M
mykie_a
New member
I know vinyl has a different signal output than line level...is it ok to run it's output straight to my MOTU ? I wanna tranfer to CD.
ssscientist
Info you can use...
You need a phono preamp. I got mine at Radio Shack - it has RCA i/o both from the turntable and to the computer, so you may need to get some adapters to accomodate the inputs of your soundcard.
Kevin Deschwazi
Well-known member
I'm thinking of doing the same thing.
As sscientist says you need to amplify the signal coming out of the turntable before it gets to the card. If you have a hi fi amp with phono in and line out this would suffice and would obviate the need to buy a seperate phono preamp.
As sscientist says you need to amplify the signal coming out of the turntable before it gets to the card. If you have a hi fi amp with phono in and line out this would suffice and would obviate the need to buy a seperate phono preamp.
lpdeluxe
The Precision Bass Guy
That's what I do: I use the phono in and tape outs on a receiver, then patch into my sound card. I just did the first vinyl transfer in about 4 years, and it was amazing to me how much noise was in those grooves!
T
The hidden Bird
New member
Phono preamp
The other thing about getting a phono preamp, like the radio shack model, is that it is also supposed to apply a little corrective EQ, much like the pre/post EQ that goes onto reel to reel tape. If you run the record player through a preamp without the corrective EQ, it will come out sounding weird.
-tHB
The other thing about getting a phono preamp, like the radio shack model, is that it is also supposed to apply a little corrective EQ, much like the pre/post EQ that goes onto reel to reel tape. If you run the record player through a preamp without the corrective EQ, it will come out sounding weird.
-tHB
H
Havoc
New member
This depends a lot on the vinyl you get your hands on. I have had some that I found incredibly silent (for vinyl that is).
Whatever you transfer: clean it very, very well even before you play it the first time. And check the setup of your turntable.
K
kylen
New member
I'm gearing up to transfer vinyl to CD or DVD...
There's another way I'm trying and that is to find the quietest preamp I have (right now it's a dbx386) and transfer the vinyl to DAW, the noisefloor with the preamp & turntable hooked up and running (and grounded - got another 3dB for that) without the tonearm on the vinyl is about -80dB.
One inside the DAW then I can bring up Magix Audio Cleaning Lab 2005, Diamond Cut 6, or Adobe Audition and apply the RIAA EQ curve using a digital filter. ACL2005 and DC6 both have presets for this so you don't have to build one for vinyl (the RIAA curve is different for 78's).
But even before applying the RIAA curve I'm doing declicking and decrackling using Adobe Audition 'Clickfix' 3rd party Audition only plugin which, to my ears, does an outstanding job and if set properly leaves no artifacts. Once that's done only the surface noise remains which is kinda like broadband tape hiss, Voxengo Redunoise removes that and can be set for no artifacts.
Of course to help that along, before the transfer to disk I'm going to clean the vinyl using Disc Doctor cleaning solution & anti-static (and 2 rinses of distilled water) to get all the crud out of the grooves that was mentioned earlier. That stuff is really noisey. Then vacuum it out with an EV-1 record cleaning machine into a new record sleeve (don't want to put paper dust back in the grooves) followed by carbon fiber brush once the vinyl is on the turntable spinning waiting for transfer...I might even wear a white haz-mat suit and a Michael Jackson face mask
Anyway - that's what I'm trying out. I don't have an opinion yet about the cleaning since I'm waiting on some stuff but the declicking is fantastic as is the sound of vinyl at 24bit/96KHz.
Here's a few links I found during research that got me thinking about these things:
http://www.tracertek.com/discdoctor.htm cleaning fluid
http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/kabev1_e.html vacuum
http://www.sleevetown.com/lp-sleeves-inner.shtml anti-static record sleeves
http://www.tracertek.com/newway.htm flat preamps
http://jdklein.bizland.com/clickfix/ Clickfix plugin
http://voxengo.com/redunoise/ To get rid of de-clicked broadband surface noise
There's another way I'm trying and that is to find the quietest preamp I have (right now it's a dbx386) and transfer the vinyl to DAW, the noisefloor with the preamp & turntable hooked up and running (and grounded - got another 3dB for that) without the tonearm on the vinyl is about -80dB.
One inside the DAW then I can bring up Magix Audio Cleaning Lab 2005, Diamond Cut 6, or Adobe Audition and apply the RIAA EQ curve using a digital filter. ACL2005 and DC6 both have presets for this so you don't have to build one for vinyl (the RIAA curve is different for 78's).
But even before applying the RIAA curve I'm doing declicking and decrackling using Adobe Audition 'Clickfix' 3rd party Audition only plugin which, to my ears, does an outstanding job and if set properly leaves no artifacts. Once that's done only the surface noise remains which is kinda like broadband tape hiss, Voxengo Redunoise removes that and can be set for no artifacts.
Of course to help that along, before the transfer to disk I'm going to clean the vinyl using Disc Doctor cleaning solution & anti-static (and 2 rinses of distilled water) to get all the crud out of the grooves that was mentioned earlier. That stuff is really noisey. Then vacuum it out with an EV-1 record cleaning machine into a new record sleeve (don't want to put paper dust back in the grooves) followed by carbon fiber brush once the vinyl is on the turntable spinning waiting for transfer...I might even wear a white haz-mat suit and a Michael Jackson face mask
Anyway - that's what I'm trying out. I don't have an opinion yet about the cleaning since I'm waiting on some stuff but the declicking is fantastic as is the sound of vinyl at 24bit/96KHz.
Here's a few links I found during research that got me thinking about these things:
http://www.tracertek.com/discdoctor.htm cleaning fluid
http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/kabev1_e.html vacuum
http://www.sleevetown.com/lp-sleeves-inner.shtml anti-static record sleeves
http://www.tracertek.com/newway.htm flat preamps
http://jdklein.bizland.com/clickfix/ Clickfix plugin
http://voxengo.com/redunoise/ To get rid of de-clicked broadband surface noise
K
kylen
New member
That's a great comment Havoc...I have the HiFi News LP to try out:Havoc said:
http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/hfnrrdisc_e.html
Do you have an opinion about that one? I need to ask the folks over at audiomasters forum about that one too. I have this one which I think is the 2nd version maybe:
http://www.tracertek.com/hifinews.htm
lpdeluxe
The Precision Bass Guy
This depends a lot on the vinyl you get your hands on.
...especially when it's the client's vinyl!
...especially when it's the client's vinyl!
K
kylen
New member
I get it now...lpdeluxe 
I'll bet you know a little something about vinyl going by your name, I just discovered a bunch at my house I forgot about...what do you think about the calibration record I mentioned above, which one do you use to setup your turntable?
I'll bet you know a little something about vinyl going by your name, I just discovered a bunch at my house I forgot about...what do you think about the calibration record I mentioned above, which one do you use to setup your turntable?
G
GemSmith
New member
If you're transferring vinyl to cd, I highly recommend a program called SoundSoap 2 from a company called BIAS (www.bias-inc.com). It's only $100, and it gets rid of most, if not all of the hiss, clicks, pops, and rumble. It's stupid-easy to use with the "Learn Noise" feature too. You just click "Learn Noise" at a silent spot on a given record (like the space before a track), and it learns the noise it's supposed to eliminate.
Of course, this is all assuming your vinyl is in relatively good shape and clean to begin with, as it's not a miracle worker. If your vinyl is in good shape, I highly recommend Last products for cleaning/preservation, etc. Oh yeah, and the Audioquest record brush is absolutely indispensible as well. Of course a record cleaning machine would be great too, but I don't know too many people with $500+ lying around to spend on one. So yeah, when you really get into transferring your vinyl to CD, it gets a little expensive, but it's fun and worth it in my opinion.
Of course, this is all assuming your vinyl is in relatively good shape and clean to begin with, as it's not a miracle worker. If your vinyl is in good shape, I highly recommend Last products for cleaning/preservation, etc. Oh yeah, and the Audioquest record brush is absolutely indispensible as well. Of course a record cleaning machine would be great too, but I don't know too many people with $500+ lying around to spend on one. So yeah, when you really get into transferring your vinyl to CD, it gets a little expensive, but it's fun and worth it in my opinion.
K
kylen
New member
Thanks GemSmith - I'm just getting started so I'm relying on tips like this until I get enough experience myself - Disc Doctor recommends this too which says a lot to me right now.GemSmith said:
What about the KAB EV-1 cleaning machine I posted above - any thoughts on that thing - for $149 and you supply your own vacuum...
Thanx
Kevin Deschwazi
Well-known member
Some excellent posts here Kylen, thanks for the links.
K
kylen
New member
You're welcome ! Just trying to spark a little debate so I can learn something...without spending too much on the wrong thingKevin DeSchwazi said:
In addition to the carbon fiber brush just recommended I also put on order:
Disc Doctor Stylus Cleaner
KAB USA Record Grip
3 mil resealable outer LP sleeves
One of the things I 'discovered' while de-clicking (probably common knowledge) is that if I reverse the wave file (Audition and Diamond Cut 6 do this) then the de-clicker can more easily remove a click that may look like music on the somewhat rounded ramp-up but is obviously a click looking at the nasty ramp-down (viewing in an audio editor).
Anyway - now I'm thinking about making a cork mat or getting a cheap carbon felt on for the turntable...to keep static and vibrations in check.
Any comments - I'm all ears...
H
Havoc
New member
Regarding setup: if you have a test disc, then by all means use it. I don't have one, but I don't play much vinyl either.
But even a simple protractor and a balance like the shure sfg-2 can help you. Think it is best to do this before you use the test disc.
Regarding noise floor: if you try to measure the noise floor, do look at the frequency spectrum of it! You could have a mediocre noise floor, except for a single peak. Then getting rid of that peak can transform it into a very good one. Using a mic preamp might not be the best idea. The impedance they represent is far removed from what a cartridge is designed for.
But even a simple protractor and a balance like the shure sfg-2 can help you. Think it is best to do this before you use the test disc.
Regarding noise floor: if you try to measure the noise floor, do look at the frequency spectrum of it! You could have a mediocre noise floor, except for a single peak. Then getting rid of that peak can transform it into a very good one. Using a mic preamp might not be the best idea. The impedance they represent is far removed from what a cartridge is designed for.
Kevin Deschwazi
Well-known member
This looks Ok for anyone wanting to do it on the cheap (that'll be me then ) and if you don't already own specific software.
http://www.downloadjunction.com/product/software/8684/index.html
Not a recommendation as such as I've only just downloaded the trial myself but it has plenty of noise reduction tools and making up a list of seperate tracks from your one long audio file is easy. Then you can burn the list straight to CD. I've just got it sussed in the last half hour or so (and I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer).
Edit: It's $29 and the 30 day trial is fully functional
) and if you don't already own specific software.http://www.downloadjunction.com/product/software/8684/index.html
Not a recommendation as such as I've only just downloaded the trial myself but it has plenty of noise reduction tools and making up a list of seperate tracks from your one long audio file is easy. Then you can burn the list straight to CD. I've just got it sussed in the last half hour or so (and I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer).
Edit: It's $29 and the 30 day trial is fully functional
Last edited:
K
kylen
New member
Thanks Havoc ! You're right I better compare between my phono preamp and my mic preamp - I wanted to do flat transfers without analog RIAA EQ but I'll just do a couple of test runs after researching this some more.Havoc said:
