Reel to Reel Tape to Computer Interface

Connect the reel-to-reel "line output" to the PC audio "line input".

The PC input is a 2.5mm stereo jack, the line output on your reel-to-reel is most likely to be 2 phonos. You can get pre-assembled cables for this at places like Maplins, or make one up easily enough if you have a bit of soldering skill.

You should now be able to transfer your audio using the "system recorder", which is usually bundled on PCs with whatever "sound card" system is fitted (note: the "sound card" may be integrated on the motherboard - it is on most modern PCs). This will let you save .wma files.

You'll find utilities (many free) on the 'net which you can use to convert the .wma to e.g. .mp3.

Alternatively, you can use the excellent "Audacity" (available as a free download) to record & save directly as .mp3

Good luck.

Hello John:

I actually posted the question above, I'm not quite sure how it got posted anonymously, except possibly HAL 2008, my computer telling me I was posting a dumb question. I was concerned about using a amplified input as a source to connect to the computer, I've smoked stereo equipment before. BTW the USB turntable I was referring to came bundled with Audacity, as you said the software performs very well.

For your morning trivia HAL+1=IBM in case you didn't know the origin for the movie computer that is. My computers usually end up as psychotic after I assemble them, and overclock them as their more famous counterpart.

Hi. You should be OK going straight in from the tapedeck line out - I do it with a Sony cassette deck, and with a an old Warfedale Linton amp.

I've also plugged an Aiwa cassette Walkman in (before someone gave me the Sony deck), using the headphone socket for an output - horribly distorted 'til I potted the signal down 10:1, but no damage.

"HAL+1=IBM" - I heard that one many years ago (can't remember where from - lost in the mists of time), but thanks anyway.

I've done maybe 100's of lp's using audacity Usually 2 or 3 discs at a time & save to a folder. If the line level out is around 250mv peak, you will be fine. I usually do the [realtime] importing with audacity when I'm not on line or you can have other audio mixed in. Since I'm doing more than 1 at a time some times the files get big & audacity will take 10 or more minutes to convert to mp3. Be patient, I've done files as long as 6 hrs.

To chop the big files down into individual tracks, I like to keep them around 5 miniutes even if the tracks are very long [jethro tull thick as a brick]. I save them to a folder for each lp. You can scroll through using the cursor watching the eq, so you can edit much faster than realtime! I don't bother with the titles to individual tracks just numbers 01, 02, 03....

I burn to mp3 formatted cds [10hrs] to play in my car the pioneer deck was only about $150. I also have about 7000 song on an Ipod which plugs into the deck on my other car [also cheap]

It sounds complicated but the mp3cut lets me fly through the editing processes.

all told It takes around 10 minutes per disc to get the lps into Itunes. You can also use mp3cut to chop up cds into smaller bits. I like the shorter tracks because I play back in random mode [leon russell right now] & I don't always want to hear 25 minutes of In a da gada da vida.

When I'm online I usually have Itune running as a mini player, which lets me bump to the next track without switching windows, Foxytunes on firefox works the same way...

That USB turntable isn't the one from Aldi is it?

They are selling it locally here this week, just curious how it is.

Oh, and the HAL+1=IBM came out not so long after 2001 was released.

John's answer is great. In another life, I did quite a lot of audio and video production, and the line outs from a tape deck and the line in on the sound card are well-matched: get a Y cable and you're are good to go.

I have a bunch of vinyl records I haven't listened to in years. I should follow in your footsteps... although at this point I don't even have a turntable any more, and I have no shortage of projects. It was only about four years ago when I sold a vacuum tube amp I built as a kid, to an enthusiast. CDs and my current solid state amp (pretty new -- only about 30 years old, I'd say) are just so easy, and sound so good, that the tube amp and vinyl just drifted out of use for me. At least the amp has a good home, and I kept most of the really good vinyl records.

BTW, a lot of good reel-to-reel decks had both preamp (line) outputs, and tape head outputs (which were straight from the heads, without pre-amplification). You'd want to use the line outs, because the preamp in the deck is likely to be better that the preamp in your sound card, and the levels would no doubt match better than the tape heads into the microphone input.

Hey Ken,

Have you tried driving that solid state amp from the PC? That's what I do here, drive a 200 watt amp, with floor standing 12" three ways, out of the PC. Insert a movie DVD and wa-la! Movie theatre sound.

Now I need a digital projector and I can charge for watching the classics, Bunuel, Bertolucci, etc. Matter of fact I just got a copy of Bertolucci's 1900, his original 315 minute cut, and have not watched it yet.

j.

If you can interface your reel to reel tape deck to your PC ok a very good bit of software to try is Nero Sound Trax. Good Luck!

I've grimly clung on to my old Pioneer analogue record deck, which I can connect to the Warfedale amp (which in turn connects to the PC). Quality's not too bad, but I've only tried a few tracks. Got to find time (one of these days) to transfer my vinyl to digital.

BTW - my Subscribed Discussions list doesn't show updated threads or last comment date (went funny last night). Also no e-mail notifications. Have you guys got the same?

I've rescued a speech my grandfather made at his retirement dinner by transferring it from reel-to-reel to cassette, this was quite a few years ago. My biggest challenge at the time was getting the reel-to-reel machine working, all of the drive belts had rotted. I couldn't find a replacement for one of them & ended up cutting the rolled up neck off of a party balloon & using that.

Nice one! If you can remember enough, you should write it up as a blog.

Just curious - is that r-to-r unit a TEAC by any chance?

I could not get into CR4 last night. Paging system went completely bonkers. Some kind of loop.

I use Roxio sound capture and Audacity to clean up my vinyl transfers. Slow, but have managed some good to excellent results with pop and crackle removal. I do not use USB turntable and plug directly into my amp.

Yes I have John , this situation is the same this morning. Glad to know it's not HAL up to any of his tricks.

PS. This is in reply to John's question (9) of whether others are having problems with discussion updates, there also seems to be a problem with the software organizing the replies, my post did not reference the post I was replying to.

I recently got one of these things.

Works great, comes with "free" software, easy to use, and doesn't break the bank!

http://www.dak.com/reviews/2020storyT.cfm

Kind of cheesy looking but effective.

He also has a device for listening to your stereo, using your computer as the music source. I love it.

Regards,

In reply to 10. Cheap down and dirty, for your innovative use of a balloon neck as a belt I nominate you for the MacGyver award.

If the reel to reel only has professional level balanced outputs you may need to match the high level balanced audio to a lower level unbalanced audio. This can be as simple as a simple resistor ladder its basic shape is an 'H' to pad down the level or buy a 'Matchbox' from Henry Engineering (~$100, complete solution). Then to convert it to unbalanced audio by taking the left channel high phase signal to tip of stereo mini. Then take the high phase of the balanced right channel and connect it to the ring of the stereo mini, then take the low phase of both channels and the commons and connect them to the sleeve of the stereo mini. This will give you a unbalanced stereo input of low enough level for PC sound card to handle. Most PC sound cards are unbalanced input at -10 dbm whereas the reel to reel output could be 0 or +4 dbm balanced audio. The high audio levels can saturate the sound card and distort badly. If the reel to reel has a unbalanced (consumer grade) output then it should directly interface with the sound card input with minimal level adjustment.

~Electron Oasis