Music cassette to memory stick.

[Gibbo2286]

The Zoe doesn't have a cd player but it does have a USB port so I thought I'd stick some music on a USB stick

So I've got a dozen or so old music cassettes and a load of CDs, using the free 'Audacity' programme I've transferred the music from the cassettes to the computer, then I get to s'ave as' and the options are Mp3 or .wav but which to use?

[mickthemaverick]

I'd try MP3 first Gibbo, just do 1 track and test it in the car, then if no good try .wav but I'd expect MP3 to work!

[GiveMeABreak]

WAV files are what they call 'lossless' Eric and are a faithful reproduction of the original recording BUT, as they are uncompressed files they are much larger file sizes.
MP3 files on the other hand create 'lossy' music and use compression to strip out some of the content, but often unnoticeable to most people. As they are compressed, they take a lot less storage space.

A CD is the preferred original media from which to 'rip' them to your chosen file format. If you have cassettes, then these will not be the best as the sound isn't digital and will have likely deteriorated over the years. So if there is any hissing or the music on cassettes is dulled or muffled, then of course you will replicate all this. Some software programmes can clean them up by applying filters. SO it's a bit of trial and error.

Just one last thing, it also depends on your car music player as to what formats it supports. Just about all will play MP3 files and some will also play WAV files. So it's just down to the quality of the original source music file, the conversion format you choose, storage capacity and of course your personal tastes.

I originally used MP3 for my last vehicle to rip all my CDs and they were fine. However, with my new Aircross the system also plays FLAC lossless which is very much like WAV, and I can hear a huge difference in the sound quality, so have gone back and re-ripped all my CDs into FLAC to maintain perfect digital copies of all my music.

[myglaren]

Audacity should be able to rip to more codecs than mp3.
If not then K3B can convert WAV or most codecs to other codecs.
It should also be able to reduce any tape hiss but likely to be a fiddle.

Years since I have used it. It was fine in the past but I seem to have lost the ability to work it.

[Gibbo2286]

Thanks chaps, I'll try them as Mp3 for now, I'm not too fussy about quality.....yet.
I've got CDs as well as the cassettes but I've got an old UNISEF player (Japanese Walkman) with the necessary sockets so I thought I'd give that a go first.