vinyl records to digital format [ help ]

[125]

hello,

this is a little project for my family.
one of our cousins just found a bunch of their old (1965~1980's) vinyl records. i was asked to see if i can reproduce a CD version for all these vinyls, and i agreed to! :D

since this is my first time recording vinyl stuff, i need some help.

- any recommendations on a noise reduction tool?
(getting rid of vinyl pops and fuzz)

- are there any precautions on treating these vinyls?
(for vinyls, all i know is to not let it rest like a book but flat so that way the vinyl wont warp. also, im avoiding to leave finger prints on them)

any other notes i should take, please let me know.

thanks!

dice.

[Roadpebble]

What is your current setup? Record player to ... ? ... to computer (soundcard type?). What program are you using to record the audio? Multitrack system? Windows sound recorder?
Some of those tidbits might be handy to know

[Justin]

I'm not 100 percent certain, but I think you're going to need to run the audio from the Turntable through a RIAA pre in order to get everything to sound right. Mixers and Receivers with Phono inputs already have this, but your computer will probably not.

One example is:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DeeJayPre/

Check with a Sweetwater Sales Engineer to be sure. They can probably advise more than I. I've never actually done this myself.

I'm guessing you may want some basic plugins to help take pops, clicks, and hiss out as well.

[125]

whoooops!

sorry.

im going to be feeding the turntable signals directly into my mackie 1202VLZ Pro, that mackie goes into my m-audio 24/96.

im recording with Cubase Studio 4.
i also have Mpowered Protools.

im looking for a good VST plug in that can work out the noise and pops, and some tips on how i should record it.

thanks!
dice.

[Audioholic]

whoooops!

sorry.

im going to be feeding the turntable signals directly into my mackie 1202VLZ Pro, that mackie goes into my m-audio 24/96.

im recording with Cubase Studio 4.
i also have Mpowered Protools.

im looking for a good VST plug in that can work out the noise and pops, and some tips on how i should record it.

thanks!
dice.


Are you going through a DJ mixer first? Because arbiter is correct in that you will need something that can handle A records signal, whether it be a mixer or Phono preamp, otherwise it won't sound correct.

[Roadpebble]

The Mackie has the RCA tape input jacks. These connections are expecting a much stonger signal than what the turntable puts out. You will most likely need a proper phono preamp OR if your turntable has a headphone output you can connect there and go directly into your soundcard.
As far as noise reduction goes, I suggest downloading a copy of Audacity. It's free and has some very decent fx plugins, including noise reduction.

[Audioholic]

not only will the signal be quiter, but it will lack lots of bass and sound really thin without the proper amplification.

[125]

thanks fellas! :D

unfortunately for me, my mixer broke down couple of months ago. So i just got myself the ART DeeJay Pre II and downloaded Audacity.

thanks!

dice.

[dpd]

It will be MANDATORY that you run the cartridge signal through a low-noise, RIAA-equalized preamp or you will end up with total garbage.

The only other possibility that I can think of is to make an RIAA curve using a good quality equalizer - you need two, independently-set, 6 dB/octave low pass filters and one independently-set 6 dB/octave high pass filter. Unfortunately, I don't remember the exact frequencies for these and I'm too lazy to go downstairs right now to look them up. I will if you want to try this, but the results won't be as good as using a phono preamp.

Also, if you are using a direct-drive table your results will suffer compared to a good belt-drive. Is the cartridge properly aligned in the head shell? Is the head shell properly aligned in the tone arm? Setting up a turntable is most definitely not a 'plug n play' operation - every pivoting tone arm in existence today has geometric errors that induce audible distortion when playing LPs. Without the proper setup tools, you won't get the best results.

[Roadpebble]

What would be the reason of using a belt driven turntable over a direct drive? Torque?

[dpd]

What would be the reason of using a belt driven turntable over a direct drive? Torque?

Direct drive tables couple the vibration of the motor directly to the platter and, hence, into the cartridge. Belt drive acts as a mechanical filter and reduces the motor noise into the cartridge. However, I have heard (and owned) some crappy belt drive tables over the years (the Walker CJ-55 at the top of the list). But, I'll take a good belt drive table any day.

[Roadpebble]

Direct drive tables couple the vibration of the motor directly to the platter and, hence, into the cartridge. Belt drive acts as a mechanical filter and reduces the motor noise into the cartridge.

That makes sense. I would say that the vibration of the motor should be fairly low. But then, so is the vibration embedded in the record.