How to avoid a big record disaster?

TheBigCheese

TheBigCheese

TheBigCheese

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Joined
6 Sep 2005
Posts
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Hi guys

I've got to rip some LPs onto CD, I know all the theory behind it but I've never actually done it before...or really used an LP player come to that.

I'm sickeningly worried about putting the stylus onto the LP and it going skittering over the surface making a big scratch. I have been told several times that the albums are pretty much irreplaceable now...no pressure then!!!

I'm going to use some old LPs to practice with until I get the hang of it but what I want to know is if there is any do's and don'ts involved...anything that would be really stupid to do which will increase the chances of the LP being scratched etc.

Many thanks in advance :)
 
TheBigCheese said:
Hi guys

I've got to rip some LPs onto CD, I know all the theory behind it but I've never actually done it before...or really used an LP player come to that.

I'm sickeningly worried about putting the stylus onto the LP and it going skittering over the surface making a big scratch. I have been told several times that the albums are pretty much irreplaceable now...no pressure then!!!

I'm going to use some old LPs to practice with until I get the hang of it but what I want to know is if there is any do's and don'ts involved...anything that would be really stupid to do which will increase the chances of the LP being scratched etc.

Many thanks in advance :)
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ive dont this once before and if they really are irreplaceable id look for a soft needle to use to try and remove the possiblity of screatching.

other than that just be very careful when lowering the needle onto the surface and use the correct speed on the deck.

StevenG
 
Why are you converting from LP to CD? Why reduce the quality? Also, why do you own LP's yet seemingly don't understand how to play one?
 
Perhaps he wants to play the CD's in a car.. not to many car turntables :P. Or perhaps just the convenience of the CD's. Good LP's are great though, Here's hoping that the enthusiasts manage to keep the format alive during the era of poor quality recordings and MP3's. (Ok its not always the mp3's fault.. but why are many new recordings recorded with high compression with every part of the music equally loud.. to sound acceptable on ipod headphones, and absolute rubbish on my hifi system). I really hope the recording industry goes back to producing quality recordings with a full dynamic range again (if digital ideally a minimum of 24bit 96khz)
 
Corasik said:
Perhaps he wants to play the CD's in a car.. not to many car turntables :P. Or perhaps just the convenience of the CD's.
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True, but in either case I'd have to suggest just buying the CD version - however good his deck, cables etc are a professionally made CD version will sound better than an at-home conversion.
 
fini said:
True, but in either case I'd have to suggest just buying the CD version - however good his deck, cables etc are a professionally made CD version will sound better than an at-home conversion.
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Maybe, but 10 bought CDs would be around £70-£100, 10 ripped LPs would be around £1-£2.
 
fini, you're posting style seems quite aggressive. Think you should chill out a bit.

Out of interest, what software are you going to be using as my Nan has been asking me to do this for her for some time.
 
fini said:
True, but in either case I'd have to suggest just buying the CD version - however good his deck, cables etc are a professionally made CD version will sound better than an at-home conversion.
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I'm sure a d decent sound card and turntable will be more than up to the job. Most modern day CD versions of older albums are horribly compressed anyway.
 
If the vinyl hasn't been played recently I'd advise playing every side once without converting to clean it. You'd be surprised how much muck accumulates in the grooves and it's a pita when you go away and have a cup of tea, come back and find the needle's stacked up with a wodge of fluff and the sound output is like an alka-seltzer
 
Tesla said:
fini, you're posting style seems quite aggressive. Think you should chill out a bit.
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:confused: I'm more chilled at the moment than I've pretty much ever been (life is good, I'm very lucky). Apologies if I've miffed you in any way though and comment taken on board - I'll post smilies after every post from now on. :p

Oli collet said:
I'm sure a d decent sound card and turntable will be more than up to the job.
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If he's not sure how to use a deck properly I'd be surprised if the one he's using is very good though. This means he'll lose quality:
1)through the record being dirty/worn
2)through the cartridge
3)through the phono stage
4)through the cables
5)through the encoding

Whilst I agree modern CD's versions aren't produced as well as they could be going straight from the source files to CD rather than the above must give some sort of fidelity advantage. I suppose it depends on how high quality he wants them - we're probably not talking about a difference you'd be able to hear on anything sold in purple shirt land - but even then in the future he may upgrade to a really decent set up at which point he'd appreciate the extra quality.


:D
 
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I get the feeling the OP isn't going to put the music through a £3000 Hi-fi so expect he's not that bothered about obtaining supreme quality
 
fini said:
:confused: I'm more chilled at the moment than I've pretty much ever been (life is good, I'm very lucky). Apologies if I've miffed you in any way though and comment taken on board - I'll post smilies after every post from now on. :p


If he's not sure how to use a deck properly I'd be surprised if the one he's using is very good though. This means he'll lose quality:
1)through the record being dirty/worn
2)through the cartridge
3)through the phono stage
4)through the cables
5)through the encoding

Whilst I agree modern CD's versions aren't produced as well as they could be going straight from the source files to CD rather than the above must give some sort of fidelity advantage. I suppose it depends on how high quality he wants them - we're probably not talking about a difference you'd be able to hear on anything sold in purple shirt land - but even then in the future he may upgrade to a really decent set up at which point he'd appreciate the extra quality.


:D
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I think you just came across a bit hi-fi analist ;)

You'd be surprised just how good a rip from vinyl to CD is even on pretty average equipment. The problem is, people play it back and say "ooh no that's not very good" because it's going to be at a much lower level (peak normalisation will make little difference) hence the mistaken assumption that the sound quality is much worse.

Of course there are fruitloops out there who believe vinyl sounds better than CD. These people are just mentalists, though.
 
Tesla said:
fini, you're posting style seems quite aggressive. Think you should chill out a bit.

Out of interest, what software are you going to be using as my Nan has been asking me to do this for her for some time.
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I use adobe audition when I am doing it although I have used nero wave editor in the past
 
oli collett said:
don't tell me you're one of these people...?
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Well before calling people "fruitloops" and "mentalists".

You could actual take ones head from the sand, or some other dark place it's been hiding for the last decade or more, and realise the general HiFi fraternity, Magazines, dealers, owners who actual listen to decent kit, all confessed to the fact that vinyl did actual sound better...... and a top spec deck has the beating of any CD spinner..... but don't the word of a "fruitloop", wander down to you local specialist dealer and so what's been happening in the real world...... Try listening to a fully loaded Linn LP12SE,... Well try the basic one, it will blow most CD players away. ;)
 
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