Solved: Recording Directly to Tape

[tommyzai]

Hi!! I just picked up a two track tape recorder, and I want to record guitar and vocals. It has 1/4 jacks in and out.

What is the simplest and cheapest way for me to record?
Do I need a direct box?
Can I use a condenser mic that requires phantom power?
Can I do this without buying a mixer?

Thanks for any guidance. It's been 30-years since I used tape, and back then we went through a mixer that took care of all of this.

[cryophonik]

Do you know if the recorder's 1/4-inch inputs are line-level or hi-z? If they are just line level, you'll need some sort of preamp (or maybe a cheap mixer) for your guitar and microphone(s), most of which will have phantom power for a condenser mic. If they are hi-z, you can plug your guitar directly into it and record (assuming it is an electric or acoustic with a pickup), and you could conceivably get away with a cheap hi-z mic(s) for vocals, but you'd get far better results with a preamp and better mic.

[BertKoor]

The physical form of I/O says not much. 1/4" can be line, inst, mic, anything. What's it labelled? Got a manual with it? Does it provide phantom power? You know most of the answers already.

Yeah, a dinky sub-$100 mixer can save your butt. But your current audio interface could also be used for making everything line level by recording it's line outs while momitoring directly.

[tommyzai]

Do you know if the recorder's 1/4-inch inputs are line-level or hi-z? If they are just line level, you'll need some sort of preamp (or maybe a cheap mixer) for your guitar and microphone(s), most of which will have phantom power for a condenser mic. If they are hi-z, you can plug your guitar directly into it and record (assuming it is an electric or acoustic with a pickup), and you could conceivably get away with a cheap hi-z mic(s) for vocals, but you'd get far better results with a preamp and better mic.

I found this:

Inputs: mic: 600ohm 0.19mV. aux: 100kohm 0.06V – Outputs: line (100k or more) – output (0dB) 0.775V – headphone 8 ohm (30mV)

[tommyzai]

The physical form of I/O says not much. 1/4" can be line, inst, mic, anything. What's it labelled? Got a manual with it? Does it provide phantom power? You know most of the answers already.

Yeah, a dinky sub-$100 mixer can save your butt. But your current audio interface could also be used for making everything line level by recording it's line outs while momitoring directly.

I do have an Audient iD14mk2. I'm sure I could go through this, but would that do an analog to digital and back to analog conversion? If I could use it as a direct box without introducing any conversion . . . that would be so convenient.

[BertKoor]

Recording to analog tape (SN ratio: 80 dB at most) and worried about mastering-grade AD-DA conversion (SN ratio: 100dB at least) in the signal path. Seriously?

[tommyzai]

Recording to analog tape (SN ratio: 80 dB at most) and worried about mastering-grade AD-DA conversion (SN ratio: 100dB at least) in the signal path. Seriously?

I don't know. That's the point. I don't know what I'm doing with this kind of workflow. My thinking is . . . I am using analog gear, wouldn't it be better to stay analog until it's on a track in the DAW?

[BertKoor]

Either you use what you already have (good enough, not? ) or you make another small investment. Not my money or decision.

Wait, you're going to transfer it to a DAW again anyway? What's the workflow, what's the gain? I guess you did thought it all through properly?

[BertKoor]

Btw, true direct monitoring should bypass the converters.

[tommyzai]

Either you use what you already have (good enough, not? ) or you make another small investment. Not my money or decision.

Wait, you're going to transfer it to a DAW again anyway? What's the workflow, what's the gain? I guess you did thought it all through properly?

I'm waiting to hear back from Audient. I'm not sure if the iD14mk2 can bypass the converters. That would simplify things!

I plan on recording vocals and guitars onto tape, then "sampling" this onto tracks in a DAW. I'm hoping to get some warmth, saturation, and compression with this workflow. It's worked for me in the past, so I'm hoping it will be even better now that I have all the fun plugins to manipulate the audio.

[cryophonik]

Inputs: mic: 600ohm 0.19mV. aux: 100kohm 0.06V – Outputs: line (100k or more) – output (0dB) 0.775V – headphone 8 ohm (30mV)

What is the make/model of the recorder? Is it a Sony TC-366?

I do have an Audient iD14mk2. I'm sure I could go through this, but would that do an analog to digital and back to analog conversion? If I could use it as a direct box without introducing any conversion . . . that would be so convenient.

I'm not familiar with that model, but I would think that you could internally route the inputs directly to the outputs and avoid the D/A conversion? edit: just saw your previous posts.

[tommyzai]

Inputs: mic: 600ohm 0.19mV. aux: 100kohm 0.06V – Outputs: line (100k or more) – output (0dB) 0.775V – headphone 8 ohm (30mV)

What is the make/model of the recorder? Is it a Sony TC-366?

I do have an Audient iD14mk2. I'm sure I could go through this, but would that do an analog to digital and back to analog conversion? If I could use it as a direct box without introducing any conversion . . . that would be so convenient.

I'm not familiar with that model, but I would think that you could internally route the inputs directly to the outputs and avoid the D/A conversion? edit: just saw your previous posts.

This Audient unit does not have an option to bypass the converters. ;-( I decided to buy a cheap mixer to keep it analog. I was hoping for another option, but to keep things in the analog world until the final stage . . .

MACKIE 402-VLZ3 Premium 4-Channel Ultra-Compact Mixer

Screenshot 2024-12-12 at 12.04.24 PM.png

[cryophonik]

There you go. Looks like a perfect match for your recorder!

[tommyzai]

Thanks, guys. I really think I'm close to a unique and productive workflow.

[tommyzai]

My mixer purchase fell through. It didn't come with a power supply, which cost more than the unit itself. ;-0