Is there a cost-effective way to convert LPs to computer-storable format?

OfficeLinebacker

Senior member
Mar 2, 2005
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So my mom wants to take a bunch of my late uncle's records and turn them into a format she can listen to on her iPod and stuff. I think I have heard of companys that will do this for you but IIRC it costs lots of $$ and this was a while ago anyway.

Are there any cost-effective options for this? Could it be as simple as buying some kind of sound-input card or device?

TIA
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
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I do this all the time. If you have a decent sound card, a turntable, and a preamp you can record them directly to WAV files that can then easily be made into mp3s or any other portable format.
 

drinkmorejava

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2004
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Originally posted by: Ronstang
I do this all the time. If you have a decent sound card, a turntable, and a preamp you can record them directly to WAV files that can then easily be made into mp3s or any other portable format.


:thumbsup:
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
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do you (she) have a receiver with audio output, or perhaps a mixer, or other preamp? Just run a turntable into that, output that into the line in on your sound card. Easy as that.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
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You don't need an amp. I've done it with a bare turntable and an RCA-to-1/8" stereo patch cord. Attach from the turntable output to the soundcard input. It's about a $5 part at Radio Shack.
 

OfficeLinebacker

Senior member
Mar 2, 2005
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Do you need special recording software or will something generic like WMP work?

Also she only has a laptop so I hope it's got line in.

Stubborn woman insisten on getting a laptop. I suppose in the event it does not have built-in line in you can buy a pcmcia sound card?

Thanks for the responses, guys!
 

OfficeLinebacker

Senior member
Mar 2, 2005
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She has an old turntable. I have a better one with a needle I replaced a few years ago and I balanced the arm, too. I'd probably let her use mine.

crap actually I might end up doing it for her. must tread gently! LOL!
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
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Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
You don't need an amp. I've done it with a bare turntable and an RCA-to-1/8" stereo patch cord. Attach from the turntable output to the soundcard input. It's about a $5 part at Radio Shack.

Unfortunately with most turntables this is not acceptable as the output signal is too low. A preamp should be used for best results. I have a special turntable preamp made just for this purpose that I bought at Best Buy about 5 years ago. It is made be Recoton and can be had for less than $30. Here is a link to one on Amazon and with a little search you can probably find it cheaper.
 

drinkmorejava

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2004
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you don't need the preamp, but if you have it and it's decent, I'd use it and plug it into the line-in on the soundcard. Generally better to have a stronger input signal than trying to crap up the volume with the card.
 

Farbio

Diamond Member
Apr 9, 2000
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damn, don't waste the time or money....the beauty of vinyl is the sound from there....something you can't get on the conversion!

should you really want to, you should use the preamp...it will make it much cleaner on the end result
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
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1. make sure you ue the preamp. pumping up the volume will yeild unpleasant results

2. make sure you save them as wav files.

3. because of the characteristics of records, make sure to save them in a lossless format. Using dBpoweramp (google it) convert them to apple lossless and tag them:)
 

OfficeLinebacker

Senior member
Mar 2, 2005
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You wont' get an argument from me on the nice sound of vinyl, this is for my mom. She does not own a turntable, and she only wants to use CDs and her iPod to listen to music. She would borrow a TT from me or my aunt.
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
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Originally posted by: OfficeLinebacker
You wont' get an argument from me on the nice sound of vinyl, this is for my mom. She does not own a turntable, and she only wants to use CDs and her iPod to listen to music. She would borrow a TT from me or my aunt.

don't have her do it. do i for her or have someone else do it.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
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BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE.

Ok now that you got that, you MUST use a Phono preamp with a proper equalization (RIAA).

Some elementary mathematics on the shaping:

Gain = (1 + 3.18-3 · s)(1 + 7.5-5 · s) / (1 + 3.18-4 · s )

You would THINK that a NERDSPACE forum like AT would support post/display of symbolic characters. ;)

Text

If you just plug it in to a high gain unequalized input such as a mic in on a pc card it will sound like horse poopie.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
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Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
You don't need an amp. I've done it with a bare turntable and an RCA-to-1/8" stereo patch cord. Attach from the turntable output to the soundcard input. It's about a $5 part at Radio Shack.

ouch, you're hurting my ears already.

you'll need an a phono-preamp.
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
12,493
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Originally posted by: joshsquall
What software should you use to record it?

There are so many options here I don't even know where to begin. I have used EAC, Feurio, AIPL Singulator, and a host of other WAV utilities. I currently use the MediaSource Player that comes with my Audigy 2ZS sound card because the hardware pop/click/noise remover works pretty darn good. I then use Nero Wave Studio, WinOnCD, or lately Cool Edit Pro to cut the large files into individual tracks. There are so many utilities you could use for any of this the list is nearly endless. I then use RaxorLame to convert the tracks to mp3 and Tag&Rename to tag them to my liking.

Here is an old but still viable walkthrough on one possible route you can take. This is how I started and have tested many software packages and fine tuned and changed my routine accordingly as I saw fit.
 

daveshel

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
5,453
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Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
You don't need an amp. I've done it with a bare turntable and an RCA-to-1/8" stereo patch cord. Attach from the turntable output to the soundcard input. It's about a $5 part at Radio Shack.

Sounds like this method uses the sounds card's mic input. While the signal levels of a mic and a phone cartridge are about the same (tiny), the mic input does not provide the RIAA equalization that a phono preamp supplies. So it won't sound right. A phono preamp will bring the signal level up to the same neighborhood as a CD, DVD, cassette, etc. Most receivers do not give you a preamp output, so you will have to use either a standalone phono preamp or a component preamp. The standalones run anywhere from $19 to thousands, but the cheap ones sound crappy. An old component preamp such as the Dynaco PAT-4 is a cheap way to get quality.