Who doesn't love vinyl records? It seems that all people over a certain age have a secret stash hidden somewhere and all younger ones are trying to get their hands on that stash. Vinyl LPs offer excellent sound quality, are very durable and very cool. However, they have downsides: they are not handy - if you don't want to take 50 kilos of records to a party - you can't play them in the car and it's not easy to replace them. Fortunately, you can solve these problems by converting your vinyls to CD. It can be a complicated process, but when you do, you'll have a high-quality backup copy of your rare and irreplaceable discs. Plus, you'll be able to enjoy your Cat Stevens record collection on your way to work.
Steps
Step 1. Install an audio recording and editing program on your computer
The standard recorder built into PCs will not allow you to record an LP to the hard drive. However, there are many programs capable of recording audio inputs, both free and professional and very expensive. Some will offer better service than others, or have more functionality, but generally you will need a program that writes files directly to your hard drive and allows you to perform minor editing tasks. For a more in-depth discussion of audio recording and editing programs, see the external links at the end of the article.
Step 2. Determine if you need a preamp
You will need to amplify and equalize the sound of the turntable to record it on the computer. If your turntable has a built-in preamp, you should be able to connect it directly to your computer's sound card. If it doesn't have a built-in preamp, you can plug the turntable into a stereo and walk to your computer from there, or get a preamp - at an electronics store - and plug your turntable into it. Make sure you buy a preamp with "RIAA Equalization" - the cheaper ones will not have this functionality, which is necessary for LPs made after 1950.
Step 3. Make sure you have all the cables and converters needed to connect your turntable, stereo or preamp to your sound card
You may need to buy cables - probably standard RCA cables - to connect all the components. Depending on the type of input and output jacks on your sound card, turntable, and preamp or stereo, you may also need to get converters to make the connections. You can buy cables and converters at electronics or musical instrument stores, and if you don't know what you need, take your devices with you. In most cases, if you've already connected your turntable to a stereo, you'll only need an inexpensive 3.5mm stereo-to-RCA cable to connect the stereo to your computer. stereo.
Step 4. Connect all devices
If you are not using a preamp you will need to connect a cable from the headphone or out jack of your turntable or stereo to the line in or input jack on your computer's sound card. If you have a preamp, connect the turntable cable to the "line in" jack on the preamp and then connect another cable from the preamp out jack to the "line in" jack on your computer sound card.
Step 5. Clean the LP
Obviously a clean record sounds better than a dirty one, and if you are recording your own vinyls you will need the highest quality possible. You will get the best results using a professional LP cleaning machine, but it can be expensive and difficult to find (you can get similar results using a vacuum cleaner and cleaning products). You can also wash records in a sink or use special brushes to remove surface dust. You will need to be very careful when cleaning your discs, so consult the external links for further advice and warnings.
Step 6. Adjust the recording volume
You can adjust the volume input from the stereo or in the recording program, but often the line outputs of stereos have a fixed volume, so you will get the best results by adjusting the volume on your computer. Make sure the input is loud enough not to generate a much lower volume audio file than traditional ones. Also make sure that the incoming volume is not too loud. If your recording volume exceeds 0 dB, the sound quality will be distorted, so it is important to stay below this threshold. Try to identify the peak volume (the loudest section) of the LP you want to record. Some programs will find the peak for you when you play the disc; otherwise you'll have to go by ear. To be on the safe side, adjust the input volume so that the LP's peak volume is around -3 dB.
Step 7. Give it a try
Make sure the program is running and that your turntable and stereo or preamp are turned on. Start playing the disc and press the "record" button of the audio program. Record just a small part to make sure everything works, then adjust the settings on the program and playback devices. You can also play the entire disc to make sure there are no skips.
Step 8. Record the LP
Press the "record" button on the program before starting the LP. Play the entire album while converting the music to digital format, and stop recording only after the LP is finished (you can eliminate the silence at the beginning and end of the file later). Your program may be able to split tracks automatically, but if it doesn't have this functionality, don't try it now.
Step 9. Edit the registration
If the LP you recorded is in excellent condition and your recording devices are of good quality and properly configured, you may not need to make many changes. However, you will probably need to at least eliminate the long silences at the beginning and end of the recording, and divide the tracks, so that you can select the one you like best on a CD. Depending on the type of program you are using, you may also be able to minimize background noises and imperfections, and normalize the volume. The procedures for these changes vary by program, so you may want to consult the manual or help files.
Step 10. Sort the tracks and copy them to a CD
As in the case of editing, the procedure for making a CD will differ depending on the program you use. Consult the manual or help files.
Step 11. Put the CD in the stereo and enjoy the music
Advice
- If you have a laptop, it may not be possible to use a sound card. In this case, you can use a USB audio interface device. Like all other components, the quality of these devices varies according to their price, so do some research and read reviews before making a purchase.
- There are CDs that look like vinyl records, have the same feel, and are not very expensive.
- It's probably easiest to use a single application to record and edit audio files, but you can also try using two or three programs: a recording program, a WAV editor, and a burning program. Some very useful programs are GoldWave, Wave Repair, PolderbitS, Audacity (free and open source) and VinylStudio. You can also try writing "audio recording programs" on a search engine. You should find a lot of good quality free programs.
- If you don't need a CD and just want to convert your discs to digital format, you can save your recordings and skip the burning process.
- If you don't have good quality recording devices and programs, and only have a few LPs to convert, you might want to consider buying CD versions of those discs. You might be surprised how many old LPs are available on CD today. Unless you have a large collection of LPs that aren't available in CD format, recording them yourself may not be worth the time and money it requires.
- You could avoid using your computer and a sound card if you get a good CD recorder. You can connect it directly to your stereo so that it records on CDs just as you did on cassettes. If you want to edit the recordings, use the CD to transfer the files to your computer.
- Get the right turntable. If you have a record collection, you probably have a turntable. While you will be able to record using any turntable, the quality of your CDs will greatly depend on the quality of your devices. Your old turntable bought from the junk dealer may not be suitable for recording your LPs.
- Get the right sound card. You don't need a professional-quality sound card to get a good recording, but the standard cards built into most computers won't do it for you, especially if they don't have a "line in" jack (jacks labeled "mic in "or" microphone will often be mono and are not suitable for this). Make a test recording, and consider getting a better sound card.
- When editing your recording, experiment with your program's noise reduction and equalization tools to improve the sound as much as possible. You will probably have to try it by trial and error, so make sure you always make a copy of the original unaltered recording. This way, if by any chance you deteriorate the audio quality, you can always start from the original.
Warnings
- Turntables are extremely sensitive to vibrations. Of course the record will skip if you hit the table the turntable is sitting on, but other minor vibrations can also affect the sound quality. When recording, try to minimize background noise - soundproof the room as much as possible and walk lightly.
- Be extra careful when cleaning an LP. LPs are tough enough, but even the slightest scratch can cause the record to skip or crack, and when you damage a vinyl it will be very difficult, or impossible, to repair. If you are unsure how to clean a disk, ask the staff at a local disk store or do some research on the net.
- Do not connect your computer's sound card to the speaker output of your stereo. The signal from a speaker output is probably too strong, and could cause serious damage to your sound card.
- Turn off your computer and playback devices completely before final connection. The initial shock can damage the circuitry of devices, especially sound cards, which are more susceptible to this type of damage.
- If you need to install any hardware components, be sure to take the necessary precautions: turn off your computer, "drop to the ground" by touching a metal surface before touching the inside of the computer case, and make backups of the most important files stored on your computer. PC.
