Analog & Digital Tape Transfer Service
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Our Philosophy
Every audio artifact is unique and deserves the respect and attention of a skilled audio archival engineer.
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.
We transfer all ¼” analog reel-to-reel tapes to High-resolution
This includes any of the following tape head formats:
¼” Mono
¼” Stereo
¼” Quarter track stereo (4 track)
¼” 4-track
¼” 8-track, 7.5 ips and 15 ips, Tascam and Fostex
We transfer all cassette formats to High-resolution
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
Tape Timing Chart (Nominal minutes) | |||||||
| Reel Size | Tape Thickness | Footage | Speed – inches per second (ips) | ||||
| 1.875 i.p.s. | 3.75 i.p.s. | 7.5 i.p.s. | 15 i.p.s. | 30 i.p.s. | |||
| 3″ | .5mil | 300′ | 30 | 15 | 7.5 | ||
| 1 mil | 225′ | 22.5 | 11.25 | 5.6 | |||
| 1.5 min | 150′ | 15 | 7.3 | 3.45 | |||
| 5″ | .5 mil | 1200′ | 128 | 64 | 32 | 16 | 8 |
| 1 mi | 900′ | 96 | 48 | 24 | 12 | 6 | |
| 1.5 mil | 600′ | 64 | 32 | 16 | 8 | 4 | |
| 7″ | .5 mil | 2400′ | 256 | 128 | 64 | 32 | 8 |
| 1 mil | 1800′ | 192 | 92 | 48 | 24 | 12 | |
| 1.5 mil | 1200′ | 128 | 64 | 32 | 16 | 8 | |
| 10.5″ | .5 mil | 4800′ | 512 | 256 | 128 | 64 | 32 |
| 1 mil | 3600′ | 384 | 192 | 96 | 48 | 24 | |
| 1.5 mil | 2500′ | 267 | 113 | 67 | 33.5 | 16.75 | |
| 12.5″ | 1.5 mil | 3750′ | 400 | 200 | 100 | 50 | 25 |
¼” Eight Track Reel-To-Reel and Eight Track Cassette Transfer
We also support Fostex ¼” inch 8 track reel-to-reel recordings made on R8, and M80 decks, Tascam 388 decks as well as Tascam 238, 488, and 688 cassette decks.
We can transfer reel-to-reel tapes recorded at the following speeds:
1 ⅞” or 1.875 inches per second (ips), (4.76 cm per second)
3 ¾” or 3.75 inches per second (ips), (9.525 cm per second)
7.5 inches per second (ips), (19.05 cm per second)
15 inches per second (ips), (38.1 cm per second)
30 inches per second (ips), (76.2 cm per second)
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 (96k/24bit) 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).
Digital Audiotape transfer
Creative Audio Works can convert digital audio formats such as Digital Audio Tape (DAT), Tascam DA88, 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.
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.
Reel-to-reel and cassette repair
Reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes, and microcassettes are often subject to physical damage. They can snap, pull out from the end of one spool hub, or become wrapped around a part of the player’s transport.
Creative Audio Works has the audio restoration tools to repair these issues and minimize any loss of original audio recording, including repairing broken, tangled, and poorly stored open reel tapes. We understand that every client has unique audio repair needs – why not reach out to discuss your project?
Sticky Tape Syndrome
From the late 1970s onward, reel-to-reel tapes are subject to “sticky tape syndrome,” caused by the deterioration of the binders in the magnetic tape. Think your tapes fall under this category? We have a solution!
We’re experts in ‘tape baking’ – a technique involving careful, slow heating to restore quality in your audio media. Creative Audio Works offers an all-in-one package that includes tape baking, using our Fisher Scientific incubator and transfer to digital files.