Topic: Cassette with a 7-pin out?

[Carter41]

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.

[hyperplane]

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:

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.

[Carter41]

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:

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).

[hyperplane]

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.

[Brian Skalinder]

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.

[eric.B]

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?

[Carter41]

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.