Digitizing Cassettes

If you have suggestions on how to improve this document, or find mistakes, please send them to ilslabs@nulluu.nl

This how-to describes the process of transferring audio recordings from audio cassettes to WAV files.
At the moment we still have one device capable of playing cassettes, and it’s currently set up in K.06

1. Power on the device. Check that the dummy speaker plug (3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter) is connected, as this will silence the internal boombox speaker:

2. Open Audacity

3. Change mic input to USB Audio CODEC:

4. Start playing the tape

5. Click on Click to Start Monitoring, you should be able to see the input signal on the sound meter:

6. The input signal should now be audible on the headphones. Adjust the gain on the audio interface, ideally the CLIP lamp shouldn’t turn on:

7. Back in Audacity, click the record button to start recording. Click stop when done.

8. When the recording is done go to the File menu and choose Export as WAV

9. Save the recording in your project folder (Network drives → O-drive → …)