LP to CD Questions

[LarryG]

I'm using XP Home on a new Dell computer. I've ripped CDs, streaming audio, and cassettes with Aux Input with good success. When I try a vinyl LP, I get problems.

Recording from the headphone jack, the LP volume between tracks will not get low enough for either me or Aux Input to recognize the gap. If I copy the LP to a casette, then record from the casette headphone jack to Aux Input, it works out fine. How can I fix noise between tracks on a turntable?

I tried all the volume settings I could, hoping to fix Signal to Noise ratio, but nothing was effective.

[ChristinaS]

Re: LP to CD Questions

I'm using XP Home on a new Dell computer. I've ripped CDs, streaming audio, and cassettes with Aux Input with good success. When I try a vinyl LP, I get problems.

Recording from the headphone jack, the LP volume between tracks will not get low enough for either me or Aux Input to recognize the gap. If I copy the LP to a casette, then record from the casette headphone jack to Aux Input, it works out fine. How can I fix noise between tracks on a turntable?

I tried all the volume settings I could, hoping to fix Signal to Noise ratio, but nothing was effective.

Don't you have an amplifier that you can plug the turntable into through the amp's line-in or aux-in jacks? Then you plug the amplifier's line-out into the line-in on your soundcard.

You maye have to record you LP's manually and start and stop yourself each track.

I've heard others record a vinyl LP as one large wav file, fix pops and crackles and then chop it into separate files using other means. dMC Auxiliary Input can be used for that if you find your precise start and end of each track so you re-record them from your initially recorded full wav file.

[adaywayne]

Re: LP to CD Questions

That's the way to go Christina. One point, unless the turntable has a built-in pre-amp/RIAA equalizer, you need to use an ampifier/receiver that has a phono-input. Otherwise the LP equalization will not be correct. Cheap pre-amps with RIAA equalizer can be bought at most electronics store.

I record whole LPs (both sides) to one large wave file as you suggest and then split the tracks (removing most intertrack signal) manually. I have yet to find a splitting program that will split LP tracks without mistakes.

[Spoon]

Re: LP to CD Questions

You could try increasing the % on auto end option (options page).

[petriburg]

Re: LP to CD Questions

Larry, the foregoing advice is correct. Just a hint - you don't have to buy a full-blown preamp to give you the correct tonescale balance - what you need is normally sold as a phono stage or phono preamp, and costs less than a full preamp. As to price and quality, you'll need to set your standard by the type of turntable/cartridge combination you are using - if this is an audiophile grade combination, then you need a better quality phono stage than that which would suffice for use with an el cheapo Radio Shack device, if you get my drift. As to recording and cutting into tracks, then there are many editing software packages available, and Google will point you to some, if not all of these.
For a very explicit explanation of the whole vinyl to CD recording process, I do strongly recommend that you read this article. http://www.delback.co.uk/lp-cdr.htm
Good luck, I hope you will enjoy this quite fascinating procedure, as indeed I do.
Tony

[LarryG]

Re: LP to CD Questions

Thanks for all the suggestions! I've got a fairly decent linear tracking turntable, fairly high end stuff, so I'll be shopping for a little more hardware. I've been using Audacity for and editor, and am pretty happy with it.

[petriburg]

Re: LP to CD Questions

Hi again, Larry;

:D That's good news about your turntable! Since you are going shopping for hardware, may I presume to recommend to you a phono stage which will match the performance of your turntable? Try the Dynavector phono stage, it has had some rave reviews, is compact and affordable! May good fortune continue for you!
Tony

[adaywayne]

Re: LP to CD Questions

Larry, just make sure your turntable does not already have a built-in phono pre-amp with RIAA (actually reverse RIAA) equalisation. If it does, you should connect it directly to the line-in of your computer, not through another phono pre-amp. Of course, if your turntable has a phono line-out which plugs into the phono input of a receiver/amplifier, you are already in business!
Arnie