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Pre-recorded cassette album Standard transfer prices Pre-recorded cassette album Deluxe transfer prices Optional extra services for pre-recorded cassette albums (prices) Private recordings Description of services Tape checking

If you have a collection of tapes, you may be aware that you can have them digitally converted into CDs. Perhaps you’ve tried to get CDs of your favourite music, and you’ve been disappointed to find that it’s not available on CD? If you want to have CD or MP3 versions of your favourite recordings, I can digitally extract the music signal from your old tape (original tapes only), reducing background noise as required, and place it on a CD for your own private use. You can then play the CD in your car or personal CD player: wherever you choose. I can transfer original commercial tapes or recordings made by yourself or family members (baby's first words, perhaps?). Transfers can be made from cassette, microcassette or open reel tapes. You will be able to select individual tracks just as you can on the commercial CDs that you buy. If you opt for MP3s, you can receive them via email. (Please note: only private recordings or original commercial tapes accepted for transfer for copyright reasons.)

Prices are given below for transfers made from original commercial pre-recorded cassette tape albums (the kind you might have bought from the shelves in Virgin, HMV or other record shops), provided there are no problems such as breaks in the tape, which would cost extra to fix. Other tapes (for example, private recordings and open reel tapes) can be transferred (if not copies of copyright work), and I am happy to evaluate them and provide a quote.

Minimum order value: £15. Payment details are given on the ordering page. Within the UK I normally return media using First Class Recorded Delivery; postage costs are added to the transfer fees, and are not returnable under the money-back guarantee.

[C60, C90 and C120 services are listed further down.]

Standard commercial pre-recorded cassette album transfer (up to 80 minutes): £12.40 per tape (both sides) (Tapes over 80 minutes £14.40, each side transferred to a separate CD) Includes:   Speed-accurate analogue-to-digital capture ("ripping") using quality hi-fi   Track division as indicated on original tape cover   Printed disc label with title   Printed text case insert with track listing   Plastic CD slip cover   Limited money-back guarantee   I can provide MP3s as an alternative. Please see the MP3 page for details.

Deluxe commercial pre-recorded cassette album transfer (up to 80 minutes): £17.90 per tape (both sides) (Tapes over 80 minutes £19.90, each side transferred to a separate CD) Includes:   Speed-accurate analogue-to-digital capture ("ripping") using quality hi-fi   Equalisation and/or hiss reduction as required   Track division as indicated on original tape cover   Printed disc label with title   Printed text case insert with track listing   Plastic CD slip cover   Limited money-back guarantee   I can provide MP3s as an alternative. Please see the MP3 page for details.

Optional extras for commercial pre-recorded cassette tape albums:   Equalisation (eg increase treble) £2.90   Hiss reduction £2.90   Custom track division (suitable for "live" albums) £0.90, £1.90, £2.90 (depending on requirements)   Altered track order £0.90, £1.90, £2.90 (depending on requirements)   I am happy to discuss your detailed requirements, both prior to and after receiving your order.

Private recordings: I can work with other cassette or open reel tapes recorded at a variety of speeds, including microcassettes as used in dictation machines and answering machines. I am happy to receive your tape for evaluation and quote for a transfer to your requirements. There is a charge for exploring a tape to find out what recordings it contains.

Disc labels and simple track division are included with all private recording transfers.

Private recordings (typical prices):   Transfer to CD £0.29 per minute transferred   Extra CD copy (private recordings only) £2.40   Printed text case insert with track listing £1.90 (extra copy £1.20)   Sound manipulation (for example hiss reduction or equalisation) from £0.09 per minute processed   Custom track division (where your track-division requirements are not straightforward) from £2.90   CD blank (if total playing time is less than 20 minutes) £0.70   Tape break repair £1.90 per splice   Leader tape replacement (for open reel) £1.90 per leader repair   Tape checking £0.09 per minute

Minimum order value: £15. Payment details are given on the ordering page. Within the UK I normally return media using First Class Recorded Delivery; postage costs are added to the transfer fees, and are not returnable under the money-back guarantee.

How I carry out each of these processes is outlined below.

Quality analogue-to-digital conversion
The signal from your tape is captured on hard disc. I use quality hi-fi equipment from NAD and Sony for this digitisation process, ensuring the maximum extraction of sound detail from your tape. Where necessary, compensation for incorrect azimuth and other problems is made at this stage. Each tape deck I use has been evaluated for speed accuracy, and where necessary speed compensation is made during the digitisation process with no loss of quality. Here also I tidy up the recorded signal. Your CD won't contain the long silences or test noises found at the beginning or end of many commercial cassette tapes, for example. Gaps between tracks will be appropriate.

Equalisation
Older tapes or those which have deteriorated somewhat may sound dull. In this case a brightening equalisation process can be carried out. The effect is similar to turning up the treble control on your hi-fi. Brightening the sound usually increases hiss content, so you may need a hiss-reduction process too.

If the sound is already too bright (less common), a smoothing equalisation process (the reverse of the above) may be applied. This may not be necessary if the excess brightness is within the limits of the compensation usually applied during the digitisation process.

Hiss reduction
Tapes generally suffer from hiss, though in more recent ones this problem has been reduced due to advances made in tape coating technology and the adoption of the Dolby system. However, older tapes, those which have been played a great deal or which were recorded at too low a level will benefit greatly from hiss reduction.

Sound manipulation
This describes a range of techniques designed to improve the sound obtained from tape recordings. It may be a simple equalisation procedure if the recording is too dull-sounding (or perhaps too bright), or it may be the removal of hum. This is where an experienced ear helps, in diagnosing what is actually wrong with the sound, before applying measures which attempt to correct it. In terms of time and labour outlay, this procedure is comparable to a vinyl detailed restoration, so may be more expensive than other parts of the service.

Division into tracks
I divide the music from your tape into individual tracks so that you can use your CD skip control to find them. I don’t leave it to the computer to find the starting points, as some other services do, because the computer doesn’t do this job very accurately. Although it takes a lot longer, I search out the track beginnings myself and mark and test their positions before putting the music onto the CD. (Because of the way data is organised on audio CDs, it is important to make sure that the track markers are positioned at data sector crossover points to ensure seamless transition from one track to the next on the finished CD.) I can divide your CD into tracks following either the layout indicated on the cassette case insert (Standard Track Division) or any layout you specify (Custom Track Division).

Custom track division
You don't have to have the track layout exactly the same as the original. Instead, you can have the individual tracks of your transfer start wherever you like. When you listen to the whole CD, the joins will be seamless, but you will be able to use your skip controls to move between the tracks you have specified. Obviously, you need to explain your requirements clearly when ordering. Custom Track Division is particularly suitable for live albums, where there may not be any track indications in the original. As I have to search through the recorded sounds to find the places you have specified, there is an extra charge for this service.

Altered track order
If you would like to have your tracks in a different order to the result of either standard or custom track division, you can ask for Altered Track Order. For most tape transfers this will mean extra cost.

CD blank
This means the blank recordable CD on which I provide your transfer. For transfers totalling at least 20 minutes of playing time, these are provided at no extra charge. A CD transfer with a total playing time of less than 20 minutes will incur a small charge for the recordable disc. Transfer of a complete commercial cassette album always includes the blank recordable CD at no extra charge.

Extra CD copies
I can provide extra copies of your CD where copyright is not an issue. For commercial material where you don't own the copyright, I produce a single CD transfer for your own private use.

Burning to CD
Once the signal has been tidied up and organised according to your requirements, I create your CD using a quality CD writer, and I use a fairly slow writing speed in order to avoid errors in the finished CD. The CD-text option is used. This means that track titles are included with the the music on the CD; a CD-text-enabled player will be able to display them while the CD is running. (CD-text is not normally provided when a case insert is not included with the transfer.)

I can provide MP3-CDs as an alternative. Please see the MP3 page for details.

CD label and case insert
On the front of the CD case insert I put the name of the original record (or the name of the music on it) along with the artist(s). On the inside of the insert I list the track numbers along with their names and playing times. To the CD itself I affix a label which also contains the name of the original record (or the name of the music on it) along with the artist(s). I don’t normally provide a jewel case, because these are often damaged in transit and in any case may cost more to send than they're worth. Your CD will arrive in a slip cover, and you can easily buy a CD jewel case for pennies at a local store.

If your transfer is to an MP3-CD, instead of a case insert I populate the Title, Artist and Album MP3 tags. Details are on the MP3 page.

Where I have agreed to provide extra copies of your CD transfer, costs for the extra CD labels and case inserts are reduced in price.

Tape break repair
If your tape is broken, I can join the two ends together so that it can be played. The technique is known as 'splicing', and in carrying it out I make every effort to preserve as much of the tape as possible to ensure minimum loss of the original recording.

Leader tape replacement
If the unrecordable leader usually found at the each end of an open reel tape has come adrift or even been lost, I can replace it with a new length. This is to allow signal recorded on the full length of the tape to be accessed, and to preserve the recorded section in subsequent playings of the tape.

Transfer to CD
For tapes other than standard cassette albums, the transfer cost is initially based on the playing time of recorded material to be transferred to CD. There is a small charge for the blank CD if playing time is less than 20 minutes.

Tape checking
Many people have old tapes they can no longer play. If you have a tape like this and you can't remember what's on it, I can provide a service which will enable you to listen to the tape contents. When I receive your tape, I will digitise it and convert the digitised sound to low-quality mono MP3 files, which I will send you by email. MP3 files can be played on your computer. The low quality of the files will keep the filesize as small as possible, but will still enable you to hear what is on the tape. Before sending the files, I will request payment for the conversion and the cost of (later) returning the tape to you. Once you have listened to the MP3 files you can then contact me with instructions for any transfer you wish me to carry out. If no transfer is required, I will then return your tape to you. If you do decide to have material transferred, the finished CD(s) will sound much better than the MP3 files you were sent. You should be aware that some old open-reel tapes can contain several hours'-worth of recordings.

Money-back guarantee
If you are not delighted with the transfer work I do for you, you can return your CDs, inserts and slip covers to me undamaged within 14 days and I will refund your transfer charges up to a limit of £20.

Home | Testimonials | Vinyl services | Tape services | Ordering | MP3 | FAQ |
Compilations | 78 rpm services | Remastering | LP or CD - which is better? | Privacy | Links