Tape Cassette to mp3 Recorder

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I have a large collection of audio cassette tapes that I needed to convert to mp3.
All my tape recorders and players don't work anymore for various reasons mainly because of the ribbons losing their elasticity and mending them isn't easy.
I found on AliExpress a lot of tape cassette to mp3 converters costing about $11 using a PC or a bit more expensive recording directly to a flash.
I ordered the one for the PC. It works really great and is highly recommended.Cassette-mp3 (1).jpg Cassette-mp3 (2).jpg Cassette-mp3 (3).jpg Cassette-mp3 Back.jpg
 
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I found the exact same model on Amazon USA and it would be more convenient and faster for someone living in the US. Not much difference in the price.
The conversion software is Audacity.
Amazon.com: USB Cassette-to-MP3 Converter Capture, SolidPin Audio Super USB Portable Cassette/ Tape to PC MP3 Switcher Converter with Headphone: MP3 Players & Accessories


Audacity is free

Audacity® | Free, open source, cross-platform audio software for multi-track recording and editing.

So could you not rig up a normal cassette deck to the pc?
 

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I tried one of these a year ago and although convenient I found the wow and flutter unacceptable - a problem that many cassette mechanisms of this type/size suffer from.

I have now moved away from MP3 (because of their low quality) except for audio books and use FLAC for music - a completely lossless format. I can get around 90 CDs on a 32GB stick/SD card but does need a player that can play FLAC files
 
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90% of my digital music are in flac much better than MP3.

Only thing I have come across is compatibility issues with some devices not playing flac, like iPhone, that is supposed to be in the next iOS update.
 

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90% of my digital music are in flac much better than MP3.

Only thing I have come across is compatibility issues with some devices not playing flac, like iPhone, that is supposed to be in the next iOS update.
Yes although it compresses between 40 and 80% depending on content it will decompress to an identical copy of original so is very useful for archiving CDs and recording vinyl to keep that unique "vinyl sound" and not wear out the disks.
 
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I use a well know program (it's had a lot of bad press) that has an option of the compression rate 0-10 I think it is.

I set mine to 0, when I want to record a record I use my teac cd-rw and then pop that to the pc.

Given up on the option of software on the pc, as I found it took a lot of valuable listening time, so using the cd-rw allowed me to "store" them so I could transfer them later on.
 
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I do also have one of these

IMG_1847.JPG

Never used it, I scored it a charity shop for a tenner :) I have it connected to my 3rd stack system.
 

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I'm looking for a Cassette to CD recorder in one unit at a sensible price - the only ones I can find are from Japan (new) at around £600 with shipping or TEAC music centre style with turntable (which I do not particularlly want) at around £200. This is purely for convenience as I have other means of doing this - but have a few oiher similar types of boxes for ease of use -
Two double deck CD recorders
CD to MD recorder
CD to audio cassette recorder (only used now for its 6 CD changer)
Double deck audio cassette recorder
Two CD to internal HDD audio jukeboxes (plus a third awaiting repair of the CD drive).
All these allow for transfer without connections via amplifier so don't have to listen to them while copying
 
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The other major disadvantages of the portable type cassette to usb devices is the lack of two major fearures - noise reduction (Dolby or ANR etc) and tape type selection (ferro, chrome etc) both of which can have significant effect on the sound of the recorded MP3s
 
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I'm looking for a Cassette to CD recorder in one unit at a sensible price - the only ones I can find are from Japan (new) at around £600 with shipping or TEAC music centre style with turntable (which I do not particularlly want) at around £200.
There was a time when I wanted to have a cassette to CD recorder and was even willing to pay for it, but I don't use a CD player anymore because of the inconvenience of ejection and insertion.
I am quite happy with the little gadget that I bought as it can digitize my cassettes using the free software Audacity.
I believe I can make adjustments to the recordings depending on each cassette and after trimming the recordings (initial space and end space), I can export the recordings to any format I want. mp3 is preferred because I have a Sangean internet radio player that can play also from a USB in mp3.
Also create chapters and end up with several files which can be particularly useful if I have a song album, I can then
have each song as an individual file.
There is also another model of cassette to mp3 converter without the need to use a PC. Just stick a flash and let it do the work.
Also quite cheap. This is just one model.
https://www.amazon.com/Reshow-Casse...8-2&keywords=cassette+to+mp3+USB+and+to+flash

BTW if anyone is interested in a Sony CD Exchanger (CD Jukebox), I have a relative who has one hardly used only one time after purchase to make mp3 and I don't think he is using it any more.
 
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Here is a trick I used in the past to digitize my tape cassettes and saved me investing in an expensive standalone unit.
You will need:
1 - DVR
2 - Tape cassette player
3 - Video source for the DVR. I used a satellite receiver with RCA outputs.

Connect the video output to the video input of the DVR (yellow cable)
Connect the tape cassette audio outputs to the audio input of the DVR (black and red cables)
Insert the tape cassette you want to digitize into the tape player. Set it to continue to side B and notice the cassette time length 60 minutes or 90 minutes
Start playing the tape and at the same time start recording the satellite TV channel with the DVR, using a rewritable media.
It can be any channel, static or dynamic. The video recorder won't record unless there is a video signal.
When the tape comes to the end, stop recording with the DVR and finalize the DVD disk.
(you can set the DVR to record the cassette time length with the timer)
Now you have the tape cassette audio on the DVR. You can either use that or covert the audio part to CD if you prefer.
There should a lot of software applications that can do this.
You can use the rewritable DVD media for the next tape cassette you want to digitize. This way you won't have too many DVD's lying about doing nothing.
 
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After digitizing few cassettes and converting them to mp3, the little gadget started to chew up my tape cassettes!!!
That's a big NO NO for me so I am going to bin it as I can't trust it anymore.
Now I am looking for an alternate solution like a tape deck with USB output from a respectable manufacturer.
ION is too expensive and I don't know who the real manufacturer is.
I only need the tape cassette with no radio or turntable or CD drive.
My budget up to $100 with shipment. Any suggestions please?
 

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Just get a working HiFi cassette deck and a phono to usb adapter cable.

In the past I used to suffer with a few chewed up tapes in cheap cassette players and wlkmans but after I started FF to ebd and rewinding tapes before playing in cheap and car players it became quite rare. Some tape decks seem to wind the tape too tightly before auto stopping and cheap mechanisms often can't cope with this.
 
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Just get a working HiFi cassette deck
That's the trouble. I don't have a working tape cassette deck.
I searched for a boombox with tape cassette and phono jack out, and I was astonished that the new models don't have a phono jack!!!
 

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I bet virtually all of them have headphone outputs.

How to connect your equipment - Audacity Development Manual

Although not ideal you can record from headphone sockets if you are careful with the volume control
Thanks. I am familiar with this method.
I found an old Panasonic radio with tape cassettes that was hardly used, so I am going to use that.
The size without the detachable loudspeakers is quite acceptable to have near my PC.
The little gadget was perfect because of the size, but what can you expect from a $15 tape cassette?
 
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The recording audio quality using phono out is just too horrible.
It would be a waste of time to digitize this way.
I must find a tape cassette deck with audio out (L and R) or USB out, but after a long search I couldn't find any reputable manufacturer who offers them as new models. Only used discontinued units on Amazon and eBay.
 

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The recording audio quality using phono out is just too horrible.
It would be a waste of time to digitize this way.
I must find a tape cassette deck with audio out (L and R) or USB out, but after a long search I couldn't find any reputable manufacturer who offers them as new models. Only used discontinued units on Amazon and eBay.

You're not looking hard enough.

Any music centre from the 80s to the early 00's is going to have a cassette deck in its specification. You should find plenty of low mileage ones in local restaurants.

There will also be car audio specialists with radios with inbuilt cassette players they have taken out during customer upgrades.
 
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