[dba-Tech] Converting LPs into digital audio

I used to be a dj and now I terminated with putting al my cd's on disc,
I'm gooing to start with my vinyl.
I done some serious testing before I start because I have about 1200
singles and 2000 LP's/maxi single.

It al depends on the quality you want to have (I want maximum quality)
but here are some basic things.

1) When connecting a recordplayer directly to your computer you gonna
nee a pre-amplifier with RIAA correction. You could by these at Radio
Shack (15 years ago, because they don't exist anymore in Belgium), but
you can find them elsewhere if you look hard enough.
By a good RIAA pre-amplifier. The quality of your digital file will
depend on it greatly.
When using a pre-amp, connect the turntable to the RIAA preamp en the
RIAA preamp to the line in of your computer (NOT the micro= distortion).

2) There are some software's out there that perform RIAA correction.
In this case you need to connect the turntable directly to the
Microphone in connector of your computer. 
This will cause much more noise on your recording.
This is due to the low signal and noise generated by the computer and
soundcard.

3) Most soundcards are by definition low analogue quality.
This is due to the low cost/much noise A/D convertor chip on the bord.
Notebook soundcards are really really terible, NEVER use a notebook
soundcard to put analogue on disk!!!

4) If you need real good quality, get your self a good soundcard.
Look at the A/D convertor quality not the digital (digital is always
good...)
By definition the A/D convertor must be in a box OUTSIDE the computer.
If the AD convertor is inside the computer you will have much more noise
on your analogue connections due to the very noise environment inside a
computer.

5) I personaly have my quality doubts about external USB soundcards, but
I have no practical experience with that because I never by external USB
soundcards because... Goto point 5

6) Fileformat
OK this can be a very long discussion I already had several times and I
am tired of to discusse why. So I try to make make point straigtaway.
First of all.
Chose a widespread file format thats suported by many programs and is
afordable.
>From my personal point of view/experience you have 3 choices in order of
my preferation
WMA lossless
WAV
WMA lossy (VBR)
MP3/4

Secondly
Ask yourself what quality level you want (I definitly have chosen for
WMA lossless).
A) very good (real CD quality) to exacly (as good as it can get) the
same as vinyll
Choose a loss less compression (WMA lossless) or no compression at all
(WAV)
This will take gigantic HD space!!!

B) Reasonable quality (use a lossy compression).
MP3/4
WMA (classical Media player default choice)
Within thse lossy compression you can choose the amount of quality loss
you want by setting the bitrate.
When gooing for a lossy compression, choose for VBR (variable bitrate
WMA or MP4 ). By this the quality (or lack of) is stable.
With fix bitrate your quality (or lack of) changes during the song and
is noticeable.
Noticeable lack of quality depends on the listener and equiptment.
On computerspeaker (most of them are not very good), portable player,
etc, it is hard to recognise a 320 fix MP3 (I Do)
On a Hifi system with medium to high quality speakers anyone can
recognise & 320Kbps MP3 if you now what to listen to.


7) When recording from analogue you will (mostly) save in WAV file
because the compression is to CPU intense to put directly in a
compressed file. For sample rate 44000 is equal to regular CD quality.
192000 sample rate is equal to vinyl quality. I was doubting about using
192000, but you need more expensive software and harware, wav files are
4 times as big and MPx, WMA do not support 192000 sample rate, so today
I'm satisfied with CD quality sample rate 44000..
So you will also need a WAV-to-something-else convertor (often included
in the recording software).

8) Microsoft has a free tool to convert WAV to WMA (lossy and lossless I
believe) in a bulk transaction during night for example.
I use this tool to convert all my WMA lossless files to WMA lossy VBR so
I can listen to music on my portable devices.

9) Never use vinyl enhancers to reduce noise or cracks. They cutoff the
sound quality enormously.
In case of cracks and noise, clean your records, put some more weight on
the needle.
Playing the (old) records a few times before actualy recording can
remove dust and cracks in the final recording. Always remove dust from
the needle before recording.
Use a quality headphone and listen to the vinyl while recording to hear
any cracks or skips, so you can start all over in case of...
Do not touch the table with the recordplayer on it while recording. You
can hear this in the recording.
Do not use autostart/stop recording (based on sound) software
functionality, you will lose begin and end pieces. Rather cut the wav
manualy after recording.

I hope this will help you.
Erwin



-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Steven W.
Erbach
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 7:54 PM
To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Subject: [dba-Tech] Converting LPs into digital audio

Dear Group,

A few years ago I transferred two LPs worth of Whamco ads to .WAV files
using GoldWave and my old 133 MHz laptop and a Radio Shack patch cable
(mini plug to RCA pin jack). I tried to get a third LP to transfer but I
had trouble with distortion in my system somewhere.

Have any of you converted LPs to WAV or MP3 or Windows Media? I went an
extra step with the Whamco ads to convert them to Real Audio files, but
I'd like to make them available on-line in both Real and Windows Media
formats. Any suggestions for doing this process all over again from LP
to digital?

By the way, you can hear what I'm talking about here:
http://www.swerbach.com/id25.htm . WHAMCO was the name given to a spoof
mega-conglomerate that had products in just about every consumer
category you could think of. The ads were produced by a popular Denver
morning radio team back in the late 70s/early 80s.

Steve Erbach
Neenah, WI


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