Phono stage for recording advice needed.

[Floyddroid]

In need of a little advise from those a little more savvy than me about transferring vinyl album tracks to my laptop. Is there an inexpensive Phono stage with a USB output available with simple software to achieve this. Any tips or pointers appreciated. :scratch:

[cre009]

To some extent it will depend on the quality you wish to achieve.

Cheap external USB stages are out there. I have used a cheap external SoundBlaster phono/ADC in the past. Maplin also did one though I have not checked if they are still open for business.

You can get cheap ADCs without phono stages but which can be connected to phono stages. For example I use the Novation 4X4 Audiohub.

Some of the phono stages by Project. Rega and NAD include ADCs though tend to be restricted to 16bit transfers only.

Software is relatively straight forward. Audacity is the obvious freeware option. Ocenaudio is another freeware option though I have not tried if for transfers.

[Floyddroid]

To some extent it will depend on the quality you wish to achieve.

Cheap external USB stages are out there. I have used a cheap external SoundBlaster phono/ADC in the past. Maplin also did one though I have not checked if they are still open for business.

You can get cheap ADCs without phono stages but which can be connected to phono stages. For example I use the Novation 4X4 Audiohub.

Some of the phono stages by Project. Rega and NAD include ADCs though tend to be restricted to 16bit transfers only.

Software is relatively straight forward. Audacity is the obvious freeware option. Ocenaudio is another freeware option though I have not tried if for transfers.

Thanks for that. I thought software would have come with the device. I think most Maplins have now closed unfortunately. I will check out the project et al. I only need an mm ready device in order to convert to mp3 for my radio show.

[DGP]

I've been ripping vinyl at 16/48 with an NAD PP4 and the bundled Vinyl Studio software with great results - reviewed on my blog at
https://digitalprakel.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/nad-pp4-unbox-and-install/
also of the various modules that comprise Vinyl Studio.

I'm fussy about SQ and I didn't feel the gently edited 16/48 files would have been bettered as 24/192.
DGP

[Floyddroid]

I've been ripping vinyl at 16/48 with an NAD PP4 and the bundled Vinyl Studio software with great results - reviewed on my blog at
https://digitalprakel.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/nad-pp4-unbox-and-install/
also of the various modules that comprise Vinyl Studio.

I'm fussy about SQ and I didn't feel the gently edited 16/48 files would have been bettered as 24/192.
DGP

Thanks for that. Looks just what I'm looking for.

[Primalsea]

I believe that some software like Audacity have RIAA modules so you can just plug the TT straight into the soundcard and correct the RIAA by software. You will probably need a good external soundcard or a digital multitrack recorder. I have a Zoom H6 that allows you to record onto the H6 under battery power for low noise and transfer to computer later, or you can use it as an external USB soundcard and record straight onto the computer.

[GrahamS]

I use a Project Record-Box E phono stage, which has both MC and MM inputs, line out and a very good AD converter with USB output. I record to a small laptop using Audacity software. SQ is very good.

[Primalsea]

I believe that some software like Audacity have RIAA modules so you can just plug the TT straight into the soundcard and correct the RIAA by software. You will probably need a good external soundcard or a digital multitrack recorder. I have a Zoom H6 that allows you to record onto the H6 under battery power for low noise and transfer to computer later, or you can use it as an external USB soundcard and record straight onto the computer.

Although thinking about this I am not sure how loading the cartridge would work, so you would probably want a phono stage in the chain.

[garrard]

Although thinking about this I am not sure how loading the cartridge would work, so you would probably want a phono stage in the chain.

and you might struggle with signal levels. Even if you have enough gain you then might have noise floor problems. Yes, a properly designed phono stage is the best.

[montesquieu]

I'm getting pretty good results from an HRT Linestreamer+ Analog to Digital Converter box, which I feed from my preamp, either the tape out or pre out (pre out gives me more flexibility when monitoring as I can adjust the gain on the preamp amp and power amp to get a nice comfortable monitoring level at the same time controlling the input signal so I don't overload). This way I get to use my main phono stage and preamp (EAR 912). The Linestreamer is a USB device into the Mac. I capture Audacity or Vinylstudio. This works really well and all I need is a set of cables from the pre-out, and the USB connector into the Mac. No extra boxes required.

It does 24/96 if you need it (though I've been happy with Redbook) and no faffing with computers.

[Floyddroid]

Great stuff chaps many thanks

[Stryder5]

Rega fono mini

[StanleyB]

Great stuff chaps many thanks
I have one that I bought to transfer some vinyl of mine but never managed to get round to it. PM me if you are interested in taking it off me for a small sum.

[Rothchild]

Audiophiles seem much less snobby about Behringer gear than musos, but in terms of bang for buck they're hard to beat

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-UFO202-U-phono-Audio-Interface/dp/B002GHBYZ0

If you're after something much better, get a decent phono preamp, or use the tape outs on your amp of choice, and run them in to a decent 2 channel audio interface that's priced to taste.

[montesquieu]

Audiophiles seem much less snobby about Behringer gear than musos, but in terms of bang for buck they're hard to beat

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-UFO202-U-phono-Audio-Interface/dp/B002GHBYZ0

If you're after something much better, get a decent phono preamp, or use the tape outs on your amp of choice, and run them in to a decent 2 channel audio interface that's priced to taste.

Couldn't agree more. If you wouldn't use a phono pre in your main system, why would you choose to digitise using it? Use the best phono pre you can get your hands on, and use a decent ADC (like the Linestreamer I mentioned above) to do the digitisation.

[337alant]

Steve
I take the output from my phono stage into a Tascam 144mk2 Midi Interface which is an ADC and it outputs USB to my PC
I use Audacity to record to digital, only pain is having to manually split up and name your tag data but that goes for all software AFAIK.
The Tascam works well but its a few years old now and they may be something better out there ?.
Your welcome to borrow mine and see what you think just call round for it

https://www.amazon.com/Tascam-US-144MKII-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B002TTKI84

Alan

[Rothchild]

There are some more specialised apps for vinyl ripping, which help take the PITA out of having to split, title and catalogue all the generated files.

For instance: http://www.alpinesoft.co.uk/vinylstudio/edit_screen.aspx

I recall someone posting a very good looking one a couple of years ago but cant remember who and which board! Sorry! (It had a lookup function for the track names etc etc so you just told it what album it was looking at and it split at all the silences and appended titles and so on).

In terms of recording, then once you've got your hardware set you may do well to start off with a test disc that has tones at known levels, so you can calibrate the gain structure of your recording chain. Regardless of the endless (circular) discussions here there is more headroom in even a 16 bit digital recording than there is cut in to your vinyl so make sure you leave a decent amount of headroom (shoot for an average of around -18dBFS on the meter in the computer with peaks no higher than about -6dBFS) if the meter hits the red in the computer it'd fuxed and you'll need to start again.

You can of course play with post processing your recordings, for instance you might elect to 'normalize' them to a set level, which may help with consistency across your recordings. Of course you could get really carried away and remaster the whole lot with eq, compression (possibly multiband) and / or limiting too.

[struth]

Pure vinyl 5 does this.

[Rothchild]

Pure vinyl 5 does this.

Yeah that's the sort of thing, although it appears to be mac only (which may or may not be an issue).

[struth]

Was an add in to audacity. Perfect tunes or sommat like that which adds art etc. Not tried it tho. I fancied doing it but macs seem to get the best software.

[Rothchild]

Oh yeah, and despite my 16bit comment I appreciate that this is an audiophile forum, so you will want to track at 24/96 and make sure you do all your processing at that rate.

If you're intending to subsequently burn cds from your recordings you'll need to truncate and sample rate reduce them back to redbook (16/44.1) this should always be the final process and you should use a 'dithering' algorithm and appropriate dither noise to make sure this downsampling and bit truncation is as clean as possible.

[struth]

After playing with audacity I decided to buy the cds

[Floyddroid]

Oh yeah, and despite my 16bit comment I appreciate that this is an audiophile forum, so you will want to track at 24/96 and make sure you do all your processing at that rate.

If you're intending to subsequently burn cds from your recordings you'll need to truncate and sample rate reduce them back to redbook (16/44.1) this should always be the final process and you should use a 'dithering' algorithm and appropriate dither noise to make sure this downsampling and bit truncation is as clean as possible.

I am not wanting audiophile quality here. I merely wish to convert album tracks into Mp3's for my radio show.

[Floyddroid]

All sorted gents thanks to Sir Stanley B of this parish.

Cheers Stan. Diamond geezer.