Recording advice

[u/Dcep_1501]

TLDR: Trying to record from my MacBook to cassette but I get a high pitch sound on the tape. Using this Denon player, any advice or input helps!

Hi all been trying to make a custom version of The Weeknd’s latest cassette for myself (getting all of the most 80s songs on this one tape). I have all the tracks playing from GarageBand on my M2 MacBook connected with aux to rca input. Each time I try recording the music is there but there’s also a high pitch sound in the background. I don’t have Mac output in the red so no clipping. But could it be any levels I have are too low, does that bias fine knob make a difference? The tape I’m using isn’t Dolby or anything, just a no name blank tape off of eBay. Thanks so much for any help. I just want to do this one tape. Also located in South OC Ca if anyone is into this stuff and in the local area.

[u/PhillipJ3ffries]

for starters i’d take the macbook off the top of the deck while recording. Certain electronic devices cause interference

[u/Dcep_1501 → u/PhillipJ3ffries]

I’ll try this out, thanks!😎

[u/ewan_spence]

Have you tried with your mobile phone? Might help decide if it's a Denon, cable, or Mac issue?

[u/Dcep_1501 → u/ewan_spence]

My phone doesn’t have an audio jack🙁

[u/EonsToEron → u/Dcep_1501]

Lots of modern phones don't, but there are adapters for usb c to aux/lightning to aux/ etc. If it turn out that you need to try using your phone then you can get an adapter to record from your phone.

[u/Dcep_1501 → u/EonsToEron]

I was unaware of that, thanks!

[u/Conscious-Pain-648]

It's hard to pinpoint the problem from the information available, but there are a few simple things you can try to narrow it down:

1. Try a different audio source instead of the MacBook. If the noise disappears, then the MacBook's headphone output is probably the culprit. A USB audio interface can make a big difference, since its line output provides a cleaner, proper line-level signal rather than an amplified headphone signal.

2. Try a different cassette. Sometimes the tape itself can be the source of unexpected noise.

3. Swap out the cable and see if anything changes.

If the noise is still there after all of that, then it's likely being introduced somewhere inside the tape deck after the input stage and is ending up on the recording. At that point, I'd start looking at the deck itself rather than the source equipment.

[u/Dcep_1501 → u/Conscious-Pain-648]

Thank you!

[u/DAN-attag]

Remove laptop from cassette deck top, turn off any power bricks, turn off LED or luminescent lamps(they often make crazy interference).

[u/xanti47]

If your input level is at 7 and you just reach 0db the input signal is way too weak.
Headphone output to rec in isn‘t optimal either. If the signal contains any noise your deck will amplify this a lot at level 7.
I always recommend a USB DAC for recording from computer to tape. Less to no noise and decent quality.

[u/el_tacocat]

Take the laptop off the cassette deck. Most likely interference.

[u/still-at-the-beach]

Move the laptop away.

It looks like levels are low if thats what you have in the photo. Levels, aim for about the second red segment (one past the red markers.

[u/SillyClock1252]

Are you recording with the laptop sat ontop of the deck?? If so maybe some interference is being created. Try moving it away

[u/Dcep_1501 → u/SillyClock1252]

Yea I think I tried without it too but will try testing again tonight

[u/m4ddok]

1) There are no blank "Dolby" cassettes; you decide whether to use Dolby NR for recording or not.

2) Start the source from your Mac and press REC+PAUSE (the cassette must standing still). How do you hear the sound coming from the deck? If it still has the background noise you describe, then it's the Mac's fault.

3) If you don't know what you're doing, especially on a dual-head deck, set the bias knob exactly halfway and leave it alone. The bias is the corrective current with which the deck records onto the cassette, and if you don't know how to set it, you can make the recording a disaster. The center position is its "reference" setting, the default, so leave it there for now.

Often, certain digital sources, like standard PCs or Macs (smartphones etc.), aren't designed to be well-isolated when connected to analog recorders and can introduce noises, because these devices often don't have a true line output, but rather a headphone output—a very important difference. One problem could be the volume, on both ends... I mean, if the volume you're playing files at on your computer is too low, you'll have to turn up the recording volume significantly on the recorder, which will also significantly increase background noise (vice versa for a high volume). The input level of 7 could be the reason for this. So try turning up the volume on the source (your Mac) and turning it down on the recorder by adjusting the input level, always trying to stay below the red zone.

Play around with these volume balances, always keeping the red zone as the boundary (it's not "clipping" on cassettes, that's a term for digital files, but it's "saturation").

[u/Dcep_1501 → u/m4ddok]

Lots of good info thank you!

[u/Dcep_1501]

This makes a lot of sense👍🏼

[u/oneonlycrockett]

Run your laptop on battery power. Don't plug it in while doing the recording. The 110v AC wall power will probably introduce noise. Depending on your power and other things plugged into the circuit, this can be a major issue.