Round2 Messages: 108 Registered: September 2013 Location: Canada
Viscount
I have some old vinyl records I'd like to convert to digital. I've looked up some vinyl converter turntables that seem to be decent prices. Has anyone ever used one of these and do they produce the same sound as the vinyl you are copying from?
I have never used a converter, and wouldn't even know what a decent price for one may be. I have, however, seen the converters that go from VHS to DVD. I imagine it'd be a similar process.
Wayne Parham Messages: 18787 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
I would suggest playing your vinyl albums on a nice turntable and recording the output using software on your PC. For best quality, use a file format that is lossless like FLAC.
Round2 Messages: 108 Registered: September 2013 Location: Canada
Viscount
Thanks for the suggestion Wayne. What applications can support a FLAC file? Will any media player work for playing the file? Also, does it work on a MAC or do I need to convert it to another format? Sorry for all the questions.
Wayne Parham Messages: 18787 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
FLAC pretty much works on everything. There's an Apple-specific version called ALAC, but I'd prefer to use FLAC. Either way, both are good formats that offer high-fidelity.
gofar99 Messages: 1949 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, I agree sort of. The problem with many PC internal sound cards is that they are pretty poor. If all you want to do is make modest copies then they will probably do. If you want high quality rips then you should look at external sound cards. IMO the minimum capability for high quality rips is 24 bit / 96 k sampling. You can always edit the rips and convert them to a compressed loss less format of your choice, but if you start out with low resolution copies you can not improve them. There are a number of devices that will do both the phono preamp function and ADC function (all seem to do the DAC function as well). It all depends on what you want for the final copy and how much you can afford. It is possible to take the output directly from a turntable cartridge and do the RIAA compensation in the PC with a program like Audacity. I have done this and found that the signal to noise was not all that good. This is really a no brainer as the output from the cartridge is about 20-30 db below a normal line level signal. What you save in simplicity you lose in S/N. I use a separate phono preamp to feed an external sound card (they really aren't cards but boxes). It is a SIIG CE-S700 and are sold widely now (even Walmart on line at $74). It will do native 24/96 and with software 24/192. It does an excellent job and the rips are clean and quiet. It will work (in native mode) with nearly any common audio software. I find it easiest to rip with Nero, edit with Audacity and play with with Creative. Any one of the three could do it all, but each IMO has certain features that make it better at the task. If all you want like I said earlier is MP3 copies or such then pretty much any built in PC sound system will work. You still have the issue with the gain and RIAA compensation. For a cheap and pretty decent phono preamp I would look at Phonopreamps.com. Their model 750 is decent and cheap.
Round2 Messages: 108 Registered: September 2013 Location: Canada
Viscount
Thank you for the information gofar99. I checked out the phonopreamps site and the prices are pretty decent. I like quality sound and so I'll give this a try.
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