Re: [ARSCLIST] Audio restoration software for Pro Tools

[George Brock-Nannestad <pattac@xxxxxxxx>]

From: Patent Tactics, George Brock-Nannestad

Hello Diederick and consultants,

----- it is good that you gave us the purpose of your acquisition wishes:

> We would mainly be using the software in the digitization of the music 
> library's collection of old transcription and other recordings (tape, 
> cassette, 33rpm, 78rpm).  We are therefore looking at software that would
> enable us to do a satisfactory job.  

----- I think that it could be useful for you to separate the digitization 
from signal treatment, such as that available from the providers you mention, 
because your ProTools already contains what you need, signal-wise. From what 
you wrote, it seems you will want both to convert for preservation purposes 
and to make listenable distribution versions.

----- The reasoning is as follows: we have analogue sources, a digital 
storage medium (or system, which is the current thinking), and then the 
separate wish to make the stored information listenable. All the signal 
processing tools are used for is to make the stored information listenable. 
It would be entirely wrong to the use manipulated signals as archival copies, 
because they would only represent the state of the art in manipulation A.D. 
2006 (and a personal taste as well). All the software tools (at least for 
mechanical recordings) prefer that no EQ is applied to the signal from the 
transducer. So, the logical thing is to get the best representation of the 
mechanical signal and store that digitally as a raw archival copy, and then 
apply EQ, noise manipulation, even speed correction, to the stored digital 
signal when needed. To try to listen to it straight from the DAC would not be 
a pleasant experience and irrelevant.

----- This would seem to indicate that you should put your money into the 
primary transfer to digital, i.e. a good turntable, tape recorder, cassette 
reproducer, with good stylii, pickups, adjustable tape heads, and a good ADC. 
The latter you will probably already have, otherwise use at least 20 bit, 
96kHz. Use meta-data for storing the actual catalogue data and the replay 
conditions (speed, pickup, pickup transfer function) for each selection.

----- The point is that once you have a good digital representation, you can 
use any software tool later and have the advantage of improved performance, 
if you only need it at a later time. But the results will never be better 
than your primary transfer. That is the real hurdle!

Kind regards,


George