A dark, low-key photograph of a vintage workbench with scattered electronic components, coiled wire, and an old soldering iron, lit by a single warm lamp against deep shadow.
A dark, moody still-life composition with antique books and technical instruments on a wooden surface, warm sepia tones against near-black shadow.

Allen's Site

A personal corner of the web — electronics, DIY projects, vinyl transfer, and stories from a retired French engineer.

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Stories

Making a mono button and when to use it for old records

Many cherished shellac 78s and early LPs were cut for monophonic playback, yet modern stereo systems treat every disc as if it carried left and right…

Why your turntable's belt might affect the recording pitch

A vinyl-to-CD transfer can look flawless on a meter and still preserve the wrong musical timing. That is because the turntable sets the speed at which the…

Capture and reduce a harsh S sound in transferred vocals

Harsh sibilance is the bright, whistling quality produced by consonants such as S, sh and f. It can make an otherwise warm vocal tiring, especially when the…

A simple die-cut paper sleeve project for your new CDs

A handmade sleeve gives a newly recorded CD a finished look without adding much bulk. It is especially useful for a transfer from vinyl, a home compilation, or…

Handling warped cassette housings before a careful rip

A cassette can look playable while its moulded housing has shifted the reels, guides or pressure pad. That distinction matters when preserving music rather…

How Much Do Poker Dealers Make In Today’s Casino Market

Poker dealing can look like a glamorous casino career, but the actual income picture depends on several moving parts. Location, casino type, table limits,…

The best way to edit out announcements from a radio recording

Radio recordings often contain more than the music you want to keep. Station identifications, sponsor messages, news updates, traffic reports, promotional…

How to Work With an Uneven Cassette EQ When Ripping

An uneven cassette EQ can make a rip sound dull, harsh or oddly coloured on one side. The cause may be in the tape, deck, decoding switches or monitor chain.…

Will a blank CD-R last as long as a pressed CD?

A blank CD-R can preserve an LP or cassette transfer for decades, but it should not be expected to match a factory-pressed CD automatically. A recordable disc…

High RTP Pokies And High Volatility For Australian Players

High RTP pokies and high volatility appeal to different parts of the same online casino audience. A high return-to-player percentage describes the theoretical…

A dark, atmospheric portrait-style still-life suggesting a thoughtful older gentleman's study — worn leather, handwritten notes, and soft amber light against deep shadow.

About Allen

Allen is a retired French national who spent his career at the Laboratoire Régional des Ponts et Chaussées de Bordeaux, where he performed measurements on concrete and metal structures — building transducers, electronics interfaces, and the software to run them.

Now retired, he fills his days with fishing, listening to music, tinkering with HI-FI equipment, archery, computing, and — when possible — a well-earned siesta. He also enjoys transferring his vinyl record collection to CD.

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