Your Vinyl Transfer Workflow (sharing best needledrop practices)*

Ok, it was just the text in your message I was questioning. I assume the -3.48, -3.44 were values that appeared in the bottom right corners in blue?

By the way, did your version of RX come with iZotope Insight? (I'm a Beta tester so I don't know what comes with each commercial package). If so, it can be quite useful for metering digital audio as well.

 

I have a Tascam DA-3000. I am using the XLR output of my McIntosh MP100 into the XLR inputs of the DA-3000.

I guess these numbers don't apply then in my application. I realize the output from XLR is typically higher than the unbalanced outputs, but I am confused as to why this would be a problem as long as you are setting your meters accordingly.

I was merely stating that the image I posted was from the entire LP...not one side or one song. In other words, I was trying to show the overall value of the recording I made before I normalized it. I am not using a computer to record...so I have to set my levels via the Tascam.

 

And it looks different. More options in the new one(?)

 

The idea for the VU pulgin was to make setting level on digtial equipment easier for plugins. The 0 VU Plugin solves that problem. Nice and slow and easy to read. But the digital readouts kind of defeat the purpose. We use them at work.

We didn't hire a guy last month because he couldn't do analog to digital transfers without the VU plugin. We have 3 VU plugins.

Years ago Uncle Jack fired a woman who thought pumping the PCM signal way into OVER sounded cool.

 

The -3.48, -3.44 were values from RX6 Waveform statistics. Accurate and surgical. The -6.0, -6.0 were values from the VU meter standalone app. used later to check the entire LP. The VU meter peaks are not so accurate, it's emulating the analog VU counter. I leveled the entire LP volume channel by channel to fit the -6.0 dBFS condition of VU meters. It sounds good, no distortion.

 

So...this is a stand alone app, not a plugin? I could check my recording after the fact to see what the readings shows with it? Did I miss the link to this product?

 

The DA3000 XLR ports would all be at the Pro level. So if you used the XLR outputs of your MP-100 (wow!!) there should be no problem.

I would check for a switch. Some allow for the use of XLR balanced connections but at the consumer level. It is rare but I have a pro compressor that has this option.

The line level standard for professional audio is +4 dBu, which is about 12 dB greater than the consumer line level standard of -10 dBV. The difference between them is actually about 12 dB. You would not be able to find your average and peak levels if you got the consumer and pro levels mixed up. You would be left with an OVER meter. This had happened to a lot of amateurs who then complain that digtial is cold and lifeless.

 

Don't worry about it. You are doing fine.

 

It's a cheap gem used by many professionals from gearslutz. A plugin and a standalone app. too.

Klanghelm

 

Bottom line is how well your AD/DAC Is built. Sample rate is a minor issue. A well built 16/44.1 ADC will beat a crappy built 24/96 one.

Savage Garden's 1999 The Animal Song was recorded at 16/44.1 on a Sony PCM 3348.

 

Looks like the Tascam XLR input is standard at +4 dBu (optionally can be +6 dBu). The only data I could find from the phono preamp XLR:

Rated Output
2V Balanced
1V Unbalanced

Maximum Voltage Output
16V RMS Balanced
8V RMS Unbalanced

 

Yes in RX 8 you have adjustments for Tolerance and short-term LKFS.

Here's what the help file has to say about these:

Tolerance
Sets the +/- margin of error for the integrated loudness, in LU (loudness units). Each standard determines the tolerance, which is typically set between 0.5 - 2.

Short-term/Momentary Loudness
Short term loudness is calculated over a moving window of 3 seconds. Some loudness standards like EBU R128 s1 Short Term define a maximum short-term value. Momentary loudness is calculated over a moving window of 400ms. The Short-term/Momentary power button enables or disables this processing, and the drop-down allows you to choose between short term or momentary loudness​

 

Right, but the question I was addressing was whether there's any advantage to higher sample rates (such as 88 or 92) for needledrops. I believe there is an advantage-- not necessarily for high-frequency content, but due to filtering artifacts in the temporal domain, as described in the article.

 

As I wrote above, I used to believe that there would be a difference due to filtering but the test I described of downsampling to 44.1 then upsampling again the nulling the two versions of the file showed that there was absolutely nothing changed below 22kHz. A couple of folks suggested it wasn`t valid because of the upsampling and had there been some sort of change of any kind, then it would have been impossible to determine whether it was the upsampling or the sampling rate itself. If there was no change and the files nulled perfectly up to 22kHz, then this told me that the sampling rate itself does not affect the material.

In any case, this thread is about tips and tricks for vinyl transfer and although sampling rate plays a part, let's not hijack it with a debate over sampling rate.

 

Here's a tip for RX users (at least versions 6 through 8; I don't have the older ones installed anymore).

By default, when you open Spectral De-noise, the Threshold and Reduction sliders are just single sliders one for each. However, if you click on the little link icon underneath each slider (I put little green arrows on the screenshot below), they split into dual sliders, one for Noisy elements and the other for Tonal. You can play around with these to find the best combination of settings for your specific case. The following are the settings I used for a needledrop I'm working on. To try different combinations, simply use the Output noise only checkbox at the bottom of the dialog and either Preview (or Render and then undo) to ensure that only noise is being removed.

The tendency might be to just crank the Noisy sliders and leave the Tonal ones alone, but these are not perfect divisions of the elements, so you need to tweak them a bit. However, it can provide some interesting results. Notice the settings I have in Dynamics for the Knee and Release. I found through experimenting with the Output noise only checkbox that these result in the least amount of harm to lower frequency transients when removing rumble, etc. The Whitening control is also one I usually keep cranked. Also, notice the yellow line representing Residual noise in the graph. I played with the Reduction curve (line in blue) and the Smoothing control until I got the nice straight line. That's only possible with the Whitening control maxed out. I also found that increasing the Noisy control in this case to get the yellow line under 120dB resulted in some removal of ambience in quieter passages I was working on, so I brought it up a bit.

As always, it's case by case. anyway, have fun, stay safe!

 

It's mind blowing how powerful and flexible Izotope is...

 

Yep, I never cease to be amazed at how much their software can do. Some of the music rebalance stuff is very cool.

 

Here's some interesting stuff: I have "first light" of 45 RPM vinyl, transferred flat at 33 RPM, balanced preamp in. Software speed correction (0.74%) & software RIAA (only left channel in this mono recording)

catriaa4.flac (1.8MB)

Besides getting the other channel going, got some hum to sort out still.

 

Sounds good. I've read a couple of times about doing needledrops at slow speed as a way of reducing sibilance, but I've never done much experimenting with it.

 

Ok then. Thanks again.

 

You have top gear stuff.

 

Yes, very true. No argument there. But this assumes that the ADC is well designed. In a poorly designed ADC the advantage that you speak of would he canceled out by other factors.

 

THE SEXY FAT MAN'S DIRECT DRIVE TABLE RANT OF 2021. PART 1 OF 23.


Can one design a great sounding direct drive turntable? Why yes of course. But it always was and still is a design headache. The record is sitting right above the motor. Sure the speed is great but what a price to pay. And honestly if you want perfect speed - by a CD player. Funny how most of those direct drive tables came with speed controls. Real ironic! LOL

Just because you can't hear rumble doesn't mean it isn't there. Most likely the rumble is being hidden by record noise. The small details that are in the grooves will he swapped by rumble. Back in the 1970 -1987 turntable makers like JVC, Pioneer, Techniques and many others would fudge their rumble ratings with a 250 low cut filter. Perfectly legal. All they had to do was mention that is was not a "unweighted" measurement. This is an well know fact. It is the reason people of my age don't bother with direct drive turntables. Been there and done that. Thank you. And good DD tables cost a mint.

Direct drive owners seem to be obsessed with speed. To the extent that nothing else matters. Most audiophile tables are very good with speed.
But it seems the direct drive crowd cries, "REGA"
As if no other belt drive tables exist.

Here is my issue. If you are buying a modern well designed direct drive table then hey cool. Go for it. At least a Techniques 1200 Mark 2 or better yet the legendary mark 1. Or a super costly VPI HW-40. Bottom line is a good direct drive table is not cheap.

Mostly what I see here on the forum is used direct drive tables from the "dark age" of DD. A $250 DD Pioneer table from 1985 is not good. Talking about how great direct drive tables are today is irrelevant if your DD table is from 30 years ago.

Linear tracking. Remember that? Again, properly executed the design principal is solid. Play the record the way it was cut. Unfortunately many turntable makers made cheap crappy linear tracking tables. And they sounded like junk.

Am I against Linear tracking and direct drive tables? Absolutely not. Properly executed these designs can perform at the top level. But you will not find great performance from 1984, $315 direct drive linear tracking turntable.

What leaves me speechless is the direct drive cult that believes that every DD table must be good. "Well, it gives great speed so therefore it must sound good....Duhhhh!"

If you a gonna use a DD table get a good one!


This rant was not directed at anyone member or members.

 

Whoa! Thanks!

 

Sorry If I Ask you but I've a question:
Now that you Have .WAV file,How do you listen?
Streamer or Media Player like Foobar/Daphile or Wtfplay?