Vinyl to CD? HOW!

Subject: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 02:25 PM

I tried doing cassette to CD, using audacity. What a pain. Had to do each tune individually.    I'm guessing you need a keyboard, cord from keyboard to computer. But where are you taking it from there? Are you using a specific software program to do this? Thanks

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From:
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 02:32 PM

Hi Guest, You should be able to load the whole thing into Audacity and then cut each track out into individual files, then burn it onto CD on the computer with some CD burning software.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 02:34 PM

Audacity is OK, but Audio Hijack Pro is so much better (if you have a Mac).
(There's something else for WinDoze)
Line out from audio source player to headphone socket on CPU.
Capture audio, edit then import to iTunes library.
Burn CD.
Simple.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 02:49 PM

You have to have the patience of Job, believe me.

I have a Numark USB turntable and Audacity software which came with the turntable. I've got into a routine of recording the vinyl onto the computer (whole of one side at a time) using the turntable and Audacity. I then remove the noise and divide the album into tracks. I haven't managed anything fancier than that yet! Make sure you don't do anything else on the computer whilst it is recording in case it picks up any little clicks etc. I then use Windows Media Player to burn onto CD. This is the worst bit because the programme keeps "not responding" and I've almost been at the stage of throwing the whole lot through the window.

Persevere, it is worth it in the end!

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 02:53 PM

here is the explanation of a guy who has studied it and put togthher a guide

http://www.shareup.com/dadioh/index.html

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 02:57 PM

I forgot to say that I normalize before removing the noise. Again I do that using Audacity.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 03:27 PM

I used to do these things by computer, but found it an enormous hassle. Then I picked up a Tascam CD-RW 402 on E-bay a few years ago. That has the capability to record our duplicate discs, and can accept analog sources. It doesn't put any automatic space between tracks, and you can set your own copy protection protocol. When I archive LPs or cassettes to CD, I set it to automatically put in a track break when the db level goes down to a certain level for a certain amount of time. (What those levels are depends somewhat on the medium and the amount of time between tracks.)

It's more pricey than a piece of computer software, but if you find one used and in good shape, as I did, it's a wonderful piece of equipment to have around. I've never regretted buying it.

Dan Schatz

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 03:34 PM

For just £21 you can get the software that really does the job easily. Record split tracks automatically or manually add fade in/out, de click/hiss.
It's called the unlikely name of Polderbits recorder, here's the link. Just try it!

Polderbits sound recorder

I have no connection with the company But I was very impressed with this tool. I use soundforge for more serious stuff but that is very long winded.

Andy

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Gene
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 03:38 PM

Nero allows you [after recording an lp or cas to Wave file] to input a Wav File and separate each song with 1 or 2 tic marks between each song [depending on the amount of space between each track] and burn to CD as individual selections...

I know of NO better, faster, easier program to use than NERO....

I transfer an average of 7/10 lps/cas/8tracks a week to CD...

Gene

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 03:43 PM

Polderbits works only with Gatesware.
Nero has versions of some of its software that works on a Mac.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 04:14 PM

Let's back up.

My vinyl LP's are in the living room, next to the turntable, which is connected to a tuner and some speakers.

The computer is in another room.

How do I get the computer to listen to the music on the LP's? Do I buy a special turntable which can plug into a computer?

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: bobad
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 04:56 PM

leenia, this LINK explains how.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: oldhippie
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 05:07 PM

In addition to the Tascam, the "Burn-It" works the same way, analog to digital, directly to CD.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Jim Lad
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 05:32 PM

leeneia: Sounds like what you're asking is two different things.
1) How to get the sound into your computer.
2) What software do I record with.

1) This is easy enough. You choose which you want to move. Either the turntable or the computer. Look to see what you have for "Lines Out" of your turntable. The best choice would be the lines going from the turntable to the amp. These can be RCA type or 1/8" stereo pin. It matters not since adapters to suit your "Line In" on the computer tower are easy to find. A "Y" connection from RCA to stereo pin is cheap enough.
Headset Line out would be the second way to go. Just find the ideal volume and mark it.
That gets the sound to your computer and now you're looking at step 2.
2) The most popular choice of software on Mudcat seems to be "Audacity", for two reasons. a) It's free. and b) Mudcatters are a whole lot smarter than I am.
I tend to go along with those who have paid for more "Eejit Friendly" software.
Mixcraft
has a few models which you can try out for free, a week at a time. You don't need an instruction manual and you can save the files in MP3 format without downloading any more Lame programmes.
3)You are now at the final step. With the whole album recorded, in one long track, in Audacity or whichever programme you choose, you can now get down to your final edit. You may choose to tinker with the ambient sound but I honestly don't know why anyone would.
Go to your album long track and select each song, one at a time. Save it as MP3 and your Windows Media Player or Real Player will store it for you.
4) Burn your disc. Drop each song in it's desired spot on the "Burn" list. Your media player will automatically place a 3 second gap between songs. Be sure to choose "Normalise" as one of your options and you are now ready to "Start Burn".
Your album should sound no different than the Vinyl.
Amen.
Jim

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: GUEST,Spidey Bobe
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 06:02 PM

Surely it is much easier to borrow the CD version from a library and copy it.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Amos
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 06:03 PM

Your turntable, or the amplifier it feeds to, has an audio out plug usually used for connecting earphones. This can be used to direct the audio output into a portable recording device such as a minidisc recorder, or even into an interface like the iMic which has jack inputs and plugs into a USB port to make recording input.

I am not familiar with the Tascam or Burn-It but I have used this method successful.


A

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 07:59 PM

When I was using a computer to do this my method of connecting the turntable in one room with the 'puter in the other was REALLY long cords.

Dan Schatz

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: artbrooks
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 08:35 PM

If I am recording LPs, I go from the record-out plugs on the amplifier (the ones that usually go to my tape player) to the mic jack on the PC - a Y-splitter is necessary. For some reason there isn't enough gain to do this when I'm dubbing a cassette tape, so I go directly from the audio-out plugs on the tape player to the PC, etc.   I used to use very long cords also, but I finally got a laptop to use instead. {The laptop is also great for listening to internet radio over the stereo system, but that's another story.}

I use a program called Magix Audio Cleaning Lab to actually make the recording - it does an excellent job of removing noise from old LPs.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 09:24 PM

Jim Lad says "save the files in MP3 format"

This is not the best way. If you record these MP3 files to CD. you can only play back on a system that will play MP3s and you will NOT have a 'standard audio CD' - however many CD players, even ones in car radios are now available that will play this sort of 'MP3 CD'.

One advantage though, is that you can fit much more on a standard CDR than in the 'standard audio CD' format.

If you want to be able to play the resultant recorded CD in a 'normal audio CD player' then you need to have the sound format in a compatible one with that which is recorded onto the CD. The MP3 format 'throws away' large chunks of the sound - according to a special formula which guesses that th e human ear/brain combination also throws away some information while listening.

If you transform to MP3 at any stage, you will need to transform back - some CD recording programs can do this automatically.

I would recommend, especially if you want 'archival type' recordings, that you put the original conversion into the correct audio format that you will transform and put on the CD.

Somebody who knows more than me will be along soon to tell you exactly what to do...

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Jim Lad
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 09:38 PM

"This is not the best way. If you record these MP3 files to CD." ??
You record them to CD as audio files. Come on! Windows & Real Player do this.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 10:15 PM

QUOTE
"This is not the best way. If you record these MP3 files to CD." ??
You record them to CD as audio files. Come on! Windows & Real Player do this.
QUOTE

This just means that you ARE reconverting them back to the CD format (I don't know whether the reconversion 'makes up' stuff to fill the gaps, or just leaves it out!) - thus the 'music' is actually missing large chunks of the original.

CD quality audio is sampled at 44.1 kHz and at 16 bits. MP3s 'throw away' a lot of this info, as I said 'according to a special formula which guesses that the human ear/brain combination also throws away some information while listening.'

BTW, the reconversion process back to CD format will consume CPU (and your) time - if you keep the original recordings in the CD format, there is no need to waste this time.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Jim Lad
Date: 16 Jun 07 - 10:31 PM

Quick guest: Take what you got and run with it. This thread will self destruct in about 20 seconds. ..19...18...17...16..

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Jun 07 - 01:13 PM

Thank you, Jim Lad and Bobad for the link and the information. Now I understand the process much better.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 17 Jun 07 - 03:02 PM

Has anyone any experience of Using ADS Instant Music ? This is a hi-fi/computer interface which enbales you to plug your analogue gear in one end, and a USB cable to your computer in the other.a href="http://www.adstech.com/products/RDX-150/intro/RDX-150_intro1.asp?pid=RDX-150">http://www.adstech.com/products/RDX-150/intro/RDX-150_intro1.asp?pid=RDX-150

I have two questions.

Firstly, what will this acheive that you can't acheive by running an audio cable from the hi-fi headphone socket to the computer mike socket ?

Secondly, the device comes with bundled Nero software; Mix, SoundTrax and Nero Wave Editor 2. Given that the retail price of the entire package is only about £36-00 in the UK, would the hardware produce anything resembling quality results ?

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: bobad
Date: 17 Jun 07 - 03:14 PM

I purchased one of those rigs, brought it home, installed the software and hooked it up. The first step in the instructions say you should get some message when you connect - I didn't. When I started looking into tech support I discovered that you had to pay for it. I repackaged the unit and brought it back for refund. The software is being put to good use though as I am doing just fine in the manner that you suggest except that I'm connecting pre-amp to computer.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: artbrooks
Date: 17 Jun 07 - 07:42 PM

Fred, that is about twice the cost of the software package I use, but I don't think that direct comparisons would be useful. The single thing that the program I have is most valuable for is in the elimination of snap-crackle-pop from old vinyl; not only does it "automatically" eliminate noise, it also gives me a zig-zag graph and lets me edit individual problems. If that machine has a good editor capability, I'll defer to someone who is familiar with it, specifically.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Jim Lad
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 02:45 AM

Thirty Six Quid is not going to get you anything better than you already have on the computer. There are various Audio Interfaces on the market and I do plan to buy one, down the road but I'd be spending much more than that.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: GUEST,Black Hawk unlogged
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 03:27 AM

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned MusicMatch for this purpose.

It allows you to transfer from CD to computer automatically.
Transfer from other sources (turntable, mini-disc etc.) whilst automatically sensing between tracks.
Allows you to burn a CD from resulting files.
Also, it is very useful for converting files (MP3, WAV etc.).
A free version is available but only allows 5 burns to CD. Registering is only @ £20 in UK and well worth the cost.

Although I have high end audio editing programs I find 80% of my archiving is carried out using this program.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 05:54 AM

Perhaps my previous query didn't explain things properly. At present I'm getting perfectly acceptable results by plugging one end of the audio lead into the headphone socket and the other into the computer mike socket. No interface. No preamp. Since I already have good editing software (CoolEdit Pro)would there be any benefit in my buying an interface?


"Thirty Six Quid is not going to get you anything better than you already have on the computer. There are various Audio Interfaces on the market and I do plan to buy one, down the road but I'd be spending much more than that."

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Grab
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 06:19 AM

Look to see what you have for "Lines Out" of your turntable. The best choice would be the lines going from the turntable to the amp. These can be RCA type or 1/8" stereo pin.

A gotcha with this. To stop large peaks on the record causing the needle to jump and skip, all records are made with a special equalisation filter (an "RCA filter", it's called) applied to the sound. This reduces the peaks that'd cause the problems. To get the actual sound back through your hi-fi, you need to use the reverse of that equalisation. As an example, if you'd recorded and pushed the bass EQ down to -12, you'd need to play back with the bass EQ pushed up to +12 to get the original version out.

The problem is that this equalisation is usually done in the amp, not in the turntable. Newer turntables might have this, but all older ones don't. That's why if you want to use a turntable, you need to make sure your amp has an input specially designed for it. And it also means that recording (with your PC) on the turntable output will probably give you duff results. So make sure that your PC recording program of choice has the ability to correct for the RCA filter, and make sure you remember to do it, otherwise your recording will sound strange and crap.

Graham.

PS. Audacity does have it. I think SoundForge does too. Don't know about any others.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: early
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 11:46 AM

I get excellent results using Stienbergs wavelab.
Audio is imported through the sound card of the PC from the aux. out on my hi-fi. Next the choice is to record each track individually then nomalise and clean / de click the track which can be laborious.If sufficient memory record the whole side of the LP and then apply noise reduction and clean up, before splitting into tracks (easy with wavelab you just highlight the section and save it as a file) I have also used cool edit pro for post capture editing but find the recording interface on wavelab simple and easy to use.Each LP generally takes about 1 1/2 times the playing time to prepare for burning to CD having said that Cool edit pro has the best noise reduction outcome of any programme I have used except maybe Dart Pro

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Jim Lad
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 11:53 AM

A gotcha with this.???

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: GUEST,Spidey Bobe
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 01:49 PM

Will Musicmatch convert from FLAC?

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Greg B
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 02:04 PM

I have a Tascam CC-222 burner in my stereo rack which is
designed for this very purpose. It has a cassette bay in it,
and also RIAA phono inputs.

I generally record one side of the album onto a track at
first, ending up with two tracks. I then extract that to a
.wav file (which is lossless) and use audacity to clean up
all the vinyl noises and split it into tracks (individual
WAV files). I then convert that collection of WAV files into
a standard audio CD as well as any MP3's that I want.

The Tascam has 'features' to find the separate tracks but
I've disabled that because it sometimes guesses wrong on a
quiet passage.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Grab
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 06:46 PM

"RCA" - doh! RIAA, of course, sorry.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Greg B
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 07:37 PM

The big enemy in this whole operation is hum. I tried various
lash-ups before getting the Tascam. Maybe it was where I lived,
but I never did solve the hum problem until I put the RIAA output
of the record player right into the Tascam.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: elfcape
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 11:19 PM

The big hitch with all of this is that it has to be done in real time. I have 6 years of PHCs on cassette and thought I'd convert them over a period of time - like a year or so.

Ha, ha, ha. No speed duplicating with this process.

Sigh.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From:
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 12:20 AM

Snap, elfcape

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 06:58 PM

Found this in our Tucson paper:

Turn your 45s and LPs into MP3s
By Eric Gwinn
Chicago Tribune
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.23.2007

Records aren't dead; they just need help finding the 21st century.
There has been a wave of under $200 turntables that connect to your computer so you can copy your 45s and LPs to your hard drive. From there, the music can go into your MP3 player and, if your computer can make CDs, to your car or home stereo's CD player.

The best of the bunch is the new Ion Audio iTTUSB05 ($149.99; Urban Outfitters, Costco, amazon.com). It's a smart update of the model I've reviewed before. The Ion is still easy to use: Connect it to your computer with the included USB cable and fire up the included software to record the incoming music. The updates? It now plays 78 rpm records, it has a cover to protect your record player from dust, and the new (and included) software makes it easy to put your newly recorded music into your iTunes playlist. And what's more 21st century than listening to your old 45 of "In the Year 2525" on your iPod?

----

Anyone seen that one? It doesn't say anything about sound cleanup...

Here's the company; they have a few versions: ion-audio.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Cluin
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 08:20 PM

Save the audio files as CD quality (44.1 KHz stereo 16 bit files).wav files and you won't lose any quality. Those files will burn directly to a CD-R to make an audio disk playable on all CD players, equivalent to a store-bought commercially made CD (at least as long as it lasts).

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: artbrooks
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 08:45 PM

Cluin, that is fine as long as the records are virgin vinyl. However, most of us played them for years, and they have a lot of "snap, crackle and pop" on them. I checked the MixMeister website, and they don't discuss this software; most of the places that do simply echo the PR blurb Becky quoted above.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Cluin
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 09:29 PM

After you have saved the files as CD Quality wav files, you then apply NR, EQing, breaks, fading and other editing to clean them up, Art. I was just saying you should eliminate the conversion-to-MP3 step until the end and then only if you are creating an MP3 disc or want to listen to them on your computer or MP3 player.

Conversion to MP3 compresses the wav files in an analogous way to the way JPG compression reduces digital info when it converts from a lossless type of bitmap file (like BMP or TIF). The file size is much smaller but something is lost and if the compression is radical enough, artifacts occur. We've all seen what severe MPg compression does to photos.

Your sound editing software will first "record" the sound info as a CD quality wav file anyway and THEN convert it to MP3. Why not just eliminate the last step?

If the intention is to create a regular audio CD for use in a regular CD player, there is no need to convert to MP3 or WMA format. The wav files will burn straight to CD as is. Conversion to MP3 and back again to wav will result in extra unneeded steps and loss of quality.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Gurney
Date: 24 Aug 07 - 07:01 AM

After I burned out a soundcard trying to get a signal into the computer....
Well, I might have burned it out, or then again, it might have been faulty already.
I bought an Optimus LAB1100 turntable, which has a diamond stylus and pre-amp, but is otherwise very cheap. From DSE, which is our local equivalent of Radio Shack, about US$70. It has a lead with RCA plugs, so you need a lead with RCA sockets to whatever your soundcard connection is. 1.5 stereo for mine.
I use LP Recorder, which was on a coverdisk, and Nero to burn.
Using the pause function in LP Recorder, you can record a whole LP into a folder, and if it is a short LP (they go from 40mins to 60mins) you can pad it out from compilation LPs, which you record into the folder first. Title each piece of the compilation carefully and include the running time (LPR tells you). As the CD blanks are 80 mins, you can get up to two LPs on a CD.

You are not making CDs with this method, just making the equivalent of taped LP copies, except playable on any CD payer. It is easy-peasey stuff, with any dust-crackles and clicks still in the recording, so keep Isopropyl alcohol and one of those dust-brushes handy. And if you play a game whilst recording, make sure the sound is switched off.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Aug 07 - 07:28 AM

Spidey Bobe   - There's a lot on vinyl that is not and probably never will be available on CD and not just folk, either.

Linn

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 17 Sep 07 - 08:58 PM

Boss Mullenkramer is a jazz/blues vinyl expert in the Netherlands.

He has had a web presence for over a decade. (long time web era)

This recent article, written by him....may help you in humming the hymn you want to trim.

http://home.planet.nl/~molle565/docs/essay.htm

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: Jim Lad
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 03:08 AM

I just bought "Spin it again" from Acoustica.
Great program that also allows you to record your 78s at 45 or 33, takes out the pops & crackles and gets it back to the right speed again. No extra equipment needed. Just RCA to 1/8th stereo pin into your "Line in".
They have a free trial available.

Subject: RE: Vinyl to CD? HOW!
From: GUEST,Jim F
Date: 22 Sep 07 - 11:00 AM

I use a program called VinylStudio - makes the job really easy and takes out clicks, hiss and suchlike. No Mac support though.