Topic: Converting cassettes- adding hiss?

[TXtaper]

I am trying to convert a bunch of my friend's cassettes, mainly just to have some kind of digital version, in case they all "go". I cant seem to figure out if I am crazy, or what, but it seems that every way in I've tried, they pick up some kind of strange hiss that's not audible when just played on a basic portable tape player.

Have tried-
Teac w790r>RCA to Behringer UCA202>Audacity 2.0.5 (Mac 10.9.4)
Teac w790r>RCA to stereo 1/8 line in >Audacity 2.0.5 (Mac 10.5.8 )
Teac w790r>headphone line out to stereo 1/8 line in >Audacity 2.0.5 (Mac 10.5.8 )

and I still can't get much noticeable change. Yes, that points to the hiss being on the tape itself. So why am I not hearing it on the portable deck? I get that it's a small, crappy speaker (w/ a mono line out, so cant record/convert off it) but why is the junky player making the tape sound so much better than the Teac deck? Even when I put my ear against the speaker for the portable, it's the mechanical noise of the machine advancing the tape I hear, it's not the same frequency as the hiss I'm getting when converting.

I've attached a bit of what I'm talking about. You can hear the hiss in about the first 4 seconds before the audience starts in, but then it lasts over the audience chatter. Not that the chatter is that important to me, but this strange hiss shouldnt be there at all. It's not noticeable when the vol. is relatively low, but when I turn up the speakers, it really becomes noticeable
(mp3 to fit size allowance here only)

[boyacrobat]

1-use azimuth deck to transfer and adjust to sweet spot
2-maby deck playing not full range speakers and others reach 20.000 kHz making hiss audible

g

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

My guess it is noise on the cassette that you can't hear with your current tape playback, but you can when played on your PC???

Terry

[TXtaper]

I think that's what it is, unfortunately. A friend tried it on his, same hiss, same frequency, and I tried it on another friend's Nakamichi cr-1a, same. I just don't understand why they sound so much better on a much crappier player.....%$^%$*%&^$%$!!!!


The nice thing, is that, w/ all the tapes, there's a nice , "pure" noise profile right at the very beginning, w/ no chatter or music mixed in, so it should make the removal process a bit easier, but I tend to err on the side of not removing noise, since, invariably, it will remove some of the sounds you want, as well.....

[capnhook]

Sounds like you're gonna have a bit of "turd polishing" to do.....

Have fun, and do your best.  There are many (free or inexpensive) tools out there to help..

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Depending on what is on the tapes, it may just be easier to find a new Transfer... 

My wife recently gave me a bag full of GD cassettes from a girl-friend of hers:  "I told her you could put cassettes onto CDRs, so she asked me to give you these."  I just went to Archive and DLed all the AUDs...  The couple of SBDs that she had, I was able to DL by other means...  Much easier than dealing with cassette transfers...

I suppose it depends on what is on the tapes, though... 

Terry

[TXtaper]

If only it were that easy....about half are shows from a couple of legendary local DJs (one of whom recently died) recorded of the radio (quality on those obviously doesn't have to be pristine), and the rest are live shows recorded on a myriad of different machines, w/ different settings, different tapers, different eras.... and, of course, no notes.

Ultimately, I'm just adopting the mindset that these digital copies are to be backups in case something bad happens. The cassettes will still be the de facto listening mode....

[stevetoney]

What is this thing you call a casette?   

[capnhook]

What is this thing you call a casette?   

Cassette, or DCC cassette....?