What are you people using lately for duplicating tapes?
Any reliable service out there?
I'm about to try with mobineko for the first time...
Do you have any tips, recommendations, experiences you would share? Thanks, much appreciated
duplication.ca is always the bomb. I have never had a bad experience with them.
If you are in Europe you might try Tape Muzik (if you haven't done it already).
But isn't Tape Muzik a pain to use with all their GEMA processing applications? What are everyone's experiences with that?
That GEMA procedure is annoying, but it should not be a problem. You just sent in the info on the release (artist, track titles etc), get a confirmation from GEMA and forward this to Tape Muzik.
In Europe (NL) i've worked with http://www.debandjesfabriek.nl/ and had a good experience, fast turnover time too.
Quote from: Euro Trash Bazooka on February 15, 2021, 09:53:09 AM
But isn't Tape Muzik a pain to use with all their GEMA processing applications? What are everyone's experiences with that?
I use their parent company RAND Muzik for most of my vinyl, and they require the GEMA thing for every project. I guess it's logical that they'd want this for tapes too, even though it seems ridiculous. It's definitely annoying and confusing to navigate at first but not too bad once you figure it out. Basically have to get a document from GEMA proving the "songs" aren't registered with them. Just means filling out a specific form you DL off the GEMA site and emailing it to them, then you get a letter in the mail a few days later and have to scan it and send it to the pressing plant. If anyone needs the form and a more specific walk through, let me know. Super German process...
Thanks a lot for the replies about Tape Muzik!
Here's what they say on their website.:
For EVERY sound carrier duplication (duplicated cassettes) we therefore require the delivery license of a collecting society (in Germany GEMA). The production should be registered in the country where the distribution of the cassettes will take place. The application or the production notification is NOT sufficient. In the best case, processing times for the application should be planned before the order is placed.
That means, if I get it right, that I should register whatever I want to press through them with the SACEM (the French equivalent of GEMA), which I will never do.
The only time I played a more "serious" official festival that was funded by the state and stuff, they gave us official pay slips for the time spent playing at the end of the gig, and registered that stuff through the SACEM as they were "broadcasting live music" or something. We ended having to pay the SACEM back for playing live on an official event and the pay slip (the biggest we've ever had, a nice 3-figure amount) didn't even cover what we owed back. So I guess that means no Tape Muzik for me...
Quote from: Euro Trash Bazooka on February 15, 2021, 06:38:03 PM
The application or the production notification is NOT sufficient. In the best case, processing times for the application should be planned before the order is placed.
That’s an interesting bit, because I’ve typically used the confirmation letter that GEMA sends once they receive the application, and that has sufficed for RAND. I get usually get a super thick envelope from GEMA MONTHS later where they’ve processed the application, determined the music I’m pressing doesn’t belong to GEMA and a bill for “€0.00”. If they need THIS now, they’ve just lost another customer because it takes way too long.
However, to your concern Remi, I don’t think you’re required to register the music with GEMA/SACEM etc. but rather produce a document proving to Tape Muzik that you’re music is NOT registered with SACEM. It’s still all a bit of black magic to me but that’s my understanding. What a racket...
Quote from: W.K. on February 15, 2021, 08:51:48 PM
CYA I guess, aren't they also anal about illegal downloading in Germany?
Yeah people can get fines of approx 1000eu for downloading torrents, Germans are generally pedantic about anything that could possibly involve paperwork. GEMA is an irritating pyramid scheme that charges everyone doing anything involved with music, and it goes mostly to Sony, BMG, etc. You can do the paperwork to opt-out with RAND, and even though it's the same company I've heard people having issues with TAPE muzik, someone I know couldn't get them to dub him 20 tapes even after I showed him how to do the same paperwork that RAND accepts. This was several years ago though so maybe it's changed since.
Monotype in Poland also offers tape duplication, the quotes I got look pretty good for around 100 tapes but I haven't used them so I'm not sure about how they are dubbed or quality.
Tapeline are a super annoying to deal with when it comes to duplication and Fairview botched a few jobs I've done through them before. And with Brexit and the ultra expensive fees I got to pay to weeks ago, I'm done ordering from the UK for a while.
Also, I'm not afraid of paperwork, I work for the French administration and crushing people under tons of paperwork for the most inane request is what we do (OK, we're trying to get better at that, I swear.) But registering your music is useless as far as I'm concerned. I don't care about copyrights, no one is going to use a shitty snippet of us yelling obscenities in a microphone and make billions of dollars on our backs using it in a commercial (I dare you.)
As for laws against digital downloading, the French one cost 82 000 000 € to the taxpayers since it was implemented in 2009 and they made 87 000€ back out of it so far. They're withdrawing it in 2022.
And I saw Monotype too but I need less tapes done than the minimum quantity they offer...
And Oskar, fair enough and thanks! I just don't want to deal with that kind of stuff more than I should haha.
Quote from: W.K. on February 15, 2021, 08:51:48 PM
Italy
Vinilificio: http://www.vinilificio.com/?lang=en
Vinilificio is literally 10 minutes walk from my house. Not very convenient for tapes (he's just a broker as far as I know) but very interesting for extra short run vinyl.
United States:
National Audio Company - https://www.nationalaudiocompany.com/
Have dealt with them in the past and had good experiences. Most recently there was one job that I was unhappy with and ended up having to cancel which cost me... Guess they are now also rolling out new Type I tape that is supposedly better than the one in use before... Guess that's a trend - feel like I read somewhere that duplication.ca is working with something like that now as well.
A to Z Audio - http://www.atozaudio.com/
Cryptic Carousel - https://store.crypticcarousel.com/
Have not dealt with either of these outfits...just wanted to add them to the list.
Related note:
I've been sourcing all my blanks from duplication.ca in Canada for years and have nothing but good experiences when it comes to that.
Thanks for your tips. As that GEMA seems too painful to deal I believe I prefer to try Mobineko or maybe edisco in Portugal if I can arrange something easy with them.
In any case, I'll let you know later how it goes
Edisco is very easy to deal with and I used them a few times a few years ago, until I wasn't satisfied with a job I sent them (they kind of ruined the mix of the tape.) But the prices were good and the turnaround ok.
Quote from: Potier on February 16, 2021, 04:14:49 AM
A to Z Audio - http://www.atozaudio.com/
I used A to Z about 10 years ago and remember the customer service was very good.
Now I always go through duplication.ca on account of the local factor, but it's free shipping to Canada/USA at any rate.
Unfortunately, having tapes pro-dubbed is not cheap these days.
Would be very interested in hearing reports from people about the sound quality of pro-dubbed tapes from various places they've worked with. General loudness, low end, high end, signal:noise ratio etc. I've definitely played some pro-dubbed tapes that sound quite solid, and some that don't.
Also have noticed that often with pro-dubbed tapes, my tape deck starts stopping periodically mid way while playing them the first time. Sometimes remedies after I've gotten through both sides, then plays back fine. As if there's some issue with the slack/tension in how the tape is wound in the dubbing process. Could be in part due to something off/wrong with my deck - anyone else ever experience something like this?
Quote from: WCN on February 17, 2021, 04:07:58 PM
Also have noticed that often with pro-dubbed tapes, my tape deck starts stopping periodically mid way while playing them the first time. Sometimes remedies after I've gotten through both sides, then plays back fine. As if there's some issue with the slack/tension in how the tape is wound in the dubbing process. Could be in part due to something off/wrong with my deck - anyone else ever experience something like this?
This used to be a
very common problem with Duplication.ca, but thankfully seems to be less of an issue now. It also seems like it happens more when ordering blanks for home dubbing. It must be a tension thing during the plant's winding process.
I've had the same thing happen with pro-dubs, although not super frequently. When it gets stuck I find flipping the tape, rewinding passed the part where it sticks, and then flipping, rewinding, and playing again works.
Quote from: absurdexposition on February 17, 2021, 04:38:01 PMIt must be a tension thing during the plant's winding process.
I've definitely had frequent jams when dubbing and I too think it's a tension issue. If I manually loosen the leader with my finger I have no problems. I kind of thought it was my tape deck!!
Quote from: holy ghost on February 17, 2021, 08:04:06 PM
Quote from: absurdexposition on February 17, 2021, 04:38:01 PMIt must be a tension thing during the plant's winding process.
I've definitely had frequent jams when dubbing and I too think it's a tension issue. If I manually loosen the leader with my finger I have no problems. I kind of thought it was my tape deck!!
Once had to get them to replace a full run of 100 blanks due to so many of them being affected. I think they had to retire that entire colour temporarily because I wasn't the only one with the issue.
Same as well, that stuff often happens to me when I play newer tapes for the first time. It doesn't happen with my older ones.
And I'm about to send a project to Debandjesfabriek in Holland. Good contact, decent prices,. We'll see how it comes out.
The few times I needed it, I used Brutallica in Bulgaria: excellent service and cheap prices. Unfortunately, he tended (2-3 years ago, don´t know now) to take more work than he can afford to manage, so delays could incur, but still pretty good.
Quote from: absurdexposition on February 17, 2021, 04:38:01 PM
Quote from: WCN on February 17, 2021, 04:07:58 PM
Also have noticed that often with pro-dubbed tapes, my tape deck starts stopping periodically mid way while playing them the first time. Sometimes remedies after I've gotten through both sides, then plays back fine. As if there's some issue with the slack/tension in how the tape is wound in the dubbing process. Could be in part due to something off/wrong with my deck - anyone else ever experience something like this?
This used to be a very common problem with Duplication.ca, but thankfully seems to be less of an issue now. It also seems like it happens more when ordering blanks for home dubbing. It must be a tension thing during the plant's winding process.
Well, my thoughts are that it can be cause a variety of reasons. To be honest i dont see how tension could be responsible unless two layers of tape were kinda glued together. So much slack in the middle of a wounded tape to cause a problem seems impossible to me. If we exclude deck's general problem [cause it would show itself very frequently] , my bet is that responsible is bad shape hub, and too tight closed shell combination, that at some point maybe get it stuck. Yes, after a play and its rotation, with the tape nicely wounded it may fix itself. I would also suggest you try to loose cassette screws just a little if they are too tight.
On my quartz locked direct drive / gear idler deck i only had this problem twice, with hundreds of tapes played. One stopped cause tape was glued close to leadin/out joint. The other, the hub was stuck, couldnt rotate even by pen initially, till i move it up-down, left-right, and then relaxed the screws to help it from now on. - My point is that a belt driven / idler tire deck probably wont be that good handling these difficulties / faulty tapes, even if its rubbers are of excellent quality / condition , and autostop will be engaged much easier. Very thin tapes dont help too.
Fuck these things can be a mystery, really. Many things involved.
Tapes are mysterious indeed. Curious how some tapes produce issues on some tape decks but not others. The first Wagner Ödegaard tapes from a few years ago started making odd clicking sounds on the tape deck in my living room, but play fine on the Marantz PMD 430 in the studio. I don't know if they were home-dubbed but they certainly look pro. Had a similar issue with an old Furze cassette which I thought was busted (warbly) but sounds good on the deck I'm using now.
More directly on topic though, we have also always had good experiences with Duplication out of Canada. A bit pricey, but it's always sounded good.
Duplication.ca was my go to source for blank for years and I never had problems. Fast shipping, sometimes they'd throw in a couple extra blanks, etc. However the only time I used their pro dub services, things were nothing but trouble the whole way. Three test tapes had to be rejected before I got one that sounded correct, then when the batch of tapes showed up, at least two out of three had the problem with the test tapes (the bass was way too high in the mix for some reason, not an issue with the files or when I did a home dub as a test).
I got sent a new batch of 100 for free (admittedly very nice on their end, was not expecting that). Unfortunately, those are messed up too. So I now go through each copy and erase and dub over. I'll be switching to NAC from now on (or at least for pro dubs plus a stack of some quality Technics decks are on the way to me so there's that too!)
I've been using NAC off and on for my pro-duplicated jobs for the last 7 years and have never had any problems or complaints. Most recently I used them for the Screloma reissues. When I got the masters and later the the actual order I did several comparison listens between the original CDs and the tapes and was very happy with the sound. Those were done on NAC's in-house super-ferric tape. I also think NAC typically dubs at just the right volume allowing for a crisp and clear dub that's not under a bunch of hiss.
I do miss when they had a variety of tape options though. I did a chrome tape job in 2015 that came out sounding amazing, especially since the music was IDM type stuff.
For my home dubbed stuff I normally get tapes from tapes.com. Haven't had any consistent or notable issues there either and haven't heard any complaints about the sound quality on those releases. Since I only live a state away I also tend to get my tapes in 72 hours which is nice.
I keep forgetting tapes.com, I'll give them a try for blanks. Ebay has also been a decent source of type II tapes when people aren't jacking the prices up.
Here's hoping NAC delivers with the new formula. If it's not anything special, it's really not the worst thing to go to type I's for dubbing. Not optimal, but it is what it is.
Quote from: [MBD] on February 18, 2021, 01:09:07 PM
Duplication.ca was my go to source for blank for years and I never had problems. Fast shipping, sometimes they'd throw in a couple extra blanks, etc. However the only time I used their pro dub services, things were nothing but trouble the whole way. Three test tapes had to be rejected before I got one that sounded correct, then when the batch of tapes showed up, at least two out of three had the problem with the test tapes (the bass was way too high in the mix for some reason, not an issue with the files or when I did a home dub as a test).
I got sent a new batch of 100 for free (admittedly very nice on their end, was not expecting that). Unfortunately, those are messed up too. So I now go through each copy and erase and dub over. I'll be switching to NAC from now on (or at least for pro dubs plus a stack of some quality Technics decks are on the way to me so there's that too!)
Can I ask if you were having your stuff dubbed in real-time or high speed?
Quote from: theworldisawarfilm on February 18, 2021, 05:21:49 PM
Can I ask if you were having your stuff dubbed in real-time or high speed?
Real time, I forget what they said to explain the poor quality but it didn't make any sense. Something to do with the track being to bass heavy when a quick look on my end didn't show anything too wild.
Quote from: [MBD] on February 18, 2021, 05:28:46 PM
Quote from: theworldisawarfilm on February 18, 2021, 05:21:49 PM
Can I ask if you were having your stuff dubbed in real-time or high speed?
Real time, I forget what they said to explain the poor quality but it didn't make any sense. Something to do with the track being to bass heavy when a quick look on my end didn't show anything too wild.
Sounds about right. My last run came out okay, so maybe things have changed. But lets just say I know a guy who maybe worked there once and for a long time the individual in charge of RT dubbing was, shall we say, 'unqualified' in the extreme...
Quote from: theworldisawarfilm on February 18, 2021, 05:21:49 PM
Sounds about right. My last run came out okay, so maybe things have changed. But lets just say I know a guy who maybe worked there once and for a long time the individual in charge of RT dubbing was, shall we say, 'unqualified' in the extreme...
Damn. This happened late last spring so I don't know if the time frame lines up, but a lack of knowledge with dubbing would make sense.
Quote from: absurdexposition on February 17, 2021, 12:50:34 AM
Quote from: Potier on February 16, 2021, 04:14:49 AM
A to Z Audio - http://www.atozaudio.com/
I used A to Z about 10 years ago and remember the customer service was very good.
Now I always go through duplication.ca on account of the local factor, but it's free shipping to Canada/USA at any rate.
Unfortunately, having tapes pro-dubbed is not cheap these days.
this is my go to - great customer service and quick turnaround.
Quote from: holy ghost on February 12, 2021, 06:55:49 PMduplication.ca is always the bomb. I have never had a bad experience with them.
Same here, always been top notch for me too. They have a pretty quick turn around to, most of the time.
Was quoted for 9 weeks turnaround just recently. Are others even slower?
I've used cryptic carousel in the US a few times. excellent service & results. Also bought a modded walkman from them as well.
If anyone needs tape duplication in Australia. Hit us up!