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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: Carter41 on September 10, 2006, 01:17:06 AM

Title: Cassette with a 7-pin out?
Post by: Carter41 on September 10, 2006, 01:17:06 AM
Does this exist? I have a bunch of old cassettes (all local shows) that I'm finally getting around to converting, and I'd like to do it as close to bit perfect as I can. I have an Edirol UA-1D that works well with my D7, and I was wondering if there was a cassette player with a 7-pin out that I could use to do the same thing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: Cassette with a 7-pin out?
Post by: hyperplane on September 10, 2006, 05:18:41 AM
To my knowledge, this doesn't exist.  As far as I know, the 7-pin is a digital interface... meaning generally you will not find a cassette deck with a digital output.

Also, you say:
Quote
I'd like to do it as close to bit perfect as I can


I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Edirol UA-1D is not bit accurate, i.e. it resamples the incoming digital signal its fed from a DAT/MD/etc.
Title: Re: Cassette with a 7-pin out?
Post by: Carter41 on September 10, 2006, 04:32:23 PM
To my knowledge, this doesn't exist.  As far as I know, the 7-pin is a digital interface... meaning generally you will not find a cassette deck with a digital output.

Also, you say:
Quote
I'd like to do it as close to bit perfect as I can


I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Edirol UA-1D is not bit accurate, i.e. it resamples the incoming digital signal its fed from a DAT/MD/etc.

Ok, I assumed that would be the case. And yes, I know about the UA-1D. I read a letter from someone at Edirol (on this site, I believe) explaining how its 99% bit perfect and that the human ear wouldn't be able to pick up any difference from the master to the converted source. I figured that was close enough for my needs (and mostly my lack on funds).
Title: Re: Cassette with a 7-pin out?
Post by: hyperplane on September 10, 2006, 04:39:12 PM
Well, if you notice on the Edirol UA-1D, the digital signal being fed into it is actually 6 dB *louder*. That would indicate there's some kind of dithering or something (for lack of a better term) going on, and also it means WAV file on the hard drive will have a higher noise floor (which is a bad thing) because you have to boost the signal that much more in post.
Title: Re: Cassette with a 7-pin out?
Post by: Brian Skalinder on September 10, 2006, 06:34:01 PM
I have a bunch of old cassettes (all local shows) that I'm finally getting around to converting, and I'd like to do it as close to bit perfect as I can.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Edirol UA-1D is not bit accurate, i.e. it resamples the incoming digital signal its fed from a DAT/MD/etc.

While the above is true, keep in mind for the purposes of transferring your analog cassettes that the UA-1D's lack of bit transparency is meaningless.  Though it is an issue for digital transfers.  In other words...


If you're concerned about resampling when transferring DATs with the D7, you could pick up an inexpensive (<$40) bit-transparent soundcard.  I forget the make / model, but I know they're available cheaply.  I know dnsacks has posted about it before, but don't recall the specifics.
Title: Re: Cassette with a 7-pin out?
Post by: eric.B on September 10, 2006, 06:41:24 PM
I have a bunch of old cassettes (all local shows) that I'm finally getting around to converting, and I'd like to do it as close to bit perfect as I can.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Edirol UA-1D is not bit accurate, i.e. it resamples the incoming digital signal its fed from a DAT/MD/etc.

While the above is true, keep in mind for the purposes of transferring your analog cassettes that the UA-1D's lack of bit transparency is meaningless.  Though it is an issue for digital transfers.  In other words...

  • When transferring cassettes, you're using the UA-1D as an analog-to-digital converter, and as such you're not RE-sampling the signal.
  • When transferring DATs from your D7, the UA-1D will resample.

If you're concerned about resampling when transferring DATs with the D7, you could pick up an inexpensive (<$40) bit-transparent soundcard.  I forget the make / model, but I know they're available cheaply.  I know dnsacks has posted about it before, but don't recall the specifics.

chaintech? I think?
Title: Re: Cassette with a 7-pin out?
Post by: Carter41 on September 11, 2006, 12:35:32 PM
Ok cool. Thanks a lot for the info guys. I wasnt aware of the +6dB increase on the UA-1D. I will definitely check out that Chaintech soundcard this week.