I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on the best method for converting vinyl via usb turntable>Computer Win 7pro >Audacity 2.0>CD. I have a Pro-ject Debut III USB turntable with onboard phono pre-amp. Obviously, the easiest thing is to go out of USB to the Computer but in some research I’ve done it sounds like you lose abit of the original sound warmth. The turntable also has RCA outs. Would I gain any pre-tube warmth by using the RCA outs to a phone pre-amp or something like a Line 6 Pod on a vintage guitar tube amp setting then go 1/8th" male to input on computer? I know I don’t get it digitally not using USB but since albums are analog anyway thought maybe I might get the warmth back in the recordings?
Step one. Stop using a USB turntable. They are almost universally rubbish and may damage your disks. All the other considerations are a very distant second and third compared to that.
Are you planning on leaving your USB turntable to your kids? No? Are you planning on putting it in the trash the instant the last disk is transferred? Makers know that and the machines are designed to fall apart just after the last disk goes through. They have speed, tracking and skating issues and are to be avoided at all costs.
Koz
That’s a bit harsh.
Many of the cheaper USB turntables are pretty poor, but there are some better ones.
The main problems with the cheap ones are (a) light weight plastic platter does not keep consistent speed (wow), (b) poor quality USB can be unreliable, (c) poor quality everything else.
The other name for “tube warmth” is “distortion”.
High quality tube amplifiers make virtually no difference to the sound when used within their “linear” operating range. The “warmth” comes from over-driving the amplifier to cause a (sometimes) pleasing distortion. The Line 6 Pod is not a valve amplifier, it is a digital effect that can simulate an approximation of valve distortion.
Would I gain any pre-tube warmth by using the RCA outs to a phone pre-amp or something like a Line 6 Pod on a vintage guitar tube amp setting then go 1/8th" male to input on computer?
You might get “tube warmth”, but NO! A guitar amp & cabinet are designed be part of the instrument and “add” to the sound. You probably wouldn’t connect your turntable to a guitar amp, and you shouldn’t be using a guitar amp simulator.
On the other hand, hi-fi amps & speakers are supposed to accrurately reproduce the sound without adding or subtracting anything. And, electric guitars don’t “sound right” when played through a hi-fi or PA system.
I know I don’t get it digitally not using USB but since albums are analog anyway thought maybe I might get the warmth back in the recordings?
Like a good hi-fi, a good digital-to-analog converter will accurately capture the analog signal. In a proper volume-matched blind listening test, you probably won’t hear a difference between the direct analog vinyl and the digitized playback (with the same amp & speakers). If you do it the other way around and make an analog tape or vinyl recording from a CD, you will hear the limitations of the analog format (especially noise).
Hi,
I was using audacity quite happily both with thw old beta version and version 2 installed using the installer. I now have Windows 7 and cannot get either version to work. I have a Linn Turntable and am using a Project Phono Box II. this goes to my PC via USB. I have used this to convert over 400 LP’s Previously but now i cannot get Audacity to work . I have the project selected in the sound control panel and use MMe and microsoft sound mapoper settings in Audacity( and I have tried combinations of others), all i get is very distorted output. Does anyone have any clues as to a possible fix please ?
Thanks
Thanks! I had just ran across some info where poeple were running Vinyl thru tubes before digitizing. Wasn’t clear if it was an old guitar amp or old stereo amp. I suspected it maybe hard tell but a little new to this. The Pro-ject Debut III USB turntable received decent indepedant reviews and I was actually suprised that it is built fairly well. All the down force, skating, ect is adjustbale so no problems with that here. Is it as good as some of the vintage stuff worth 1000’s of dollars, no but what is these days?