Vinyl transfer to CD ? Help

[Jah Glu]

Dont diss numark!!!! I have one and its easy to transfers and it sounds great!

[leggo rocker]

Dont diss numark!!!! I have one and its easy to transfers and it sounds great!

Depends what your standards are and what you compare it to.

If you have never heard you records on a well sorted classic retro hi-fi set up then you probably aren't aware of what you are missing.

Also, the USB deck option is not always the cheaper one. I bought a really good retro amp for less than 100 uk pounds, and a perfectly acceptable 1970s Sony deck for less than 30 pounds. So that's about the same cost as the Numark USB, isn't it?

But sure, if you're not that fussed, buy the USB turntable - it does the job.

[matty]

Thanks to all for the info, from what I've read I find Leggo Rockers info more to my likeing, since a high quality transfer is what I'm after, the only reason I transfer vinyl to CD, is so that I don't wear out my vinyl, and the sound is identical.

[leggo rocker]

Then you do need to get the best set up you can.

I've got superb results by using my hi-fi equipment and the rips set at the highest settings.

It won't be identical because it's digital so it loses something (warmth?) but it's still very acceptable.

[MightyZ]

Unlike my brother leggorocker - I do use a PC and Windows to rip my vinyl to mp3. I use a Technics SL-DL5 Hi fi turntable into a Technics SU-Z55 Hi Fi amp. The signal is fed via the tape out on the amp into the break out box on my delta series M audio sound card. I record directly into Wavelab (a steinberg program so it is bound to work on macs also!) as a WAV and then convert to mp3 using Wavelab. Wavelab gives you total control over the quality settings when you record the wav or rip to mp3, so I always use the highest quality (albeit slowest) rip method. You can set the bit rate on the mp3 rip to whatever you require. it also has detailed level meters to monitor recording and has powerful WAV editing features.

MightyZ

[leggo rocker]

I use a Technics SL-DL5 Hi fi turntable into a Technics SU-Z55 Hi Fi amp.MightyZ

Just to illustrate how cheap this can be done on decent equipment, MightyZ paid me about 25 uk pounds for the turntable (I think) and about 20 or 30 pounds for the amp (wasn't it?). Not much cash really.

Dunno what he paid for his soundcard but I guess he already had that as he's a bit of a PC gaming head.

And of course, he's got a great set up for playback into the bargain.

[leggo rocker]

I record directly into Wavelab (a steinberg program so it is bound to work on macs also!)MightyZ

As all Macs now use Intel chips and can run Windoze natively they can all use ANY Windoze (or linux) program even if it hasn't been specifically written for OS X.

[MightyZ]

To follow up on leggo's further explanation, I paid you £10 for the deck
I paid £10 on ebay for the Technics amp (100 watt rms total - anything over 4 on the volume control would break my windows!)
I have Technics nearfield monitors (£5.50 on ebay)
these sit on top of Eltax Symphony 6's (used as bass bins - cost £10 on ebay)

The soundcard is more expensive - brand new at£ 99 (with 4 input and 4 output break out box - although I paid £300 to Include a full copy of Reason 3 which I use to create my own dub tunes. This was not to serve my gaming head - it is way better than I would need for that (a 20 quid soundblaster sounds fab for games and will provide for high quality rips) - I bought this to improve the quality of the music I made.

Main point is that leggo is even more right than his pricing suggests - for about £50 quid you can get a wicked retro hifi set up - which is perfect for roots music - it was after all made at about the same time!
I also use it as a mini pa system in conjunction with my £100 mixing desk (Soundking SKAB0823B 8 into 2 into 3 -ebay again!) for band practice - and it sounds excellent and very loud!

Mac or PC - either is fine provided your soundcard and software is good enough.
The main point is that you need to be generating the sound from the vinyl at a good quality - leggo has superb decks for this - but my set up produces excellent results also!

MightyZ

[leggo rocker]

The main point is that you need to be generating the sound from the vinyl at a good quality - leggo has superb decks for this

*blush*

[Collie]

I have two turntables for converting vinyl, an ION USB and a very cheap Bush which cost less than €50 from Argos. I prefer the Bush one out of the two

The Bush has a preamp so it plugs directly to my soundcard ( a creatvie audigy I think) line in port and hey presto using Roxio software I can covert to wav or mp3. I also have a technics tape deck which connects directly to the sound card too. How much you want to clean the audio file is up to you after that and the quality is excellent