Dats Transfers

Digital Audio Tape was developed by Sony and introduced in 1987 as a potential successor to analogue compact cassettes for sound recording and playback, although this aim was never fully realised in practice.

It is a tape-based digital signal recording and playback medium using 4mm wide tape. Like videocassettes, DAT is based on the technology of tape passing over a rotating head allowing a helical scan to record data. Recordings are commonly made at 32, 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling rates at 16 bit resolution.

DAT found its niche in professional recording studios in the 1990s, but nowadays is becoming less common due to the prevalence of hard-disk recording technology. DAT was not widely adopted by the domestic market either, mainly due to the cost of the format. However, ‘home’ recordings do still exist, but are becoming difficult to play.

 

 

Sony pcm-7040 & R500 DAT Recorder

DAT to CD transfer is performed operating at a sampling rate of either 44.1 or 48 kHz, before transfer to CD.

The lower sampling rate of 32kHz (long-play recordings) are transcribed using a Tascam  deck.

Individual songs are separated to give full track skip/search functions. CD text and on-CD printing are added for convenience, and your disc is returned to you in a CD jewel case.

Longer transfers may require a second disc, and these are returned in a double CD jewel case.

Alternative file formats (wave .mp3) can also be accommodated if preferred.

 he ‘true’ art of the audio restorer is to know how far to take the cleaning process. Applying insufficient restoration will result in an ineffective end result, as residual clicks, crackle and other surface noise will remain unnecessarily. On the other hand, excessive digital processing can lead to the introduction of unwanted artefacts which is unacceptable. The secret is to get the balance right.