Way OT. Vinyl to PC

The time has come to convert some of the "no longer available" vinyl onto digital format. Having a decent turntable and "old style" set up I've no desire to buy a USB turntable. The option then appears to be a preamp but part of me says why do I need a pre-amp since I've got an older one of those anyway? Most of the people selling "solutions" in this market package it up with Audacity software which is free anyway so I suspect people are selling snake oil - but I might just be tight!

What's the pragmatic solution?

Charles

Just a cable, although you'll probably lose the stereo effect. I've got an old amp and seperate turntable, and bought a 2 into1 cable, plugged into L & R signal-out on the amp, and then the other end went to to the mic input on the PC.

Used Audacity to record and edit out the scratches and long intro gaps.

Pete

"Charles P" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Done it too, it took me months ;-) Old stereo amp line out, to line in Soundcard. Simple. Amp has to have Phono in for RIAA-correction. Used CoolEditPro to get rid of thumbs and crackling. Great program. It also "normalises" volume, etc. Dirk

I usually find that a knife & fork is very effective for getting rid of crackling. Good for the roast potatoes too ;-)

Regards, Tony

I've done this in the past using the 'tape output' from the stereo amp and a long cable to the next room where it plugged into the 'aux' or 'line' input to the computer sound card. No doubt the purists would frown at the long phono cable but for the old records I was transferring the quality was fine. I have my doubts about what the quality of turntable & pickup on the USB units can be at the price they're being offered.

I used a program called 'clean', probably out of date now, but it looks to me as though current versions of the likes of Nero might cover it.

I need to do some more soon anyway (as well as setting up for 'er indoors to put loads of VHS tapes onto DVD)

Tim

There's a program out there somewhere that is able to figure out the name of the track, artist etc. from analyzing the audio waveform, but I can't remember what it is called. Anyone come across that?

Regards, Tony

Assuming the music you're talking about isn't so esoteric that no one has ever produced digital versions before why not just download it using Emule or Bittorrent?

Like any vinyl HiFi system you are never going to hear anything the stylus doesn't pick up in the first place. The key to quality is the turntable and starting off with a high quality vinyl one is a damn sight better option than a crappy USB device which might make the process easier but lose all the HiFi.

Then just connect turntable to your existing hifi amp in the normal way and Tape Recorder Out from the amp to Line In on the sound card. For a quid or two you can get a special cable to convert the twin phono amp connection to the single 3.5mm soundcard one.

In fact that's how I use my pc to play mp3 music and videos on the hard disk through my HiFi anyway. Line Out on the sound card goes to Aux In on the NAD

3020 and then off to the Kef Celeste IVs. The same cable swapped over to the other connections would let me digitally record from the cassette deck or the Rega Planar.

There is an opinion that an external soundcard avoids more stray 'system' noise than an internal one. I can't comment on that or the software available for which I'm sure you'll be spoiled for choice.

Thanks chaps. I knew my scepticism would be shared! I'll try the cable method.

And Dave, esoteric, yes. Some in mono, yes. Some of sentimental value, yes.

Charles

Then my second post should answer the How-to part. I never had any vinyl esoteric enough for there not to be CDs and therefore mp3s made available also and thus never felt the need to 'rip' my own actual LPs. I can't really see the point of ending up with a crackly ripped version of a vinyl track that needs a lot of software editing when someone has already been kind enough to make a clean digital version off the master tapes for me anyway. Obviously if you don't have that option then 2 quid for a cable and you're in business.

You might however be surprised at the rare stuff you can already find online in mp3 format. If you want to post a couple of examples of your collection I'll see if I can find them already ripped.

OK dave, let's try this.

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Get Out (And Let Me Cry)

or

Igor Markevitch conducting L'Orchestre et les choreurs de la radiofusion Francais performing the Polovtsian Dances from Borodin's Prince Igor. A Columbia recording and one of the best.

I'm nothing if not broadminded!

Charles

Not a problem. Not even really esoteric.

Can't find that exact recording. Plenty of other stuff by him though such as Pierre et le Loup with the Orchestre de Paris.

I can also find plenty of other versions of the Polovtsian Dances such as by the Sofia National Chorus.

Or how about

Schubert quintet in C played by the Quintetto Boccherini.

I have a *very* worn LP which used to belong to my uncle, passed to my mother when he died & was her favourite record of all time (with the possible exception of Sergeant Pepper ) I did put it onto a CD years ago when my mother was still alive, but as I said the LP is knackered :-(

I haven't searched recently, but looked in vain in the past for reissues or secondhand LPs.

OK, that particular choice of recording might be regarded as esoteric ;-)

Tim

Talking of esoteric what about the TT sound stories ?

Ralph Brians dropping 5 gears for Kepple Gate still gives me a woody after all these years. In fact thinking about it that's the only thing that does ............................

JS.

Forget that, not quite what you what you are looking for, sorry.

Right band, wrong tune

Tim

Anyone want a Mk I Pink triangle turntable with Helius Scorpio arm and Glanze MC10 moving coil cartridge? Probably needs a new stylus though. Available for picking up for the price of nothing. It's taking up space in the workshop and is unlikely to get used now.

On topic note. The two old "darlings" that made them turned them out on an old round head Colchester Triumph...

Mark Rand RTFM

Waves hand in the air. My system is curently lacking in the turntable dept (direct drive NEC thing) Ill drop you an email Dave