Hi8 analog warmth for music recording

[EtherealWidow]

Just been listening to some vinyls lately and have been really inspired by how natural the music sounds. However, the only analog technology I'm likely able to afford would be some Hi8's I have lying around. Any ideas on how to maybe implement this for music recording applications?

So far, I'm thinking of getting a camcorder with the proper ins and outs and using a small mixer to send the digitally recorded signals to the camera, record them onto the tape, and then send them back into the DAW.

Opinions? Any merit to this?

[xtian]

I applaud your desire to use equipment that's on hand, but you'll get similar, but MUCH easier and more repeatable and more flexible results with a DAW plugin, like Tube Saturator from WaveArts:

http://wavearts.com/products/plugins/tube/

or … damn. Forgot the other one I like. Remembered: Vintage Warmer.

[Reeltarded]

PSP VW.

I don't add warmth to digital.

[LeftyStrat]

I haven't built this, but this circuit is supposed to simulate tape saturation. The original web site seems to have gone away. Here's the archive of the article:

http://web.archive.org/web/201004072222 ... pesat.html

[NickC]

Don't those Hi8 type recorders use PCM (pulse code modulation)? I used to use a Beta Video recorder (PCM) instead of a reel-to-reel for 2-track mix downs (a loooooooong time ago). It had become problematic (read: expensive) to maintain the former reel-to-reel machine. The Beta machine sounded decent, and tape was readily available and more affordable.

I do everything ITB lately. My favorite these days is the UAD-2 Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder Plug-In. It's like magic. In fact, as I type this the DAW is prepping to burn a CD of a circa 1980 session with 16 tracks by a three-piece acoustic trio. Wavelab has a chain of mastering plugs churning away, the last of which is the Ampex® ATR-102 plug. The original 1/4" 2-track tape was horribly degraded with print through problems and all manner of undesirable audio artifacts. My job was to run damage control on it and get it as listenable as possible. Those UA plugs really help achieve that.

[EtherealWidow]

Come on you guys. Plugins? Really? Why don't you just use dumble amp sims while you're at it! ReelTarded, I'm not sure what the first part of your post means. LeftyStrat , thanks for the schematic. I might have to try that out. Now I just have no idea what I'm going to do with this camera and all these tapes I have lying around.

P.S. I'm probably still going to download those plugins.

[xtian]

Reeltarded is echoing my recommendation: PSP Vintage Warmer. And then contradicting himself by saying, "I don't add warmth to digital." Par for the course!

[EtherealWidow]

Ah. Alright. That makes sense now. Well. Being that the circuit looks so neat, anyone got advice on which op amps to use? I don't know which ones are what quality. Also, anyone got any recommendations on a bipolar 15VDC power supply?

[Reeltarded]

I do use all the UAD stuff on mix. We have a quad II with the ATR and Studer too. There is no vintage warm, it's just convolutions of loss. Digital sounds too real.. good digital sounds too real.

My Studer settings for electric guitar look like a 100-5000Hz 12db bandpass and I turn off the noise.

[EtherealWidow]

The plugins look really nice. I little bit pricey though. I wouldn't say that digital sounds too real. Although there is less loss (depending on the resolution and sample rate that you're recording at) I'd say that a properly mastered analog track that's not smashed to crap sounds much more realistic somehow, despite all the quirkiness and loss. :/

[Reeltarded]

No way. I have been doing this since everything was analog.. deep analog. 1982 til present. There is a reason that symphonics were the leaders in digital, trust me.

[EtherealWidow]

Alright... So I've abandoned using Hi8. It does indeed use PCM. The tape saturation simulator schematic doesn't sound like tape from what I've heard from other people who have built it. I'm still reluctant to use plugins. I could find an old 8 track analog recorder, but I'm nervous because I'm buying something used and old. Worried about the condition of the tape heads and such.

I'm leaning toward buying a compact cassette deck now. I can get a decent new one for $100 and just record all my tracks onto that with a metronome, but I really don't know how much "tape warmth" that will offer.

What do you guys think? Please tell me what a want to hear!

[EtherealWidow]

Nevermind. I'm ditching all hope of real analog. Maybe I'll just buy some plugins.

[xtian]

Nevermind. I'm ditching all hope of real analog. Maybe I'll just buy some plugins.

Now you're getting it!

Seriously: PSP Vintage Warmer.