We do not use chemicals or heat in our cleaning process. Instead, we employ multiple transports of Pellon™ that roll slowly against both sides of the tape. Pellon™ is a nonabrasive, non-lubricant material that was designed specifically for cleaning magnetic media. Our cleaning machines were built or modified by their manufacturers according to our specifications. This equipment is not available anywhere except at VidiPax™. Our process is incremental and non-intrusive. Each pass on the machine is gentle. Its purpose is to remove dirt and other debris while correcting the wind at the same time. When the cleaning process liberates no more adhesive or shed, a pass at the cleaning machine station yields a clean section of Pellon™, and the tape is considered clean.

Tapes with severe residue build up require several passes. Patience is critical for ensuring optimal results. Care is taken to prevent the buildup of debris on the guides and rollers through periodic cleaning, which preserves the integrity of the cleaning equipment and avoids potential cross-contamination. In cases of severe oxide shedding and stiction or when mold or fungus is present, our technicians may clean the tapes by hand under strict guidelines for environmental safety.

Because of the high success and reliability of tape cleaning, the common tape-baking process is almost never used. Even under the worst conditions it is rarely necessary. Once a tape is baked, it has little or no remaining storage life. Invasive processes of heat exposure or chemical “washing” seriously accelerate all the symptoms of deterioration and aging. Noninvasive cleaning increases the tape’s storage life.

Playback and Transfer

Our audio systems are designed and customized for restoration. They are significantly different from the systems used in audio postproduction, recording, or duplicating facilities. Where a stationary contact point normally exists on Studer™ 820 tape decks, ours have been refitted with roller guides for optimal playback of delicate tapes. Our aim is to achieve the highest quality reproduction and rerecording on Studer ™ 807 tape decks without any change to the integrity of the original, as perfect a copy as the present state of the art will allow.

The rerecording process is monitored in real time. As the master is played back, a restoration specialist closely monitors and documents any irregularities that may be present in the original recording.

No corrective rerecording or changes are performed in the transfer unless specified by the client. Prior to playback of each reel or group, the restoration specialist verifies optimal linearity and azimuth as well as optimal playback deck transport performance.

The Quadriga/Audio Cube™ Workstation is an archive solution for large collections. It is highly specialized for archive transfer and features automated supervision of the entire audio signal chain both in analog and digital domains, while recognizing and documenting any faults in audio quality or physical problems on the tape. Audio Cube™ contains numerous digital signal process functions, such as DeBuzz™ and DeNoiser™, for repair and restoration of any part of an archive that the client requests. The Sadie™ Digital Audio Workstation is available for special editing and remastering tasks.

Our process is designed to respect the integrity of the original audio we are archiving. In preservation, the aim is to transfer to the highest-grade format possible for quality and longevity. Though there are multiple options, the recommended practice is to transfer directly to analog reel-to-reel as well as digitally to pthalocyanine CD for archive and to make a second CD copy for research or regular-use access.

Final Check and Shipping

When the restoration is completed and new masters have been made, all materials are labeled, packed, and checked against the original shipping manifest. Tape Condition Reports are generated for each tape from the database management system, and reviewed by a management-level restoration specialist. Unless the customer specifies otherwise, the original masters will be shipped after the restoration masters, in case of loss or damage during transport.