Tech: that Tape 2 Monitor button

Subject: Tech: that Tape 2 Monitor button
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 05:55 PM

Can somebody explain what the button called Tape 2 Monitor does? It is on the tuner (I believe you call it a tuner)in my stereo equipment.

Another thing: is it actually supposed to be the Tape To Monitor button? If so, what is a monitor?

Recently I tried to make a CD of a beloved LP. I followed all the directions and emerged with nothing but a blank CD. Does the Tape2Monitor button play a role here?

Thanks

Subject: RE: Tech: that Tape 2 Monitor button
From: michaelr
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 06:46 PM

It's to "monitor" (hear) a recording you're making on Tape 2. Normally, when taping a LP, CD, or radio program, you're listening to the source. The Monitor button allows you to hear what's going down on your tape.

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Tech: that Tape 2 Monitor button
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 09:21 PM

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Tech: that Tape 2 Monitor button
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 11:39 PM

G'day leeneia,

If you where burning a CD ... presumably you were doing that from your computer. If so, it's much safer to record the LP (preferably from a record deck plugged straight into your computer's sound card) onto a suitable audio editing program (such as CoolEdit) and watch it recording!

This will give you one humungous ~.wav file (maybe 200 - 300 MB) per side ... but you can edit, in CoolEdit, to separate files for each track ... with the blank start and finish edited out, so you end up with a full LP's worth of music, sorted into neat tracks - and then you burn that to CD using whatever CD-writing program came on your computer installation.

At least this lets you check everything out ... before burning another drink coaster!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Tech: that Tape 2 Monitor button
From: pavane
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 08:12 AM

BTW The reason for it sounding different is often that you can hear it with the preemphasis added. When recording to tape, this is a boost to certain frequency bands to help reduce tape hiss.

Subject: RE: Tech: that Tape 2 Monitor button
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 11:08 AM

No, I wasn't using my computer. I was using a stand-alone CD copier made by Phillips. It isn't working out too well.

Subject: RE: Tech: that Tape 2 Monitor button
From: johnross
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 07:24 PM

As michaelr has said, the "monitor" function on a stereo amplifier allows you to listen to (techie term: to "monitor") the sounds from your tape recorder, while the recorder itself is recording the program supplied by the "tape out" connectors on the amplifier -- probably selected by the "program" switch". This gives you a way to confirm that the recorder is working properly.

Your amplifier is apparently set up to work with two separate recorders -- Tape 1 and Tape 2 -- and so it has separate monitor switches for each recorder.

On the back of the amplifier, you will see connectors marked "Tape 1 In" and "Tape 2 In." When you push the Tape 1 Montor button, you will hear the machine connected to Tape 1 In; when you push the Tape 2 Monitor buton, you will hear the machine connected to Tape 2 In.