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Vinyl rip noob setup - Is this just not gonna do it?
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Vinyl rip noob setup - Is this just not gonna do it?

daenyx 10:08 AM - 28 April, 2005
Hi

I, like many people, am interested in ripping some of my vinyl. I know that its best to get a good phono preamp, good cables, and a good soundcard. I'm interested in doing that, but I want to know if the following setup would even be worthwhile at all. I'm hoping to hear from somone with experience doing this who has great hearing and can really notice sound quality.

Here's what I was thinking about (I know its really not much of a "setup" )

powerbook 1.5ghz stock soundcard
pioneer djm 600 mixer for preamp
shure mk-44-7 in good condition
regular cable with gold ends

I'm looking for info, tips and such so I can hit the ground running when I have time to try this a bit later.

So what do you think? is that just not going to do it? or could I get something pretty decent with that? BTW, what kind of soundcard does the powerbook 1.5 come with? I'll try to google that, but if anyone know, great.

And, since I know this may not even qualify as a bare-bones vinyl ripping setup, I do intend to get better stuff, I just want to know if this is worth doing right now.

Thanks.
bartaug 10:30 AM - 28 April, 2005
The DJM600 as preamp should be fine, but I would go for a better soundcard as the PB has for digitizing your collection.
djjstylz 10:51 AM - 28 April, 2005
Yo Daenyx, I had to do the same thing and am still trasferring my vinyl. I have done it a few different ways and the best has been setting your equalizer on your mixer to how you like and burning to a cd recorder then importing everything through itunes. You are gonna have to play the vinyl through your needles then to something else so it will never sound as great as original. I have tried through recording software(protools) but it takes at least twice as long that way. Record, import and then name the songs, fastest easiest way i know about. Cd recorders are cheap now, i got mine on ebay for about $150 about 2 years ago and they should be cheaper now. Good Luck.
Serato
Josh 10:48 PM - 28 April, 2005
You EQ while recording through your mixer?
mexicannnnnn 11:44 PM - 28 April, 2005
Dont use the M44-7s for recording... they dont have a full range of freq.
daenyx 6:45 AM - 29 April, 2005
I'm going to have the eq flat while I record. What is a reputable house dj needle that I could use for ripping too?

Also, are there any high class plugins that would somehow smooth the sound kind of like pioneers legato link? (sorry to mention brandnames, I don't know what that process is called, maybe smoothing the digital bits somehow making it warmer. I don't know. just something like that that is very very high quality)

Thanks.
daenyx 9:41 AM - 29 April, 2005
I read the frequency response specs to some well-known club needles and found that its common sometimes for needles to only respond with a frequency range of 20-18 or even 20-15.

So if I go with the shure m44-7 for this first project and word on smoothing or warming plugins? Or even software eq curves?

Thanks.
djtrippin 4:43 PM - 29 April, 2005
www.turntablelab.com

I was actually planning on purchasing that to record my vinyl, maybe its a good choice, anyone know?

Sorry to invade your thread daenyx!
DJ 3pm 4:50 PM - 29 April, 2005
i use the griffen imic (uses the same software as the power wave) for recording, works ok. the software makes it real easy to do 1 long record and then chop up into tracks after the fact.
djtrippin 6:24 PM - 29 April, 2005
the powerwave would probably have better quality, no?
Alexander 7:14 PM - 29 April, 2005
also check out Audio Hijack or Audio Hijack Pro.... I use this app with my Firewire Auidophile to rip my vinyl.

rogueamoeba.com
DJ 3pm 8:52 PM - 29 April, 2005
Quote:
the powerwave would probably have better quality, no?

i would imagine so since it uses full size rca's instead of 1/8" mini
daenyx 6:47 AM - 30 April, 2005
plugs in warmth, smoothness, clarity?
LowfreqFX 10:31 AM - 30 April, 2005
Quote:
plugs in warmth, smoothness, clarity?

Try the PSP Vintage Warmer.
mrkovak 5:46 AM - 1 May, 2005
How are you saving your files? Do not save as MP3's! Wav. and AIFF. are gonna sound alot better. Some of the "cheaper" recording apps will automatically save as a compressed file to save space. make sure this isn't happening...unless you don't care!....I find that girls will get naked, faster, when it sounds better.
mrkovak 5:46 AM - 1 May, 2005
How are you saving your files? Do not save as MP3's! Wav. and AIFF. are gonna sound alot better. Some of the "cheaper" recording apps will automatically save as a compressed file to save space. make sure this isn't happening...unless you don't care!....I find that girls will get naked, faster, when it sounds better.
daenyx 7:05 AM - 1 May, 2005
wav or aiff

I'm recording club singles, so I think I'll just use peak audio on the mac.
bush 1:34 PM - 2 May, 2005
Which needles would be better for ripping, stanton 505 or shure 477?
Boogie Down Martin 9:40 PM - 3 May, 2005
This is what I would do to improve your sound for archiving. Remember that you do this one time only so it's worth investing some money.

(1) Decent external Soundcard
(2) Hifi Cartridge (Shure M97xE is good value, if you can afford it get the Shure V15VxMR)
(3) Record Cleaner (much more important than most people think)

Preamp in the mixer should be OK.