Digitizing Vinyl LPs

[Premjit Talwar]

Can someone please help me with the following application?

I would like to digitize my record collection. I have an excellent preamp to which I connect my turntable. I can get the signal out of the preamp into the MBox2 Pro and then into my iMac (20", 2.16 MHz sual core processor, 64 bits).

What is the best way to connect the above system? What other software will I need in addition to Pro Tools LE? Has any one done this with success? Love to hear your inputs.

Many thanks,
Premjit Talwar
[email protected]

[Naagzh]

Can someone please help me with the following application?

I would like to digitize my record collection. I have an excellent preamp to which I connect my turntable. I can get the signal out of the preamp into the MBox2 Pro and then into my iMac (20", 2.16 MHz sual core processor, 64 bits).

What is the best way to connect the above system? What other software will I need in addition to Pro Tools LE? Has any one done this with success? Love to hear your inputs.

Many thanks,
Premjit Talwar
[email protected]

Isn't the output of your turntable line-level? If so, then you wouldn't need a microphone preamplifier (because mics put out a low level signal that must be amplified, while keyboards, samplers, etc. put out line-level signals). Check the manual for output specs. And if it is line-level, then is it -10 or +4? What about the line inputs on your Mbox? And your preamp, which I'm assuming is two channels: does it have a stereo link feature?

But to directly answer your question: if your turntable's output is line-level, connect the stereo outputs of your turntable to two line inputs of your Mbox 2 Pro. Open a stereo audio track within PT, and select those analog inputs from the input selector above the fader on the track. If your turntable's output is way too weak (you're barely getting any signal at all), then try plugging the turntable outputs into the preamp's inputs (start with the gain all the way down!). Connect the preamp's outputs to the line-level inputs on your Mbox 2 Pro. After recording and "pseudo-mastering", you'll need to separate the tracks for burning with a CD writing program, like Toast or Jam. This could be a very big job depending on the size of your record collection.

First, I'd rent/borrow/buy a decent two-channel AD converter (Apogee Rosetta 200, for example), because this is the weakest point in your signal chain (except for the mic pres, which I think you'll be bypassing). If you do need a 2-channel mic pre, Apogee make a Mini-Me, which is a two channel mic pre and A/D converter in one box. Second, don't chince on the cabling (Mogami Gold maybe?). Third, do a search. Someone here has done this. I myself may be trying it very soon. Read up on mastering. Go hang out a a real studio and ask the engineer about it after you've bought him a bottle of booze. Lastly, and I probably don't need to tell you this, buy some real nice needles for the ol' phonograph!

If you're flying solo on this one then start by picking up the Massey Mastering Limiter, because you may find that once you bounce to disk, the CD is very quiet. A nice stereo EQ plug might be good to have as well. The DUY Wide plug would be nice to have, too, though not a necessity for the task IMHO. I'd also suggest having one record mastered professionally, in order to compare your results. If you don't have a great monitor setup with a treated room, this should be the first step to learning your room and your ears.

[markshan]

Even if you don't need the preamp, you need the preamp for the RIAA curve. Direct from turntable to MBox will sound very shrill, even if you have a good level and proper ground.

I have used DINR with great results for vinyl surface noise. Soundsoap has a feature that is supposed to remove "pops", but I've never worked with it (ditto for Wavelab). The one band para EQ in Protools set to notch can help a lot with 60 cycle hum and/or rumble. If your cartridge isn't aligned properly and/or your records are worn unevenly, split your stereo track to dual mono and run gain on each to compensate. And of course fade or splice your beginnings and endings rather than letting the vinyl noise play between tracks.

Do all of that and you will have done ten times what the guys who charge to transfer usually do.

[allstaar]

I would like to digitize my record collection. I have an excellent preamp to which I connect my turntable. I can get the signal out of the preamp into the MBox2 Pro and then into my iMac (20", 2.16 MHz sual core processor, 64 bits).

What is the best way to connect the above system?

The best way to connect it is pretty much what you describe above.

Turntable output into a quality RIAA preamp then line out from there into your Mbox's line inputs.

If you can get your hands on one of those old vinyl stereo test records, you might come across some mono tones. These will help you adjust the gains on your mbox so they are equal. ( correctly centering the stereo image ).

It's also possible to do this reasonably accurately with tones from an oscillator fed into the phono input on the RIAA preamp. Keep the osc. level down as the input on an RIAA preamp has a fair amount of gain. ( hint, protools has an oscillator included with the digirack stuff ).

Incidentally, to avoid confusion, I have never come across a turntable with a line out. Every turntable (IME) takes the output from the cartridge and requires that this is fed to a preamp with an RIAA de-emphasis curve to convert it to line level.

[markshan]

Incidentally, to avoid confusion, I have never come across a turntable with a line out.

Radio Shack did sell one with the pre built in, but it wasn't really very good. I'm sure this guys table and pre are better.

[zoing123]

Check out a site called garage o records all the lp gear you need....plus

[pasanta]

Radio Shack did sell one with the pre built in, but it wasn't really very good. I'm sure this guys table and pre are better.

There are some made now that have spdif outs. They're intended mostly for DJ use.........I wouldn't trust the quality and would think many older, made for turntable pre-amps would be better.

[Lavallee]

I dont understand why you would want to digitiz your Vinyl, why dont you just buy the CD's or download, buy the discs then you can listen to your Vinyl's after & say hey man! my records sound so much better.

Lavallee