Best Technique for transferring vinyl recordings to FLAC files on PC - Page 2

I've been digitizing a lot of vinyl lately. Hook up is Sony PS 4750 with Shure V15VMR to Sony TA-E9000ES control amp. From one of amps RCA tape outputs,  signal is sent to X-FI HD where its ADC converts to USB output, which is sent to laptop's USB port. I use Roxio's LP to MP3 software to record and separate tracks. The results are awesome, when files are created at 16/44.1. These are saved in iTunes; and, when played trough my home theatre system, I cannot distinguish the vinyl from the computer audio. I usually burn these files to CD too. At any rate, the only hassle is  separating tracks and  creating track info. BTW, I can make any kind of file I want but, with a 500 gig hard drive, I prefer to  initally save files at 16/44.1 especially if any will  need editing to remove noise.

Edited by sterling1 - 6/24/11 at 4:34pm

Depending on the quality you want, ripping an LP can be as easy or as complicated as you want it to be.

 

I start off by washing the LP two times. I then place it on my turntable. Set the recording parameters, hit record and then play on the turntable. I record each side as one whole file. After the recording is done, I proceed to restore it by removing any noises. After that I give it another go-around but this time listening on headphones. After that, I set each tracks volume so that all the songs from both sides have the correct dynamic range. I then proceed to split the files and burn.

 

After all is said and done, it takes me at least 5 hours to do a vinyl rip. It usually takes a lot more if I want it to be perfect and if I am doing the artwork as well. It's a passion.

Advice: ALWAYS back up your raw transfer. If you do editing or noise reduction, you may not be happy with the job you've done in the future. If you save your straight transfer, you can always do it again better.

What do you use to wash them?

My main "wash" if you will, is woodglue and that's just to be sure nothing is on the record. After that I get rid of the static and start up my transfer. Then use the first few seconds of lead-in as my noise removal sample.

(side note: I really need a new needle or new job so I can buy my baby, a Pro-Ject Debut III in gloss white)

I do what most of you mentioned but use different equipment. I clean records with a VPI 16.5 and play on a Project RM 10.1 turntable with a Shelter 501 II cartridge. From there they go to a Seta Nano phono pre which supplies the correct loading for the Shelter cartridge. It connects via XLR to a Metric Halo ULN-2 ADC/DAC that applies RIAA equilization. I record via Firewire on a Mac Mini. I use the Metric Halo software for the recording. I use Audacity to break the album up into songs and Click Repair to get the clicks out. I've been recording at 24/96 but 16/44 would work just as well as others have commented. I save my RAW sound files in case something better than Click Repair comes along as suggested. 

 

I used to think my LP rips were superior to the CD version but after living with this system for a year I'm willing to concede the CD is usually as good or better. For music that is not available on CD ripping to a computer is a viable process and worth the effort.

I'm not trying to get some discussion going on here, but I prefer my vinyls over any digital version I've ever heard, I have some vinyls in particular that are so much superior (deep and warm) than the CD version that is like a crime to the music haha

That has nothing to do with the CD format itself. If you have a decent audio capture card, you can make CDs of your records that sound just as "warm and analogue" sounding as the original. It's all in the original mastering of the record. Proper mastering works wonders and most CDs are crapped out nowadays.

Here is a good link outlining some techniques for ripping vinyl:

 

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-250442.html

 

 

Thank you everyone! I was looking for some ideas on how to do this better. Head-fi rocks! My setup is a VPI cleaner, Sumiko Blue Point cartridge, Systemdek IV with separate power supply mod, Adcom phono preamp and a Soundblaster Titanium Pro.