Archiving Audio

When we say Archiving Audio, we mean the act of recording cherished audio to a newer format so that it can be more easily played and also preserved in a more pristine condition.  The goal of archival is to capture the exact essence of a recording without really changing it.  In audio archival, most filtering is frowned upon, but only you know if you prefer to remove noise that may be obscuring the sound itself and only you can judge the best course of action.  Luckily, our tools are designed in a sophisticated manner that you have numerous options available and you can let your ears be the judge.  If your preservation is dictated to go from its original recording medium directly to digital tape or another digital device, the Enhanced Audio products (DC SIX and DC LIVE/Forensics) even allow the engineer to use the computer as a go-between.  With this method, you just run your audio through the computer en route to the storage facility and remove noise without ever recording to the hard drive.  For large projects, this can save an engineer hours of recording and playback time.  

Why would you want to archive your audio with all the noise and imperfections intact?

The reason that serious archivists don't do any type of processing is simple - it's likely that in the future, our restoration and enhancement tools will be even better than they are today.  Therefore, it makes sense to make a very high quality copy of a unique recording and save that for those future audio engineers.  This way, they can use state of the art tools to restore the audio in the year 2525.  Most archivists today use high quality sound cards and record at 24bit/96khz.  Don't forget, you can always restore your audio today from your master archived copy.

Why would I want to archive my audio at all?  

Most end users probably won't need to do traditional archiving.  But everyone who has records or tapes will find that they have a clock built into them which is counting down every day to it's ultimate destruction.  They will not last forever and will, sooner or later, deteriorate and be unplayable.  This is already happening to 1960s tapes and older acetate recordings.  Many of what we consider "master recordings" today, will no longer exist in their original form in the future.  A superb copy will have to suffice.

General Record Archival Techniques 

The process of archiving your records can be just about as complicated as you'd like it to be.  There are numerous steps suggested by the true audiophiles...most of us choose the ones we find most important and throw the rest out with the bathwater.  We'll list all of these here as mini-topics...feel free to launch as many as you care about.  

Tape Archival Techniques

Like record restoration, there are countless articles and opinions on how to best preserve and archive your precious and slowly dying audio tape collection.  The following hints are mostly agreed upon and safe to try.  

Choosing The Tools

Screen Shot

LIVE mode can be a wonderful tool for audio archivists who are using digital tape or another digital source as their storage facility.  This allows you to pass the audio through DC SIX or LIVE/Forensics' filters without having to record the audio first.  For large projects and short deadlines, this simple process can save countless hours.  This screen shows you the Multi-Filter in LIVE mode. 

An Educated Taste Test

How much of a difference can the Enhanced Audio products make in your audio life?  Why don't you try them for yourself?  We have demos and Getting started tutorial guides for both products listed below.  Download both the demo and the Getting Started Tutorial guide...the tutorials don't take a great deal of time, but they give you a fantastic idea just how powerful our products are.  

We've provided Record Restoration Quick Start guides for both DC SIX and DC Millennium.  The Getting Started Guides are in PDF form and only depend on you using the demo versions of both products.  These tutorials do not take a great deal of time, but they are jam-packed with info and perfect for quickly learning both products.  By now, you've probably decided on either a $59 or $199 investment...depending on the feature set you liked the best.  Just download either of the Getting Started Guides along with the demos and you'll be ready to start real 45 Record Restoration. These are PDF files and best viewed with Adobe Acrobat.  This is a free software product that you can download at www.download.com

Example Files

This is a typical old recording of a 78 RPM record.  We used a variety of filters to remove the clicks, pops, hiss and other disturbances.  With 78 Record Restoration, the goals are similar to any other record restoration...to make your file sound authentic, yet noise free and clean.

Will I Need Anything Else?

Each and every system is different.  You've also got to know what it will take to make your ears happy.  For example...Sound Blasters are very popular sound cards...unfortunately, popularity doesn't make them good...just popular.  There are potentially many products that could help you...depending on the scale of the restoration project you want to undertake.  We've created a page that outlines many of these product categories, plus the individual products that we recommend.  Just click here to go there.

Personal Forensics Investigation

$99 Evaluation

DC 8 Software Training DVD

$39

Better Audio Restorations Training DVD

This detailed introduction to the Zen of Audio Restoration features a beginner's guide to restoration software.  Make the most of your restoration software

DC LIVE/Forensics

There is simply no better Audio Forensics product on the market.  You can pay thousands more, but if you're clarifying noisy recordings or even running live audio surveillance, DC LIVE/Forensics is the best in the business.  $1499

Advanced Forensics Concepts Using DC LIVE/Forensics DVD

The in depth walkthrough covers all of the great new features of DC/LIVE/Forensics 7.5.  $59

Audio Mentor

New Price $29!

This intelligent wizard helps any user instantly achieve spectacular results.  Mentor takes you by the hand and gets you from the Record or Tape to CD in several painless steps. 

Learning The CNF DVD

Go "under the hood" of the continuous noise filter.  This in depth training course will help any level user achieve better results with this powerful filter.

Computer Transfer Preamps

Automatic Forensics Adaptive Filter VST Plug-In

Virtual Valve Tube Simulation VST Plug-In

Add real tube sound to any music file an instantly add the warmth and depth that only real tubes can provide.  This new VST Plug In is useful in so many ways that you'll instantly find it your favorite plug-in.  Only $99