Transferring cassettes to PC?

[Charlie98]

I have a bunch of audio books on cassette from my truck driver days, I would like to convert them to MP3 files so I can put them on my MP3 player and iPhone. I have an RCA > 3.5mm adapter coming so I can plug my cassette deck into the computer...

Is Windows Sound Recorder going to be adequate to rip this stuff with reasonable quality, or is there a better (free) utility? Is there a way to filter out the noise of the source (back in the day we called it 'wow and flutter.') The recordings don't have to be heirloom quality, but the need to be reasonable...

I have been ripping the cassettes to CD, and then ripping the CD to PC... but that's getting expensive; I don't really know what the PC is capable of in this regard.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You'll probably be OK connecting deck directly to sound card line in.

But I wouldn't use Windows Sound Recorder. I haven't fiddled with it in a decade, but it has very limited control and I thought was limited to 30 second recordings anyway?

I'd use Audacity, a free download. It has a lot of capabilities that you can use or ignore as you see fit.

I'd record them onto the PC as WAV format, then take a listen and see if they sound tolerable.

Decide if you want to do any editing---cutting out sections, chopping off empty tails or empty beginnings, boosting perceived volume, etc. Audacity can do all of that.

Audacity also has an excellent noise filter that you can use to knock down the tape hiss. It can filter out hiss on a 10 minute recording in 10 seconds or so. It's adjustable for how much you want to filter, so you don't accidentally hurt the fidelity.

If they are audio books, I'd presumably convert to single track mono in Audacity, remaining in WAV format. You'll double your storage capability on whatever medium you are using with mono.

You can append one file to another or chop a file up any way you want.

After you've got each file the way you want it in WAV format, export from Audacity to PC in mp3 format. You'll be able to choose the approximate bit rate. For spoken word stuff, no reason to go above 64 kbps, although you can experiment if you want.


After you've got them on PC in mp3 format, drag where needed.

I bought a new car stereo a few months back that has a front-side USB port. I use a miniature Kingston 64 GB stick that holds 15,000 songs---which also happens to be the maximum number of songs my head unit will recognize. Works fine and I don't have to fiddle with an auxiliary player.

Lots of good info and tutorials at the Audacity site. They also have a forum.

 

[Charlie98]

Right on! ...thanks for the tutorial. I'm really out of the loop as far as PC audio goes... I'm an old analog audio guy from the '80's and '90's. That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. I would like the ability to chop and splice the clips.

That's funny... we've gone from the ultimate.... one or more 10-CD changers... to a thumb drive that holds 15000 songs. Crazy.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

In addition to Audacity itself, you'll have to download "LAME for Audacity" in order to export from Audacity in mp3 format. As I recall, it goes into Program Files (x86).

When you go to export as mp3 for the first time, you can configure the bit rate for the Lame encoding by using the Options button. You choose a number, with 1 being the absolute highest quality. You'd choose something like 8 for spoken word. Use "variable" bit rate mode.

I use the 2 setting for music. If you use 8 for spoken word, the files should be no more than half the size of what they would be if you used 2.

I just did a check out of curiosity, with these results:

23 minute long WAV file, stereo; size 235 MB

Exported as mono mp3, using 2 setting: 17 mb

Exported as mono mp3, using 8 setting: 8.1 mb

If your mp3s have varying level issues, you can try mp3Gain, which attempts to set all files to play back at the same perceived volume.

You'll have to configure and play with Audacity a bit to get used to it. With practice, you'll develop a workflow. The key point is to do all your editing in WAV format and go to mp3 ONLY when fully satisfied.

Might be advisable to make unaltered copies of all your audio book WAV files so you don't have to worry about ruining your only originals when you start playing with Audacity.

 

[Charlie98]

Might be advisable to make unaltered copies of all your audio book WAV files so you don't have to worry about ruining your only originals when you start playing with Audacity.

I do that with pretty much anything I'm transferring to the PC... pictures, home video, music files... that way, if I bork it or it gets wiped, I have a copy of the original source. All of my storage drives are full of that kind of crap...

 

[Ketchup]

Man, that takes me back! I had a program I used to use all the time for this, GolenWave. For something newer, Audacity would be nice.

 

[Blain]

GoldWave is still out there.
I remember using it to reduce tape hiss.