Music transfer from reel to reel

I have some old reel to reel tapes that were don on and old RCA YJG42E Reel to Reel Tape Recorder. It had 2 tracks per side of each tape and 3 speeds. I do not have the old player anymore so I sent the tapes to South tree to have them transferred in order to hear them and enjoy. Well when I got my order back one was transferred at Micky Mouse speed. They gave me your site to see what I could. Well I am here and would like some help. How do I do it please. I have never used anything like this and would like to see if this group has any ideas. Thanks Can I post an email or just keep checking back???

The [u]Change Speed Effect[/u] can be used to slow it down. It’s exactly like changing the analog speed where speed & pitch are changed together. I’d guess it’s double speed so you should cut the speed in half… All of the standard tape-speeds were factors of two.

Well when I got my order back one was transferred at Micky Mouse speed.

Not very professional!


Can I post an email or just keep checking back???

Just click “Reply” to continue the discussion here. There is no email support and posting publicly allows anyone to join-in and help, plus other people can read the discussions which sometimes helps with their particular problem.

Next question, I also have a newer AKI machine. Can I plug in it to my lap top to transfer tapes?? I also would like to do lps,45s and cassetes.

I have one of the turn tables that I can plug into a computer but have never used it. Are they hard to use and easy to work?

I also have a newer AKI machine. Can I plug in it to my lap top to transfer tapes?? I also would like to do lps,45s and cassetes

Probably not. :frowning: You need a line-input (usually color-coded blue on a regular soundcard in a desktop/tower computer).

Most laptops only have mic-in and headphone-out.

You can use a USB audio interface with line inputs. The [u]Behringer UCA202[/u] is popular and inexpensive and Behringer makes a couple of other similar interfaces.

Note that the “cheap” Behringer doesn’t have a recording-level control. Low levels are not a problem with digital recording. You can boost after recording. But if the signal is too hot you’ll clip (overload & distort) the analog-to-digital converter inside the interface and that’s not fixable. I haven’t heard of many complaints of that with the Behringer so it probably has plenty of headroom with normal line-level signals, but it’s a potential issue.

Or, there are lots of higher-end interfaces with switchable mic/line inputs and these all have level controls. The cheap Behringer doesn’t have an analog recording-volume Do NOT buy a regular little “USB soundcard”. They are like laptops with only mic-in and headphone-out.

I have one of the turn tables that I can plug into a computer but have never used it. Are they hard to use and easy to work?

I assume it has a USB connection? That’s fairly straightforward. Just select the USB device as your Recording Device in Audacity. And make sure both Windows and Audacity are set for stereo… Same thing if you use a USB interface.



P.S.
If your analog equipment doesn’t have line-outputs (usually [u]RCA connectors[/u]), a headphone output will also work into a line-input as long as you have the right cable/adapters.