how to record audio in lossless format

[audio.fi]

Hi
I would like to archive my record collection with a lossless format such as WMA lossless. Is there any software that allows me to record to a lossless format. I know that I can record easily as a wave file but want to save space whilst still getting top quality. Can anyone help me please.
Thanks

[xoas]

Re: how to record audio in lossless format

I would recommend recording directly to wave and then converting the wave files to wma lossless (or other lossless codec of your choice, dBpowerAMP has codecs for several lossless formats). I would recommend this based on my observations of using dB Auxilary Input to record to different formats. In practice you could record directly to WMA Lossless with Auxilary Input but I have generally found this practice to lead to a very slight delay as Auxilary Input converted the audiio to whatever format I was using. Such a delay is not really a factor with recording directly to wave. For various reasons, recording from phono, tape or radio is significantly more labor intensive than ripping from CD or than converting from one format to another. I find recording to wave to be easiest for the hard part. After that, conversion from wave is pretty much of a breeze.

However, if you want to see whether the issue I am talking about is a real problem for you or not, try recording directly to WMA Lossless with dB Auxilary Input. If it goes smoothly for you, fine and good. If not, try recording to wave and then converting the wave files to WMA lossless.

The basic software would be dBpowerAMP Music Converter (of which Auxilary Input is a built-in component). Then you will need the appropriate codec for the lossless format you want to use. These can be found at Codec Central. There is a tab link to Codec Central at the top of this page. Some codecs also require additional software and/or system requirements. WMA Lossless is part of the WMA 9.1 codec which requires Windows Media Player 10 (which, in turn, requires that you be using Windows XP).

If you have never used dBpowerAMP Music Converter before, you will get a thirty day free trial of the Power Pack. The Power Pack provides an mp3 encoder and several features and effects that can be helpful. Among these are DSP effects. This may prove useful for you. There is a cost for the Power Pack after the trial period expires but this is set up such that you have to request, purchase and download the registered version of the Power Pack.

If you go this route, you will need a line out from your stereo to to the line input of your soundcard. dBpowerAMP Music Converter has extensive Help files to assist you with understanding how to use each part of the program. So take a bit of time to read these before proceeding with your project. There is also a useful FAQ in the FAQ section for dBpowerAMP Music Converter that covers How To Use Auxilary Input.

There are other programs that you can use for recording. I am not sure if other users have any alternatives they would recommend.

God luck and best wishes,
Bill

[audio.fi]

Re: how to record audio in lossless format

Thanks very much Bill, for taking the time to write back. I will have a go with db power amp and see how I get on with it. I have nero premium which has a very good wave recorder on it; It's just a pity that it cannot record in other formats that are lossless but I may do what you suggest and record in wave and then convert after that.
Thanks
Colin

[ChristinaS]

Re: how to record audio in lossless format

Are your record vinyls or CD's? I know, stupid question probably, but I have to ask anyway. Some folks refer to cd's as records as well. If they are CD's you can just rip them instead of recording through Auxiliary Input and that would go a whole lot faster :D

[audio.fi]

Re: how to record audio in lossless format

Hi Christina
Yes, I am recording lp's and singles that i have had for many years. I intend to record them then, use some kind of restoration software to remove crackles. The problem is that i want to use the best lossless codec possible (i.e. the best sound with the smalles file size but still lossless) to save on space. Any ideas on which codec is the best.
Thanks

[ChristinaS]

Re: how to record audio in lossless format

As Bill said you're better off to first record to standard pcm wav (16-bit, 2-channel stereo, 44.1KHz). Apply your restoration to that file. When you are happy with it convert it to another lossless format. Personally I'd use lossless wma 9.1 VBR Quality 100 (44.1 Khz, 16-bit, 2-channel VBR). I just have a thing for wma :smile2: It is more readily portable than other formats I think. You take such a file to any pc that run XP & WMP 10 and you can play it. Other formats require having other audio players and codecs which have to be found and installed. WMP comes with Windows, there's no fumbling to find a player.

Lossless is lossless. The audio quality will be the same in the end: exactly the same as the wav file. The more highly compressed the file, the longer it takes to compress it and decompress it, just remember that.

The reason why recording to wav is best initially is to reduce any kind of lag time needed by the converter to convert to some other format when it has to handle what amounts to a stream, which may interfere with the end result. Wav is what comes into the line-in - so you should keep it so, it's the fastest and safest I think. After that you can play with the wav. It's the recording which is long, it's of course in real time plus your learning and fumbling time. :p The conversion to anything is very fast after that.

[Hyrize]

Re: how to record audio in lossless format

just a thought (maybe more a wishlist idea), seeing as lots of people record from vinyl prehaps it would be a good idea to have filters for AUX input to remove, say clicks and pops for vinyl, or maybe one to remove hiss when recording from tape?