Analog Reel-To-Reel, Cassette, and Digital Tape Transfer

Quality matters to us. Creative Audio Works offers superior audio tape transfer services of analog reel-to-reel, cassette tape, and digital tape using state-of-the-art equipment. Our machines go under thorough and frequent quality checks to ensure we are consistently delivering our customers, the highest quality tape transfers – without exception.

If you are not sure what type of audio media you have or its condition, you can visit our contact page and upload a photo or photos for us to better understand what you have.

We transfer all ¼” analog reel-to-reel tapes to High-resolution 24-bit/96kHz WAV files

This includes any of the following tape head formats:

¼” Mono
¼” Stereo   1 7/8ths -30 ips tape speeds
¼” Quarter track stereo (4 track)   1 7/8ths -30 ips tape speeds
¼” 4-track   1 7/8ths -15 ips tape speeds
¼” 8-track, 7.5 ips and 15 ips, Tascam and Fostex.
½” 8-track transfer

Tape Baking may be required if your recordings show signs of Sticky-Shed Syndrome. Creative Audio Works uses a Fisher Scientific Incubator for our tape baking needs.

Contact Creative Audio Works for more information regarding transfer and tape baking pricing.

If you are not sure what type of audio media you have or its condition, you can visit our contact page and upload a photo or photos for us to better understand what you have.

Common Tape Formats Supported By Creative Audio Works

We transfer all cassette formats to High-resolution 24-bit/96kHz WAV files

The following cassette tape formats are supported:

Mono Cassette                                            RCA Tape Cartridge
Stereo Cassette                                           4-track Cassette
Micro and mini dictation Cassette                8-track  Cassette
DAT Cassette                                               ADAT (Alesis)
Sony PCM F1 (501,601,701)*                      Nakamichi DMP-100*

Please call for pricing. 

*VHS and Betamax format Supported for F1 and Nakamich encoded tapes.

½” Eight Track Reel-To-Reel Transfer

Creative Audio Works audio tape transfer service can transfer ½” analog eight-track reel-to-reel tape with or without DBX noise reduction to hi-resolution digital audio files. We use a custom head arrangement crafted by John French of JRF Magnetics. In this setup, the erase and record heads are replaced with rollers to reduce drag and pitch fluctuations (wow and flutter). When your transfer is complete, you will receive eight .wav files recorded at 96khx/24bit resolution, ready to be loaded into your DAW of choice ready to be mixed.

Tape Baking may be required if your recordings show signs of Sticky-Shed Syndrome. Creative Audio Works uses a Fisher Scientific Incubator for our tape baking needs.

Contact Creative Audio Works for more information regarding transfer and tape baking pricing.

¼” Eight Track Reel-To-Reel and Eight Track Cassette Transfer

Our Fostex M80 has been modified to run at 7.5ips and 15ips and is accurate within 1db of tolerance.  Pretty impressive for ¼” eight-track. We can transfer 8-track reel-to-reel recordings made on R8,  A8, A8 LR, and M80 decks with Dolby noise reduction, running at 15ips, and Tascam 388 decks with DBX noise reduction.

Tape Baking may be required if your recordings show signs of Sticky-Shed Syndrome. Creative Audio Works uses a Fisher Scientific Incubator for our tape baking needs.

Contact Creative Audio Works for more information regarding transfer and tape baking pricing.

8-track Tape transfer Pricing ¼” and ½” formats

*There is a $75 minimum on all orders.   Contact us for more information regarding your transfer.

1-3   $75.00 ea.       4-6   $65.00 ea.      7-10   $55.00 ea.      11-15   $45.00 ea.      15 – Plus 37.50

This recording is the group Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, a live performance performed at the North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly MA., on September 18, 1987. Originally recorded on a Sony PCM 501 modified with Apogee ADDA converters.

Digital Audiotape transfer

Creative Audio Works can convert digital audio formats such as Digital Audio Tape (DAT), Alesis ADAT M20, Sony PCM F1, (501, 601, 710), and Nakamichi DMP-100 (compatible with Sony F1) recorded on VHS and Betamax, to digital audio files. DAT, ADAT, and Sony PCM F1 are now unused these days, but Creative Audio Works can transfer these formats to .wav files ready for you to remix your masterpieces. Depending on your preference, these can be supplied on a hard drive/thumb drive or posted to our server for download.

Digital Transfer Pricing* 

*There is a $75 minmium on all orders.  
Contact us for more information regarding your transfer.

DAT

D-30     $   37.50 ea.
D-45     $   55.00 ea.
D-60     $   75.00 ea.
D-90     $ 112.50 ea.
D-120   $ 150.00 ea.

Sony F1

Sony F1 transfers are billed based on the time required for each tape transfer. It’s typical to encounter frequent dropouts when dealing with F1-encoded tapes. To salvage and create a playable file from these tapes, Creative Audio Works often needs to make multiple passes, with tracking adjustments for each pass. Consequently, a 2-hour performance tape may necessitate approximately 3 hours for the transfer and editing process. The final cost cannot be determined until the transfer is completed.

Alesis ADAT

                                                         8-track              16 Track          24 Track
Transfer   1-10 Sessions            $   75.00 ea.       $ 100.00 ea.     $ 125.00 ea.
Transfer   11-20 sessions           $   70.00 ea.       $   95.00 ea.     $ 120.00 ea.
Transfer   21 and higher             $   65.00 ea.       $   90.00 ea.     $ 115.00 ea.