using Audacity to copy cassette tapes to cd's. HELP !!

ve7dfi

Member
Trying to put cassette tapes on cd's and having great trouble using AUDACITY to do this. Using RCA to USB audio capture cable and older iMac and MacBookPro as they have CD - DVD player/burner. Any help from Audacity user much appreciated.
 

ve7dfi

Member
I had previously brought up the Audacity web page info - there is a tonne of info on it - most of it not applicable to what I am trying to do, and I am getting to the point where I can make recordings in a file only Audacity can use. What is the "best" way to convert these to a WAV or FLAC file and burn on a CD? I know this is simple, but not to me.......also use WAV or FLAC to burn?
Stupid question # 4797649547729. Just what does this small box do on the cable that has 2 RCA plugs to go on the analogue audio device (cassette recorder) and the other cable end is a USB one to go into the computer? Is this just a simple analogue to digital converter - if so, what is the bitstream that goes into the converter?
Or should I have used Garageband or some other Apple App to do all this? Gather it can be done.
Robin
 

TimRichards

Well-Known Member
I’m interested in this thread as I have a few boxes of voice tapes from family gatherings over the years which I hope to digitize. Are you burning to CD so they can be played on a CD player? In my case I plan to store everything on my main drive and organize a suitable file structure. So MP3 or such a format. I have a digitizer box I bought several years ago for conversion of vinyl records but never used. Gosh, I was using a PC back then. I hope the box does the job, when I get to it. Haven’t studied the software issue.
 

TimRichards

Well-Known Member
Here’s a YouTube that covers the process using GarageBand. It uses a cheap amazon cassette player- digitizer, but I hope to use my old deck and the converter I have.
 

ve7dfi

Member
Tim
I am getting close to putting cassette tapes to CD but it has been a long convoluted process. Using Audacity and a adapter cable, probably same type you have but you say is for record player and that will involve accounting for the RIAA emphasis that all players have unless yours has a preamp. There is a lot of ”stuff” to this changing of mediums but the video you sent is representative of an easy way to do it if you are not going to use files off your computer as I am.
If you are going to use good cassette player for your source it will have settings for the different types of tape and will improve the sound of the transferred audio. Just using a simple cassette with no “type” settings is not good.
Probably best we have a chat on the phone as there is a lot to cover.....maybe......
Am here in my bubble anytime. 250 216 3167. Be happy to talk.
Robin
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
Yes, the cable is a simple analog to digital converter.

there are a number of cassette devices that convert tapes “on the fly” to digital (usually MP3 or M4A) files, which can then be “burned” to CD using software like Toast, which handles the conversion of the digital files to the proper “red book” Audio CD formatting.
 
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