Today, I’m taking you to Studio DES for a digitization and tape transfer session of an Eddy Mitchell concert recorded in November 2000 at the Zénith in Lille.
For this concert, two Sony PCM 3348HR digital tape recorders were used to capture 48 tracks at 24-bit resolution and a 48 kHz sampling rate. The two machines ran in parallel, with a 5-minute offset between them. This setup ensured the full recording of the concert and provided a backup in case one of the recorders failed.
The transfer is done entirely in digital via a MADI interface integrated into the Sony tape machine. A precise synchronization is implemented, both for the clocks and the Time Code, allowing Pro Tools to display exactly the same Time Code as the one originally recorded on the tapes.
As always, the result when listening to these multitrack recordings is outstanding: the original sound is preserved with impressive dynamics and a very natural tone. This is also due to the NEVE console used during the recording, known for its excellent preamplifiers.
Sound engineer Poussin also let me listen to other transfers, this time from analog tapes. These were 2-inch, 24-track tapes recorded on STUDER 820 machines during studio sessions in the U.S. with Eddy Mitchell. The sound quality is equally remarkable, offering a natural and realistic rendering that faithfully reproduces the voice and instruments. These versions were digitized at 24-bit / 192 kHz resolution.
If you’d like to learn more about magnetic tape transfer and archiving, here’s a documentary (link) that explains the techniques and technologies behind different types of tape recorders.
A big thank you to sound engineer Poussin for the warm welcome at Studio DES. Below is a short video of the transfer session from the Sony 48-track digital recorder to Pro Tools. Enjoy the video!
Dear Jeanfrancois, where can i buy a download of the music mr Poussin has copied from tape?
Transfers as part of the record company’s backup of all tapes. They are not available for sale. But these tapes have been used for the production of albums, such as the live album released in 2001. Sound engineer Poussin also worked on Eddy Mitchell’s SACD “Frenchy Tour”.