Your Vinyl Transfer Workflow (sharing best needledrop practices)*

Well sure it does. Some hardware and software is exclusive to one platform vs. another.

 

Logic Pro is more than you need for needledropping. Consider iZotope RX 5 instead (Mac version available). I use both Logic and RX in addition to Pro Tools and others in various audio workflows. Logic (or Pro Tools for that matter) isn't well suited to restoration workflows (like digitizing LPs). Don't get me wrong, you can certainly needledrop with Logic. But the learning curve may be steep enough to be discouraging.

An Apogee Duet 2 ADC is a solid entry level unit. Keep in mind you'll need a special RCA -> XLR cable to feed the Duet from a single ended phono pre. The Duet has switchable input sensitivity (-10 dBv <-> +4 dBu).

 

Thanks. I'm checking out RX5 right now, is $261 a normal price or real sale? I do get intimidated by advanced workflows, so I definitely place value on something that's a bit more tailored to restoration/needledropping.

I plan on using XLR outputs of my phono pre-amp, what type of adapter would I need to feed the Duet 2? Is there other ADC I should be considering in the <$1K range?

 

$261 is a good price if you can get it. List is $349. If your phono pre has XLR out, you're all set. Straight XLR cables are all you need!

Regarding other ADCs, there's some buzz around the Arturia AudioFuse (new in 2016), but I have no first hand experience with it. Above your budget, but worth knowing about is the RME Fireface UCX. Coupled with an accurate external word clock, it punches above its class.

 

I know that, but that's not an issue when it comes to functionality.

 

That's a good real price.

The Advanced version is what I need, but it is too cost prohibitive.

Don't get intimidated with the tools. You'll find that you will need all of them eventually. You create your own workflow.

I would never tell anyone that a program is more than they need, but i'll definately tell someone that a particular program isn't enough. And, you are correct that some programs are better suited for restoration than others. I discourage people who just want to needledrop from using Sound Forge 11 only because of its interface. But, other than that, it has some very nice restoration tools.

I find that I just can't use one program for my restoration needs. I have to use five!

 

OK I got the iZotope RX 5 software. I may take my time a bit researching ADCs. Seems like many are just overkill for simple needle dropping! A single input and USB output seems (to this novice) like everything you need, for a purist approach.

 

The only purpose of the ADC is to get the sound into the computer as unadulterated as possible, preferably at as high a bit-depth and sampling rate as possible, not that you have to use it that high, but not only is it good to have it just in case, but to be assured of quality.

 

Some things to keep in mind:

• Low end pro-sumer ADCs (like the popular Focusrite 2i2) typically do not perform well at sampling rates higher than 96kHz. Even with the Duet 2, I found that 96kHz sounded better than 176.4 or 192.
  
• You'll want a way to monitor the signal in the analog domain out of your phono pre. Don't trust the ADC's digital monitor feature to give an accurate picture.
• Less is more. Try to avoid DSP manipulation of the captured digital audio. There is inevitable time domain smear when using DSP (like the EQ built into RX, which is fairly good) that in my experience results in a loss of detail.

 

My plan has been to use 24/96. Anything more seems like a waste to my ears and HDD space

My current (and likely future) phono pre-amp has both XLR and RCA. I planned on feeding XLR into the ADC (normally XLR goes into my processor), and using the RCAs into my OPPO HA-1 headphone amp for monitoring. I currently have the RCAs feeding the headphone amp now, and I feel confident about this pathway.

Agreed, I'm very much the purist type. I don't even use tone controls, and I don't plan on any DSPs. I will experiment with de-clicking, but my only concern is the major pops, I'm not expecting to remove 1000 ticks per side.

 

I use Wave Editor on Barry Diament's recommendation. Simple + easy to use and sounds good.

 

That's some great software, I use Izotope RX4 Advanced. Practice a lot, Izotope also have some great video tutorials and this thread can be a good resource. Its declicking is amazing, no need to be as cautious as you might be with other decliclkers. You could just remove big pops, but beware the small clustered clicks will distort sound. The declicker is great at differentiating clicks from sounds that are not clicks. The denoiser is also excellent, you may need that inbetween songs and in quiet passages.

You are setting yourself up nicely, a good ADC is important. If you want to to do it for serious archive purposes, then I suggest capturing at 24/192, it appears to capture that analog sound very well, a deeper sound stage and more precise detail. Don't get me wrong, you will still get good results at 24/96, but don't go lower, its a waste.

Welcome to this sometimes frustrating, yet wonderful hobby.

 

No doubt... but I have found the hobby to be much more enjoyable when I decided to make peace with my rips... If they sound good to me, then I am happy with them. I have gotten over this bizarre delusion that all of my rips were going to be presented to some tribunal who had the power to banish me from ripping vinyl if my hand was too heavy with click repair or if my levels of surface noise were deemed unacceptable or if a piece of my hardware/software was not up to snuff. Still love reading through this thread to pick up on any new tips or tricks I might come across or maybe sharing one or two.

 

Thanks. I may try to practice some with RX5 this weekend. The only ADC I have handy is a cheap-o USB adapter with mic input. Obviously it will sound terrible, but I just want to start to learn how to use RX5, before I go all-in with a real ADC.

Dumb question - RX5 is going to capture the audio, in addition to editing it? I ask because I have a MacBook that I want to use to capture the audio, but a Mac Pro in a different room that I want to use for actual editing purposes.

 

Yes, you can capture with RX and you can use the same license on both your machines. iZotope is cool with that so long as you don't use them at the same time.

 

I recently switched from capturing with Audition to capturing with RX5... for some reason every once in a while I would find little drops or glitches with tracks I captured with Audition... mostly when I would get involved with a prolonged session. No problems like this with RX5.

 

Technics SL-1210mk2 with AT-440MLb -> Marantz PM6005 (internal phono stage) -> iRig Pro Duo at line level, no extra amplification -> Audacity

I record both sides into one file and run it through ClickRepair (usually DeClick at 12, DeCrackle off, reverse on and Automatic set to 35). Then I check in Audacity for any obvious remaining pops and repair them individually if necessary, amplify the whole file, trim and do fade-ins/outs at the beginnings and ends of the sides and split the file to individual tracks at suitable zero crossings. Those I save as 16/44 FLACs and tag them with Mp3Tag. That's about it, really. Works for me.

I used to fade in/out between every track and trim the silence but I don't do that anymore. There's no audible rumble or hum to hide and it feels more natural to leave the track separations intact, as they are on the original LP.

 

Something I still need to try on mine Mel, 192

 

the same for years now.

Clean on Keith Monks machine:
Linn LP12/Ekos/Lyra Clavis DC : into line/analogue input of Dell XPS 8700 desktop using Audacity
No click removal or eq'ing.

I love that Desktops have this input.
My 'drops using a mic input of a laptop don't sound as good.

 

Hi guys,

I've gotten myself a bit stuck, trying to use iZotope RX5. Keep in mind I'm just testing, before I invest in a real ADC So I have this little USB mic input connected to my MacBook. I go into System Preferences and select it as the audio input, no problem.

When I got in to RX5, I need to choose Preferences->Audio->Input Device. The only problem is that the SYBA USB device is no where to be found. My only options are "No Audio Device" and "Built-in Microphone". When selecting the Built-in Mic, RX5 does capture sound.

Any ideas? According to SYBA, no drivers are needed for this device. And since macOS recognizes it, I should be OK.

 

It is possible that the USB mic does not have the drivers that will allow RX to recognize it.

 

Quite possible. How to rectify? Can you force macOS drivers into RX?

 

No. If the software isn't written to see a driver, it won't work.

 

I'm not very familiar with Macs but that device looks like a USB headset adapter, with phone out and mic in. Could it be that it's just recognized as an internal mic input? If your cable is plugged into the purple input and RX5 records sound that has no ambient noise, then that's the case. I might have misunderstood what you said, and there might be an actual internal mic in the Macbook, but the difference between the two would certainly be audible.

 

The Mac recognizes it as a mic input, but RX5 does not. Yes, there is an internal mic in the MacBook, and that's all RX5 wants to record from.