General tape restoration FAQs
Reel to Reel tape restoration FAQs
Digital audio file FAQs
Shipping FAQs
General tape restoration FAQs
The most popular types of audio tapes for restoration are standard cassettes or audio reel to reel tapes.
Here's an audio cassette:
And here's a typical audio reel to reel tape:
You might have an audio microcassette:
In the vast majority of cases yes! Some cassettes and reel tapes may made need special treatment: For example, we repair broken cassettes for both screw type, and glued together cassette shells. Learn more about cassette repairs. Some hi-bias reel to reel tapes from the late 1970's through the 1990s may have a tape shedding problem called hydrolysis. With a special baking procedure, we can stabilize these tapes for digitization too. Here's more info about tape hydrolysis.
Yes indeed! We repair both broken screwed type cassette shells and glued together cassette shells. Some broken cassettes only need a simple repair to fix a missing pressure pad. Or, broken tape where the tape ends are still outside of the tape shell. Other cassettes will need to be opened up and to be repaired or even re-shelled. Here's more info about cassette repairs.
We repair damaged or broken cassettes specifically to enable safe transfer and professional restoration to a lasting digital format—such as USB thumb drives, convenient Dropbox MP3 delivery, or standard audio CDs.
It’s important to understand that even after careful repair, damaged cassettes are not suitable for long-term playback or repeated use. The goal of these repairs is preservation—not continued listening from the original tape.
Also, older cassette players often have worn or deteriorated belts and rubber components that can further damage fragile tapes. Our calibrated, professional equipment is designed to safely play repaired cassettes one final time for accurate transfer.
We recognize that your original tapes are important keepsakes, and we always return them. However, for ongoing listening, we strongly recommend using your restored digital files, which provide greater reliability, longevity, and greatly improved sound quality.
Yes! Our real time service includes tape hiss and noise reduction using our special software. We actually listen to your audio! We then equalize your important audio to improve listenabilty. With many years of experience in professional audio, we'll use our expert engineering skills to improve your audio restorations. Check out our recommendations!
Absolutely not! Unlike those other "box" services, all restoration work is completed in real time. We actually listen to every minute of your important audio to enhance and improve it! With those other "box" services, no person ever listens to your audio. That's because their processes work with high-speed dubbing equipment that actually degrades the quality of your important audio. Our careful restoration work is done in real time!
You can get a fast & free quote today! As the length of actual audio contained on your tapes may be not known, you'll only pay a per program minute fee for the exact amount of audio on your valuable cassettes, reels and records. Your restored audio can be supplied on CDs, easy to share MP3 audio files, high quality WAV audio files, USB thumb drives, and even the popular Dropbox file sharing platform. 
Check out our Audio Restoration Services Shop for the details.
Check out our Audio Restoration Services Shop for the details. Our popular audio restoration service accepts payment exclusively with Paypal which safely allows you to pay with any major credit or debit card. With Paypal, we never see your confidential credit or debit card information. With Paypal, major credit cards are accepted. We're sorry but we don't accept personal checks or other payment methods at this time.
We're sorry but we don't accept personal checks or other payment methods at this time. You can get a fast and free quote. Or, you can start your tape restoration today with a Audio Restorations Service Deposit. With Paypal, major credit cards are accepted. Upon your paid deposit, you'll receive complete info about where to ship your well packed tapes.
Upon your paid deposit, you'll receive complete info about where to ship your well packed tapes. Typically only 7-10 days after we receive your order! And, our Upload to Dropbox Service gets your valuable audio to your ears even quicker!
Yes we do restore records! We can even reduce record surface noise using our special software. However, please note that our service is not for commercially released recordings. Instead, we restore our clients' unique family, personal, and professional audio recordings for their use.
Yes! Sometimes you might not know what's really on your tape. Or, you may need the condition of your damaged tape checked to see if it can be restored. We offer a Tape Spot Checking Service to help you determine what's on these tapes or if they can be restored.
Unfortunately, we do not. This is because it actually takes more time to "Cherry Pick" only certain audio segments, than to restore all the audio on your valuable tapes. However, we will logically segment your restored audio so you can get to what's important to you easily!
Sure! You can read some of our many recommendations from our wonderful clients!
We're sorry but we don't restore commercially released and copywritten recordings. Instead, we restore our clients' unique family, personal, and professional audio recordings for their own use. We restore many professional recordings, but these are for artists and producers who own the copyright for their material
We're sorry but we only offer our cassette repair services when we are also performing the compete tape restoration services too. Repaired cassettes often take special care to complete the restoration and we are very experienced with this delicate process.
Reel to Reel tape restoration FAQs
In most cases your reel to reel tapes are 1/4" tape. You can simply measure the width of your the actual tape itself on your tape reel. 
Once you know your tape's width, measure the diameter across your tape reel. It's going to be 3" or 5", 7" or even 10.5" in diameter for large professional metal tape reels.
Once you have determined your tape's width and reel size, you may find additional info written on the box or the reel itself indicating your tape's speed. Common reel to reel tape speeds are 3 & 3/4 ips (inches per second), 7 & 1/2 ips, or even 15 ips and 30 ips for professional reels.
In addition to speed info written on your tape reel's box, there may be wording indicating the tape format: Such as "mono" or "stereo". Also, your tape could be a quarter track reel which means you might have important audio recorded on both sides of your reel. Or, your reel might be a half track reel. Half track reels are only recorded to the full width of the tape in one direction. Knowing this format gives a better idea of the amount of audio actually recorded on your reel. But if the format is not known, don't worry! We can easily figure out your tape reel's format when it arrives for tape restoration.
If it's a professional recording from a recording studio, it might. You can check your tape reel box or track sheets to see if it's indicated. It could be Dolby A, Dolby SR, or DBX encoding. We can handle reels with any of these most common noise reduction systems.
Certain tape hi bias and professional tape batches from the 1970s and 1980s (Scotch, Ampex, Agfa, others) may have a condition called hydrolysis, a breakdown of the binder holding the oxide to the tape's base. Affected tapes will make a squealing noise, shed oxide, or throw loops during playback. This damages your important audio. We have a special oven to bake these tapes. Then, your audio can be safely restored before the tapes revert to their shedding condition, in about 30 days. Please note that not all tapes need baking. We will carefully asses your valuable reels at time of restoration for hydrolysis.
Certain tape hi bias and professional tape batches from the 1970s and 1980s (Scotch, Ampex, Agfa, others) may have a condition called hydrolysis, a breakdown of the binder holding the oxide to the tape's base. This is sometimes also called Sticky Shedding Syndrome or SSS. Affected tapes will make a squealing noise, shed oxide, or throw loops during playback. This damages your important audio. We have a special oven to bake these tapes. Then, your audio can be safely restored before the tapes revert to their shedding condition, in about 30 days. Please note that not all tapes need baking. We will carefully asses your valuable reels at time of restoration for hydrolysis.
We're sorry but we only offer our tape baking services when we are also performing the compete tape restoration services too. Baked tapes often take special care to complete the restoration and we are very experienced with this delicate process.
Yes! Please visit our Free Restoration Quote request page for a fast quote. We are also restoring 1/2" 8 track multitrack reels. All work is done in real time for highest quality! Expert mixing services are available too!
Digital audio file FAQs
That depends on your needs: We can supply your restored audio on CD compact discs, easy to share and email MP3 audio files, high quality WAV audio files, USB thumb drives, and even MP3 Dropbox file sharing! Make your choice at the Audio Restoration Services Shop!
The most popular audio file format today is an MP3 audio file. These audio files can easily be shared because of their smaller size. Your restored MP3s can also be shared on cloud file services including Dropbox!
The most common high quality audio file type would be WAV audio files. WAV files can be supplied to you in CD quality, 16 bit, 44.1 khz, or even 24 bit, 48 & 96 khz on USB thumb drives! Sometimes WAV audio files are also called BWAV or Broadcast WAV audio files.
Yes indeed! Many of our tape-restoration.com clients enjoy their restored audio on CDs at home and in the car!
Yes both these options are available at the Audio Restoration Services Shop!
Shipping FAQs
We have had outstanding results with USPS Priority mail shipping. You can pickup Free Priority Mail shipping boxes at you local post office, or order them online. USPS priority Mail includes Free insurance and tracking. To protect your valuable tapes, we also recommend the Priority Mail boxes along with bubble wrap rather than the Priority Mail envelopes which don't offer as much protection. Clients also ship to us via Fed Ex, and UPS shipping services. Using USPS Priority Mail or another trackable service ensures safe delivery of your tapes.
Shipments without tracking are sent at the customer’s own risk.
Tapes should be packed in boxes with bubble wrap and other packing materials to protect them from sliding around in the box or being crushed. We have had outstanding results with USPS Priority mail shipping. You can pickup Free Priority Mail shipping boxes at you local post office, or order them online. USPS priority Mail includes free insurance and tracking. To protect your valuable tapes, we also recommend the Priority Mail boxes along with bubble wrap rather than the Priority Mail envelopes which don't offer as much protection. Clients also ship to us via Fed Ex, and UPS shipping services. Once your shipment safely arrives, we'll email you to let you know right away!
Records should be packed with extra care: Place them in between cardboard protector sheets with an at least one inch crush zone around the entire record. Use boxes with bubble wrap and other packing materials to protect them from sliding around in the box or being crushed. We have had outstanding results with USPS Priority mail shipping. You can pickup Free Priority Mail shipping boxes at you local post office, or order them online. USPS priority Mail includes Free $50.00 insurance and tracking. Once your shipment safely arrives, we'll email you to let you know!
Once you start the tape restoration process with an Audio Restoration Services Deposit, you'll receive the exact shipping address to send your well packed tapes. Once your order safely arrives, we'll email you right away to let you know! We are in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.
Sorry but our tape-restoration.com service is mail order only.
Please use USPS Priority Mail or another trackable service.
This ensures safe delivery of your tapes.
Shipments without tracking are sent at the customer’s own risk.
Yes it is our long standing policy to always return clients' master tapes and records along with their digital restorations.
We're sorry but we only accept audio restoration orders for clients with a U.S. mailing address.
Have further questions? Contact Us!
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