Do people still record, and if so what?

Sadly, while I still have a Tandberg Tcd 340 (owned since new) and a fairly recent Tandberg td 20 rtr they are both relegated to static display for the most part.Not much use to record basically, also the # of electric outlets even with power strips really leaves nothing available.

Actually there are numerous bands that have
“Taper Sections”
I used to record new Lp’s to cassette so I could play them back when I was stoned or otherwise occupied with a friend, and I didn’t want to flip a Lp or trash a stylus

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I used to do loads of recording for work making software. Loads of voice recirding and mixing with effects and BGM. I used the legendary Yamaha SW1000-XG 32bit audio board which was so good it replaced my Linn Mimik II CD player. But alas, I never once had need to record via a tape loop on my hifi.

I record off a 252 using a Mac mini and Audacity - I ripped all my 7" singles as the thought of lowering the stylus onto the LP12 felt mat by mistake was a little unnerving. I also rip the occasional (new) LP that I want to listed to in the gym when the record company are too mean to include a free download.

What do you use as an A-D interface with the Mac Mini? Or do you just use the mic input and internal A-D? If so, I can highly recommend the Apogee Duet. The earlier 24/96 Firewire version is excellent and now very affordable secondhand, or there’s the current USB version which will also do 24/192.

Hi Richard - yes, just the mic input and internal AD, recording at 24bit/96kHz. Then I copy the files to the Core. I’ll certainly investigate the Apogee Duet option though, thanks.
Also I use the Mac mini digital out to the NDAC, for BBC Sounds, YouTube, NowTV/Netflix etc.

The Apogee is a big step up in performance over the internal sound card A-D, and also D-A.

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I use a Marantz PMD661MkII to record vinyl for my portable Sony device. The results are better than CD rips.

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In other words you’re avoiding any differences in mastering for tge vinyl and CD versions (which sometimes can be significant) plus preserving the imperfections of the vinyl production/replay process in your digital version.

Erm … yeah. :nerd_face:

i had one of those, great sound with recording on TDK Chrome tapes, still have the tapes alas nowt to play them on!

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The Marantz PMD661 is an excellent recorder…

Many years ago, I got all high and mighty about copyrights and decided that I shouldn’t keep all my old tapes that I copied from albums at University, so I chucked them all in a skip. Regretting it now :disappointed:

I was looking at a Tascam but bought the Marantz after your recommendation. Got it for a good price too as it was just about to be replaced by the MkIII version. Thank you for the tip, it’s been great.

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Sometimes I’ll record an LP onto this old guy. Just for fun. It does not sound that good but…IMG_2999

O my God

If you think about it, some people get a lot of pleasure playing 78’s on an old gramophone player. They dont care about quality, but it’s a sound of that time they are enjoying. So playing/recording on cassettes is just an updated version of that nostalgia with added hiss.

I do!

I mostly use my old Nak Dragon for playing back pre-recorded tapes, but I do often record stuff onto cassette just for the fun of it – and a couple of times a year, I even make people good old-fashioned mixtapes. I often record off the radio, but also from vinyl, CD and even hi-res audio. It’s really rewarding and enjoyable. And, contary to what you might hear, the results you get off a Nak onto a good-quality, well-calibrated tape (Maxell XL-IIS, TDK SA, AD or MA are really spectacular.

Cassettes rule!

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gxc-730d

I kick myself for throwing out an Akai GXC-730D tape deck. I wasn’t aware of just what an amazing machine it was. I think it ended up in a skip despite being mint condition. Because I was stupid, 14, and it was an old silver bit of hifi from before CD age. nearly 30 years later I could kick myself. They go for $1000 second hand now. And I now realise it looks bloody cool.

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Maxell only stopped distributing ferric tapes earlier this year (according to Wikipedia) and there is plenty of new tapes for sale in the usual places. They may still be distributed in Japan. It follows that there must still be people recording audio to tape.

I sometimes record concerts off the radio or tv to cassette tape. I also have a Yamaha CD/HDD recorder which I mainly use for recording old 78s, including archiving my grandfather’s collection for family members.