Step 1: Clean it up

Some people will say that this is a bad move.  They will suggest that you back it up to digital format first in case you damage the disc while trying to clean it.  My take is that if the disc is in that bad of a condition that it would more likely cause damage to you expensive stylus if played before it is cleaned.  You will have to be the judge.  When it comes to cleaning the disc there are numerous good record cleaning systems out there.  Just don’t be foolish and try to use cleaning products that are not made specifically for this purpose because they will most likely have a chemical reaction with the vinyl that will cause permanent damage.  The idea is to get all of the dirt, oils, smoke residue, and other foreign particles out of the grooves.

Step 2: Is it Warped?

Place the record on your turntable and let it spin so you can check to see if it is balanced.  Some minor warping may not impact the playback, but if it is too warped your tone arm will not respond effectively.  If you come across a badly warped LP then you can try this placing the clean disc between two panes of glass and exposing is to low heat (about 120-150) in your oven for about 10 minutes.  If you are going to try this then I recommend practicing on a garbage record to get a feel for the process before attempting it on anything important.

Step 3: Plow the grooves

This step is reserved for the true audiophiles.  Play the record on your turntable using a smaller needle to ‘dig out’ and residual particles, then re-clean the record.  This will provide you with the best possible playback for this particular record.

Now that you have restored the records to as good as it can get, you can be assured that any noise that remains on the recording will be the result of a structural problem (scratches, nicks, ruts, etc.) and will have to be removed from your digital recordings using software specifically designed to remove ambient noise from digital recording.

Now regarding the meat and potatos of the cause…I don’t know if it is legitimate or not.  I’m certainly not sending any money to something that I don’t have details regarding how it will be spent.  I’ve seen many scams out there that are nothing more than a money grab for the administrators.  Be that as it may, it doesn’t cost a dime to add your name to a list, and the name of the cause says it all.  It doens’t matter if the administrators of the cause are genuine in their intent because once again, it’s the numbers that the records companies look at.

So what encoder is the best?  There is no good answer to that question.  It depends largely in part as to what you are looking for.  Some encoders are optimized for speed, others for quality, and still others for optimal quality at a certain bitrate.  First ask yourself the question, where will I be using these MP3 files for the most part?  Will it be listinging at home in my easy chair?  Will it be in my car while I’m driving down the highway?  Will it be with headphone on a solid state MP3 player?  The answer to these questions should drive the decision you make regarding your choice of software with an MP3 encoder.

For listening from your easy chair using high quality speakers, I would recommend a codec that is optimized for quality at a bitrate of no less that 256K.  For listening on the road from your car speakers (typically of lesser quality than a home stereo system), then I would opt for a high speed codec with compression down to the 64K-128K range, which will allow you to fit 100+ songs onto a single CD!  Lastly, if you are listening through your headphones using an MP3 player, then something in between the other extremes is probably the best.

Whatever software you choose, you can rest assured that it will not take nearly the amount of time and effort you put into your primary project of moving the recordings from your vinyl records to digital storage.  If you create an MP3 file and it doesn’t have the quality or compression that you expected, simply delete the file and start over with some other setting until you get it where you want it.  After all, your WAV file is there for you to use as the source whenever you would like to experiment.

Channel Stereo Input
All sound cards have ports for external speaker connections. Most will have additional ports for other external components such as surround sound, MIDI devices, microphones, and other miscellaneous input devices. It is this last item that we are interested in and it is referred to as the LINE IN port. You will want to make sure that the card has one or more LINE IN ports capable of capturing the left and right stereo signals independently. The device driver for the card must be able to allow recording software to adjust the input levels of the left and right channels independently and capture them as wav files. It’s OK if there is only one physical port as long as is can separate the signals from a stereo jack. Do not attempt to use a MICROPHONE PORT as a line in port even if your jack fits into it properly. Most microphone ports are mono, not stereo and only support an 8-bit depth or less which we will talk about next.

24-bit Sound Input
The WORD LENGTH, or BIT DEPTH capabilities of the sound card determines how much information is stored or played in a single slice of sound information. Most PC sound cards support a 16-bit depth which is acceptable for most applications including listening to CD music. 16-bits covers the full spectrum of frequencies that the human ear can hear. But for the audiophile, it is not enough to pick up just those frequencies. We want the entire spectrum that was available on the original analog recording. It is the lost frequencies in 16-bit digital recordings that rob us of the full bodied listening experience and contribute to sensory deprivation. It is those off-the-chart frequencies that contribute to HARMONICS and OVER-TONES which give he music its depth. Just beware, because most PC sound cards that advertise 24-bit sound is strictly for the play-back feature. Make sure that the sound card you are going to use for recording supports a 24-bit depth for LINE-IN recording. This one feature will usually drive up the price of a sound card dramatically.

Sample Rate – Higher is Better
The sample rate determines how many slices of sound data are captured or played PER SECOND. A standard music CD supports sample rates of 44,100 or 48,000. A regular CD player is not capable of handling a higher sample rate, and the data storage capacity of a standard compact disc would prohibit you from storing an entire LP at a higher sample rate. So why would you want to record your LPs at a higher sample rate? Because the technology is evolving. One example is the Super Audio CDs (SACD) that were introduced in 1999 that store 10x the capacity of a standard CD and support a sample rate up to 2,822,400!!! The bottom line is that the audiophile will want to record and store as close to the original sound as possible so that nothing will be lost when the technology catches up. In the mean time, if you wish to playback recordings that were captured at a higher sample rate than your hardware can playback, the original source file can be used to create a scaled-back version that is supported, but you will still have your original file or recording for the future. PC Sound cards like m-audio cards can be found that support sample rates of 44,100/48,000/88,200/96,000/192,000.

Handling

Handle your records from the edge and label center.  When removing the record from its jacket and its protective sleeve, tilt the jacket slowly until your hand can support the weight of the record by its edge.  When the record is ½ way out and the label center is exposed, support the edge of the record with your thumb and move your middle finger underneath to the center hole to support the weight while your thumb keeps it stable.  When your other hand is free, use both hands to handle the record from the edges only to place it on the turntable.

Turntable

Keep your needle clean using a soft brush designed for this purpose, and only clean from back to front.  Don’t play your records using a worn needle because it will damage your records.  Keep your turntable calibrated for the proper tracking and anti-skate for optimum playback and minimum record wear.

Cleaning
Keeping your vinyl records clean is important.  Playing a dirty record is one of the most damaging things you can do to it.  You should clean your records before and after each use.  Use distilled water and a lint-free cloth or a Discwasher kit.  Do not use and chemicals, not even alcohol as it can strip the protective surface of the record.  Vinyl records also have a tendency to become charged with static electricity and attract dust, lint and other particles in the air.  You can use anti-static products (that are not chemical based) to discharge the records to help keep them clean.

Storage

How you store your records when you are not using the is critical.  Store your records vertically and on a surface that allows the weight to be evenly distributed to prevent warping.  Do not keep records inside of the original cellophane wrapping from the store.  It could chemically react to it over a long period of time.  Replace the paper protective inner sleeves with polyethylene inner sleeves because the paper can deteriorate over time leaving residue on your records.  Do not use PVC inner sleeves because the chemical composition is to close to that of the record and they could fuse together.  Avoid exposure to sunlight and excessive temperature and humidity swings.  Also consider a protective covering for your album jacket to prevent color fade and yellowing over time.

Required Features

1. Variable Bit Rate Selection: The software should allow you to select from a variety of bit rates. The higher the bit rate, the better the quality (and th larger the file that is created on your computer). At an minimum, the high end bit rate selection should allow for 44,100 and 48,000. These are your current market CD standards that can be played on most commercial CD players. Ideally, a superior software package will be able to AUTO-DETECT the capabilities of the sound card you have installed in your PC and allow you to select a higher bit rate up to and including the high end threshold of the sound card. The value of this is that you can think ahead in your project and plan for the future. As technology advances and new devices like Blu-Ray and others become available which can play higher bit rate recordings, you will have these available an ready to go.
2. Line Level Sensor/Adjustment: Since output levels vary between difference systems and different records, you will need to be able to monitor the signal that is being sent to the sound card. This should be done through the recording software since it directly impacts whether or not you pickup all of the low end (bass) and high end (treble) signal, or if anything is being dropped. The software should have separate sensors for both the left and right stereo channels. We do not recommend EQUALIZING the input signal. You will want to keep that as pure as possible and do the equalizing when playing the recording.
3. Save File Formats: The software must be able to save the recording in.WAV format. This is the purest of the digital formats with no compression applied. Other formats are ‘nice-to-have’ features, but let’s remember that the primary goal of the recording software is to capture you vinyl records. We can leave the other functions to other software packages that specialize in those matters.

Keep these things in mind when shopping for vinyl record recording software. The sole purpose of the software should be to :

• Insure that you have a good single coming into your sound card on both the left and right channels;
• Capture that signal at the highest bit rate that your sound card is capable of, and;
• Store that signal to a WAV file on your hard drive.

Don’t worry about splitting tracks, adding tags, equalizing, removing pops, clicks, and other noise. These things can all be done AFTER the original recording is captured by software that is specially designed to do these things. If you are looking for an “all-in-one” package, you will most likely be disappointed in the long run.

However, if you answered ‘yes’ then you are the type of person that looks at the bit rate of MP3 files, has high-end noise canceling headphones, and cleans your records before and after each use. If that sounds like you then read on.

There are three major components that contribute to the overall sound quality when it comes to playing vinyl records, the turntable, the amplifier, and the speakers. Of these three, the turntable contribute to 2/3 of the overall experience. Believe it or not, the amplifier only weighs in at 15% and the speakers at 20%. Why is this so? Because the turntable is the primary source of the sound reproduction. In the vinyl world, everything is about vibration and properly controlling it. Because the movements of the stylus needles are so unimaginably small, the output must be amplified to the magnitude of ~8,000x in order to produce a suitable output. This also means that the slightest bit of unwanted vibrations is also amplified resulting in imperfections. A turntable that can successfully minimize these unwanted vibrations will produce a highly superior product for the audiophile.

What Features are most important?

So now that we know that the turntable contributes to 2/3 of the quality and listening experience, lets breakdown the turntable and see what features contribute the most in order of importance:

Turntable Design………………………40%
Tone Arm……………………………………30%
Pre-Amp……………………………………..15%
Needle/Stylus/Cartridge………….10%
Environment……………………………….5%

This may surprise a lot of you, but remember that it’s all about eliminating unwanted vibrations so if you think of it in that manner it all makes sense.

 
Turntable Design

• Belt Drive is preferred over Direct Drive primarily because the belt itself will absorb more of the unwanted vibrations generated by the motor.
• DC power is preferred over AC power because of the electronic noise generated by AC.
• Suspended Sub-Chassis is preferred in order to absorb external vibrations.
• Strobe marked platter for rotation speed fine adjustments.
• A cover is recommended to also absorb external vibrations.

Tone Arm

The tone arm is especially important. The fact is that a high end tone arm with a low end needle will outperform a low end tone arm with a high end needle every day of the week. The reason for this is that the needle must have the proper SUPPORT in order to reproduce the sound effectively. Tone arm calibration is critical for correct playback of records. An improperly calibrated tone arm can result in skipping needles, increased record wear, decreased stylus life, and overall poor fidelity. There are three settings that affect tonearm calibration: weight (tracking force), anti-skate, and height. In order for your stylus to be at its best, all three of these settings must be correct and working in harmony.Desired features of a quality tone arm are:
• - Rigid metal construction to create a solid foundation for the stylus.
• - Weight (tracking force) adjustment with a counter-balance at the opposite end of the tone arm.
• - Anti-Skate adjustment to insure the stylus is tracking in the center of the groove.
• - Height adjustment to maximize the desired vibrations and minimize record and needle wear.

PreAmp
The PreAmp is much more important than the amplifier because it contributes to over 80% of the amplification (95% in the bass frequencies) of the low output signal generated by the needle & cartridge. The job of the preamp simply put is to amplify the cartridges output to line level (~ 2 volts), restore the natural frequencies, and filter out noise. Different types of cartridges present different noise challenges.

Some turntables come with an integrated preamp, but rarely do they ever come close to the quality produced by a stand-alone preamp. Why? Because they have to share power with the other turntable components, and quite frankly it’s not a high-impact selling feature of a turntable so manufacturers don’t invest a lot in the design of this feature.

Desired features in phono preamps are:

• - Make sure to properly match he preamp to the type of cartridge you are using, MM or MC. A preamp resigned to handle both is optimum.
• - external power supply or battery power to isolate power generated noise.
• - A high S/N ratio (signal-to-noise) measured in db. 70Db is ok, but 85db or better is desired. If it doesn’t have a rating, then it’s probably not good.
• - Low tolerance resistors to provide accurate equalization.
• - Adjustable output so that you can tweak the line-in levels for different recordings.
• - If you are using a MC cartridge, a dip switch to select between high impedance/low impedance output is desired.

Needle(Stylus) & Cartridge

There are two types, MM (Moving Magnet) and MC (Moving Coil). If you are using a MC cartridge, you have stepped into the high end as they generally have a higher price tag associated with them. The debate is ongoing regarding the superiority of MC over MM as far as sound reproduction. Our recommendation is to save your money and stick with MM cartridges at this time unless your system is specifically designed for MC cartridges.

Features to look for are:

• - Select a cartridge with a head shell that will fit your tone arm.
• - A cartridge that will allow you to remove and replace the stylus is preferred.
• - A stylus with a micro-ridge, elliptical, hyper-elliptical or Shibata tip will produce the best sound quality.

Environment
This is mostly common sense regarding where you place your turntable and related components. As you layout your system, keep in mind that you need to minimize GROUND and AIRBORN vibrations and make sure that your system is properly shielded from external electrical and RF noise.

• - Turntable placement should be such that it wont be affected by speaker vibrations.
• - Place it on a solid surface that is cushioned from ground vibrations.
• - Isolate the turntable for power circuits that are servicing other components that could generate unwanted electrical noise if your turntable does not have a DC power supply.
]]> http://convertvinylrecordstocds.com/turntables-the-primary-audiophile-component/feed 0 http://convertvinylrecordstocds.com/basics-for-converting-your-vinyl-records http://convertvinylrecordstocds.com/basics-for-converting-your-vinyl-records#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:56:08 +0000 admin http://convertvinylrecordstocds.com/?p=12 You are about to undertake a project, so allocate the time and be sure not to sacrifice QUALITY by taking any shortcuts.  Remember, the objective to to create a permanent archive of your record collection so reproducing the original sound without compromise is of the utmost importance.

The Turntable

You have to have a turntable to play your records, that’s a given.  There are many components of your turntable as it relates to sound reproduction, and the needle or stylus is just one of them.  If you have a turntable and you are happy with the sound quality it is producing, then you are good-to-go for the next step.  If not, then you’ll need to make a decision at this point.  Do you need to replace or upgrade components on your existing turntable or does it make more sense to purchase a new one?  This decision is not just a matter of cost, because there are now USB turntables available that will help simplify the overall project.  Keep this in mind when making your decision.  Ask yourself,

1. Does it make sense to spend X amount of dollars replacing a component on an old turntable that has limited use or;
2. Does it make more sense to spend X+Y dollars on a new turntable with features that will simplify the overall project, or;
3. Is quality of the utmost importance, above time and cost.

 The decision is yours.

The Amplifier

Turntables require an amplifier to reproduce the sound.  Some may even require a pre-amp (particularly those with ceramic cartridges).  The test is that if you connect the turntable to an amplifier and you can listen to the music through the speakers or headphone at a reasonable volume level, then things are working properly.  If you have to turn the volume up to the maximum just to get a little garbled sound out of the speakers, then you most likely require a pre-amp.

The Computer

If you’re reading this you obviously have a computer.  Now we need to see what kind of sound card you have in you computer.  What you will need is a sound card that allows for independent left & right channel audio inputs so that the stereo signals can be separated.  If your sound card does not allow for these types of external inputs, then you will either need a new sound card or may be forced to go the USB turntable route.

The Connectors

Now that you have all of the basic components, you will need to connect them together.  The most efficient way I’ve found is to use the 1/4″ headphone output from the amplifier as your source output and connect that using a “Y” adapter (that you can pick up from most any electronics supplier) to use as inputs to the computer sound card.

The Software

Here is where the magic happens.  The proper software will allow you to capture the incoming audio signal in its purest form, then allow you to massage it as you see fit before saving it and burning it to digital media.

These are your basics.  Next time we’ll talk to to specifics of each of these key components and our recommendations.

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