Tech: vinyl to computer

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 20 Oct 07 - 11:08 PM

One of the old original 'high end' needles for 78rpm players was in fact, cactus needles - not steel!

I'm not making this up, you know!

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: johnross
Date: 20 Oct 07 - 06:40 PM

You can order steel needles for your wind-up gramaphone from Kurt Nauck in Texas: http://65.36.235.139/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=NRC&Product_Code=112.105&Category_Code=112

Kurt sells them for about $15 for 500 new needles. He also runs amazing collectors' aucions of 78s and cylinders.

Or from Victrola Repair Service in Vermont:
http://www.together.net/~victrola/needles.html

They sell them by the hundred, for $4/100 plus shipping.

In theory, you were supposed to use a new needle every time you played a record, but almost nobody ever did that, which is why the grooves on so many old 78s are badly beat up. At three of four cents a time, what the heck--you might as well get a packet of new needles.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 11:36 PM

Mentioning STYLUS

This collection of "Blues/Jazz" fell my way because of the old-upright-crank-78-player.....

Esentially, it plays a one-sided Rag-Time "Maple Leaf"....over and over....because the Italian Opra that came with it are too much.

How often do you need to change the needle? Several thousand are in the throw-away-hole....can you polish them (old throw-aways) with cleaner and steel-wool?

Can you purchase old needles for a resonable price?

How many plays can an old 78 have? I would guess that "Maple Leaf" has had several thousand plays.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: johnross
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 03:36 PM

There are plenty of good ways to transfer LPs and 78s to digital forms. But they all depend on the quality of the source material. So it's really important to clean your records before you do the transfers. The difference in the sound is quite amazing.

Don't just use a dry brush or cloth, but give it a serious washing with a mixture of distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and a squeeze of dishwashing detergent applied with a brush that can get the fluid into the bottom of the grooves and loosen the accumulated crud. Use a soft lint-free cloth to dry the disc after washing.

For 78, don't use alcohol--it will dissolve the surface of old shellac records. distilled water and dish detergent is ok.

Also, use a small artist's brush to gently clean the stylus after each side of each disc. If the needle picks up crud from one record, you don't want to carry it to the next one you play.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Bernard
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 03:34 PM

;o)

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 02:52 PM

and if I'd read, I see Bernard found it too, (by looking at 'source', I assume) Thanks, bernard... I never use quotes in an address....I have seen it debated for years, but if done correcly, (with = instrad of -), I have never seen why quotes are needed.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 02:48 PM

whoops....my post above had a - instead of an = in the HTML..

here is is

A complete explanation and help page

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Bernard
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 01:29 PM

Bill D meant to put in the quotes to make the clicky work, I'm sure...!

A complete explanation and help page

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 12:59 PM

Thanks to everyone - Especially Mr. Seto.

Sincerely,

Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Wild Flying Dove
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 12:55 PM

Thanks to everyone who's added to this thread - it's given me some idea of the possibilities.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 10:38 AM

I think this link is in one of the threads George Seto lists, but here it is again.

A complete explanation and help page

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From:
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 10:36 AM

Also if you look at those older threads there are links to many other threads on the subject. They were found by putting "Vinyl" into the

Lyric & Knowledge Search

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From:
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 10:28 AM

Here are a few of the older threads on the subject.

Recording from Vinyl
78RPM
Records to CDs
Recording LPs
Transferring LPs & Cassettes to CDs

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: mrmoe
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 08:42 AM

I did a bunch of my old lp's by plugging the turntable into the "turntable" input of a receiver and the low level output of a receiver into a Tascam dp01fx-cd.....this takes care of the riaa equalization "correction".....I just pan the 2 channels all the way to the left and right when recording....haven't tried to seperate the tracks with audacity yet....I did attempt it with roxio "spin doctor", but with terrible results....my copied lp's are currently just 2 track: side 1 and side 2.....

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Lynn W
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 07:37 AM

I transferred my whole LP collection by recording it to my mp3 player (plugged into the headphone socket of the record player - you need an mp3 player with line-in recording to do this but they are fairly easy to find). You can split the tracks very easily on Nero if you are using it to burn them to CD - it shows you a sound wave which you chop at the fairly obvious silences between the tracks. However I have kept the computer backups as single tracks to avoid messing about with them too much. The whole process is very easy but time consuming. I found the quality perfectly acceptable using this method but obviously some people don't or they wouldn't use more complicated methods - perhaps I just have cloth ears!

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 07:11 AM

"Spin it again" comes with all of the EQ effects you need, including various default settings to eliminate hiss, crackles, pops and so on. It will also adjust to the proper recording level and normalize tracks for you. No additional equipment is required.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Bernard
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 07:06 AM

Apparently there is an RIAA plug-in for Audacity... has anyone tried it?

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Bernard
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 07:04 AM

Unless the software provides an 'RIAA Equaliser', you need a preamp or the sound will be thin and nasty.

When record masters are cut, the signal has (in simple terms) the bass frequencies attenuated so the groove density can be maximised. On playback, a 'reverse equaliser' (again, in simple terms) must be applied to revert to the originally recorded signal.

I don't know of any ripping software with this capability, though I'm sure it must exist.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 06:19 AM

"Spin it again" by Acoustica is one of the best. You can try it out for free but there are lots of other free programs.
I'm doing my Father-in-laws collection for him using a turntable & 9volt pre-amp into the "Line in". You could also use the "Mic" input but no pre-amp.
You'll need a set of RCA leads and a "Y" connector to 1/8" stereo.
Very, very simple.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 05:27 AM

It gets easy once you have got used to it.

I have an ION turntable and Audacity. I have also had "Spin-it-Again" recommended to me.

Really not complicated to do.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: tutti flutti
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 05:19 AM

Can't offer any technical help, I'm afraid, as I know nothing about it but you asked about the quality.
My son transferred a couple of my old records to computer for me and wrote the tracks to a CD. The quality was good considering the source but not brilliant.

One thing he did say was that it was an extremely lengthy and tedious process and that it was only worth doing for really special recordings that I couldn't replace otherwise.

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 05:15 AM

I am also interested. A collection of almost virgin 78's (Goodman Porter) fell into my lap this summer

I understand the software that removes pops and hisses. I have used Cakewalk/SoundForge....but there is an easier one.

In the past, with 8 track tapes, I used the headset plug outlet into the soundcard input jack and had no problems....WAV or MP3.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 05:11 AM

There was a thread on this a few months ago but I'm not an expert at finding old threads - somebody else may be able to do that for you.

I have a Numark USB turntable and use Audacity software.

It took forever at first but its amazing how quick and easy it does become.

I do use the software to separate and name the tracks, normalize and remove noise.

I don't do anything fancier than that and the quality is good.

It was worth persevering, although I did wonder, at first, if it was worth it!

Subject: Tech: vinyl to computer
From: Wild Flying Dove
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 05:01 AM

Does anyone have any experince of, or advice about, transferring records onto the computer. I know you can buy special decks that just plug into the USB port, but what's the quality like and how easy is it to do a lot of records? My understanding is that you have to use software afterwards to separate and name individual tracks - is that always the case as it sounds a lengthy process? Our club's traditional singer has offered me the chance to put his collection on computer and I'd really like to go ahead with it, especially as some of his records are unlikely to be available on CD. If anyone in the SE (Berks / Bucks / Oxon borders) has equipment they could offer / lend, that would be even better!