Am I the last person to rip my vinyl records ? What Software & Tricks, please.

  • Thread starter Thread starter MoiMeme
  • Start date Start date
M

MoiMeme

I finally got around to hooking up my turmtable and preamp to play
some disks and rip them. I figured few minutes of googling would
point me to the right software and tips. I see lots of stuff
that looks like spyware.

Can someone point me to a good site for info on ripping vinyl?

Thanks
 
Al said:
I finally got around to hooking up my turmtable and preamp to play
some disks and rip them. I figured few minutes of googling would
point me to the right software and tips. I see lots of stuff
that looks like spyware.

Can someone point me to a good site for info on ripping vinyl?
Click to expand...

It's no different that ripping any other audio in the end. You need a way
to get the sound into your computer (usually your sound card provides this)
and some application to record to MP3 or whatever format you plan to keep
these in.

I've done it with several different packages - some claiming to be made for
ripping old records - others just nice audio software.

I have no opinion on what you should use - as none have done a better job
than the rest.. But if it looks like spyware - it might be.. Google for
reviews on the software before downloading/installing/using.
 
Al -

#1 - There is NO substitute for the software that
comes with a GOOD sound card. (I use a SB
Audigy2 - which also connect to the pre-amp via
standard RCA plugs).

#2 - I rip tracks separately - 10 to 12 wave files
per LP (without lifting the tone arm if there's 3 or
4 seconds of silence between). I found it more
difficult to separate tracks afterwards using s/w.

#3 - I use lame to convert the WAV file (16-bit
stereo 44.1 kb) to MP3(320) -q 0 (max quality).
Older mono and even stereo LPs may sound better
in mono; experiment.

#4 - I use Cool Edit Pro to clean up pops, hiss and
clicks - this s/w is no longer available but there are
lots of choices out there. This is the key to so-so
vs excellent results. Through the miracle of Digital
Signal Processing (DSP), the resulting cleaned up
file can eliminate 99.9% of the noise and retain
99.9% of the music. (I've also used this software to
"clean-up" several CDs - Anyone notice anything
funny re: "Shawshank Redemption" sound track?)

#5 Once it's cleaned up, I do a final convert to
WMA (192kb) which is less than 13% of the original
WAV file size, but is mathematically equivelent in
sound quality. Don't convert to WMA to early in the
process as your sound clean-up software won't
(likely) be able to save changes made to WMAs.

By the way, which albums are you ripping?

Ed
 
I use Magix Audio Cleaning Lab (version 1.04) to capture Lps and cassettes.
It splits an album into the ten or twelve tracks and cleans up hiss or pops
etc. I export to .wav then convert to mp3PRO with MusicMatch Jukebox 7.5
Plus. (Had to pay extra for Plus to get mp3PRO but I really really like
MMJB.) Both programs are currently at version 10, I think.

Software tips and tricks:

Audio Cleaning Lab charges extra for mp3 encoding. I can set it to export
..wav and set the format to mp3 and get around that. I end up with files
that say .wav and have to be renamed .mp3. Sneaky, but since I want mp3PRO
I don't bother with this.

MusicMatch Jukebox basic in most versions doesn't allow Line In recording.
I can choose Stereo Mix and get around that. Track recognition sometimes
works and sometimes doesn't. There is no hiss or pop cleaning so I don't
use this method.

I've tried Plus! Analog Recorder but ACL spoiled me since it gives a
waveform image for tweaking track splits and I was lost in Analog Recorder.

I've used MovieMaker 1 to capture Audio Only to wma. I was able to split
tracks but I don't remember if there was a display to help. I wanted mp3
and had to burn the wma to CD then rip that so I don't still use MM. And of
course it doesn't clean.
 
Just an FYI, Cool edit Pro is now Audition by Adobe and I still use it as my
main audio editing software. It's still extremely "cool"
 
Al -

#1 - There is NO substitute for the software that
comes with a GOOD sound card. (I use a SB
Audigy2 - which also connect to the pre-amp via
standard RCA plugs).

#2 - I rip tracks separately - 10 to 12 wave files
per LP (without lifting the tone arm if there's 3 or
4 seconds of silence between). I found it more
difficult to separate tracks afterwards using s/w.

#3 - I use lame to convert the WAV file (16-bit
stereo 44.1 kb) to MP3(320) -q 0 (max quality).
Older mono and even stereo LPs may sound better
in mono; experiment.

#4 - I use Cool Edit Pro to clean up pops, hiss and
clicks - this s/w is no longer available but there are
lots of choices out there. This is the key to so-so
vs excellent results. Through the miracle of Digital
Signal Processing (DSP), the resulting cleaned up
file can eliminate 99.9% of the noise and retain
99.9% of the music. (I've also used this software to
"clean-up" several CDs - Anyone notice anything
funny re: "Shawshank Redemption" sound track?)

#5 Once it's cleaned up, I do a final convert to
WMA (192kb) which is less than 13% of the original
WAV file size, but is mathematically equivelent in
sound quality. Don't convert to WMA to early in the
process as your sound clean-up software won't
(likely) be able to save changes made to WMAs.

By the way, which albums are you ripping?

Ed
Click to expand...


Thanks for the input. It looks like Adobe Audition aka cool edit is
now $300. I'm not springing for that. I'll give Audacity a try
unless someone give me a better idea.

Is there a PCMCIA or USB sound device I can use? I'd love to use my
laptop hooked up to audio gear for the first A-D conversion. It's an
XP machine. My first tests are going to be the line-in on the laptop
and I have no great expectations as to HiFiness. At least I won't have
any hum problems.

Are there any hardware that comes with software better than Audacity
at reasonable cost.

What am I ripping? Stuff I haven't listened to for years. Right now
I'm listening to my copy of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Investigator

I'll get to my Dick Gregorys, a Walt Kelly, and old Van Ronk. There
is a Redd Foxx old enough that his name isn't on the label. 60's
comedy like Myron Cohen and Flip WIlson.

Then there's the old old timey music. I got into jazz and blues when
I could get it all on CDs, thank g*d.
 
I use goldwave prog., its about $48 US, (he is Canadian), have been using it
for years and after learning the programme, I found it to be very
sophisticated and powerful, despite the low shareware cost. Lame plug-in
(free) converts to MP3.
http://www.goldwave.com/

Leana
 
Al, I think Ed's suggestion of a good sound card is valid if you are after
maximum fidelity. I don't think any that "Come with the machine" are likely
to be truly hiss free and have "Pure" specifications, for that reason I
think using expensive software with a standard card is like putting high
octane in the lawnmower :) I've used a few "Trial" versions of professional
programs over the years and frankly they don't do any better than the
various free things I've tried alongside, the problem with the free things
is they usually don't roll all the desired functions into one package.

Maybe a bit of switch cleaner on the plugs that you are going to be using
and eliminate any "Lack of use" crackles in the various jacks and try the
physical setup first, at least you will be able to investigate hum loops and
such... then you will have the info to decide how much it's worth spending.

Charlie
 
Aha, now you mention it I tried that and found it was good... don't really
have a use for it though these days.

Charlie

Leana said:
I use goldwave prog., its about $48 US, (he is Canadian), have been using
it for years and after learning the programme, I found it to be very
sophisticated and powerful, despite the low shareware cost. Lame plug-in
(free) converts to MP3.
http://www.goldwave.com/

Leana
Click to expand...
 
Al, I think Ed's suggestion of a good sound card is valid if you are after
maximum fidelity. I don't think any that "Come with the machine" are
likely
Click to expand...

Charlie & Al,

Actually I was after the software that came with the audio
card. It allows me to place an LP on the turntable and copy
an entire side into 6 WAV files without lifting the tone arm.
The software that came with the mother boards built in sound
card forced me to stop & name the file prior to continuing
onto the next track(s). It slowed the thru-put... lots!

Although I'd never give up my Cool Edit Pro, I'm sure there's
lots of s/w that will do as good or even better. Dpending on
what CD/DVDwwriting s/w you have you may already have
a sound editor. I think Nero, Sound Forge, etc. all have
a clean up utility that works as well.

Al - Like Charlie said, try the free stuff first.


Ed
 
Ed Covney said:
Charlie & Al,

Actually I was after the software that came with the audio
card. It allows me to place an LP on the turntable and copy
an entire side into 6 WAV files without lifting the tone arm.
The software that came with the mother boards built in sound
card forced me to stop & name the file prior to continuing
onto the next track(s). It slowed the thru-put... lots!

Although I'd never give up my Cool Edit Pro, I'm sure there's
lots of s/w that will do as good or even better. Dpending on
what CD/DVDwwriting s/w you have you may already have
a sound editor. I think Nero, Sound Forge, etc. all have
a clean up utility that works as well.

Al - Like Charlie said, try the free stuff first.


Ed
Click to expand...


Yeah I have only had to use audio software a couple of times in years, we
have an audio alarm at work and to cut the story short the voice announcer
went south after we had a near lightning strike... and of course we have no
account with the vendor so out came the credit card and I hauled an old
Compaq out of the scrap pile and fitted a 48 channel digital IO card which
was duly wired to the switches and all I needed then were some voice
announcements, which I did at about 3am one Wednesday morning :)

This Asus MB has onboard sound and although the playback is fine it's
terribly hissy and unreliable recording. I tried several sw packages and all
the same trouble so eventually dragged another old Compaq out of retirement
and used that. Still a bit hissy but nothing in comparison and the real
nasty glitches were gone. Frankly if you had told me I could do that before
I was forced to I'd have laughed :) First attempt with VS.net, no clue what
I was doing really, but hey it worked first time and has continued
faultlessly for months so I am not complaining. Course it puzzles visitors a
bit when I am talking to them and the alarms go off, especially the london
Accent but oh well.

Charlie
 
I use a Santa Cruz board (very low noise) and Total Recorder from
www.highcriteria.com. The latter is reasonable cost, has useful
add-ons, provides all that I need, and has try-before-buy versions.

I think Total Recorder does MP3. But I also have an MP3 codec in a file
named I3codecp.exe & I'm not sure whether TR does MP3 because I've got
a codec, or whether it does it anyway with an internal one. Try
Googling for I3codecp.exe.

Cool Edit 2000 I also use, and I'l treasure my copy now that its been
bought out and marketed at four times the price as Audition. But you
may find Cool Edit on eBay.

Alan Lloyd
 
Also, SB makes an external sound system for Laptops.


Bob Eyster
Click to expand...


Thanks. SB Audigy 2 ZS pcmcia for $99. I think that's
the answer.

Any comments on the Audigy software ?
 
Any comments on the Audigy software ?

#1 - Like any sound s/w would, it will eventually ask
you what type of files you want it to register. I always
select none - then slowly re-register the file extensions
as I get to know which sw I want to use for each file
type. You can always rt click a file and select "Open
With..."

#2 - Install it when you're not otherwise busy, then
play with it. Tomorrow or next week when you need
to rip something, you'll know how and enjoy doing it.

Ed
 
There were some issues with popping in the drivers when it was first
release. If you get the popping, download and install the latest updates.


Bob Eyster
 
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