Does anyone have any experience recording from their DAW to a cassette tape, then back into the DAW? Have you achieved good results?
This is an experiment I'm hoping will add a new dimension to my ambient tracks, but I can't seem to find much information on it. I've considered reel to reel, but it appears to be a lot more expensive.
How would I go about doing this using the Eleven Rack as my interface? I assume I'd need a stereo RCA to TRS cable to record from Tape to DAW via the line inputs....but how do I actually record to tape? Stereo XLR to RCA via the 'Main Output'?
Comments
Just reading the manual it seems the 11 Rack has just two outputs. XLR and jack, "amp" outs left and right. The latter would seem the more convenient as you would not need to disturb the monitor circuit but the level of the jacks is only specified as "instrument level" which might not be high enough to drive a cassette machine which generally need around -10dBV or some 360millivolts. If "instrument" means guitar levels it could be only -40dBV, 10mV.
Input back from recorder is less of a problem and could go into the rear line inputs. The there might be a simpler way to do this via the FX loop but I don't have a Rack handy!
Maybe some one here has one or pop over to www.soundonsound.com
Someone there is SURE to know! B.B.BUT! Do not for one moment imagine you are going to get some sort of "warm, retro, Beatles R&R" sound from a cassette machine! And probably not from open reel.
Dave
http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-ferox/
http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-reelbus/
There are loads of them that add compression, wow and flutter and lo-fi ..
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
Now, if you had a well-serviced 2" stereo tape machine, that might be a different matter......
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Don't bother with the unnecessary conversions and crap cassette quality.
There's a difference between lofi/vibey and plain shit.
I've already bought myself a 70s tape deck off ebay, and it only cost a few quid (always set a reserve price!) so I have nothing to lose by trying it out. Also, I'm working with ambient music where there are no rules and 'plain shit' might actually be the preferable outcome.