What is the best setup (cords, hardware and software) for converting tape cassettes to mp3 using iMac?

it's the same if you are converting vinyl or tapes or if you wish to record from the radio

the program is the same an program which support audio added into the aux input of your computer

one option would be

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

If you are using the new slimline iMacs, you will need to use a USB audio interface box that includes stereo inputs to connect the tape deck to.

Google's your friend.

Do a search for USB audio interface boxes.

For audio cables, you may need to use RCA style cables with RCA to 1/4" line level in audio adapter connectors OR 1/4" line level audio cable with 1/4" to RCA audio adapter connectors. This depends on whether the USB audio input interface box has stereo inputs that are for either 1/4 " line level connections or for RCA line level connections OR the USB interface box may have both style of audio inputs.

You are addressing someone that uses a similar setup.

I use a FireWire (instead of USB) audio interface box (with lots of different types of audio inputs and output) made by m-audio and both the free, open source digital audio application called Audacoty OR for more serious audio work, I, typically, use Apple Logic Express for most of my.own audio work.

Rudegar has already supplied the link for Audacity.

Audacity works great for many types of audio recording and processing.

It depends on what kind of inputs your Mac has:

• If your iMac is a 2012 or older model it probably has an audio line input, in which case you can directly connect your tape deck outputs to your iMac. Generally this requires a cable with 2x RCA male connectors on one end and 1x 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo male connector on the other end.
• If you have a more recent iMac that does not have a line input you will need to get a USB audio interface like a Focusrite Forte, but in these cases you will need to pay attention to the kind of cable inputs the USB device has.

In both cases you will need recording software. There are many choices. I have used Sound Studio with great success for tapes, vinyl and live recordings. (Note: if you are using a USB audio interface it may come with its own recording software.)

Pay attention to whether or not your tapes were recorded with or without Dolby B or C noise reduction; and also whether or not your tape deck supports none, Dolby B or Dolby C - getting each tape matched with your deck settings makes a big difference in the results. And depending on how quality conscious you are you may also want or need some noise reduction software, in which case I suggest looking at Wave Arts MR Noise, SoundSoap or Audacity.

You might also consider just purchasing selected CDs instead of investing in all the work required to set up, record, edit & clean up recordings from some of your old tapes.

I have also recently purchased a new 27" iMac and looking

for a reasonably priced USB analog to digital converter.

As with any audio gear, these could go from a few dollars

up to astronomical.

Looking for personal experiences with something reasonably

priced.

BTW, I would be doing lossless compression of vinyl rips,

so I would like to be able to do 24bit and probably 96kHz

and do my "cleaning" at these settings then down sample as

needed to CD quality.

I would be doing lossless compression of vinyl rips, so I would like to be able to do 24bit and probably 96kHz and do my "cleaning" at these settings then down sample as needed to CD quality.

imho that's overkill if your source material is vinyl. Your limiting factor is the quality of the vinyl + turntable pickup, which is quite a bit less than 24 bit/96KHz. Even the standard 44.1KHz CD standard is better than what vinyl can give you in the first place. All you will be doing is creating larger files than necessary.

I couldn't agree more.

Total overkill over sampling/recording analog audio, even with using good audio equipment.

Same for cassette tapes. The frequency range for CDs is greater compared to cassette tape, also.

Even with Dolby B or C activated,

Also, with either cassette tape or vinyl, condition is, also, an issue with audio fidelity.

WIth vinyl, it is the stability of the vinyl material, itself, as well as condition of the audio grooves and the quality of the tracking needle.

WIth cassettes, even it the cassette were not played too much and stored, relatively, well in a cool, shaded and somewhat dust free environment, tape can over time shed its iron oxides from the cassette tapes' metal oxide adhesive coating on the tape medium affecting the tape's overall frequency reproduction.

This can, also, be exascerbated by how dirty/clean the playback heads of the tape deck are.

There are lots of variables when recording digitally from analog audio sources.

Total overkill over sampling/recording analog audio, even with using good audio equipment.

Same for cassette tapes. The frequency range for CDs is greater compared to cassette tape, also.

Even with Dolby B or C activated,

Also, with either cassette tape or vinyl, condition is, also, an issue with audio fidelity.

WIth vinyl, it is the stability of the vinyl material, itself, as well as condition of the audio grooves and the quality of the tracking needle.

WIth cassettes, even it the cassette were not played too much and stored, relatively, well in a cool, shaded and somewhat dust free environment, tape can over time shed its iron oxides from the cassette tapes' metal oxide adhesive coating on the tape medium affecting the tape's overall frequency reproduction.

This can, also, be exascerbated by how dirty/clean the playback heads of the tape deck are.

There are lots of variables when recording digitally from analog audio sources.