kHz - 48 Khz is slightly better. It doesn't have to be audacity per sé. The point is to simply record the incoming sound while it is being played on the recorder. If you're using a standard PC computer, then it almost certainly has an audio-in, with a connector identical to the standard small headphone connector. Usually you'd need a cable to that from audio-DIN connector. But from what I can google, it looks like the Truvox R94 offers a line-out with a large headphone cable: "EX AMP" it says, right? External amplifier? In official terms what you need is a 6.3mm stereo jack to a 3.5mm stereo jack. Not sure that that exists. The easiest thing by far is that 3.5 "headphone" jack on both sides and then one of those adapter thingies to put your small headphone into a big headphone connector. Only, those things sometimes wobble a bit - like all those times when left channel drops out and you tap the jack and it's back. The one in this picture for example is not very good:  So while you test to adjust the input level, you can also make sure that it's coming through steadily. |
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Post by Richard Marple on Dec 13, 2020 21:59:22 GMT
I managed to digitise many of my old tapes by playing them into my computer and using some recording software.
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Post by A Barron on Dec 13, 2020 22:49:54 GMT
Usually you'd need a cable to that from audio-DIN connector. But from what I can google, it looks like the Truvox R94 offers a line-out with a large headphone cable: "EX AMP" it says, right? External amplifier? In official terms what you need is a 6.3mm stereo jack to a 3.5mm stereo jack. Not sure that that exists. The easiest thing by far is that 3.5 "headphone" jack on both sides and then one of those adapter thingies to put your small headphone into a big headphone connector. Only, those things sometimes wobble a bit - like all those times when left channel drops out and you tap the jack and it's back. Yes it does have a "Ex AMP". I shall buy and adaptor and give it a try. Thank you very much. I shall post again if it works and maybe again if I find anything interesting. |
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RWels
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Post by RWels on Dec 13, 2020 22:57:09 GMT
Yes, please do. It's always interesting to hear what people saved, whether it's special or not.
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Post by richardwoods on Dec 14, 2020 12:15:59 GMT
Personally as I’ve said before on the forum, I’m old school about this. I would make high bit rate analogue to digital recordings using CD-R audio discs using a Hi-Fi separate CD recorder so you’ve got hard digital copies on CD & then import them from the disc. That way you’ve got low loss digital reference hard copies that you can refer back to if something goes wrong. On the other hand, CD-R can go bad over time and become unreadable. They aren't totally easy to copy to a computer, and they're 44.1 kHz - 48 Khz is slightly better. It doesn't have to be audacity per sé. The point is to simply record the incoming sound while it is being played on the recorder. If you're using a standard PC computer, then it almost certainly has an audio-in, with a connector identical to the standard small headphone connector. Usually you'd need a cable to that from audio-DIN connector. But from what I can google, it looks like the Truvox R94 offers a line-out with a large headphone cable: "EX AMP" it says, right? External amplifier? In official terms what you need is a 6.3mm stereo jack to a 3.5mm stereo jack. Not sure that that exists. The easiest thing by far is that 3.5 "headphone" jack on both sides and then one of those adapter thingies to put your small headphone into a big headphone connector. Only, those things sometimes wobble a bit - like all those times when left channel drops out and you tap the jack and it's back. The one in this picture for example is not very good: So while you test to adjust the input level, you can also make sure that it's coming through steadily. True enough, just down to personal choice really. To me it always seems a good idea to keep a second hard copy with digital recording however you go about it. I would make sure that the Truvox is earthed before you attempt to connect it to the sound card input, if it isn’t be very cautious, as I have destroyed a sound card myself in the past with residual voltage floating about on valve gear. |
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Post by A Barron on Dec 14, 2020 15:57:43 GMT
Thank you, I shall make sure it is earthed. Is a British standard plug with earth and a fuse enough to not blow up my computer? Do I need an external sound card to connect it to my computer? (Edit: All right, it is not showing the quote for some reason. I have tried to add it in several times. Just look at what Richard Woods said above this. ^) |
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Post by Stephen Byers on Dec 14, 2020 16:14:44 GMT
I have been given a bunch of reel to reel audio recordings (from the sixties and seventies) and have been asked to digitise them for someone I know. They are a mix of home recordings and radio recordings. (Maybe they include some missing material, who knows?) I have also been given a Truvox R94 reel to reel tape recorder/player that seems to work fine although the plug needs updating to square pin rather than rounded. I have been trying to find how to connect the recorder to a computer. All the guides I have found use Audacity which I can do, but they either miss out how to connect it to the computer or mention hardware that is no longer available. Does anyone either know how, or know of a guide I could follow so I know what to do/what do buy if I do not have it all ready? You need a digitisation device - analogue in digital out. Then Audacity captures the digitisation stream and creates a file when you do a Save As. These are brilliant - Behringer UFO202 High-quality USB Audio Interface with Built-in Phono Preamp. When you connect this it has its own drivers which work with Audacity. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Behringer-UFO202-High-quality-USB-Audio-Interface-with-Built-in-Phono-Preamp/203149277538These are about £30 from eBay - don't get the cheaper versions. You need to get the version UFO202 with stereo RCA / Jack input (analogue), stereo RCA / USB output (digital), a switch for phono (mic.) / line input, and an earth pin. Some versions don't have the earth pin - using it reduces hum. The line is then: R-R tape > Tape Player > Stereo Jack - RCA cable lineout > UFO202 device > RCA - USB cable > USB input on Laptop > Audacity One irritation with Windows 10 and Audacity is that when you try to record using 'Stereo Mix' you have to install it and also configure it for stereo recording. Otherwise all your caps will be in left channel mono. Golden rules are - 1/ Before you start get the read heads cleaned (using cotton buds) and demagnetised. You can get fluid and a demag. device from eBay. 2/ Do a full rewind of the tapes to even out the layers, watch out for breakages, you'll have to re-join any breaks with 3M tape 3/ When playing the tapes ensure that what Audacity captures doesn't over modulate or clip. 4/ Do a Save As or Export in WAV format for the original digitisations - editing and reformatting to FLAC, MP3 (320 kbps), etc. can be done later; 5/ Do not junk the source tapes. Note that if you get tracks playing backwards these can be reversed by Audacity afterwards. An issue you might get is 'sticky shed' - the mag. particles shed away from the tape base and clog the read heads. You will then need to bake the tapes. This is a job for professionals. For free help - incl. for 'sticky shed' - from a bunch of friendly guys who do all of this as professionals join the mailing list of the 'Association for Recorded Sound' run by the LOC. They are great with loads of hints, tips, and techniques. "Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List" <ARSCLIST@listserv.loc.gov> www.arsc-audio.org/arsclist.html==== |
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Post by A Barron on Dec 14, 2020 16:42:58 GMT
I have been given a bunch of reel to reel audio recordings (from the sixties and seventies) and have been asked to digitise them for someone I know. They are a mix of home recordings and radio recordings. (Maybe they include some missing material, who knows?) I have also been given a Truvox R94 reel to reel tape recorder/player that seems to work fine although the plug needs updating to square pin rather than rounded. I have been trying to find how to connect the recorder to a computer. All the guides I have found use Audacity which I can do, but they either miss out how to connect it to the computer or mention hardware that is no longer available. Does anyone either know how, or know of a guide I could follow so I know what to do/what do buy if I do not have it all ready? You need a digitisation device - analogue in digital out. Then Audacity captures the digitisation stream and creates a file when you do a Save As. These are brilliant - Behringer UFO202 High-quality USB Audio Interface with Built-in Phono Preamp. When you connect this it has its own drivers which work with Audacity. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Behringer-UFO202-High-quality-USB-Audio-Interface-with-Built-in-Phono-Preamp/203149277538These are about £30 from eBay - don't get the cheaper versions. You need to get the version UFO202 with stereo RCA / Jack input (analogue), stereo RCA / USB output (digital), a switch for phono (mic.) / line input, and an earth pin. Some versions don't have the earth pin - using it reduces hum. The line is then: R-R tape > Tape Player > Stereo Jack - RCA cable lineout > UFO202 device > RCA - USB cable > USB input on Laptop > Audacity One irritation with Windows 10 and Audacity is that when you try to record using 'Stereo Mix' you have to install it and also configure it for stereo recording. Otherwise all your caps will be in left channel mono. Golden rules are - 1/ Before you start get the read heads cleaned (using cotton buds) and demagnetised. You can get fluid and a demag. device from eBay. 2/ Do a full rewind of the tapes to even out the layers, watch out for breakages, you'll have to re-join any breaks with 3M tape 3/ When playing the tapes ensure that what Audacity captures doesn't over modulate or clip. 4/ Do a Save As or Export in WAV format for the original digitisations - editing and reformatting to FLAC, MP3 (320 kbps), etc. can be done later; 5/ Do not junk the source tapes. Note that if you get tracks playing backwards these can be reversed by Audacity afterwards. An issue you might get is 'sticky shed' - the mag. particles shed away from the tape base and clog the read heads. You will then need to bake the tapes. This is a job for professionals. For free help - incl. for 'sticky shed' - from a bunch of friendly guys who do all of this as professionals join the mailing list of the 'Association for Recorded Sound' run by the LOC. They are great with loads of hints, tips, and techniques. "Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List" <ARSCLIST@listserv.loc.gov> www.arsc-audio.org/arsclist.html==== Does the: "Behringer UFO202 High-quality USB Audio Interface with Built-in Phono Preamp" you linked have an earth pin? I cannot see where you would plug it in for an earth pin the function? |
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Post by Dan S on Dec 14, 2020 17:33:34 GMT
My reel to reel player has phono sockets in the bottom (or they'd be at the back if it was standing upright but I have it lying flat). I connect phono leads from the r2r to my hifi. I can play reels and have the sound coming out of my hifi speakers. The hifi connects to my pc via the pc's line-in socket and then the audio can be recorded with any sound recording software. If you have a line-in socket then it's not necessary to overcomplicate things with audio interfaces!
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Post by A Barron on Dec 14, 2020 18:02:37 GMT
My reel to reel player has phono sockets in the bottom (or they'd be at the back if it was standing upright but I have it lying flat). I connect phono leads from the r2r to my hifi. I can play reels and have the sound coming out of my hifi speakers. The hifi connects to my pc via the pc's line-in socket and then the audio can be recorded with any sound recording software. If you have a line-in socket then it's not necessary to overcomplicate things with audio interfaces! My Reel to Reel Player's sockets are: "RADIO", "MIC", "EX. AMP", "LS.15Ω". Is "EX. AMP" the same as "Phono"? |
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Post by Stephen Byers on Dec 14, 2020 19:00:43 GMT
Does the: "Behringer UFO202 High-quality USB Audio Interface with Built-in Phono Preamp" you linked have an earth pin? I cannot see where you would plug it in for an earth pin the function?
The earth pin is a small wheel that screws onto a small threaded pin. You basically form a hook with the earth wire, hook this onto the pin, and then screw the wheel down to hold it tight. Its not well shown in the images. The earth wire goes to the third pin on the Goldring deck's 3-pin plug.
However I do a lot of BBC trans. discs. My Goldring Lenco deck is earthed. My Laptop is not. So I get hum, and therefore I also have to earth the Behringer. I get perfect recordings.
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Post by richardwoods on Dec 14, 2020 19:42:44 GMT
Thank you, I shall make sure it is earthed. Is a British standard plug with earth and a fuse enough to not blow up my computer? Do I need an external sound card to connect it to my computer? (Edit: All right, it is not showing the quote for some reason. I have tried to add it in several times. Just look at what Richard Woods said above this. ^) Yes that should be fine so long as the the green or yellow/green insulated wire in the mains cable from the Truvox is connected to the earth pin in the UK mains plug. |
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Post by richardwoods on Dec 14, 2020 19:45:58 GMT
My reel to reel player has phono sockets in the bottom (or they'd be at the back if it was standing upright but I have it lying flat). I connect phono leads from the r2r to my hifi. I can play reels and have the sound coming out of my hifi speakers. The hifi connects to my pc via the pc's line-in socket and then the audio can be recorded with any sound recording software. If you have a line-in socket then it's not necessary to overcomplicate things with audio interfaces! My Reel to Reel Player's sockets are: "RADIO", "MIC", "EX. AMP", "LS.15Ω". Is "EX. AMP" the same as "Phono"? No, phono is for recording from a deck. Ex Amp is an output, which is what you are after. |
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