converting records to cd
- Thread starter Linchpin
- Start date
Linchpin
New member
First problem, I just tried plugging the turntable directly into my soundcard and I barely had any signal. I then tried running it into my dmp3 first and same thing. I'm taking it there's something really significant I don't know.
Yes I do. I'm beggining to think I'll have to haul the stereo amp into the studio?
MadAudio said:
Yes I do. I'm beggining to think I'll have to haul the stereo amp into the studio?
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
Absolutely. That's the way to do it. You can't play a turntable correctly without sending it through a phono preamp first. The phono preamp on your home stereo amp will work just dandy.Linchpin said:
G.
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
NO! NO! NO!Linchpin said:
Your turntable should have tone arm balancing and antiskating control on it. First thing you want to do is make sure those are both set properly; e.g. if one is set too light and the other too heavy, that can make skips happen too easily.
If you already know how to do this stuff, I apologize for the following patronizing-sounding description. If not, this can help greatly. Set up your turntable using the following steps in order (with no record on the platter):
1) Set your antiskating control to zero/center.
2) Swing the tonearm out over the platter and make sure the cueing control is in the down position (hold the tonearm up so the stylus does not hit the platter when you release the cueing.)
3) Turn the counterweight at the back of the tonearm until it is perfectly balanced (stays level when you let go of it.)
4) Once the arm is balanced, turn the gradiated measuring ring at the front of the counterweight until it reads 0/zero. Do not turn the weight itself when you do this, all you are doing is calibrating the ring to show zero weight when the tonearm is balanced.
5) Turn the counterweight and ring together (when you turn the counterweight, the ring will trun right with it) until it matches the proper weight setting for your particular brand of cartrige and stylus. If you don't know that specification (try looking on the Internet), you can try somewhere in the 1.25 to 1.5 gram range as those were/are fairly typical pressure settings for most styli.
6) Turn the anti-skate control so that it starts swinging the tomearm back towards it's rest position on the outside of the platter. Set the anti-skate so it's reading matches your reading on the tonearm counterweight.
At this point you have the turntable properly balanced for normal play. Try putting on the record and see if it still skips (see below for hints on cleaning the surface first.)
If it still skips, try incrementally increasing the weight setting on the counterweight. But do this in *small increments*, maybe 1/4 gram at a time. If you get above, say, 2.5 grams, you risk doing real and permanent sonic damage to the record and physical damage to the stylus. As you adjust the counterweight, adjust the anti-skate accordingly.
You may wind up playing with the anti-skate a bit; if the skip seems to throw the stylus in a groove or two, you may want to adjust the anti-skate for higher outward pressure, And vice versa. But don't do this unless/until all of the above don't work for you.
As far as cleaning goes, I'm not sure what's still available retail, but the cleaning brush and fluid from Discwasher is one of the best ways to go. Always clean following the grain of the record grooves only (i.e. around in a circle.) This is just the opposite of how you're supposed to clean CDs, I know, but vinyl is an entirely different story.
Also, if they still sell them, the Discwasher stylus brush is great for cleaning the gunk off the stylus itself. If those are not available, a fine camel-hair paint brush like the ones used by model airplane hobbiests will work in a pinch. But always clean the stylus in a motion from the back of the stylus *towards you*, never side-to-side or front to back. It is way too easy to damage the stylus arm otherwise.
If you have some kind of anti-static device like a Zerostat (anything designed to remove static by spraying ionic charges without any wetness or change in temperature), giving the record a couple of blasts with that before cleaning it with the Discwasher pad will increase the amount of dust you can remove from the record.
As for the cleaner itself, stick with a product designed specifically for record cleaning. Do NOT use rubbing alchohol as that has way too much sediment in it and can react badly with some formulations of "vinyl". And please, please do not use any kind of wax or furniture polish to try and get rid of a bad skip. that will just fill up in the grooves and completly ruin the sound, the record, and potentially, your stylus.
HTH,
G.
treymonfauntre
Magic Bag Of Sounds
the riaa curve looks like a downhill curve. when you get a record pressed you have to cut the bass dramatically so the needle doesn't skip when its rolling over the grooves. riaa came up with an ideal curve for this. now they sue people for downloading songs.
Linchpin
New member
SouthSIDE Glen said:NO! NO! NO!
Your turntable should have tone arm balancing and antiskating control on it. First thing you want to do is make sure those are both set properly; e.g. if one is set too light and the other too heavy, that can make skips happen too easily.
If you already know how to do this stuff, I apologize for the following patronizing-sounding description. If not, this can help greatly. Set up your turntable using the following steps in order (with no record on the platter):
1) Set your antiskating control to zero/center.
2) Swing the tonearm out over the platter and make sure the cueing control is in the down position (hold the tonearm up so the stylus does not hit the platter when you release the cueing.)
3) Turn the counterweight at the back of the tonearm until it is perfectly balanced (stays level when you let go of it.)
4) Once the arm is balanced, turn the gradiated measuring ring at the front of the counterweight until it reads 0/zero. Do not turn the weight itself when you do this, all you are doing is calibrating the ring to show zero weight when the tonearm is balanced.
5) Turn the counterweight and ring together (when you turn the counterweight, the ring will trun right with it) until it matches the proper weight setting for your particular brand of cartrige and stylus. If you don't know that specification (try looking on the Internet), you can try somewhere in the 1.25 to 1.5 gram range as those were/are fairly typical pressure settings for most styli.
6) Turn the anti-skate control so that it starts swinging the tomearm back towards it's rest position on the outside of the platter. Set the anti-skate so it's reading matches your reading on the tonearm counterweight.
At this point you have the turntable properly balanced for normal play. Try putting on the record and see if it still skips (see below for hints on cleaning the surface first.)
If it still skips, try incrementally increasing the weight setting on the counterweight. But do this in *small increments*, maybe 1/4 gram at a time. If you get above, say, 2.5 grams, you risk doing real and permanent sonic damage to the record and physical damage to the stylus. As you adjust the counterweight, adjust the anti-skate accordingly.
You may wind up playing with the anti-skate a bit; if the skip seems to throw the stylus in a groove or two, you may want to adjust the anti-skate for higher outward pressure, And vice versa. But don't do this unless/until all of the above don't work for you.
As far as cleaning goes, I'm not sure what's still available retail, but the cleaning brush and fluid from Discwasher is one of the best ways to go. Always clean following the grain of the record grooves only (i.e. around in a circle.) This is just the opposite of how you're supposed to clean CDs, I know, but vinyl is an entirely different story.
Also, if they still sell them, the Discwasher stylus brush is great for cleaning the gunk off the stylus itself. If those are not available, a fine camel-hair paint brush like the ones used by model airplane hobbiests will work in a pinch. But always clean the stylus in a motion from the back of the stylus *towards you*, never side-to-side or front to back. It is way too easy to damage the stylus arm otherwise.
If you have some kind of anti-static device like a Zerostat (anything designed to remove static by spraying ionic charges without any wetness or change in temperature), giving the record a couple of blasts with that before cleaning it with the Discwasher pad will increase the amount of dust you can remove from the record.
As for the cleaner itself, stick with a product designed specifically for record cleaning. Do NOT use rubbing alchohol as that has way too much sediment in it and can react badly with some formulations of "vinyl". And please, please do not use any kind of wax or furniture polish to try and get rid of a bad skip. that will just fill up in the grooves and completly ruin the sound, the record, and potentially, your stylus.
HTH,
G.
Wow, that's a ton of info. Thanks!