Audacity Forum

I have Ocean Drive CD, and Track 1 running time is 3:46. When I check Audaciy,, it runs at 347.04625, and was wondering how is this possible? Reason why I'm asking, I transferring the cassette version, and would have the cassette versions to be as close to CD version.

An error that small could be down to how they counted the fades on both ends. A cassette version of the same song is likely to be far worse off due to the error on the tape management. Unless you have a Nakamichi or other fine deck, tape speed regulation is awful.

Koz

I havea steepletone, stereo with deck.

I doubt the cassette is poor. When I convert to MP3, running time is 3:47

The Steepletone is hardly a hi-fi device ( unlike the Nakamichi that Koz mentions) rather is a budget-priced home entertainment device and thus I would not expect miracles from it in terms of accuracy and fidelity.

WC

If you've also got the CD version, why on earth are you even attemting to convert the cassette tape version?

WC

RunrigCorvusCoraxFan wrote:I doubt the cassette is poor.

I would certainly be suspicious of the tape, over time tape stretches a little (not always constantly) and degrades (the neighbouring layers magnetic fields bleed into each other, called print-through).

One thing you could try is: before you make the recording rewind the tape to the end and back again so that it has a chance of being spooled correctly. Just take care as it approaches the ends as I suspect the Steepletone lacks an EOT (end of tape) detector and sophisticated braking system.

WC

Tapes imv sounds better; also sometimes you get a mix or a b-side only available on the cassette.

For example, on Postcards From Heaven singlee, Cassette, you get a demo of Let It All Change, which isn;t on CD, mixes only on vinyl/cassette, and not on CD. LHF - Free cassette has a longer version of It's A Beautiful Day, different production, and a vinyl only mix.