How to rip vinyl?

Turntables from ₹16,900.00
G

GeorgeO

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
4,170
Points
113
Location
Cooke Town Bangalore
A friend asked me if I knew how to do it for his collection of 50 LPs, I confessed ignorance. I know you need a turntable, a phono stage, a way to digitize and store, using a computer but not the actual steps. He wants it in the highest possible resolution-how much can one get from Vinyl rips?

Any light on the above?

TIA

George
 
GeorgeO said:
A friend asked me if I knew how to do it for his collection of 50 LPs, I confessed ignorance. I know you need a turntable, a phono stage, a way to digitize and store, using a computer but not the actual steps. He wants it in the highest possible resolution-how much can one get from Vinyl rips?

Any light on the above?

TIA

George
Click to expand...


Ok I'll tell you how I do it. I have an integrated amp which has a phono pre-out. So i use an RCA to 3.5mm cable to connect the pre-out to my laptop's mic. input port (or to the USB port if you have an RCA to USB cable). After this :

1) Open Audacity (a free software available over the internet)
2) Click on the red 'record' button.
3) Start playing your TT.
4) After one song gets over (say you want to rip just one song), press the brown stop button on audacity.
5) Now go to File -> Export -> Select WAV (Microsoft) signed 16 bit PCM save as type (this I think is the best lossless format but the file sizes will be quite massive too)....and save!
 
Last edited:
Don't forget to use dithering. Triangular or shaped dither is best, ignore the rectangular option. There it's also software for tick and pop removal. Apply dither at the last stage. Do not use 16bit, keep it at 24/96.

HTH
G0bble
 
Flac encoding is the last step. The rip always outputs wav, and your program may pipe the output into a flac encoder on the fly. But I would suggest saving to 24bit wav while experimenting with different dithering options (A/B two files of different dithering ) before batch converting to flac your preferred settings. That is rip twice with different dithering and save to wav24. The things to watch out for with dithering options is the noise floor and soundstage. Some dithering methods only introduce white noise in the +16kHz range, so use another fellow audiophiles opinion before batch converting. Important to take time like a week or two in listening before deciding. Don't rush it. Dither multiple test tracks and listen. I hear differences between triangular and shaped and had a hard time deciding which one was better.

G0bble
 
Last edited:
Some TTs have a tape output also for which a DIN5 to 3.5 mm ECA jack cable canbe used. This cable costs 150-200 Rs (MX Brand).
If like peace_sells mentioned TT has an RCA female out, an RCA male to 3.5mm jack can be used to connect to PC. From a good company costs around 400. If TT has an rca male cable output, rca male to male adaptors are available (50-100 rs for a dual adaptor from mx) which can be used.
You can use any audio input recorder software like audacity or goldwave. A friend used to use polderbit software which cleans the recording well.
 
Last edited:
Also remember that when you move from 16 bit to 24, you get a dynamic range that improves by 48db. That means the noise floor will be 48db lower in 24bit. So it's important to rip into 24 bits from the analog source as a "studio master" version even if you plan to eventually encode and listen in 16bit redbook format.

G0bble
 
I'm not a big fan of the tick/pop removal tools. Adding DSP to Digitization of an analog source is like adding insult to injury :D

That means the noise floor will be 48db lower in 24bit.
Click to expand...
Most 24 Bit ADC's have noise floors in the 120 dB region, as opposed to the theoretical 144. The actual loss of resolution would be some 20ish dB.
I would rather use a higher sampling rate, than higher resolution.
 
Last edited:
greenhorn said:
The pop/tick removal part:p
Click to expand...

Oh .. that... I would recommend sprinkling anti-flea powder on your Hifi gear for tick removal .. its available easily in any pet shop :roll eyes:

Ok, more seriously, for badly scratched records, it may be necessary to rescue the music wit the software processing and and archive it in digital format.

~G0bble
 
gobble said:
Hey Jls
The easiest to understand article I found was :Dither Explained

I won't copy paste as you need to view the images to understand.

--G0bble
Click to expand...

Sire, you make it far too complicated.

At the risk of oversimplifying things, dithering is adding noise when the sampling has insufficient resolution to create a more realistic picture.


To explain this, imagine you have a DAC which will detect 0, .5 and 1V levels. If you want to measure a .4V signal, it will measure it as 0V only, no matter how many times you measure it .
However, if you add a perfectly random noise signal with .5 V amplitude, there is a chance that 80% of the samples will be above .5V, and averaged out, can be measured as .4V.


This image should illustrate.
http://e3fabhckvfadprm2.zippykid.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/dithering-explained.png
 
Last edited:
I use

(a) RCA recording out from my Sansui amp to external sound card (Creative Sound Blaster Audigy). External sound card works best for LP digitization as the internal desktop sound is not captured. Sound card out to desktop USB in
(b) Audacity - keeping db level -6dB to avoid clipping and Audacity input volume to 0.75.
(c) Sound output as 16 bit PCM WAV
(d) Cleaning the WAV file through Izotope RX advanced. Declip, Declick and Decrakle options only.
(e) using DB Poweramp to convert cleaned WAV to FLAC (for PC listening thru Foobar 2000), ALAC (for IPOD Classic), mp3 for distribution to relatives and friends.
 
souravin said:
I use

(a) External sound card works best for LP digitization as the internal desktop sound is not captured. Sound card out to desktop USB in
Click to expand...
Thanks.
I was going to suggest that in my next post. :)
Try to use one that is battery powered and with a with a high quality clock in the ADC ... if one really wants to go the mile ...
--G0bble
 
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers Special Offer
For excellent sound that won't break the bank, the 5 Star Award Winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers is the one to consider!

Similar threads

Dbsilverton
Fosi K5 Pro Gaming DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Replies
5
Views
6K
Marcelo Thompson
M
firearm12
When Anton ego tastes ratatouille
Replies
16
Views
2K
Rajeshh
Rajeshh
L
Confessions of a Pseudo Audiophile and the superb Denon DL 301 MK2
2
Replies
30
Views
8K
Locomotive
L
sandeepsasi
My new rig: Torvin Mosfier II Amp + Torvin Euphonious Towers
2 3
Replies
47
Views
15K
alz_tcr
alz_tcr
S
My A/V Brochure collection
Replies
6
Views
6K
sandeepmohan
S
Back
Top