Re: [ARSCLIST] Archiving at double speed

[Bob Wasserman <rawasserman@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I agree with Rob. Content can drive the recording quality decision. Before we started doing realtime digital masters at the same time we make reel masters, we used to copy oral history project cassette tapes at double speed onto quality reel decks. I would sometimes run through an eq, adjusting by testing the resulting tape played back at half(normal) speed. The end result user copy cassette would be quite intelligible. The original recordings were not hi-fi to begin with typically anyway. This would not result in a good preservation master per say, but at the time we were getting in dozens of interviews a week and had to quickly send copies to the interviewees and the book writers on staff and the words, not the audio, were the most important thing. 
	Some of material more recently has been used for radio/tv/film/web, and I make a good realtime copy at that time, but some people have even been happy with the double speed mastered copies since they highly process the audio in editing anyway or ends up as low-fi web files.

>RP)   Once again, it's all relative.  I'm sure they use the same testing
>procedures for *all* systems.  I know that this group has changed their
>testing procedures in the past to make sure that the specific approach is as
>unbiased as possible.  I believe they are re-doing one of those tests now...
>
>I agree with the rest of your statements as they contextually discuss "oral
>history".  The frequency response and necessity for "absolute fidelity" is
>obviously less on voice (especially when the original quality is poor), than
>with music.

>You should always consider the source and the *use* of the material - and
>other variables - when trying to make this decision.... And as you say:
>today, SRC would be the last thing to worry about.

>Cheers!

>Rob

Robert Wasserman
Rawasserman@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sound Archives Proj. Asst./Lead Tech.
Wisconsin Historical Society
608-264-6473