2. analog
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An analog question for those who record

I am going to buy either a reel to reel or a VHS recorder to record my vinyl onto for repeated playbacks. Is recording vinyl possible by simply hooking my preamp up to a VCR hitting record and dropping the needle. This would be ideal as it has a long run time via the VCR tapes. I have heard VCRS have good analog sound. Should I just go with a reel to reel? Cassettes arent really an option but I have heard some recordings from vinyl onto cassette that sound great. I also am aware of digital recording using audacity and have used it hundreds of times. However I like analog and if I want digital I will just pop in a cd. Do you think there would be a huge difference in the quality one way or another.
davidnboone
hxt1
141 posts
 
Yes, the korg-2000 is really truly excellent (and this is from an analog guy)
But if you want to stay analog, go with reel to reel.
Good tape isn't hard to find , RMGI makes it, and yes it's pricey, but it will last for ages if stored properly.
VHS hi-fi was a kickass medium for straight audio, but useless for searching out tracks and yes, prett well obsolete.
Reel to reel is far from dead, once you've heard a tape project release, or better yet, a 15ips safety master dub, you will be forever ruined.
Until, of course, you get your own!
Lol...
grbluen2
38 posts
 
I use vhs for those moments when I want to avoid flipping the lp. I've been happy with the quality and the ability to play for hours on EP. I'm not sure that I would use it for critical listening. I use an old pioneer cassette deck for setting the levels. The system works pretty good, but I've noticed added bass from the recording (probably from the pioneer).
Don
les_creative_edge
174 posts
 
Years ago (early 90's) I did a bit of hi-fi audio recording on a VHS Hi-Fi vcr. Tapes sounded great. Did not do much of it as I was more likely to record onto cassette for my car audio system. Fast forward to modern times. I from 2008 onwards added some cassette decks to my gear to archive many of my LP's to get a good analogue copy of my LP's and to have fun with such. I added a reel to reel about a year ago and it was a fun medium but very costly to buy good tape stock for. Fidelity was great though.

Most recently I reacquired a VHS HiFi vcr and began to make some tape dubs off my vinyl and IMO the audio fidelity is near impeccable to the original source. One would have to under the highest scrutiny listen to hear much a difference between a Hi-fi vcr tape and the source. Of course VHS is a more cumbersome format for search and for doing any heavy editing, but for archiving LP's or CD's one can get at the fast speed on a T-120 tape 2 hours of audio and at EP speed 6 hours with no loss in fidelity. IMPRESSIVE!

BUT! On must search out older vcrs say from the late 80's to the early 90's as these had better design and most often included manual record level settings. Late 90's to more current 2000's deck were/are just built rather cheap.
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