Not all things can withstand the test of time, and sadly audio tapes are one of them. While they have a decent lifespan, up to 30 years and longer, improper care can shorten that considerably. Consider that each time you play them, you’re risking losing your precious memories.
We understand their value and we know how invaluable they can be for keeping memories alive, but we also understand that technology has long surpassed the standards of yesteryear.
But how do you take your physical recordings and convert them to a digital format? You certainly can do it yourself, but plenty of commercial options come with risks that you may not be willing to take, like losing your audio completely.
That’s why we recommend using audio tape transfer services. Leave it to the experts to keep your memories alive. Let’s dive into how exactly that happens.
What Are Audio Tape Transfer Services?
Great audio tape transfer services will work to carefully restore and maintain a wide range of audio equipment, but their primary focus is on transferring the data from the analog format of a tape to a digital format. So they will convert audio tapes to digital platforms, and these kinds of audio conversion services take specialist knowledge.
If you try to do it yourself, there is always the risk that you lose the valuable information on your tape. If you do manage to make a successful transfer, there’s an even higher chance that the quality will be poor and distorted. So even if a product claims to offer clear quality, you won’t always get this.
People who are trained to deliver an audio transfer service can guarantee high-quality recordings without breaking the bank, which is ultimately the best of both worlds.
How They Work
The process that backs audio conversion is complex, but with the right set of tools and machines, it’s easily achievable. With the right expertise, it’s also possible to enhance the sound that comes from them.
The process that happens is called modulation. All sound is inherently information that’s recorded into some kind of playable format. With a tape, this happens through a process of magnetization. As the tape moves past the recording head, the powder on the reel is magnetized, which helps it carry an electric signal the machine can read.
Those recorded sounds get played back through an audio to digital convertor, a special machine that can read analog and output into a digital format. A technician then tweaks the sound to enhance the clarity and reduce noise, and at the end of the day, you have a perfectly usable digital conversion.
The great news is that the process doesn’t harm your tapes. In fact, it places no more strain on them than your playback machines would, meaning you don’t lose the physical object to the digitization process. Once you have your tapes back, make sure you keep them somewhere cool and dry.
The Benefits of Transferring Audio Tapes
Older audio formats unfortunately have a shelf life, so even if you can still play your audio, they won’t last forever. In fact, their shelf life is only really 30 years, depending on how they’re cared for, after which you will slowly lose quality and then the ability to play them all together.
By converting your tapes, you can enjoy them for the rest of your life, whether they’re your baby’s first words, or your parent’s wedding vows. However, there are a few other benefits:
- Affordable as an option
- Higher quality
- More compact
- More playable options
- Easier to share
- Easier to use
- Insurance for priceless memories
- Preserves memories for future generations
It’s getting harder and harder to find machines and products that can playback your cassettes and audiotapes, and they’re not always the most reliable tools. They too come with risks, like getting your tapes jammed. That’s why converting your tapes to a digital format could be your best option!
But how do you choose the right service for you?
How to Choose a Service
Find a service that’s capable of working in multiple formats, from vinyl to tape and other legacy audio formats (8 track, Letter Pack, etc…). You also want a company that’s great at what they do, with the skill set to handle even complex projects. Ideally, you’d also want to choose a provider that’s able to handle various modes of media, so not just audio, but video as well.
If you can, try to find a service that also offers video transfer and photo restoration, so you’re never without a contact if you need to have any of your memories restored.
Here are a few other tips for ensuring you choose a great service provider:
- Make sure they know their stuff
- Check out their reviews
- Consider what mediums they support
- Can they handle rare formats?
- What are their prices like?
- Are they timely and efficient?
We work with a wide variety of formats, including LPs and cassettes to DAT tapes and vinyl records. We even have the capacity to convert wire recordings and Mail Call tapes, which are formats that many people have never seen.
Bringing History to the Modern Era
While technology may go obsolete over time, there’s no need to lose the precious memories that come along with them. Breathe new life into that dusty box of tapes in your attic and have them converted with audio tape transfer services.
We understand that every one of your memories is precious and irreplaceable, and that’s why we handle all your tapes and media with the utmost care. Our affordable and high-quality service will have you reminiscing in perfect, crystal-clear quality, all day long.
Contact us today and let’s see how we can bring your memories back to life.