CD recorders for cassette tape and vinyl?

[Doc Mark]

Greetings, All,

As a former pro musician for about 30 years, I have tons of audio cassettes which contain music of former bands in which I played. I also have some band music on some reel to reel tapes, and I have a fairly large vinyl collection. I would very much like to buy a nice CD recorder which would allow me to transfer cassette tapes and vinyl records to CD's. One day, I'd love to do the reel stuff, too. But, one step at a time.

I have used, and love, the Harman Kardon stuff from the 1989's, and a bit later, for many years, and began looking for an H/K CD recorder. Seems that they have gone to visit the dinosaurs, as only used units can be found. I've looked at the CD20 and CD30, and found some, in various conditions, on the bay of evil, and other such places. What are your thoughts about procuring such a unit, in used condition, and for what should I be paying close attention, other than the basics? If you have any other suggestions for other machines which would allow me to copy my tapes and records to CD, I'd very much appreciate it!! Thank you, very much, for your help, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc Mark

P.S. A friend suggested I just use a Firewire and copy my music straight to my computer, but I think I'd prefer to actually have a dedicated unit for that job. Any thoughts? Thanks, again!

[Fort Knox]

You'll need an A/D conv. to go w/Firewire
Then buy a handfull of Zip drives...
Then ...you can carry all the music you ever made
in your shirt pocket.....

[hjames]

You'll need an A/D conv. to go w/Firewire
Then buy a handfull of Zip drives...
Then ...you can carry all the music you ever made
in your shirt pocket.....

No - don't get into zip drives at this point.
Seawolf is keen on the minidiscs ...
I tend to like copying to hard drive,
and you can burn to CD or dump to a portable player
(iPod, Zune, whatever) when you like ...

[Krunchy]

I tend to like copying to hard drive, and you can burn to CD or dump to a portable player (iPod, Zune, whatever) when you like ...YEP!

[WDJ]

Hi Doc,

Haven't seen you around for awhile!

I've not done quite what you are describing - source direct to a CD recorder, but I've copied about 500 albums to my computer (about a thousand to go) and then I'll start scanning my collection of 10,000 Kodachrome slides....

I use a Xitel Inport (got mine at Best Buy I think?) but they are on the "bay of evil" :p also. There are probably way better (or at least more expensive) units out there too.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xxitel +inport&_nkw=xitel+inport&_sacat=0&_from=R40

The Xitel has analog inputs for your source(s) and a USB output to a computer.

If you're using a moving coil cartridge on your turntable it probably won't work as the MC carts tend to have pretty low output levels and it can't handle them. I've had no problems with vinyl using moving magnet cartridges and it should be fine with the line-level outputs from a tape deck.

I tend to use Nero or Audacity software. Nero and Audacity provide some hiss and "click and scratch" removal functionality. Once its on the computer, you're good to go to a CD from there.

Hope this helps!

enjoy,
Wayne

[Doc Mark]

Hi, Gang!

It's great to hear from you, and your comments are much appreciated

Fort Knox, regarding Zip drives, I actually have one (still) in my system, though I rarely use it anymore. Seems rather a noisy way to go about this, or at least it is when reading and accessing files. Might work better for something like this..... I don't know.

Heather and Krunchy, your suggestion seems very easy and quite workable, and I'm checking into that right now.

Wayne, it appears from the link that you sent, that the software needs to see Windows, and a PC format, and we have always used Macs, and still do. Never owned a PC, though I surely used to sell tons of them, back when we lived in Minneapolis, many years ago, and I worked for Schaak Electronics!! I was mainly on the stereo side of things, but crossed-over to sell computers, too, when Schaak offered us the option. We got our first little Mac (original 128K version) and have been using Macs every since!

I'll check into seeing what A/D converter that works with Macs, and see how that turns out. That may well be the best way to go about all this, but I'd still need some software that makes it all work out. Lots out there, it seems..... Still, I'm also interested in having a dedicated CD recorder, if they are "worth" owning. Any thoughts about those, and the H/K units in particular?

Thanks, again, for the comments. Though it's been a while since I was able to spend much time here (work demands have been really huge), it's always like coming back home again, each time I visit!! Glad to see some of the old JBL "Voices" are still alive and well, and still doing what they do best, right here!! I've got Diana Krall (CD-"When I Look Into Your Eyes") on the L-300's right now, and they still sound fantastic together!! Thanks, again, Friends, and God Bless, as always!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

P.S. When down in the Hobbit Hole today, I looked at the JBL goodies I have down there, and wished I had a garage up here in our mountains, or better yet, a dedicated wood shop, so I could (FINALLY!) experiment with some cabinets/systems for which I gathered a good bit of the stuff that's down there!! We may be selling our place, and moving out of California, so we can live in a State that knows how to balance it's budget and live within it's means, and also isn't trying to tax our small business to death. We've been checking out AZ, and UT, and if that happens, I'll most definitely have a place where I can build cabinets, and play with JBL much more than I have since we've lived up here in our mountain home!! DANG! That benefit, in and of itself, make moving very worthwhile!!

[WDJ]

There are HK CD20 and 26 as well as some Marantz and TEAC/Tascam units on eBay now.

Using them as you originally suggested gives you a "stand-alone" method that may make it a bit easier to do - just start the source and recorder and walk away - almost like the days of copying albums and FM to tape.

Only thing I would look at in particular (aside from the normal eBay cautions/caveats) is the output level of your cartridge if you do a direct connection. If you use a preamp everything would be at line levels so you would seem to be OK with practically any combination that works otherwise.

(Although for the price of a Windows-based laptop at a back-to-school sale......;))

[BMWCCA]

I'm on Mac, too, and a long time ago decided I prefer using my Tascam DR-1 to copy directly to SD card as a WAV or MP3 file, then I can easily go back and index the tracks, and copy to a hard drive via USB or burn to CD. The SD recorders have gotten quite inexpensive. I have one mainly to do board "tapes" when doing SR work. Simple, easy to carry anywhere, and pretty bullet-proof. SD cards are dirt cheap. The current replacement for the DR-1 appears to be the DR-2d available for under $150:

59701

[Fort Knox]

The day they shut down Napster was a sad day for me
The only reason I got a computer in the 90's
was to run my stereo with Napster music
I hooked it up at work (DSL) and it could download
a search page of 20-30 results (the whole page)
as fast as I could click my mouse..........
I had a big E drive to store stuff (and keep isolated
from the pier to pier net...)
...
It was always there (as my C drives would crash out....)
I think I've gone thru at least 5 machines since those days
but most of the music still lives on:)

[Doc Mark]

Howdy, BMWCCA and WDJ,

Great to hear from you again, and many thanks for the recommendations. I'll look around tonight, and see what's available in those Tascam units, and into checking out a PC laptop, just for grins. I think, after reading what you all have had to say, that getting a dedicated CD recorder is still a good way to go, just because of the ease of using it. I love having options, hence, have several JBL systems at hand, "just in case"! Hee Hee!! Thanks, again, Guys, and I'll let you, and everyone, know how all this turns out, when the deed(s) is(are) done, and the dust settles. Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

[hjames]

Well, I got into computers because the engineering tools I was using in cable were going to a computer interface and I needed to keep up.
I was doing head-end work back then, sat dishes, fiber and microwave distribution, AV encryption and more.
Old DOS/PC machines at first, then higher and higher level windows, then I jumped to Macs at home about 8 years ago and won't go back.
Still use Win machines at work, tho I changed jobs since I started with computers - no more CATV work - left that behind about 20 years ago
and now I do web design and site management. With the Mac and iTunes and the airport gear I can tune into my music from all over the house -
and its all house on a couple drives up in my office ...

Sure - I still have big cabinets of CDs and such - plus some multichannel discs because those are just fun ...
but most of the time I just select an album or playlist on the computer and play that wherever I am in the house -
like my own radio stations!


The day they shut down Napster was a sad day for me
The only reason I got a computer in the 90's
was to run my stereo with Napster music
I hooked it up at work (DSL) and it could download
a search page of 20-30 results (the whole page)
as fast as I could click my mouse..........
I had a big E drive to store stuff (and keep isolated
from the pier to pier net...)
...
It was always there (as my C drives would crash out....)
I think I've gone thru at least 5 machines since those days
but most of the music still lives on:)

[SEAWOLF97]

No - don't get into zip drives at this point.
Seawolf is keen on the minidiscs ...
I tend to like copying to hard drive,
and you can burn to CD or dump to a portable player
(iPod, Zune, whatever) when you like ...

While it is true that I like minidisks, the above line adds little to the OP's question.
As a Q&D , when I've got to ship an LP record, recording straight to MD is easy with great results, BUT generally, I too record to the HD and then have a myriad of choices (CD,MD, MP3, FLAC etc)

If you use something akin to AudioLava or its competitors, you gain more control of the finished product ...one thing that I haven't seen mentioned is: when burning, shut down all other progs, esp. mail checking , unless you want little divots in the sound where the computer was doing other things while burning for you.

[louped garouv]

just as a side note, I tend to agree that straight to file is the best way, for me at least...

as far as ad/da convertors, I know there are better units...
but you may be able to grab a traktor dj interface for little money, and they sound better than most of the djcentric units from my understanding....

I was thinking specifically of the Native Instruments Audio 2 interface..
pretty sure it is MAC compatible