4 track tape into computer as individual tracks

[magritte]

Can someone tell me a piece of gear that will allow audio transfer from an old 4-track into my laptop, with all 4 tracks transferred at one time?

I assume I need an external device of some type with 4 inputs. But I haven't been able to figure out what to buy. It seems many of these devices come with xlrs, pre-amps, and other features I don't need. Will these units work for what I do need?

Finally, what would the wiring be. The 4-tracks outs into the external devices 4 inputs,...then what--how does it actually get into the PC, via a USB? And if so, the USB knows to split into 4 distinct tracks when transferring into a DAW?

Thank you!

[Snarl 12/8]

I think you've pretty much answered all your own questions correctly.

You go 4 outs of your 4-track (assuming it has discrete (discreet?) outs)
into 4 ins on your interface, whatever that may be. You'll need at least 4 inputs. If they have mic pres, just adjust the trim to line levelish.

Then, yeah, the USB will sort out the 4 channels. They'll show up as 4 sources in whatever DAW software you're using.

[magritte]

I think you've pretty much answered all your own questions correctly.

You go 4 outs of your 4-track (assuming it has discrete (discreet?) outs)
into 4 ins on your interface, whatever that may be. You'll need at least 4 inputs. If they have mic pres, just adjust the trim to line levelish.

Then, yeah, the USB will sort out the 4 channels. They'll show up as 4 sources in whatever DAW software you're using.

Okay great.

I use Cubase 5 and a Tascam 244 (it does have 4 outputs). So you think it would show up as 4 separate tracks in that DAW? Wonder if that happens automatically or I'd have to make 4 audio tracks and route to them? No big deal I will find out later just curious.

Finally, can anyone recommend a unit to do this? Do I need something expensive or will the devices in the $100-200 range do the job? Can anyone recommend specific units? Space is more an issue than money, so if you guys could recommend a smallish unit that would do the job...

Thanks!

[magritte]

Would this do the job?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Akai-Profes ... 1826039.gc

Do these units add any color to the input?

And would it be a 1/4" to 1/4" snake cable to hook this up to the 4-track? Any issues I should know about like a mono/stereo cable, or balanced/unbalanced?

[lyman]

Definitely use something with at least 4 inputs, which it sounds like you're going to do anyway. Just saying because I tried to transfer tracks from my cassette 4 track into Cubase but my interface at the time only had 2 inputs. I figured that's fine, I'll just do tracks 1 & 2 then rewind and add tracks 3 & 4. Well the playback speed varied just a tiny bit here and there and it was all out of sync. So dumping them all at one is the way to go.

[Nick Sevilla]

Try anything Motu makes.

Simple to set up and use.
With the option to either use mic preamps or just line inputs.
They have different sizes available, with the corresponding prices.

www.motu.com

Cheers

[magritte]

Try anything Motu makes.

Simple to set up and use.
With the option to either use mic preamps or just line inputs.
They have different sizes available, with the corresponding prices.

www.motu.com

Cheers

Thanks, just checked them out. It looks like the 4pre would be the model I need?

It is twice the price of the Akai EIE, which I am okay with if there's a difference, but is the EIE okay for what I need (just transfer tracks 4 at a time from tape to pc)? I notice the Akai only records 16bit, but does that factor into play when just doing a transfer? i.e. say I set Cubase to 24bit, will the EIE only transfer in at 16bit off the tape machine?

[magritte]

One more question:

Say I used a 4 output RCA type cable (to match the four outputs on my 4-track) and on the other end had them converge into a 1/8" input for my PC soundcard. Would the soundcard and/or DAW know to dump them as discrete tracks or would I have to mix on the 4 track before sending? If the former, I think I'd rather just go with the RCA cables because it's cheap and I don't need the features on a dedicated unit.

Thanks.

[ashcat_lt]

One more question:

Say I used a 4 output RCA type cable (to match the four outputs on my 4-track) and on the other end had them converge into a 1/8" input for my PC soundcard. Would the soundcard and/or DAW know to dump them as discrete tracks or would I have to mix on the 4 track before sending? If the former, I think I'd rather just go with the RCA cables because it's cheap and I don't need the features on a dedicated unit.

Thanks.

Don't do it. Won't work. (Edit - you could mix to stereo on the Tascam and then go to the stereo line in on your machine, but you can't then "unmix" back to the 4 individual tracks)

That Akai thing should work fine. The dynamic range of the cassette player itself is nowhere near 16 bits, so you won't really lose anything there. I would suggest that the interface probably also has better frequency response specs than the Tascam. Any "coloration" you get from this interface will be lost in the mess that is 4-track cassette!

You would have to set it up correctly in Cubase, and yes will probably need 4 separate tracks set to the 4 different inputs, but that's pretty easy.

[Nick Sevilla]

Try anything Motu makes.

Simple to set up and use.
With the option to either use mic preamps or just line inputs.
They have different sizes available, with the corresponding prices.

www.motu.com

Cheers

Thanks, just checked them out. It looks like the 4pre would be the model I need?

It is twice the price of the Akai EIE, which I am okay with if there's a difference, but is the EIE okay for what I need (just transfer tracks 4 at a time from tape to pc)? I notice the Akai only records 16bit, but does that factor into play when just doing a transfer? i.e. say I set Cubase to 24bit, will the EIE only transfer in at 16bit off the tape machine?

Yes, the 4pre would work for you.
It can do high sample rates and 24 bit recording.

The EIE will not give you more than 16 bits of information, even if it gos into a 24 bit DAW session. It will just be a 24 bit audio file with the last 8 bits either full or empty, to make up the missing bits. Most DAWs do this automatically to stay compatible with the DAW session.

Cheers

[kevin206]

The Tascam US-1800 is also good on a budget. 8 XLR inputs, 2 instrument/line inputs, 4 line inputs switchable between -10db/+4db, Stereo S/PDIF. I have a similar unit and I've personally experimented with RCA outputs going into the XLR inputs and it worked well.

I use REAPER for my DAW. It's cheap to buy and forever free to try.

Dumping all 4 tracks at once is the way to go. I've done two at a time by RCA out of a 4track into the 1/8" input on my soundcard. It worked, but sometimes the tracks would drift apart. I could line them back up in the DAW by time stretching, but it was time consuming.

After you get a suitable interface you setup the routing inside the DAW. It's pretty simple once you do it the first time or two.

After you get the tracks transferred you can use the built-in FX from the DAW on the individual tracks. You can do edits, too. You can even do drum replacement if you get creative. Oh, you can ADD TO the tracks also. I used to do that. I would do a stereo mix from my 4track/8track into my DAW and add extra tracks one at a time. I did all that through the 1/8" input of my soundcard.