Whats the best format to save old restored audio tapes?

[r1013]

I have several hundred old sentemental, preaching tapes that I would like to convert over to MP3. They have a lot of background noise in them ect.. I saved one to my computer and cleaned it up with no problem using Adobe Autition. Now it sounds great. I also saved it at some random rate (MP3) that I cant remember right this moment.. (192??).. But that doesnt matter as it was just a test anyway. But, What would be the best format to save all the sermons in.. that would be current and future compatible in CD/MP3 players and sound decent?

I dont want to save them in something that will make them sound worse now or later.. But I dont want to save them in something so good.. thats its overkill.. and just wasting space unecessaryly.

I also have some congregational (church music) by the same man, that I want to do the same with. Its also a bit rough as they were recorded live in church (like the preaching tapes) some.. many years ago.. and are poorly recorded.. but with little effort they can sound pretty decent.. So what format would I save them in.. or would it be the same as the preaching tapes?..

I guess Im thinking they were rough to start with.. and I can make make them sound a lot better.. I dont want to save them in something that will make them sound worse now or later.. since it will take a lot of time to do this.. But I dont want to save them in something so good.. that its overkill, and just wasting unecessary hard drive and CD/DVD space.

Thanks

[dphirschler]

I would've suggested FLAC format (about 2:1 compression), but it sounds like you want more compression. I'd say 160kbps mp3 would be the best quality vs compression you are going to find. You might save some space going mono for the sermons. The music programs I recommend doing in stereo if they were originally recorded in stereo.

One thing, although going with a variable bit rate (VBR) would save some space and yeild better quality, players (both software and hardware) seem to have more trouble with it. so I would avoid VBR.

Are you using the Lame encoder?


Darryl

[thecoalman]

But I dont want to save them in something so good.. that its overkill, and just wasting unecessary hard drive and CD/DVD space.

Thanks

Guess it depends on how big the collection is. If it's not that large I'd just use WAV, that's overkill especially if you have a large collection.

In that case I'd consider using a lossless WMA codec ot something similar.

There's a pretty good article about it here:
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home5/pg03053527/Tips/LosslessAudioCodecs_WMA_vs_APE.htm

[r1013]

Actually, I dont know what LAME encoder is.

I hooked up a single line from my stereos headphone jack.. and plugged it into the back of my sound card. I then pressed play on the stereos cassette deck and chose record within the software..

It only records it mono that way.. But I doubled it into 2 channels so it will come out both speakers in the end. I cut the start and end as necessary. Then I grabbed a few seconds of dead air with the background noise).. and used that to clean it up.. (Wow.. just that makes it sound nice!).. then used a filter to get out the bumps to the microphone.. And Wa.. La.. 100% better.. I then wasnt sure what to save it as.. I tried a wav and it was HUGE!.. and then saved it as an MP3 (I think 160kbps) and it was a LOT smaller... 30 mb or so..

But.. as far as encoders go.. I have no idea what I have. I know me and my wife watch lots of movies over the net since we cant get cable way out in the country.. and I update our (video codecs) from time to time.. if thats simular to audio encoders? But I have a copy of Adobe audition that is a few years old. I think version 1.0.. its not the latest.. But it works great.

As far as VBR goes.. Ill stay away from that as you suggest.

Thanks so far with helping me piece this together!

[dphirschler]

I am not positive, but I believe you can save a significant amount of space by authoring a single channel mono mp3 instead of a fake stereo (dual channel mono) recording. It will also process faster in your noise reduction and other editing. Don't worry, it will still play over both speakers.


Darryl

[MOVIEGEEK]

If the audio is only voice then I would use mono/96kbps/CBR and save as MP3 then make audio CD backups.My guess is MP3 and audio CD's will be around for another 20 years,WMA and others may not.

[lordsmurf]

WAV

[TheFamilyMan]

Sounds like you pretty much got your project under control. I suggest that you connect your tape deck directly into your sound card, or use your receiver's tape out and plug that into your sound card. Stereo cables with RCA connectors at one end and a single 3.5mm stereo plug at the other are readily available; www.partsexpress.com or radioshack definately carries one or more models of these. Make sure you are using the "line in" jack on the sound card, which is usually color coded blue. Avoid using the microphone in (pink) for this type of thing, but it sounds that you probably already know all this. As for the final format, MP3 with a generous bit rate should be fine quality and will be around for many years. If file size is not an issue, I suggest using WAV and writing the results to CDR, though this may not be appropriate if your clips are greater than 70 min. Experiment a bit with your digital noise reduction software, if it is set too aggresively it will add a tinny or robot-like sound to your material. Playing it back though your stereo is the best way to tell how well it really worked. Good Luck!

[Sifaga]

i would save them as WAV files then convert to MP3 then backup the WAV files.

use CDEX to convert to MP3

[r1013]

When I recorded the tape I thought I had to double it for it to come out both speakers.. Kind of nice if it will play out of both speakers without doubling it. Ill test out another one next week (I’m having some computer probs right now with a new graphics card). Ho ho ho!.. So I’m typing this from work.. BUT.. as you said.. that will save a lot of space to!

And the cable I’m using is a Stereo cable with an RCA connector that I bought from radio shack. I told the guy there about what I wanted to do and he picked it out.

And I will also put a one on CD and try and play it in the stereo first.. I was thinking if they sound fine on the computer.. Then they will on the stereo also.. But.. I suppose its best to be safe before I do a bunch and realize I messed up..

A guy here at work said he was saving some audio books to MP3. He said when he went lower than 128 he noticed the voice being a little distorted.. Mainly with females voices. Soo Ill stay above that.. and try the 160kbps as a minimum.. and maybe a few other higher rates also.. and see what the size looks like.. and sounds like ect.. and take a happy medium..

Thanks for the help!

[NightFire]

If the audio is only voice then I would use mono/96kbps/CBR and save as MP3 then make audio CD backups.My guess is MP3 and audio CD's will be around for another 20 years,WMA and others may not.

I would have to agree with the lower bitrate of 96kbps as voice shouldn't need a high bit rate. I had some voice MP3s at 160kbps and converted to 96kbs with no noticable difference. For encoding CDex is good and has the Lame encoder and is free. You can use it to rip to WAV and do your edits and then encode to MP3.

[racerxnet]

You can use Foobar2K for the encoding process. It gives you a wide array of possibilities for codecs.

Later,

MAK