Vinyl, anyone?

[satkinsn]

Anybody seriously incorporated a turntable into their computer audio system? If so, what TT you using?

 

Scott A.

 

 

 

 

[audiozorro]

If you're looking for something inexpensive, try the Pro-Ject Debut III/Phono USB. I recommend you also upgrade the cartridge.

 

[StephanLJ]

Yes Brinkmann La Grange

 

http://www.brinkmann-audio.com/main.php?prod=lagrange&lang=de

 

trough Audiovolver (Room and speaker correction)

 

http://www.definiteaudio.de/

 

at a resolution of 176,4 kHz.

 

Stephan

 

[satkinsn]

The brinkmann looks like serious money.

 

I don't know the company at all - is it a very, very high end operation or an 'expensive but punches above its weight' operation?

 

s.

 

[LAMF]

I have a Pro-Ject III with an Otofon MC 20 cartridge and the Musical Fidelity preamp 3A-X (old but with a great phono stage).

 

[StephanLJ]

It is a high end operation, the man behind it is building turntables since decades. You will also find test reports on the web, usually very good ones.

 

Greetings Stephan

 

[ronfint]

Am I right in assuming that people here are speaking about digital transfers of their LPs? If so, I'd appreciate hearing about your techniques for doing this. I've been taking output from my preamp to an Apogee Duet to my MacBook Pro using Sound Studio at either 24/48 or 24/96 depending on the LP. I've then used DeNoise and ClickRepair and finally Max to take aiff to Apple lossless for use in iTunes. I like the results, but perhaps there is better software available, or perhaps there are some tricks I've missed.

 

I've got a basement, living room, and study full of LPs; so this is a task that I'll never finish.

 

Thanks,

Ron

 

[John]

Yes. I use a Gyrodec SE and, with a Benz Micro Glider L2 cartridge, it is one of the more 'digital' sounding decks - in the nicest way. For digital music I use a Cambridge 840C as either a disc spinner or, more frequently, as a DAC. The Cambridge happens to be one of the more 'analog' sounding players. So; the two make a great combination because I can be indifferent as to the source. There's really no great difference between the two. The Gyrocdec/Benz has the last word in respect of detail and scale. The Cambridge is the better with tautness and rhythm (and cost). Between LPs played directly Vs. ripped at 24/94 and played through the Cambridge, I cannot consistently tell which is which.

 

- John.

 

[radar2886]

I use a Linn LP-12 with my Macbook and ADM9s. I am very happy with the results.

 

[jcbrum]

I don't bother much with vinyl since most stuff has already been digitized by someone. 78's are different and contain much v valuable music. I use a Garrard 301, Syrinx arm, ortonfon mm and expert pickups stylii in several sizes. It's brilliant for transcription.

 

[satkinsn]

Ron wrote:

 

"Am I right in assuming that people here are speaking about digital transfers of their LPs?"

 

Actually, I was thinking about those of us who have added vinyl as an on-going component of their listening, rather than converting lps and returning them to storage, though I think your thing - converting - is probably more common.

 

s.

 

[flatmap]

I have a Rega P3 with Dynavector 20xL into a DynavectorP75. Even at this modest price point, the sound is really lovely.

 

I do occasionally digitize tracks from my vinyl and the results can be very pleasing. Generally I transfer something that I want to listen to on my iPod or in the car.

 

I've been using an Alesis Masterlink ML-9600 for this -- and have found it very satisfying. This device can transfer at 24/96, but I haven't done much of that since generally I just making this for use on my iPod. And if I'm at home, then I just go direct from vinyl.

 

I clean the records first, but then I don't worry about an odd click or pop. The cleaning takes most of this out, so the result is pretty quiet unless the record itself has some damage.

 

[audiozorro]

To have added vinyl as an on-going component of listening versus having added digital to a lifetime of listening to analog.

 

[ronfint]

I don't see how listening to LPs has anything to do with computer audio if the computer is not included in the chain. Listening to LPs (sans computer) is what many of us have done for most of our lifetimes. I have a pretty good LP playback system -- Immedia RPM2 table and arm and Lyra Titan cartridge, but these days, I'd rather use my computer.

 

I too clean my records before playing, but most still have a bit of noise after transfer. ClickRepair is a really great program for cleaning this up. Instead of using a filter, this bit of software searches for approximate delta functions and smoothly truncates them -- locally. DeNoise also works very well.

 

[satkinsn]

Oh, I'm not suggesting throwing a turntable into a computer chain is a practical gesture, which is why I got to thinking about it.

 

It strikes me as a wonderfully odd thing to do, and I wanted to know if I'm the only one.

 

s.

 

[jcbrum]

Those of us with record collections can add a turntable to our digital systems fairly easily and I favour still using a phono stage of some sort to achieve correct EQ and a line level signal.

 

It is then possible to either "play" the records, which is useful for those that are not listened to very often, or "digitize" them so as to make the tracks readily available in our digital library.

 

I can confirm that an Edirol UA25ex at about £150 will faithfully re-produce a "digitized" vinyl track so as to be indistinguishable from playing the original record. I personally use an RME Fireface. Plus of course a fovourite phono stage in either case.

 

Combining a turntable with a computer is the same as "taping" LP's like we all used to do in days gone by, except that the recording is "perfect".

 

There is a little utility for those with Macs who just want to add a turntable and play their records. It is called "LineIn" from Rogue Amoeba, and simply connects the analogue input directly to the digital output and gives a straight through signal path, thereby nagating the need for any playback software like iTunes or Foobar or anything at all.

 

Regards JCBrum.

 

 

 

 

[Drew]

(extract from OSX 10.5.6 topic) I am on the bottom rung of this improvement ladder and I am still working in iTunes and 16/44.1... I am also just using the internal DACs on the G5 and on the CD deck. From the G5 I am plumbed in with a high quality cable from the minijack to the RCA/Phono input on my Musical Fidelity PreAmp ( with monitoring running back into the mic input ). I also have the CD deck and Elite Townshend Rock turntable running into the PreAmp and the split line out goes to a REL sub bass and a pair of bridged Electrocompaniet power amps and thence to the main speakers. This means I can switch between vinyl, CD or computer with relative ease.

 

I would also like to know if there is a place I can go to read up on how to progressively tweak and upgrade on a limited budget. As far as I can tell, iTunes will always downsample to 16/44.1, so I am not sure how to get around this. It may seem like a very fundamental question but how to I play back 24/88 music as part of a whole collection which includes 16/44? And how should I set up for optimum input from vinyl? As well as listen to vinyl through the phono stage I rip favourite irreplaceable vinyl and would like to know if there is a resource herein where there is a guidance on set ups and configuration of Macs for musical playback at sonically superior levels.

 

I can recommend Sound Studio or Wire Tap Studio for ripping and Max for converting.

 

To answer the question, I am listening to vinyl a lot more of late because of the playback glitch which hiccups through all music coming from the G5 (see post 24 in OSX 10.5.6 on Home page from which this was adapted) which is driving me nuts.

 

[tomE]

My system is still primarily analog. My TT is an LP12 into an old Anthem Pre-1 with Simaudio amp. I only got into the computer end of things because the audio press is taking this stuff seriously and out of curiosity I visited an audio dealer and heard digital through a Bryston BDA-1. I bought one! I run a PC with Vista 32 using iTunes to play my ripped CDs. I love the convenience, it is addictive. That said, the ultimate sound quality my rig provides is analog so far but the digital through the Bryston smokes my old NAD player.