Converting Large Collection of Tapes to mp3 ?

[zenmasterzoso]

Hello,
Let me first say what a great site this is Back when I first started collecting live shows there was no internet and no cd`s or mp3.Just a typerwriter, double deck cassette player and turntable.I know i just added grey hair to my profile.
I need advise on the best process of coping a large collection of cassettes into the digital audio world.My wife and son have tried to send these cassettes off to the salvation army more then once.So for Christmas my wife gave me a cassette deck that transfers cassettes to digital. It is made by *ION "Tape2PC" model. I suspect it is a lower end system but I have been able to transfer a few old soundboard shows and they turned out great.The computer programs included are not great.Audacity and EZ Tape Converter, which I do not like.Are there better programs available? I find with these it is very hard to complile a complete show like Led zeppelin at Earls Court `1975,those shows(each night) are on 3 cassettes.
Any and all suggestions and advise would be very appreciated.I find now that with all the computer programs for doing this you can take an old audience taped show and remove hiss , bass or increase settings, I cannot wait to take a 1st or 2nd gen soundboard show and run it through.
Thanks

[U2Lynne]

Can I strongly suggest you convert these shows to a lossless format like flac instead of a lossy format like mp3?

[zenmasterzoso]

Mot certainly , This what I need to know.Most of my collection is Led Zeppelin,Hendrix and so on.So What ever format is best is what I would like to use.This is the first time I have heard of this format ,can you give a brief discription.And can I use the cassette deck I have?
Thanks

[uninvited94]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Lossless_Audio_Codec

[zenmasterzoso]

Thanks uninvite94 , just d/l it and going to try it out.

[daddyray]

you might wanna check to see if the shows are "out here" and thus not worth your time to convert when you can just download a copy. When I first started this stuff I had some zappa tapes which I coveted but they are in common circulation so I just grabbed the copies others already made....just an idea but it may save busy work...someone else will have to tell you where to search a database for each band but it is around.

[uninvited94]

Basically, you should start with this one:

http://db.etree.org/

As for example, that is, year by year, what is "out there" (from different sources, you´ll find out about that) by Zeppelin:

http://db.etree.org/bs_d.php?artist_key=8

[RFeuerWahnsinniger]

i agree with the above suggestions:
1. def go lossless instead of mp3
2. look to see if any of your cassette shows are out there already in a good digital format, so you can just download the shows instead of transfering them yourself

as far as programs to use, audacity is a good one. a lot of ppl use it and its likely the easiest for beginners. prolly just takes a while to get used to how to use it