Professional DAT Tape Digitization & Conversion
We transfer your 12-bit, 16-bit, or 24-bit DAT tapes to stereo WAV or AIFF files — perfect 1:1 digital copies made entirely in the digital domain. All five DAT sampling modes are supported: 16 or 24-bit at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, and the less common 12-bit at 32 kHz (Long Play). Your transferred files can be played on any modern computer, imported into Pro Tools or any other DAW, or converted to MP3 or FLAC. We can also write DAT tapes to CD-R.
Contact us now for a quote and directions on sending us your DAT tapes.
Don't Wait — DAT Tapes Are Deteriorating
DAT tapes are among the most fragile digital formats ever made. The thin 4mm tape is prone to dropouts, sticky shed syndrome, and oxide shedding — especially tapes from the 1990s and early 2000s. Many DAT tapes are now 25–35 years old and degrading with every passing year. If you have studio mixdowns, safety copies, or session tapes on DAT, now is the time to digitize them before they become unplayable.
What to Expect
- Get a Quote — Contact us with the number of tapes and any special requirements.
- Send Your Tapes — Ship your DAT tapes to us in Long Beach, CA, or drop them off locally. We'll provide packing instructions.
- We Transfer — Each tape is inspected and digitized to lossless WAV or AIFF. All transfers are done in the digital domain for perfect 1:1 copies.
- Download for Free — Your files are ready to download from our servers at no extra charge. We ship your original tapes back to you.
Why Choose Deep Signal Studios
- Perfect Digital Copies — All DAT transfers are done in the digital domain, not re-recorded through analog outputs.
- All DAT Formats Supported — 12, 16, and 24-bit at all sample rates including 32 kHz Long Play.
- Free File Delivery — Download your WAV or AIFF files from our servers at no extra cost.
- 24-Hour Turnaround — Most projects completed within a day of receiving your tapes.
- Media Inspection & Restoration — We inspect every tape and perform cleaning or baking if needed before transfer.
About the DAT Format
DAT (Digital Audio Tape) is a 2-channel stereo digital audio format introduced by Sony in 1987. The tape is 4mm wide, and the cassette shell is actually smaller than a standard analog cassette (73 mm × 54 mm × 10.5 mm). DAT recorders were a staple in professional recording studios through the 1990s, most often used for stereo mixdowns from multitrack sessions recorded on 2-inch 24-track, 1/2-inch 16-track reel-to-reel, ADAT, or Tascam DTRS machines. They offered better quality than analog cassette in the same digital format (16-bit, 44.1 kHz) used for CD mastering. Some DAT machines were also made for the consumer market.
Common DAT Tape Brands We Transfer
- Sony — PDP-15C, PDP-35C, PDP-125C, DT120R
- Quantegy — DAT-R034, DAT-R048
- TDK — DA-R120, DA-R60
- Maxell — R-20DA, R-34DA, R-65DA, R-125DA
- HHB — DAT15, DAT35, DAT65
- Fujifilm — R-15
- Ampex — 467 R-120
- Apogee — AD 124
Most DAT tapes will have a label noting something like "Stereo Mixdown", "1:1 Safety Copy", or "Session Tape".
Contact us now for a quote and directions on sending us your DAT tapes for transfer.
Audio Tape Transfer FAQ