Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: voice on cassette tape sounds clearer ? (Read 3354 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

voice on cassette tape sounds clearer ?

Hi folks. I was just weeding out cassette tapes from the 90ies. There is something strange I noticed: When comparing songs I recorded on tape to the originals on CD, I find the taped singers' voices a lot clearer and better understandable. (I think the reason is that the tape seems to have less bass, for when I tune down the CD's lower frequencies and boost its higher ones, I get a similar sound.) What's your take on this ?

[attachment=5986:song_on_tape.flac][attachment=5987:original...ng_on_CD.flac]

(Please ignore the tape's bad audio quality in general. It's radio recording on a 20 year old low quality tape, that has been lying around in the dust and digitized on mediocre decks and a faulty laptop soundcard ... I'm surprised to hear anything at all...)

voice on cassette tape sounds clearer ?

Reply #1 –
Quote from: chrizoo on
Hi folks. I was just weeding out cassette tapes from the 90ies. There is something strange I noticed: When comparing songs I recorded on tape to the originals on CD, I find the taped singers' voices a lot clearer and better understandable. (I think the reason is that the tape seems to have less bass, for when I tune down the CD's lower frequencies and boost its higher ones, I get a similar sound.) What's your take on this ?

[attachment=5986:song_on_tape.flac][attachment=5987:original...ng_on_CD.flac]

(Please ignore the tape's bad audio quality in general. It's radio recording on a 20 year old low quality tape, that has been lying around in the dust and digitized on mediocre decks and a faulty laptop soundcard ... I'm surprised to hear anything at all...)


Another difference is the tape seems to be mono, so maybe the side sounds distract you on the CD.
Anyway, I didn't find the voices to be easier on the tape.

voice on cassette tape sounds clearer ?

Reply #2 –
Quote from: chrizoo on
Hi folks. I was just weeding out cassette tapes from the 90ies. There is something strange I noticed: When comparing songs I recorded on tape to the originals on CD, I find the taped singers' voices a lot clearer and better understandable. (I think the reason is that the tape seems to have less bass, for when I tune down the CD's lower frequencies and boost its higher ones, I get a similar sound.) What's your take on this ?

[attachment=5986:song_on_tape.flac][attachment=5987:original...ng_on_CD.flac]

(Please ignore the tape's bad audio quality in general. It's radio recording on a 20 year old low quality tape, that has been lying around in the dust and digitized on mediocre decks and a faulty laptop soundcard ... I'm surprised to hear anything at all...)


The tape is mono and I suspect it might have been Dolby B encoded and played back with no Dolby. If that is _not_ the case, I find mono mixing the CD and boosting the high end around 5dB gets pretty close. Misalignment of cassette decks was pretty common back in the day.

G²

voice on cassette tape sounds clearer ?

Reply #3 –
You say the tape's source is broadcast radio. That could mean both that the audio source was vinyl, & that the audio was processed (frequencies cut / boost).

voice on cassette tape sounds clearer ?

Reply #4 –
thank you all for your opinions. These are useful starting points for my further observations. I think the most probable scenario is a combination of the various factors you mentioned, i.e. vinyl source, processed for radio broadcast, mismatching dolby settings and misalignment of cassette deck. Anyway, Glenn thanks for letting me know, that you, too, could reproduce the sound as described in my OP.