Ripping my Vinyl, how to?

[bassbrad]

Okay it's my fault i mentioned to my wife that it's time to get my vinyl digitized and she bought me one of those cheap usb turntables. I am so afraid to trust my precious vinyl to one of those machines and have a pretty decent Pioneer belt drive turn table and cartridge and would prefer to use it. What are workable affordable options?
I am looking at the DAK set up, any experience?

[ksandvik]

You need a phono preamp or a mixer that takes phono input. I think there are various small phono to computer analog to digital boxes that handles this as well. I use a USB turntable myself.

Then get Audacity, learn about the click removal and noise removal plugins and you are nearly done.

[62Jazzbass]

You need more than a phono pre amp or mixer w/ phono input. This pre amp or mixer also needs to have a digital out (usb or friewire) to send the signal to your computer. I think this was assumed in the post by "ksandvik", but I figured I'd point it out. He pointed out software, which you will need.

FWIW, I grabbed one of these (http://www.alesis.com/io26) to record my band, and it happened to have phono inputs, so I have done a bunch of vinyl transfers with it as well. You should be able to get one cheap - I got mine brand new from Musicians Friend or Sweetwater (dont remember) for 200 bucks shipped.

It's a nice little interface, with 8 mic pres with inserts (can record 8 channels at the same time), 48v phantom power, firewire, Cubase LE bundled w/ it, you can chain several together via Lightpipe, and...the phono input.

In other words, you could get a lot done with it in addition to recording LPs.

[ebozzz]

Here's a tutorial. This Cat is serious about his quality.....

http://www.myjazzworld.net/?p=65

[bassbrad]

I used to visit the myjazzworld blog until he had to take down the recordings, bummer that.

[Greevus]

Audacity is free and all you need is an RCA to USB cable. You don't need an RCA turntable. I learned this the hard way. It's super easy. Watch a tutorial on youtube and you're in business. Probably won't cost but a few bucks. It's like recording onto an old cassette deck in a way.

[ebozzz]

Originally Posted by bassbrad

I used to visit the myjazzworld blog until he had to take down the recordings, bummer that.

I agree. His blog was awesome and he was very nice about sharing any knowledge or advice that he had. In fact, he still shares....

[greenboy]

Yeah, it's a bummer that enthusiast blogspots offering out of print vinyl (much of which might never be properly reissued) take heat for the issues which they really have little to do with in the first place.

[ebozzz]

Originally Posted by Greevus

Audacity is free and all you need is an RCA to USB cable. You don't need an RCA turntable. I learned this the hard way. It's super easy. Watch a tutorial on youtube and you're in business. Probably won't cost but a few bucks. It's like recording onto an old cassette deck in a way.

That's one way but I would prefer to do a little more to enhance the quality as much as possible. I'm no where near the level of Smooth from My Jazz World but I do use a good deal of his guidelines.

Since I am primarily a Linux user, a lot of the software that was mentioned in the tutorial wouldn't work for me anyway. I also use Audacity and it suits my needs. Not much wax in my inventory any more and I probably won't go down that road of trying to reacquire a good stock of LPs. I do target a few desirable items that have never been released on CD from time to time.....

[ebozzz]

Originally Posted by greenboy

Yeah, it's a bummer that enthusiast blogspots offering out of print vinyl (much of which might never be properly reissued) take heat for the issues which they really have little to do with in the first place.

I think that those types of blogs, the ones that only deal with out of print material, have helped to get some offerings reissued at reasonable prices.....

[Philbiker]

There's another thread on talkbass for this subject right now which I have responded to. Search for "vinyl".