Vinyl questions

[adastra]

BTW, an easy and cheap solution for record ripping is to just use an RCA plug adapter with a headphone-type cable run into the line-in jack on the sound card on your puter, then use whatever software you like to record, like Audacity. The thing I linked to on Amazon looks like an easier and (maybe) higher quality way to do the same thing.

This won't really work because if you don't go through a phono preamp you won't have the RIAA equalization curve or necessary gain applied. Basically what you'll get without that is an extremely low signal with no low end, due to the way records are pressed. This is why you can't plug a turntable into an "aux" or cd input, it needs a true phono stage.

[Crispy]

BTW, an easy and cheap solution for record ripping is to just use an RCA plug adapter with a headphone-type cable run into the line-in jack on the sound card on your puter, then use whatever software you like to record, like Audacity. The thing I linked to on Amazon looks like an easier and (maybe) higher quality way to do the same thing.

This won't really work because if you don't go through a phono preamp you won't have the RIAA equalization curve or necessary gain applied. Basically what you'll get without that is an extremely low signal with no low end, due to the way records are pressed. This is why you can't plug a turntable into an "aux" or cd input, it needs a true phono stage.

Ah, very true. So I guess what one would need to do is run a line from the old tape monitor output on one's amp rather than the TT itself. I should go ahead and try it myself before I spout off any more speculative advice.

[Hawkeye]

BTW, an easy and cheap solution for record ripping is to just use an RCA plug adapter with a headphone-type cable run into the line-in jack on the sound card on your puter, then use whatever software you like to record, like Audacity. The thing I linked to on Amazon looks like an easier and (maybe) higher quality way to do the same thing.

This won't really work because if you don't go through a phono preamp you won't have the RIAA equalization curve or necessary gain applied. Basically what you'll get without that is an extremely low signal with no low end, due to the way records are pressed. This is why you can't plug a turntable into an "aux" or cd input, it needs a true phono stage.

Unless, of course, your table has a built-in preamp (like the AT-PL50).  I've recorded several albums with that table.  Sounds perfectly fine to me.  I now have a Rega RP1 and Bellari VP-130 preamp...haven't tried a recording with that yet.  Kinda wish I saved the AT-PL50 for that reason (now I'll either have to move my table or find a laptop to bring to the table), but I gave it to a friend to get him started down the vinyl path.  Paying it forward I guess.

[adastra]

Yeah, a tape out on a Preamp/Reciever is the usual method.  Looks like the Bellari has 30dB of gain which for some cartridges will still be a bit shy of line level but for most that would work pretty well.  Nice receivers will often have a unity-gain buffer across the tape outputs which is good for impedance but on the other hand its another stage of electronics to put your signal through.  The cadillac approach would be a dedicated ADC (analog to digital converter) taking a line level in and outputting s/pdif or i2s to your computer. And don't get me started on Codecs... I don't mess with it much but I have heard some vinyl rips that were pretty amazing!

[Mr. White]

BTW, an easy and cheap solution for record ripping is to just use an RCA plug adapter with a headphone-type cable run into the line-in jack on the sound card on your puter, then use whatever software you like to record, like Audacity. The thing I linked to on Amazon looks like an easier and (maybe) higher quality way to do the same thing.

This won't really work because if you don't go through a phono preamp you won't have the RIAA equalization curve or necessary gain applied. Basically what you'll get without that is an extremely low signal with no low end, due to the way records are pressed. This is why you can't plug a turntable into an "aux" or cd input, it needs a true phono stage.

Ah, very true. So I guess what one would need to do is run a line from the old tape monitor output on one's amp rather than the TT itself. I should go ahead and try it myself before I spout off any more speculative advice.

That's what I used to do several years ago. I used an old receiver/amp that had a blown speaker channel that I never threw out. I hooked up the old turntable to it and ran the output to the input on the computer. 

[Mr. White]

For those interested this is a fantastic watch:
When Albums Ruled the World

Thanks for this. I just finished watching it a few minutes ago, and I thought it was really cool. The parts with Pink Floyd and Mike Oldfield were extra special.

[TheThird]

Ok this has bugged me for a while but do different pressings have different audio quality? I heard somewhere to always search for the first pressing of an album because it has the best quality and all other pressings don't live up to the original. Any merit to this?

[headhunter]

Ok this has bugged me for a while but do different pressings have different audio quality? I heard somewhere to always search for the first pressing of an album because it has the best quality and all other pressings don't live up to the original. Any merit to this?

Different pressings usually do have different audio quality.

The first pressings aren't always the best pressings but they usually are.  Promo copies are usually the best.  Some later pressings, especially if they are Japanese pressings or if they are on audiophile labels like Mobile Fidelity Sound labs (MFSL) can be significantly better.

And the differences can be as profound as the difference between drinking a Budweiser vs. an IPA from a good micro-brewery.  They are both beer but .....