Guest Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 Hi all, I'm new around here but I suspect I'll stick around a while to see what you all think of this: I watched a thread about transferring your LPs to CD and saw that there was a lot of misinformation and or lack of information floating around. I do this professionally so feel free to assume that I might know a thing or two about it I can answer questions on that topic too. But to get to the real stuff here, I can't be alone in wondering why the record industry has failed to capitalize on the DVD-Audio format when it would mean a re-release for all their back-catalogues again. However there will always be stuff that is only available on vinyl pressings - and as the original tapes go missing or get damaged, these vinyl recordings will represent our only link to the material at any kind of high fidelity. Having owned LPs that are more expensive than my hi-fi is a little scary though, so I had been transferring to CD at a breakneck speed. Luckily I kept all my high definition wav files as a back up on CD-Rs. Stacks and stacks of them. So imagine my delight when I found that, believe it or not, you can make your own high definition audio discs (DVD-Audio) at home for a small layout in computer terms. Here's how: Start with a good quality turntable. Whatever you do afterwards will be affected by the original signal quality coming from your turntable. Nothing in the computer chain can create lost definition so we're talking at least a quality belt-drive with possibly a moving coil cartridge. My set-up is reasonably audiophile: Linn Sondek'ish Heybrook TT2 with Rega RB300 tonearm housing Ortofon MC25FL cartridge. Total cost around USD 1500. That's the sort of stuff you need to make this excercise worthwhile. Something like a Technics 1200 with a Stanton cartridge just isn't up to the job. Use a soundcard capable of 96 or 192 Khz sampling rates and 24 bit quantization (CD is 44.1Khz at 16 bit for a comparison) I use the ESI Juli@ which is available for around 160 USD. Use a program capable of recording linear wav files from your soundcard (I use Cooledit - now Adobe Audition). Record and Save a whole side of an LP (or single, EP, etc) as ONE file at as high a recording level you can obtain without 'clipping' or going into the red. Record at your maximum capable sample and bit rates. Look out, these files are HUGE! (they can be as much as 2 gigabytes per LP side for a 22 minute 192Khz/24bit file). Save sections of the side-long file as individual files. These are your 'songs' or 'tracks'. Declick as much as you feel you can handle - manually, never automatically. Compile and burn the tracks on DVD-R blanks. I use a program called Discwelder Bronze from Minnetonka audio. It costs around 100 USD and is available for Mac/PC. There are others but most are VERY expensive (+2000 USD) Replay in a DVD-A machine. Audio Nirvana! The results completely blow CD out of the water, retaining more of the ambience and mystery of vinyl with none of the processed feel of CD. The stereo definition at even 96Khz 24 bit kicks CD's ass every time. No contest. I have worked on content from the Sex Pistols through Louis Armstrong, Japanese pressed Marvin Gaye to chopped up jamaican reggae 45s. Everything sounds better. I can imagine there will be a lot of questions... Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 yes - I have questions - what is the capital of Montana? and why is the sky blue? and how come we never found WMDs in Iraq? Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 (edited) and why do birds sing? what is the square route of 187? is there life on other planets? Do monkey's understand language? Is Clementine really Profesor Irwin Corey? How many toes does an aardvark have? Edited June 16, 2005 by AllenLowe Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 what are the changes to Stardust? how many dozen are there in a gross? Who does Ken Burns's hair? why doesn't Larry Kart post anymore? Why do birds sing? how many measures in a 12 bar blues? Quote
7/4 Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 and why do birds sing? what is the square route of 187? is there life on other planets? Do monkey's understand language? Is Clementine really Profesor Irwin Corey? How many toes does an aardvark have? ← yes. Quote
7/4 Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 what are the changes to Stardust? how many dozen are there in a gross? Who does Ken Burns's hair? why doesn't Larry Kart post anymore? Why do birds sing? how many measures in a 12 bar blues? ← Yet he has no time or energy to talk guitar. Quote
7/4 Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 tsss ← sounds like you've got a leak couw... Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 yes - I am tired of answering all these questions - it is now time to ASK! Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 what is the meaning of Stonehenge? if you can put a sieve in water, why can't you put water in a sieve? why were there only Three Sounds? Three Stooges? A modern Jazz Quartet? four horseman of the apocalpyse? a fifth of scotch? 7 wonders? 3 men in the tub? 16 clowns in the car? Quote
couw Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 tsss ← sounds like you've got a leak couw... ← it was just one of those digital post modern guitaristic farts like Marc Ribot poots them forth ... and of course an expression of dismay at Allen's childish behaviour in welcoming a new board member Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 why doesn't couw like me? why does couw always disagree with me? what have I done wrong? Have I been rude? How rude have I been? Was I only kidding? does couw have a sense of humor? why is he not laughing? Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 why doesn't couw tell us his real name? Quote
sidewinder Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 Is Clementine really Profesor Irwin Corey? ← Hmm... Quote
WD45 Posted June 16, 2005 Report Posted June 16, 2005 Sounds interesting! Welcome to the board. I think you might as easily save some processing time by saving individual tracks, especially since you will be copy & pasting later... Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 17, 2005 Report Posted June 17, 2005 couw! wake up! you might actually hear something other than your own voice - Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 17, 2005 Report Posted June 17, 2005 I actually thought the original post was spam in disguise - and this is borne out by the fact that he has not responded at all to anything here - Quote
Jazzmoose Posted June 17, 2005 Report Posted June 17, 2005 Ignoring the offtopic posts (shame on you guys; I'm glad I've never done that! ), I had the same thought: why record as one side rather than track by track? Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 17, 2005 Report Posted June 17, 2005 I am worried about couw - haven't heard from in awhile - I hope he's not drinking again - Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 17, 2005 Report Posted June 17, 2005 (edited) I hope he's not swindling helpless old ladies again - Edited June 17, 2005 by AllenLowe Quote
AllenLowe Posted June 17, 2005 Report Posted June 17, 2005 I hope he's not voting for Konrad Adenauer again - Quote
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