“The tapes sound beautiful. Thank you for the great job and the pleasant, courteous service.
It was a pleasure working with you.”

Restoration

Hidden away in attics, basements, closets and garages are old recordings of voices and music that have special meaning to someone. Restoration is the term we use for converting these unique sounds to compact disc.

Restoring a vintage recording is a far more sophisticated process than it may seem. Although eager amateurs may be more than willing to attempt such conversions, there is considerable risk involved in entrusting irreplaceable original recordings to someone who might either damage or destroy them altogether.

Aware clients understand the wisdom of having their priceless original acetates, vinyl discs and audiotapes professionally transferred to CD. The process begins by creating a digital sound file.
 

For example:

	In playing a disc recording, the stylus (needle) can skip a record groove – or become stuck in one.
	A 78 rpm disc requires a specific type of stylus for optimum sound transfer.
	Old open-reel tapes may contain splices that fail on playback.
	Even when properly handled, an old, brittle tape may break and require repair.
	There are a variety of playback speeds and head configurations to be considered.
	Vintage audiocassettes may have become tangled or broken; pressure pads may be missing.

Nearly all of these matters can be addressed using specialized methods developed in this studio since 1967. Once an original is playing properly, the digital sound file can be created with the highly skilled use of a digital workstation. Digitizing is truly necessary. These are the reasons why.

	Program Recording Level There is a rather strict limit to the absolute recording level acceptable by a compact disc. Beyond that limit, distortion becomes both immediate and severe. Careful use of the digital workstation allows determining the overall level of original recordings as well as the exact locations of occasional peaks. Once digitized, the level can then be set precisely for distortion-free transfer to CD.
	Program Length Professional CDs may contain a maximum of 80 minutes of audio. Longer programs may require additional discs. Use of the digital workstation in dubbing to CD allows determining the exact running time of the program, as well as where a longer program might be appropriately divided for transfer to two or more discs.
	Program Condition The greatest benefit of the digital process is the capacity to repair, restore or enhance poor-sounding recordings. Background sounds can be reduced, voices brought further forward, unwanted music or dialogue deleted, missing sections restored, annoying noises corrected, speed and pitch adjusted and monaural recordings enhanced for a pleasant stereo effect. All of these benefits are available to you only through the skilled, creative use of digital audio.

Delivery
When bringing an original recording here for restoration, here are some hints:
 

	Whatever it may be, don’t attempt to play it first. Without meaning to, you may cause harm.
	Carry open reel and cassette tapes in a clean paper or plastic bag.
	Disc recordings may be delivered in their original sleeves or jackets. Or, line a clean, unused corrugated cardboard pizza box with ordinary writing paper. Separate multiple discs with additional paper, then carry flat.

Rates

Cleaning a 12" disc recording	Free
Create a digital sound file from your original material	$35.00
Trim heads & tails to eliminate sounds of needle drop and liftoff	$2.00
Calibrate noise reduction software to reduce surface noise	$10.00
Optimize recording levels, from	$5.00
Divide material into separate tracks for easy access, approximately	$16.00
Create AIFF files for transfer to CD, approximately	$20.00
Compact disc in standard jewel-box from (Please ask about quantity discounts.)	$3.90
Approximate Total	$91.90

Extras
 

Correct disc mistracking, labor charge per minute	$1.00
Splice open-reel tape, per splice	$1.00
Audiocassette repair	$15.00
May include splicing, replacing internal parts or new shell.
Create individual track Ids, each, from	$2.00
Letter-quality black & white CD label, from	$1.00
Design of full-color custom CD cover, from	$25.00
Additional covers	$2.40
Design letter-quality tray liner with song titles or other information, from	$10.00
Additional tray liners	$1.60

Summary Skilled, creative use of digital audio to determine and then control the volume, length and condition of your original recordings provides you with maximum sound quality in transfer to compact disc. The secret, of course, is not the system but the operator.

King Street Recording Company
610-647-4341
kingstreetrecord@aol.com

© 2010 King Street Recording Company