Subject:Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem

Posted by: Aeroguy

Date:9/26/2001 4:48:33 PM

I use a MOTU 2408 as my sound card input for Sound Forge 5.0 and as
the means for recording from a cassette player to SF. No problem there
as the resulting file sounds fine in SF. Even after processing (fades and
normalizing), the file still sounds fine in SF. After burning the song to a
CD however, it sounds noticably slower and lower in pitch than the
original. My client finds this unacceptable, and so do I. Even after trying
to speed the song up, the problem still persists. Other files that were
wav files to beging with and processed the same way and burned at the
same time to the CD sound fine.

Any suggestions?

I could really use some help, and hope I haven't missed anything
simple. I went through the first 1200 messages on this forum, and
didn't find any clues there.

Thanks for the help,
Aeroguy

Subject:RE: Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem

Reply by: maninblac4

Date:9/26/2001 6:10:09 PM

I know this may sound dumb, but you are saving them to wav before you burn to disc right? But what it sounds like is that your burn rate speed is not right, and here's where I put on my dunce cap, perhaps your rate of copy is not set high enough, causing the disc to burn at a lower rate. I may be wrong or have it totally backwards. But I remember that with tape, the faster the tape went the better quality retained, of course you use more tape, but the quality more than makes up for it. Like I said, I'm not sure if this same process applies here or not. Hopefully someone with a bit more experience will come along and perhaps we can both learn something.
Good luck, Maninblac4

Subject:RE: Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem

Reply by: SonicJon

Date:9/26/2001 6:29:52 PM

Before you burn the file to a cd check the file attributes and make sure that they say 16 bit 44.1 KHz (to check the attributes click File->Properties). If your sample rate is higher use the resample plug-in under the process menu. Use the "Resample to 44.1 KHz with anti-alias filer" preset. If that does not fix it try saving the file as a wav and then use a different program to burn and see if you have the same problem.

-J

Subject:RE: Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem

Reply by: maninblac4

Date:9/26/2001 6:34:55 PM

Yeah what he said.....think I'll go back up to the Acid Family forum, where I don't feel so dumb ;)

Subject:RE: Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem - Still need help

Reply by: Aeroguy

Date:9/26/2001 7:28:25 PM

SonicJon & Maninblac4

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately, neither helped. I have already
tried to burn it using another program (the one that came with the CD-RW)
and that didn't change anything. I have even tried it on different CD
burners and that didn't work either. Even different burn rates didn't help.
(I ended doing that by mistake once, and still had no effect. Actually,
Cd burn rates and tape recording rates do not have anything in common.)
The file is at the right 16 bit 44.1 KHz and had been saved as a wav file
all along.

Still looking for some help out there.

Thanks for the suggestions so far,
Aeroguy

Subject:RE: Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem - Still need help

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:9/26/2001 8:40:44 PM

What is the word clock on the 2408 set to? External or Internal? When recording from a cassette, make sure it is set to internal.....also when playing back from Sound Forge, make sure it is also set to internal. You may have a word clock sync problem, where the 2408 might be syncing to a 48Khz word clock. Are you recording the cassette at 44.1Khz 16 bit into Sound Forge?

Subject:RE: Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem - Still need help

Reply by: Aeroguy

Date:9/26/2001 9:40:37 PM

The word clock is set to internal (I also use a digital timepiece to drive
my word clock and keep things in sync, which is also set to internal).
And yes, I made sure the cassette was recorded at 44.1KHz and 16 bit.

Why would the word clock be an issue for an analog input via the MOTU
2408? I thought that only mattered for digital equipment.

I will try again, making sure what you recommended is set correctly,
and see if the same problem happens again, but I'm pretty sure it was
all set right the first time. Doesn't hurt to try again.

Thanks,
Aeroguy

Subject:RE: Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem - Still need help

Reply by: BrentA

Date:9/27/2001 1:44:08 AM

>> Still looking for some help out there.

If you've verified the file is indeed 16bit 44.1, then I suspect it is somehow corrupted. Here's something to try at least:

1) Open a new 16-bit 44.1 window
2) Insert Silence that is the length of the problem file
3) Switch to the problem file, Select All, and Copy
4) Switch back to the new blank file and Select All
5) then Edit | Paste Special... | Overwrite
6) Save file
7) Try burning the new file to CD and see what happens

Not sure if it will help, but worth a try.

Subject:RE: Cassette to SF50 to CD Problem - Still need help

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:9/27/2001 8:19:51 AM

Just a suggestion, because your problem definitely sounds strange. Word Clock will effect playback and record although you are recording analog. Try setting the word clock to "External" and feed it with a 48Khz word clock, and then playback a 44.1Khz file in Sound Forge. It will definitely play back at a higher pitch. Or just set it to external, and then not have a word clock connected and hear it playback at a very low pitch. Just thought maybe when you playback, it sounds normal....but it actually isn't because it has the wrong word clock and then when you burn to CD, it doesn't use a word clock signal, and records at the correct 44.1 word clock sample rate.

I also thought it could be a problem with your cassette deck playing back at the wrong speed, but since you said it sounds correct in Sound Forge after it's recorded, I dismissed this idea.

I would check drivers next. In fact my office win2k Dell machine is having a similar problem, where all my audio is playing back at a higher pitch, but burning to CD is ok. I'm suspecting a bad audio driver for my sound card, there is no word clock on this soundcard, it's just standard onboard audio. These are old wave and mp3 files that I created before re-installing win2k so I know the files are fine. So maybe you're having the same situation except it's recording and sounds normal, when infact it isn't.