Ripping Vinyl To Laptop Computer, What Is Really The Best Way??

I do it like that, but the time needed doesn't decrease just because you split it into tiny segments. Incidentally I also scan the sleeve and inserts if present.

 

Do it when you get the chance.

People have this idea that everything has to be done yesterday. No patience.

 

In my experience it takes years to pick the best quality/price hardware chain for ripping and to learn the skills to make good quality needledrops. It's a hobby for perfectionists.

There is no greater satisfaction than listening to your own needledrops which sounds much better than the mediocre quality digital commercial products. Good DACs are everywhere. Also, by listening to the digital files whenever you want, you extend the lifetime of the turntable and the cartridge. It's not a waste of time.

My ultimate budget but quality recording chain: TT -> Cambridge Alva Duo -> MOTU M2 -> PC win 7 (not AUDACITY).

 

Thanks for this honest description of the work required! This is why I am still waiting for an integrated amp solution when I just have to push one button prior to playing a record or CD to digitize it on to the amps removable disc. It exist already for CD’s and I hope that it is only a short matter of time until you can also do it when playing records.

 

The work required has nothing to do with a missing piece of technology, but with the strive for perfection. You can digitise an entire LP side to PC and consider it "done", that would last no longer than the playing time of the music and would be the equivalent to what you describe. But you will not have the tracks accessible individually, it will not be normalised, crackles and noise will be present, no meta data, no cover art etc. All of that has to be done by hand, and that is the work we're talking about.

 

lol, not the case

 

there is definitely nothing on a vinyl LP that requires recording at 192kHz

 

Also, when using Audacity I would take advantage of a label track to split up a LP Side into songs. Simply press Control B to add a label at the start of each song and then use Export multiple in the export window to speed up your work flow.

Also I would recommend using Mp3 Tag for Metadata rather than Audacity’s metadata creator. For me at least it always feels super slow, clunky and worst of all: one by one. With Mp3 Tag you can tag the common data in a album (album art, artist, album name, year) in seconds and have that applied to all the files and then add the specifics to each files independently. I really prefer that method to the Audacity meta data editor. (Also for even more speed make sure your labels are numbered so you have the files in proper order without having to edit the metadata before going to Mp3 tag.)

 

there is a super long thread on this, that may be worth browsing

Your Vinyl Transfer Workflow (sharing best needledrop practices)*

 

Thanks, that is clear. I guess I want something that is user friendly and (near) perfect and does not involve a laptop. For the time being I am still waiting as new developments are coming fast.

 

For clarity: you certainly can dub a vinyl record to digital like we did in the tape days. But, with today's computer programs, we can be as precise as possible in getting professional results. I know that isn't everyone's goal, but it is for many of us.

Some people just want a quick and dirty digital copy for the car or whatever, and that's fine. Some of us want to create a copy of the vinyl so good it sounds like a master tape and could be sold commercially. Some people, for whatever their reason, can't be bothered, and would rather just play the record. It's nice that we have choices.

For digitizing vinyl, some people just want to push a couple of buttons and be done with it. Some of us look forward to the activity of "mastering". The time it takes, the intricate details involved, and deciding on how to handle technical problems. We enjoy choosing the various dither. We just enjoy the process.

 

Just to make sure I understand what you are saying. In my mind, I had a plan, which was, take the balanced R & L outputs from the Parasound JC-3 JR Phono stage and route them into the balanced R & L inputs on the 2i2, however in connecting this way, you are telling me the 2i2 does not offer an input adjustable pot for each channel! You are saying the 2i2 ONLY has adjustable input pots if I use the unbalanced, single ended R & L inputs on the 2i2, balanced inputs have NO input volume adjustments at all!

 

Correct. I tried.

 

Will moving up in the Focusrite Scarlett line improve the sound or do you just get more features. All I’m looking to do are vinyl rips.

 

Anyone!

 

Doubtful, I'd just stick with the 2i2
Does a good job capturing what's on the LP (good and bad)

 

Thanks c-eling.

 

Just remember, if you have a mono record it's the easiest way to set channel balance. The L/R gain knobs are pretty sensitive!

 

I used a labor-intensive method however I'll simplify by just summarizing......

Besides a decent turntable with decent cartridge I use a Tascam CD Recorder with a Rewritable CD-R in it.
Once the vinyl is recorded onto the Cd-rw it is finalized and downloaded into my computer.
I use editing software to separate the tracks, clean them up, then title them.
Remember to SAVE completed tracks as WAV. files. You may someday want to play your laptop music through large speakers.
That's it!

To complicate matters, you can record using a mixer in between pre amp and CD recorder to EQ tracks (to suit your taste). Also (whilst having the CD recorders rec. level at a default position) you can use the mixer's faders for input levels.

 

At the risk of restarting an age-old discussion I'm interested in this, because I can't reliably distinguish 48k and 96k. This question has serious implications for processing times, disc space, equipment choices, and received wisdom.

What does the difference sound like? How did you ensure that it wasn't the result of some artefact of the downsampling process being injected at lower frequencies? Have you done any unsighted tests to prove to yourself that you are not projecting? What are your thoughts on the scientific theory that 48k accurately preserves all audible frequencies and is therefore indistinguishable from higher rates?

If I'm going to bother ripping my vinyl I want to rip to a quality which will satisfy my children and grandchildren. That's why I'm interested in where the audibility limit is for those other than myself.

 

...but some people are very happy with barely adequate quality. How do you know that he would not marvel at the high quality of the rips from his $99 USB deck? We all have slightly different ears for a start, and many do not care that the 12th violin forgot to come in on cue.

Learning how to rip is learning and therefore worthwhile, even if you learn about the gulf between your intentions and what is achievable.

 

If you go from a higher sample rate to a lower one, you will hear a reduction of the soundstage. If you listen on headphones, you can't really hear it. I always evaluate with speakers.

If the sample rate is uneven, for example, from 96k > 44.1, you are going to get artifacts. The quality of the software/hardware you use to do the SRC, and the settings you use, will influence this.

Yes, I have done my own tests, which is how I came to the conclusion I did. Do your own. If you can't reliably hear any differences, knock yourself out with whatever you choose to do.

That said, I have been doing my drops at 44.1, not because I can't hear a difference, but because my work will end up as a 16-bit/44.1 FLAC and mp3. If I really care about the results of a particular project, i'll use a higher sample rate, and these days, it will most likely be 88.2.k.

 

This is basically what I do (using the Line/USB cable). Recently though I have noticed an issue (below with pics). It has been a while since I have recorded an album. Been doing it since 2013 and did a bulk of them during that time for a couple of years. Then every once in a while would rip something I wanted to hear in my truck.

In Nov of 2020 I decided to buy a new computer with Windows 10. We had an older Windows 7 computer upgraded to 10 but it started running very slow (to the point my daughter was getting kicked out of her Zoom meetings for her college classes). So I figured it was time for a new desktop computer. I have only ripped 2 albums since that time. The first one was a few weeks ago. Something sounded "off" but I could not figure out what it was. Then this week I recorded another and it still had that same odd sound (almost tinny sounding). I remember a few years ago I ripped "Hello, Goodbye" and it sounded excellent. So I decided to rip it again and see if it sounded as good.... It did not. But it helped me identify the problem but I don't know how to fix it. I noticed that it seems to be recording on one channel but displays as if it recorded in 2. The part where Paul sings "Oh no" is followed by a guitar and on playback this cannot be heard. Then in the course you can't hear "Hello, Goodbye".

It doesn't matter if I use MME on the dropdown or any of the other sources. Recording works on all of them. I have USB AUDIO CODEC selected as well as Stereo Recording (pictured). Everything LOOKS normal but it isn't. It's like it recorded ONE channel on both tracks.


I decided to check the properties, perhaps the USB AUDIO CODEC wasn't set to stereo. It was fine as well.


Here I selected Windows Direct Sound. It recorded but there was no change.


Then I thought it might be the Audacity program so I looked and I am using the latest version. So I decided to try recording with Ocenaudio. SAME problem. Cannot hear the guitar part or the chorus.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I messed around with this for hours last night and never could figure it out. Any help would be greatly appreciated. In 7-8 years of making digital copies of records this is the first problem I have encountered.

 

Does Audacity offer any other options for recording device?

In device settings above, I'd disable any "Signal Enhancements".

 

Thanks, I will try that when I get home. Someone else also recommended that to me. Audacity has CODEC and Mic options I believe. I also tried using Ocenaudio and had the same problem when recording. Will uncheck that box this afternoon.