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Re-recording tapes, how much is the quality degraded?

walkman.archive - 2011-01-11 05:15

I know that if you want to make good recordings, you have to use good tapes on good decks and use a good method.
But just for curiosity, how much quality is lost if I do a re-record using the same good tape on the same good deck?
Or, changing the point of view, if the original quality is 100%, how much can achieve the second record?
Do anyone have any precise information about this?
An example: I have some old tapes recorded from CD on a boombox and sometimes it seems the signal achieved saturation point, and sound gets some kind of broken. I remember when I re-recorded any of this tapes, the quality suffered so much if the original was saturated. Am I correct?

Regards,

tuna - 2011-01-27 07:37

The quality will depend on several factors:

1) quality of the deck the tape was originally recorded on. High quality decks (higher end Nakamichi, Pioneer, Sony, Tandberg, Revox and some others) have high quality recording head OP-AMPs which can produce a lot of current necessary to make the recording more stable and also to make a full use of the best quality metal position tapes. The higher the quality of the original deck and tape, it will be harder to erase the tape.

2) condition of the tape. The tape has to be flawless in that it must not contain any physical damage to the tape whatsoever. Dust can have negative repercussions as well and the storage conditions are very importance.

3) quality of the deck that is being used to erase the tape.

So how much you will be able to get out of it is not as trivial as it seems.

walkman.archive - 2011-01-31 14:51

Thanks Tuna,

The deck used for record is a D6C calibrated for MAxell XL-S and the tape is a MAxell XL-S new.
In other words: I made a wrong recording (input level so high, sound is distorted) and now I want to know if it is useful to try again recording over.
And I have old tapes (mainly SONY CD-It recorded on a normal quality boombox) and I think I won't have any problems if I use the D6C right?

tuna - 2011-04-17 08:05

Well, you won't go wrong with erasing the XLI-S and recording all over again. Because even with a certain loss (but a very slight one actually if the tape is new and the deck is calibrated to that specific tape) the result will certainly better than with the distortion. Just remember to set the level properly this time and make sure you erase the tape first with the tape selector switch set to type-I, dolby switch set to off and the recording input level set to minimum.

walkman.archive - 2011-05-09 02:18

Thanks tuna,

 

Sorry for my delay.

Good to know that it can be erased and re-used. But, why do you say that it has to be first erased? Isn't it erased while recording? If you recommend to erase it first, then it will be erased twice actually.

tuna - 2011-05-09 12:00

Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. Erase the tape first, then re-record it. As long as the tape is erased properly, the results will be good. There is a reason why the input level control must be set to it's minimum position while erasing and you cannot do that if you're going to record over the existing material. Plus, I don't know what kind of a erase head does D6C uses but I hope that it's something better than a permanent magnet.

walkman.archive - 2011-05-09 12:22

Well, thanks for the info. I'll try it. Now I have my D6C being calibrated by Dottore Walkman, and when it comes back to me I'll check it.

 

Regards,

transwave5000 - 2011-05-18 09:00

Seems like your asking if the recording processes degrades the tape.

That should not happen.

Should be the same quality every time.

Using a bulk eraser it the way to go.

Some residual recording might be left on the tape.

 

mark - 2011-06-24 21:07

i've never experienced this degradation of quality from re-recording. i would think that unless the tape has physical wear or damage that you can just re-record with no real loss. you are just rearranging the oxide particals. i don't know that they loose their ability to be effectively rearranged. unless worn or damaged.

 

i buy used tapes all the time, and have found that if well cared for, they sound as good as new ones of the same type. i run all my used blanks through a dual well deck that i have to erase them. it's slow, but i don't trust bulk erasers. i just got a bunch of used '89 maxell xlii-s and they are dead silent.

 

i really wouldn't worry about it. unless you are looking to worry about something. but i don't suggest that either.