Audio Restoration

Sometimes no matter how hard you try to record an interview, meeting, or other event, the end result is very disappointing. Faulty equipment, bad tapes, weak batteries, poor acoustics, and background noise can all wreak havoc on both analog and digital recordings. There is nothing worse than taking the time and effort to label all your tapes, set up, and record an event, only to realize you fell victim to a really noisy air conditioner or a weak microphone. This is especially true when the events you are recording can never be re-enacted.

Fortunately, the TAPE TRANSCRIPTION CENTER offers audio restoration in order to fix or enhance recordings suffering from a vast array production problems. By enhancing or restoring poor or damaged recordings we can often make inaudible content transcribable. Keeping in mind the nuances of audio preservation, our aim is to provide the best possible reproduction of the audio content without losing the essence or ambience contained in an original tape recording. Our approach is to make the enhanced audio resemble the original recording to the best of our ability while still maintaining transparency.

We can provide both a duplicate copy as well as an enhanced copy of audio recordings for clients who wish to enhance the quality of an original recording. Enhancement can be as simple as tape noise reduction, or as sophisticated as removing background noise or increasing the overall range of audio sensitivity by adjusting specific frequencies in a recording. Although we employ a wide range of professional digital audio editing and manipulation tools, some recordings are simply beyond repair.

Pricing

Since problems with audio recordings can very so widely we price audio restoration on a project-by-project basis by studio hour. Many recordings only require 1-2 hours of studio time to make it transcribable. More time will be required if the audio problems vary in a program over time. We do not charge for time spent on initial analysis to determine if restoration is an option for your problem recording. Unless requested otherwise by our clients, we provide basic level optimization to any recordings we convert as part of the process. In order for us to provide you a cost estimate for audio restoration, we need to have a sample of the problem audio, preferably on a master recording.

What We Can Fix

• Tape noise
• Hum/hiss
• Soft volume
• High volume or clipping
• Speed
• Tonality
• Most background noise

Getting Started

If we already have your digital or analog content for transcription, we will notify you if the audio requires restoration prior to proceeding. With your consent, our Media Specialist will analyze the audio to determine if and how much restoration is required, and may contact you with questions. Once the analysis is complete, we will provide you a quote for restoration which separate from transcription costs.

If you have questions about audio restoration please contact our Media Specialist at contact@ttctranscriptions.com or by phone at (617) 423-2151.