Digitising LP Records and Cassettes

[QuarryHunslet]

You could probably try ocenaudio if still looking for the software.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will definitely take a look at it.

 

[weigle2]

I shall have a look at the Behringer devices that you have mentioned.

It will probably be worth having a play around with VinylStudio and my Rega Fono, to see what the results sound like.

I have already started ultrasonic cleaning my records, and the results are surprisingly good.

Just note the trial version of Vinyl Studio does not remove clicks and pops from LP's. Only the Pro version and above will do this. It is well worth it, as removing clicks and pops on older/worn LP's is really annoying in the digital world. You will find this out in the trial version.

 

[slartibartfast]

Just note the trial version of Vinyl Studio does not remove clicks and pops from LP's. Only the Pro version and above will do this. It is well worth it, as removing clicks and pops on older/worn LP's is really annoying in the digital world. You will find this out in the trial version.

I thought the trial version did remove clicks and pops. It wouldn't be much of a trial version if it didn't.

 

[weigle2]

I thought the trial version did remove clicks and pops. It wouldn't be much of a trial version if it didn't.

I am pretty sure the trial download is only the Standard version, which does not have the ability to remove clicks/pops. When I tried to use the option (it does appear in the dropdown) a message popped up stating I needed to purchase the Pro version. Needles to say, I was not happy.

 

[d6jg]

I am pretty sure the trial download is only the Standard version, which does not have the ability to remove clicks/pops. When I tried to use the option (it does appear in the dropdown) a message popped up stating I needed to purchase the Pro version. Needles to say, I was not happy.

The standard version does have declicking etc but the Pro version has more filters IIRC.
I have never needed Pro.

Edit
See Feature Highlights

Record LPs and Tapes to CD and MP3 on your PC or Macintosh

VinylStudio software makes it easy to transfer your records and tapes to CD and MP3. Runs on both PC and Macintosh Computers and includes a full set of sound cleaning filters.

www.alpinesoft.co.uk

 

[dtc]

Another strong recommendation for Vinyl Studio. It is incredible software especially for the price and the support is suburb. The Standard version does do automated clip and pop removal and the Pro version allows you to do custom repairs for hard to repair sections. I have used the Pro features for hard to fix flaws, but it does take some time and expertise to use them. The Pro version also can remove hiss which can be useful, especially for your cassettes. When doing noise cleanup, I often use headphones which can be more sensitive to hiss and clicks than just using speakers.

I would start with your existing analog setup and Vinyl Studio.

As to hardware. the ADC should match the quality of your analog system and the quality of your playback system. If your Rega sounds good to you, I would just stick with that.

Tascam makes dedicated converters, everything from their handheld units to studio quality. Some of the handhelds also have line in to connect to the output of your phono amp. A Tascam handheld may be a good option for your cassettes.

At a higher end, I use a Korg MR2000s ADC which is no longer made, but is sometimes available on e-Bay, although usually from Japan.

You also want to consider whether you want to record at 16/44 or maybe 24/96 or 24/192. I convert to 24/192, although 24/96 is probably adequate for my use. Without getting into the arguments about higher sample rates, it is something to consider. In my case my wife hears the difference between the vinyl that I record at 16/44 and 24/96, so I go with a higher sample rate. But, once again, if you are happy with your existing Rega, just stay with that.

 

[weigle2]

The standard version does have declicking etc but the Pro version has more filters IIRC.
I have never needed Pro.

Edit
See Feature Highlights

Record LPs and Tapes to CD and MP3 on your PC or Macintosh

VinylStudio software makes it easy to transfer your records and tapes to CD and MP3. Runs on both PC and Macintosh Computers and includes a full set of sound cleaning filters.

www.alpinesoft.co.uk

You are correct. The purchased Standard version of Vinyl Studio does have most all features including de-clicking. But in my trial version, de-clicking is not available.

 

[slartibartfast]

You are correct. The purchased Standard version of Vinyl Studio does have most all features including de-clicking. But in my trial version, de-clicking is not available.

Isn't it just manual click repair that isn't available. My trial version says "You can use it in the trial version (or in Vinyl studio Lite) but if you subsequently upgrade to VinylStudio Standard you will no longer be able to"
Automatic scanning for clicks is also available.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

I'm sorry for not replying sooner. Thanks for all of the replies to date, I have read them all, and tried to digest all of the helpful suggestions, and recommendations.

I had a few stressful hours yesterday, after downloading the trial version of VinylStudio to my PC, and connecting it to my Rega Fono Mini A2D.
It certainly looks very complicated, and has rather a lot of controls, and features that I probably wouldn't use, even if I knew what they meant.

I was able to copy a record, and link it to the Discogs file (even though I selected the wrong version in error), this gave me the album cover image, and track titles, which is a big plus point for me. The auto track markers worked reasonably well, but I did need to remove two rogue ones, and fine adjust many of the others.

I recorded each side separately, I'm not sure whether I needed to do that, but it all seemed to work out in the end. I wanted to record in ALAC format, as that is what I am used to, but ended up having to use FLAC, as that is supported in the trial version. I didn't need to use any click and pop suppression, as it was a very quiet pressing from 1969, and with only a few very quiet clicks, so not worth bothering with for this trial version.

After saving the files, I tried to import the album into iTunes, but with no success as apparently FLAC files are incompatible with it, so I would like any recommendations for a suitable file converter that is easy to use.

A few observations that I made whilst using VinylStudio,

When setting recording levels, the slider was greyed out, so I had to set them using the level potentiometer on the Rega Fono Mini.

I'm not sure what the maximum level should be set to, but after quite a lot of adjustments, the highest peak level number for the recording was 94, does this sound about right?

On the first side there was 1 clipping, is this bad?

On my setup, the GUI seemed to be too high to fit my screen properly, with parts of it off the bottom of the screen, and I didn't seem to be able to resize the image, but could drag it up occasionally to see what was at the bottom.
I should add that the screen I am using is not a PC monitor, it is 40" 4K UHD TV, so I may be able to play around with the TV settings to remedy this issue.

I have looked at Ocenaudio, and don't really like the look of it, so probably won't bother trying it.

I might give Audacity another try, but will probably persevere with VinylStudio and purchase it, and this will allow me to save files in ALAC format, but I will try converting my first album to ALAC, and see if I can import it into iTunes and evaluate it fully before making that decision.

Thanks for reading this to the end.

 

[d6jg]

Converting files. The swiss army knife is dbPoweramp reference edition that includes a great conversion tool - dbPowerAmp Music Converter. As a one off if you post them to dropbox or similar I can convert for you.

Slider greyed out. Normal in some circumstances with USB inputs.

1 Clipping is not bad. You should see the VUs go up into the yellow. If you apply and use ReplayGain tags afterward you'll get good volume levels.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

On my setup, the GUI seemed to be too high to fit my screen properly, with parts of it off the bottom of the screen, and I didn't seem to be able to resize the image, but could drag it up occasionally to see what was at the bottom.
I should add that the screen I am using is not a PC monitor, it is 40" 4K UHD TV, so I may be able to play around with the TV settings to remedy this issue.

I have resolved this issue, it wasn't to do with the TV settings, it was a Windows Display setting for Scale, I had it on 300%, so I have reduced it to 250%, and now the whole GUI is visible, albeit slightly smaller.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

Converting files. The swiss army knife is dbPoweramp reference edition that includes a great conversion tool - dbPowerAmp Music Converter. As a one off if you post them to dropbox or similar I can convert for you.

Slider greyed out. Normal in some circumstances with USB inputs.

1 Clipping is not bad. You should see the VUs go up into the yellow. If you apply and use ReplayGain tags afterward you'll get good volume levels.

Thanks for the offer to convert the files, but I have now downloaded the dbPowerAmp Music Converter trial version, and have converted the files, and imported them into iTunes where they have now synced with my Mac, and iPhone. I must have selected the wrong file format because they have ended up as AAC audio files at 256 kbps (VBR).

I reconverted them, and on my Windows PC, they show as Apple Lossless audio file, with the first track being 16 bit 44.1000 kHz 739 kbps, but when I checked the synced version on my Mac, it shows as AAC audio file, with that same first track being 16 bit 44.100 kHz 256 kbps (VBR).

I checked this the other way around by comparing the details of a CD that I added to my Mac, and the situation was reversed, the first track was Apple Lossless audio file, 16 bit 44.1000 kHz 662 kbps, and the synced version on my Windows PC was an AAC audio file, with that same first track being 16 bit 44.100 kHz 256 kbps (VBR).

This seems very odd, and I will have to do some research into this before proceeding to digitise more albums.

 

[d6jg]

Thanks for the offer to convert the files, but I have now downloaded the dbPowerAmp Music Converter trial version, and have converted the files, and imported them into iTunes where they have now synced with my Mac, and iPhone. I must have selected the wrong file format because they have ended up as AAC audio files at 256 kbps (VBR).

I reconverted them, and on my Windows PC, they show as Apple Lossless audio file, with the first track being 16 bit 44.1000 kHz 739 kbps, but when I checked the synced version on my Mac, it shows as AAC audio file, with that same first track being 16 bit 44.100 kHz 256 kbps (VBR).

I checked this the other way around by comparing the details of a CD that I added to my Mac, and the situation was reversed, the first track was Apple Lossless audio file, 16 bit 44.1000 kHz 662 kbps, and the synced version on my Windows PC was an AAC audio file, with that same first track being 16 bit 44.100 kHz 256 kbps (VBR).

This seems very odd, and I will have to do some research into this before proceeding to digitise more albums.

You probably need to remove the ones on the Mac and re sync.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

You probably need to remove the ones on the Mac and re sync.

I removed them on both devices, and then re added them on the PC.

 

[jxrxme]

For FLAC to ALAC conversion I always recommend XLD on a Mac (for ripping CDs, too).

https://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html