Which sound card is better for cassette to PC transfer: AOpen AW744 or Turtle Beach Santa Cruz?

[cyberia]

I am embarking on a project. I want to transfer my 300+ cassette tapes and some LP records into .WAV files. Purely from this point of view, which sound card is better AW744 (Pro, I think) or Santa Cruz.

I do not care at this point about any advanced, 3D, gaming etc. features - just the quality of recording from an external analog source.

Thanks.

 

[slicksilver]

Out of the two, I'd say Turtle Beach...but if you ask me, I would buy nothing else but the Philips Acoustic Edge

Raj

 

[AnitaPeterson]

According to this site, the AOpen card seems to be rather good.

but...

You can also find a review of the Santa Cruz on the same site, right here, which shows a superior signal to noise ratio and Total Harmonic Distortion, making it an even better choice...

 

[cyberia]

Thanks for the reviews. They are really helpful. From the signal-to-noise and THD figures, it seems that Santa Cruz is better for cassette to PC applications.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

you're welcome!

Have fun!

Use a good program, like Soundforge or the like... and a tape deck with Dolby C or even Dolby S... and make sure you play Chrome and Metal tapes as Normal (this ensures better sound, the hiss is taken out by Dolby)...

 

[Goi]

The AW744 has 16bit ADCs, compared to the TBSC's 18bit ADCs, and coupled with a higher SNR, the TBSC seems like a better choice. Of course, numbers don't tell the whole story, but at this point there doesn't seem to be anything else to go by.

Note that the 2 reviews from that website didn't publish any measured results for their THD/SNR performance, but rather just state what the manufacturers claim, so the numbers may not be directly comparable. Also, the reviews are pretty dated.

 

[skriefal]

The SNR of either card will probably be better than the SNR of the tape deck output, so it's unlikely that the noise floor would be any lower with the Santa Cruz. However, the better DACs in the Santa Cruz could potentially digitize the audio more accurately -- but unless you have a very high-end tape deck with pristine and top-of-the-line tape stock, I doubt whether the difference would be noticeable.

Still, if you must buy one or the other, I'd probably go for the Santa Cruz. If you already own an AW744, though, then I'd use it and not bother with a new card.

 

[BDawg]

Originally posted by: skriefal
The SNR of either card will probably be better than the SNR of the tape deck output, so it's unlikely that the noise floor would be any lower with the Santa Cruz. However, the better DACs in the Santa Cruz could potentially digitize the audio more accurately -- but unless you have a very high-end tape deck with pristine and top-of-the-line tape stock, I doubt whether the difference would be noticeable.

Still, if you must buy one or the other, I'd probably go for the Santa Cruz. If you already own an AW744, though, then I'd use it and not bother with a new card.

I agree the limiting factor is the cassette medium. I don't think it matters which sound card you use.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

actually, it would be good if you'd post the specs, or at least the model number of your tape deck...

 

[DeschutesCore]

Look at the Signal To Noise (SNR) Ratio between each card. Making sure the Remaster is as high a quality as possible is important in your case.

From my experience, the SantaCruz had more distortion on highs than a Live!, but it's appears to have the best SNR out of any of the consumer class sound cards outside of the Audigy. (I still haven't confirmed the Audigy's capabilities yet, I've only owned mine for about 2 weeks)

DC

 

[cyberia]

Thanks everybody for your replies. I think I'll go with the Santa Cruz.

I am still looking for a good used tape deck. JVC TD-W354 is on top of my list, but I do not think I'll splurge $100+ on it. Probably any high quality deck of the last 10 years will do as long as it is in a good condition.

You guys and gals are right that the tape deck (or tapes themselves) will be the limiting factor. However, regardless my tapes' quality, I should aim to capture the source (these tapes) as accurately as possible. A sound card with a low SNR will further degrade the sound even though it is not perfect to begin with.

Thanks again.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Dude, let me tell you something. If you're going to buy a USED tape deck, don't take anything that's newer than 1995. That was the year in which many good technologies in tape decks have vanished. Take Technics, for instance: the 727 model, and the 626, before it, were extraordinary machines. So Technics followed with A5, A6 and A7, only the latter being slose to 727 (but not as good) - at almost double the price. The only exception, as far as technology was concerned, was the "swansong" represented by the Digital recording cleanup capability in the Pioneer 606 decks...

IMHO, you should check out one of the older AKAI decks... A Denon, a Pioneer, a Kenwood, perhaps you can even find a used Nakamichi - which is the absolute best in casette decks, bar none. As a general rule, stay away from Sony, they have the nasty habit of being quirky with tapes not recorded on other Sony machines.

Also - very important! - DON'T buy a double casette deck, they are invariably of lower quality than regular (single) tape decks. Besides which, you probably won't record anything, anymore, on tape, so why bother with a double ???

Go around town: sometimes you find extraordinary stuff - and dirt cheap ! - in mom-and-pop stereo shops, or repair centres. Ask them what they think the best brands/models are. Heck, even in pawnshops you ocasionally discover hidden gems.

I FOUND on the street (!) two years ago one of those older tape decks: when I looked at the model specks on the 'net, I was blown away: the frequency range is like 30 Hz-21.000 Hz on Metal tape and up to 18.000 for Normal tape... It will blow that JVC out of the water - look at the frequency response for Metal (!) for the 354 here. - can you imagine that Normal will be up to 12.000 Hz ???

 

[cyberia]

AnitaPeterson, I think it is a great advice about tape decks!

I've been checking out Ebay for what's available out there: It looks like I will have a much harder time choosing a tape deck than I had choosing a sound card.

Does anyone know of a site listing specs of stereo components of the last 10 years or so? Now I can see how handy old Crutchfield catalogs would be if I kept them all!

Any ideas for a site with technical characteristics and specifications?

Thanks.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

alas, no such thing exists - the internet is NOT a comprehensive library, unfortunately. And tape decks are a little passe.

Crutchfield catalogues or a collection of "Stereo Review" and/or "Audio" would do just fine.

I assume the public library in your area might have them...

OR

you can just go to a few shops and talk to some people.

c'mon, it will be fun!

No matter what, though, I GUARANTEE that for as little as $50 you can get yourself an excellent machine...

 

[cyberia]

Found a site that lists older stereo components! Audio/Video Component Archive

This guy uses older Crutchfield catalogs as well as older Consumer Reports Buying Guides.

As far as single-tape decks are concerned, it is a perfect suggestion. Thanks.

 

[cyberia]

Oh boy,
I missed a JVC TD-V661 single-tape deck on Ebay today. It went for only $28.00. Major disappointment...