EQ help needed, please read

  • Thread starter Thread starter visho
  • Start date Start date
V

visho

New member
Hello people, I need help, let me explain what's the deal and hopefuly someone would help me .
I got a couple of rare versions that were only released on cassette tapes and vinyls and I want to transfer these into CD's .
So obviously first of all I recorded the music as WAV files to my computer, that's the easy part, now there's a huge problem with matching the EQ to the ones that were released on CD, for example I have an instrumental version on vinyl, I want it to sound exactly (EQ wise I mean) like the original on CD, how is it possible I ask you ?
I tried some Wave Editos like Goldwave/SoundForge etc, but the EQ doesn't come even close to the cd level no matter what I do, what are my options ?

please help me with some tips, anything .

my first thought would be, maybe there is some program out there that can match EQ on both tracks to make them equal or something like that .

Thank you in advance for your time .

Adi
 
Yes! yes, there is a program out there that matches the EQ perfect.... But i cant remember the name!! :(

Im going to think... and try and get back to you... But just to let you know that there IS a program out there :)

Damn, thats going to annoy me now..
 
I'd forget about EQ all together. Vynil and tapes have a different sound than cds. That's their character and you shouldn't mess with it. Even if you try, you will never be able to make a vynil record sound exactly like a cd.

However, you could be hearing a far to large difference between your vynils and cds when digitalizing your vynils, because of the way you are doing it. If you are just pluging some line-out of a vynil player into the mic-in of a cheap soundcard or something like that, you are bound to get a not-so-great sound. The level (volume) will be way too low, the cable from your vynil player to your computer will probably degrade your signal at least a little bit, and maybe most importantly, you will use very crappy DA convertors. Standard PC soundcards like Sound Blasters do not have the capability to handle input sound very well.

What you would need to get a good sound of a vynil or tape into your computer is at least this:
- A preamp of some sort. A mic preamp will do. an M-Audio DMP3 will be good for you (around 150 dollars).
- Some cables, shouldn't cost too much.
- A decent recording soundcard, like the Terratec EWX2496 (99 dollars) or the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 (same price).

Sorry mate, but without spending some cash, you won't get a better signal.
 
Hello Halion, no you probably didn't understood what I'm asking .
I did invest in the sound transfer department, i got all the tools to make it happen, I got a brand new and very expensive turntable, got myslef creative audigy soundcard and the recording sound is very clean, the only problem is the EQ, yes I do know that tapes, vinyls and cd's won't ever sound the same, all I'm after is more or less same sound, my guess there must be a solution out there, that's all I'm asking .

thanks .

Adi
 
Ok. Then all I think of is that you either have one point in your signal chain that changes the color of the sound completely, or that your just stuck with the sound from the old record.
 
I think that you are simplifying things a bit. There are more variables than EQ alone to make things sound the same.

I believe the program Tifstorey wanted to recall is Har-Bal, see:

http://www.har-bal.com/

I have not used it, nor do I plan to as I prefer using my ears. Also not clear on why someone would want things to sound the same, variation is what makes life interesting. Just make them sound the best that they can be and try to keep levels in line so that you don't have to reach for the volume knob when listening from track to track. Given the state of many modern CD tracks maybe everything would sound better if you made the the CD tracks sound more like the vinyl ones?
 
visho said:
Hello people, I need help, let me explain what's the deal and hopefuly someone would help me .
I got a couple of rare versions that were only released on cassette tapes and vinyls and I want to transfer these into CD's .
So obviously first of all I recorded the music as WAV files to my computer, that's the easy part, now there's a huge problem with matching the EQ to the ones that were released on CD, for example I have an instrumental version on vinyl, I want it to sound exactly (EQ wise I mean) like the original on CD, how is it possible I ask you ?
I tried some Wave Editos like Goldwave/SoundForge etc, but the EQ doesn't come even close to the cd level no matter what I do, what are my options ?

please help me with some tips, anything .

my first thought would be, maybe there is some program out there that can match EQ on both tracks to make them equal or something like that .

Thank you in advance for your time .

Adi
Click to expand...

Vinyl transfers need to use a preamp or an adapter that conforms to the RIAA eq standard. The RIAA was set up years ago as an eq standard for vinyl playback. You can use home stereo gear that has an input for a turntable, or get one of dedicated boxes (guitar center or radio shack) that will do the same thing.

Good luck,
Terry
 
I had an old version of Steinberg's Wavelab a few years ago that analyzed a recording and generated a spectral envelope that could be applied to another recording in order to make it sound like the original. The results varied; on some recordings it did a pretty good job, on others it didn't. You couldn't use it to turn lead into gold; if the recording were just too different, there wasn't a whole lot it could do. But if there were enough key similarities in style, instrument usage, etc., it didn't work half badly.

As to whether Wavelab still has such a function, I don't know. Perhaps someone else here or on the Cubase forum might be able to amplify that.

G.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top