Which is appropriate equipment to record albums on CD or computer

15 years ago

I posted this on the electronics forum, but got no response. This questions really straddles computers and electronics, so I hope it's okay that I repost it here. I'm also hoping to have an answer to this in time to plan my purchase of a laptop while the back to school specials are available.

I hope I can articulate this clearly. I have endless albums (maybe 10 feet long) - which I'd like to get rid of, after I record some of them on my computer. I'm gathering there are several ways to do this - and I'd love to hear any relatively easy ways I don't know about.

Our audio system is old (my husband got it well before we met 14 years ago), but probably very good for it's time. Pioneer turntable (PL-12D) - with red and white cables running out from the back (not removeable - no jacks to plug into). Onkyo TX 36 amplifier. On the back there are phono in jacks (red and white). Then there's a section for Tape 1 (which has red and white jacks marked record - and another pair of red and white jacks marked play/cd). There is a similar set of input/output jacks under Tape 2. I'm not sure if record is the same as line in - or line out - or if play means one of those.

We also got a JVC cd recorder (probably 5-7 years ago). We were able to make a few recordings of albums (but could never get the process to work for recording from tape). Last time we looked at this recorder, we were overwhelmed by the technology.

Now I know little more - and technology is more advanced and complicated. I want to get the albums recorded. And I have 2 possibly mutually exclusive goals. I do not want to compress the recordings and lose audio data (this project is for my husband and mother - who have wonderful musical ears, though no tech talent - and me - who has a smidge of musical ear and a little more courage to try the technology). Yet I would love to get this music digitized on my computer (with the option to convert formats and load some on my ipod).

One thing I could do is dust off the cd recorder manual and learn how to use it to record the albums on cd. Am I correct that this would be a lossless recording Is this the way to record the full range of audio information on these albums? And then I suppose I could load those cd's on my computer and convert the ones I want to either mp4 or apple lossless format to get it on my ipod.

The other possibility is to record directly from the phonograph into a computer (and just burn cd's of the ones I want on cd). I know I need an amplifier or preamp. Could I use our current Onkyo amplifier and somehow run those red and white cables into a computer or something intermediate that would run into the computer? If I did this, would it be losing musical data - or is there a way to set it to not compress it. (As a side note, it might be nice to use software that removes any cracks and hisses).

Or perhaps I should buy a digital turntable and just plug it into my desktop?

Then the next set of questions - what input jacks do I need on my computer to do this? If I use my current stereo system, I am not going to want to move the whole thing upstairs to my desktop - or move the desktop down to the stereo - or run cables up two floors and run back and forth to coordinate recording. So if I use my current stereo, I think I'll need to record to a laptop. And I'm about to buy a new laptop (and take advantage of back to school specials) - but don't know what inputs I need on a laptop. I haven't found any with line-in audio. Do I need a separate sound card - or can I do this with an integrated sound card. (Oh - and I don't really have any idea what I'm talking about with sound cards - just dimly remembering hearing about them. I could use some enlightment about sound cards as well. Does the quality effect the quality of my recording?).

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

zep516
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
See the link for more information, there are also services that will do this for you, after you read the link you will be somewhat more knowledgeable about the entire process.

Also conduct your own search on googl using key words like
"Record albums to cd" and see what you can come up with, and stay tuned for others input.

Here is a link that might be useful: Albums to cd
grandms
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I picked the easy way out and bought for under $100 a USB turntable that connects to my computer. Software made by Cakewalk came with it as well as Audacity, but the Cakewalk software is very easy to use. I can save in different formats, burn to CD, etc. So much easier than any of the other methods I have read about. The turntable I bought is made by Audio-Technica, although there are several different brands available. I found mine by doing a search using Google, and after I decided on this brand, I searched for the best price I could find. I bought through an online merchant for a price much better than CC or BB for the same model.

Sad to say, I haven't done very much with it as yet, converting only a few albums to digital, but I listen to the albums just for the fun of it. By the way, it has a dust cover, so I have it sitting on a little table next to my computer desk.
Related Discussions
New motherboard to upgrade computer?
Q
Comments (4)
Your case probably will not take a new motherboard configuration, not because of mounting holes for the board but because of the back layout of your current case. Today's motherboards mostly if not all come with a small rectangular back panel with the holes stamped out to exactly accept the motherboard Your old case probably does not offer the possibility of removing such a panel as it is may have a solid back. Look at this case and click on the first small image underneath, there you can see the mouse, keyboard, USB and various other holes. That little section can be snapped out so the piece you buy with a new board can be snapped in. Next the power supply will be too small, today even a 350 watt ps is considered minimal and I expect you have a 230 watt. The RAM will not fit. Your video card might only be AGP 2 and the wrong voltage for today's mobos. Basically your new CD-RW might be worth saving and of course the hard drive. You may well have paid almost as much for your CD player as you will today for a name brand DVD player recorder that does CDs and DVDs. So having unintentionally upset your plans why not set about building a whole new box? Decide how much money you can spare. Decide what you want in the new computer and set about reading up and/or asking questions to ensure all components are compatible with each other. Or have Dell build a tower with your requirements built in. Whaddyathink?
...See More
Album to CD
Q
Comments (7)
I took a quick look at a review for the InstantMusic box and it is just the kind of thing I'm talking about. I actually have a stereo system (receiver, turntable, cassette deck, CD player) hooked up to an Onkyo audio hub (no longer made) which then feeds my Macintosh. Works great. Mine just converts to bits, and the software I use has to convert into the various music formats; this goes one step further. For $40 or so, it looks like just the ticket. The various music formats. There are a bunch of them. AAC, MP3, and WMA are the most popular. AAC is the format used on iPods and Apple's iTunes by default. Apple claims that AAC results in better-sounding files that are the same size as MP3 files. I don't know anyone who has a particular opinion on that, though I'm sure this is discussed to death elsewhere on the Internet. Music you buy from the Apple iTunes Music Store also is AAC-encoded. One disadvantage is that music from the iTunes Music Store has additional coding that makes it difficult to move those files to a non-Apple player (the main exception being iTunes for Windows). MP3 is the more generic format. iPods can play MP3s as can digital audio players from whoever is left in the business (Apple owns about 80% of the legal digital music business). WMA is a Windows Audio format. I don't know a lot about WMA other than Microsoft would prefer you use it. :-) I have not heard that it sounds significantly better or worse than any other format (including ones I haven't mentioned here); the big issue with WMA is that if you're not using a Windows-based system for playback, it will be harder for you to find a player for WMA-encoded files. Not impossible; just harder. It's not as popular a format as AAC or MP3. The general things to remember about digital audio formats are 1) that the smaller the file, the less good it sounds. That may not be a big deal if you're listening through iPod earbuds or a portable speaker or your cell phone -- it may sound just fine through those devices. It might be a bigger deal if you pipe your music to a quality home stereo. But it costs you pretty much nothing to try it for yourself; and 2) unless you have access to an "uncompressed" digital file of the music (or the original record/tape/CD), once you "rip" it into one of these formats, converting it to another format often causes some audible damage to the file. Then there's the labor that entails. So you might want to think just a bit about the format in which you want your music. It would be a pain to have to convert hundreds of files if you decide to move to another player that can't handle your chosen format.
...See More
Recording Records to CD via PC
Q
Comments (3)
You'll need specific "phono" input RCA jacks on your receiver, not just jacks for a tape player or Aux In. Turntables need a greater boost than other line-in items. The exception is with some newer turntables that have a switch on them to provide the necessary added boost so they can be attached to a standard line-in or tape input jack (and many newer stereo or AV receivers, or the little ones that are part of mini shelf systems, don't have a dedicated phono input). There are also gizmos available (for about $25 from Recoton the last time I looked) that attach between the turntable and aux-in jack to provide the extra boost. I use a cheapo Radio Shack amplifier that includes the needed phono EQ for this purpose. Mine was sold under the Realistic brand, I think they've switched to the RCA brand (under license, same product) since then. It was about $60 new when I bought mine, although I paid less than half that on eBay.
...See More
How many of you play your old (vinyl) albums?
Q
Comments (16)
I have a laundry tub full of LP's (with a few 45's and 78's thrown in for good measure), but our record player died long ago, so I haven't listened to them in years. There's a good assortment of rock, blues, jazz, soul, showtunes, and classical. I don't know whether to bring them to a record dealer or put them out as giveaways at a yard sale, but I can't use them now, and I can't vouch for their condition (some were stored in the attic or basement for years and may be warped; most of the album covers are not in great condition), so I have no idea of their worth. And I don't want to buy a new turntable, as the scratches would probably be too painful to listen to. But looking through them brings back such memories! I can even remember how the final chord at the end of one cut was followed by a particular note at the start of the next, or where I was when I first listened to some of the songs; I guess it's an auditory memory that never leaves us. Lowspark, my DS also discovered the Beatles and then moved on to Pink Floyd, Queen, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and many more. When he still lived at home and played his CDs, I had the pleasure of listening to them again. Good music lasts forever, even if the medium changes. Sue
...See More
lynnalexandra
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Grandms - thank you. I thought about on eof those turntables (the two I've heard about are Ion and Audiotechnica) - which I think can each be found for about $100. I just may take the easy way myself.

On the electronics forum, I got one link for a ton of detailed information on how to do this - but it is much more of an undertaking than I am up for. So if I can't find an easier way to use my existing stereo, I'll probably get a digital turntable.

Lynn.
lynnalexandra
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi,Zep. That information was great. It's the information I was referring to above - but when I came here to post and thank people, your posting wasn't on here - weird. Then I checked if it came from the electronics forum - but it hadn't. Then I checked back here and now your posting is on this thread. Don't know why it didn't appear before - but I do want to thank you.

A lot of that was more complicated than I would undertake, but it sure does spell out a lot. Great information that helps me understand what's entailed (although I'm not about to cover my albums in soapy water to get the best recording - and then tinker with the files multiple times - but it was fascinating). There were less comlicated suggestions there as well.
bob414
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I did the same project a couple of years ago. My turntable no longer worked so I bought one on ebay and it turned out to be a great turntable, but without an amplifier. Like you my stereo was upstairs and I didn't want to bring it down to my computer so I bought a preamplifier (around $15) which turned out to be all I needed to plug into the sound card on my computer. I recorded the music to my computer and burned it to cd's using Roxio Media Creator which I already had. But if you can get a turntable hooked up to your computer you could use the free Audacity program to record the music and Windows Media Player does a good job of recording to CD. I like my music but I'm no audiophile so can't say if the results would please critics but it's good enough for me.
lynnalexandra
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks Bob. I think I have Roxio Media Creator (I'd have to doublecheck). I have some follow up questions because I'm really in the dark here. I gather you plug the turntable into the preamplifier (with the red and white plugs?). Then what goes from the preamplifier into the computer. What kind of cable or cord?

I'm also unsure of which jack on the computer goes to the sound card. I see a bunch of colored jacks, but don't recognize any of the symbols except for the microphone symbol.

Anyone know if the quality of soundcard in the computer matters? Any anyone know if this signal fromt he preamplifier can be fed into a laptop as well.

Thank you.
Lynn.
bob414
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
My turntable plugs into the preamplifier with the red and white plugs (which I think are called RCA phono plugs) and a cord with the same plugs goes into the outlet side of the preamplifier, but this cord is called a Y cord because it goes from the 2 RCA to one 1/8 inch stereo jack on the other end. That end plugs into the 'line in' jack on the back of my computer.
If your version of Roxio is like mine try this: Open the media center Home

{{gwi:1490847}}

Click on 'Convert LP's and Tapes to CD' in the left hand column and this screen comes up

{{gwi:1490848}}.

Click on 'Recording Setup' and you get this screen

{{gwi:1490849}}

Which contains a step by step guide to hooking up your equipment.

I don't know how you feel about buying on ebay, but here's a link to a preamplifier like i got.

Which is appropriate equipment to record albums on CD or computer

Comments (7)

zep516

grandms

Related Discussions

lynnalexandra
Original Author

lynnalexandra
Original Author

bob414

lynnalexandra
Original Author

bob414

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Which is appropriate equipment to record albums on CD or computer

Comments (7)

zep516

grandms

Related Discussions

lynnalexandraOriginal Author

lynnalexandraOriginal Author

bob414

lynnalexandraOriginal Author

bob414

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

lynnalexandra
Original Author

lynnalexandra
Original Author

lynnalexandra
Original Author