#1  
07-03-2017, 01:40 AM
waloshin waloshin is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 145
Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts
I have about 16 vhs tapes that were given to me to transfer over to digital. All of the tapes have the same audio problem it seems the audio is very muffled and quiet. I have the same problem with my JVC S7900U as well as my Panasonic AG 5710. My guess is there original vcr did not record the audio track properly.


Attached Files
File Type: avi 3_4.avi (12.33 MB, 20 downloads)
File Type: wav 3_4.Stereo1.wav (1.12 MB, 15 downloads)

Last edited by waloshin; 07-03-2017 at 01:56 AM.
Reply With Quote
Someday, 12:01 PM
admin's Avatar
Ads / Sponsors
 
Join Date: ∞
Posts: 42
Thanks: ∞
Thanked 42 Times in 42 Posts
  #2  
07-03-2017, 08:27 PM
JVRaines JVRaines is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 24
Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post
I wouldn't call it "quiet" but it certainly is lacking high-frequency response. Perhaps this is linear track audio?
Reply With Quote
  #3  
07-03-2017, 08:37 PM
waloshin waloshin is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 145
Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts
How would I fix that?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
07-03-2017, 08:47 PM
JVRaines JVRaines is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 24
Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post
If there is no hi-fi track and that's what the audio sounds like, that is all you have to work with.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
07-03-2017, 10:27 PM
waloshin waloshin is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 145
Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts
Is there a way to fix the audio problem in Audacity? It seems like I hear music then dialogue, but not at the same time.

I am starting to think my Matrox MX02 maybe the problem with the audio or my pc. I even tried recording the audio through the line in on my PC with the same muffled sound. When I play the audio straight from the VCR into my Sony PCM-M10 audio recorder the audio sounds detailed and rich
Reply With Quote
  #6  
07-05-2017, 08:26 AM
dpalomaki dpalomaki is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 1,694
Thanked 369 Times in 325 Posts
Well, the audio appears to be mono, and thus likely from the linear track.
Was the recording SP, LP, or SLP/EP speed?
Opening the .WAV file in Audition, the high frequency cut off is around 4500 kHz. (See attached frequency plot.) The left and right are essentially identical (within 0.05 dB) no blue trace, thus mono.)

Quiet implies a low record level on tape but can be adjusted in post. It also means a higher noise floor.

While at SP speed the linear track is nominally rated to perhaps 10kHz, about AM radio quality. However, at SLP/EP speed the linear track frequency response drops to about 5 kHz on a good day due to the 3x slower tape speed. (It would be worse except for different equalization.) Something less than traditional AM radio quality, but better than traditional analog telephone.

Add to this possible variations in audio head alignment between the recorder and playback machine (which can kill higher frequencies), and the original recording environment, getting good audio off the tape can be a challenge.

As you noted using a different audio recorder or capture and listening environment may give you a more satisfying result. You also could try some combination of filters and equalization in post to try "improve" the sound; e.g., filter out the high frequency (above 5 kHz) that is mainly noise and increase some of the mid-high frequencies that are present. Just be sure you have a decent audio monitoring setup to evaluate your results (most TV sets and typical small computer speakers are notoriously bad for this).


Attached Images
File Type: jpg WAVcutoff.jpg (76.1 KB, 8 downloads)
Reply With Quote
  #7  
07-05-2017, 02:24 PM
waloshin waloshin is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 145
Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts
The tape was extended play.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
07-05-2017, 04:41 PM
dpalomaki dpalomaki is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 1,694
Thanked 369 Times in 325 Posts
Music "ducking" under voice could be an intended "voice over" effect (found in more sophisticated video recordings), or just the action of AGC with a home recorder when the voice is louder at the camcorder's microphone than the music.

The recording frequency analysis is about what I would expect from a linear track at EP speed.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
07-06-2017, 09:06 PM
JVRaines JVRaines is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 24
Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by waloshin View Post
When I play the audio straight from the VCR into my Sony PCM-M10 audio recorder the audio sounds detailed and rich
Then it's not the tape or how it's being played. Is it possible you are mixing stereo to mono with the MXO2? If the channels are recorded out of phase (a production error), then mixing them would produce the low, dull sound you are hearing.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
07-06-2017, 10:26 PM
lordsmurf's Avatar
lordsmurf lordsmurf is offline
Site Staff | Video
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,510
Thanked 2,449 Times in 2,081 Posts
Audacity can work for some issue, but Sound Forge is more powerful -- especially to recover highs/mids. What you're hearing is just typical analog tape, either copies-of-copies (nth gen VHS) or plain ol' crummy broadcast/cable. The original VCR is unlikely to have done that much audio damage. It depends on deck age. Anything from 70s-80s, maybe. Anything from 90s, not likely. Anything from 00s, perhaps; lots of EOL crappy decks from Funai/etc.

Note: I usually try to fix samples for Premium Members. (Must turn off AC, fix during night/quiet hours, etc.)

- Did my advice help you? Then become a Premium Member and support this site.
- For sale in the marketplace: TBCs, workflows, capture cards, VCRs
Reply With Quote
  #11  
07-23-2017, 11:17 PM
waloshin waloshin is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 145
Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts
You are right. I believe it was from poor quality TV broadcasts.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
02-05-2023, 04:43 PM
By5xX6 By5xX6 is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
For people looking at this in 2023. I solved this by calibrating the audio head in a similar VCR as OP. It had three screws and I manually adjust them until I found a good sound (to my ears). Note that for perfect calibration, it's better to use an oscilloscope.
Reply With Quote
Reply




Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Problem with ATI TV Wonder 600 USB in VirtualDub - no audio? Zoink187 Capture, Record, Transfer 7 07-21-2014 04:26 AM
Consumer JVC VCRs: Muffled Linear EP Audio? How to fix? Belmont Capture, Record, Transfer 5 08-06-2012 02:45 PM
Problem with audio in Windows SoCu Encode, Convert for discs 1 01-02-2010 12:25 AM
Computer audio problem stoogedog Computers 10 10-01-2006 03:10 PM
Audio Problem ninjastriker Capture, Record, Transfer 6 07-20-2005 08:28 AM

Thread Tools



 
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:47 AM