listening to my own needle drops, digitally

[AmirBagachelles]

Can I record my vinyl to DVD-R at high resolution? (And does anybody here prefer that to CDs?) I have a universal player now, not likely to hook up a desktop computer to my audio system, but if I had the right sound card, it would be straightforward to record from turntable to phone preamp to computer, yes? Is there a recommended card and software package to get? Thanks, Dan

[AmirBagachelles]

Remember tape decks, mini-discs?? I have a feeling that with the death of the CD and resurgent demand for vinyl, home recording could make a comeback. I want to make great recordings of LPs again. Too nutty?

[marcoliv]

I'm transferring my mini discs to mp3 and how they still sound gorgeous.

Mini disc was a little bit popular here in Brazil.

MCO

[Shawn]

It all depends on the specs of the soundcard. There's an older iMac here in the house with a 24bit soundcard, it can sample as high as 24/96. My newer Mac has a 32bit soundcard, though I generally use 24bit/192khz for my vinyl transfers.

All you really need is a turntable, a phono preamp and the computer.

If you let me know what operating system you use I could recommend some software.

[AmirBagachelles]

Thanks I am using XP Pro. But I find nothing convenient about having to source from a computer to play on my living room system... No way to burn hi-res files to a DVD? No 2-channel DVD-A for hobbyists?

[Bigshot]

High bitrates are wasted on LP transfers unless you plan to do a lot of manipulation of the sound in post. The main advantage of high bitrates is increased resolution in very low volume levels. This is useful if you are mixing and need to radically boost the volume of something, but with a straight transfer off a record, the only thing that will benefit from the added resolution is inaudible surface noise.

Most LPs have dynamic ranges well within the capability of standard 16/44.1 CD quality. Recording higher is a waste of hard drive space.

[AmirBagachelles]

Thanks for your post Bigshot, so besides the low volume sections of the signal, can hi-res narrow the average joe (i.e. my) perception gap between continuous analog and discrete digital? My CDRs of needle drops sound like CDRs of needle drops, weak bottom and fake-ish noise or ambience if that makes sense.

[Stefan Wood]

what kind of needle and turntable are you using?

[AmirBagachelles]

Thorens TD115 mkII ('83), Audio Technica AT440. I loved this turntable in the mid 80s because the stylus could not be made to skip in my $350/mo. Bay Ridge apartment, which had awful trampoline floor problems. (Harvey Sound knew their market well.)

[Stefan Wood]

The needle might not be a good match -- I had that one myself, and it was good with a Goldring turntable I had, nice detail, etc. But when I switched it over to a Thorens 160 I found it to be shrill. Switching to a Pickering XSV 3000 made a big difference, especially with the bottom end. A more modern cartridge that is supposed to match well with the Thorens is a Denon cartridge, 103 or 110.

Edited May 26, 2011 by Stefan Wood

[Bigshot]

Thanks for your post Bigshot, so besides the low volume sections of the signal, can hi-res narrow the average joe (i.e. my) perception gap between continuous analog and discrete digital? My CDRs of needle drops sound like CDRs of needle drops, weak bottom and fake-ish noise or ambience if that makes sense.

Your problem is likely your analogue to digital conversion. A better sound board or input device might solve the problem. You also might have a problem with your line level. A preamp would allow you to adjust your input level to the optimal spot. Higher bitrates won't really help because all of the aural improvement would be outside the range of an LP. LPs generally are limited to a dynamic range of around 45-50 dB max. A CD can safely contain 70-90 dB. Both formats cover the full audible frequency range. Increasing your specs beyond that would be overkill. High bitrates are for mixing when you need to alter the volume of the recording a lot. A flat LP transfer doesn't require that.

I've done a lot of transfers of both LPs and 78s using my Mac. With a blind line level matched A/B comparison of the LP and the CD transfer, it's impossible to hear a difference. It is possible to do perfect LP to CD transfers.

By the way, I had the same bouncy tracking when I was using a Grado. If you have a cartridge that tracks properly, it's a good match for your turntable.

Edited May 27, 2011 by Bigshot