Converting vinyl to digital

[Jstpssng]

My father had some old albums, with many songs which you won't find on the internet. I've been thinking about copying them for years. It's time to stop thinking and start doing.
I have no equipment, not even a turntable; so will be starting from scratch. Has anybody set themselves up to do this?

 

[deserteagle71]

I did this a few years ago. But I had all the equipment I needed (bought while I was in Vietnam 50 years ago). Good stereo receiver and turntable. Only thing I didn't have was a converter, a "dongle" that is available on-line and converts the analog signal to digital. Bought the dongle and played the albums I couldn't find on-line and put them on a flash drive that I can play on my computer or in my vehicles.

If you don't have a receiver and turntable you may find it cheaper to send your albums off to be converted. Be aware that if any of your father's old albums are 78 rpm you'll have to get a special needle/cartridge to play those. Not the same as those used to play 45 or 33-1/3 rpm records.

 

[mikester]

Sony Premium Home Entertainment - PS-HX500

sonypremiumhome.com

 

[Runner]

I have vinyl albums that have been copied to every media available at one time or another, reel to reel, cassette, 8-track, CD and mp3. When I digitized them, I did it the hard way, i.e., just ran a patch cord from the turntable to the CD recorder. Then transferred to the computer, then to mp3 player.

I have a converter dongle now, but haven't tried it yet. If I were starting the process all over now, I would buy a turntable like mikester references above.

 

[dougtrr2]

I think I would look into a conversion service. Probably more expensive, but I would think they would have state of the art equipment and editing capabilites.

But then I am kind of lazy when it comes to that stuff.

Doug in SW IA

 

[Oaktree]

There is a freeware program called Audacity that you can install in a PC (I believe it will also run on Linux, and maybe Mac) that will allow you to record via the computer's soundcard and save it as a digital file. I think it also has some built in tools that will allow you to clean up the audio somewhat (equalize, remove scratches and some surface noise).
I use a program called Adobe Audition to do the same thing, but it's a paid program.

Edit: it would most likely be a good idea to clean the records before you try to dub them. A little dish liquid & warm water will do the trick, dry with a towel.

 

[Hughman]

I converted my LPs to CD about 10 years ago. Very long process but I listen to them now a lot more often than I ever did spinning vinyl. Now I just put a USB stick drive into the dash of the car and slip back into the 70's while I'm driving.

 

[Tinhack]

I did this years ago. I bought a Sony Turntable with USB and Phono outputs. It's model PS-LX300USB (I'm looking at the box as I type). Depending on your PC hardware, connecting can be as simple as plugging in the power cord and USB cable. I didn't like the software that came with it. I've been using Audacity since version 1.0. It came out in the early 2000s. Although it's a little more complicated now, once setup, it returns to your settings every time you start it. It also allows you to edit the meta-data on mp3 files. This is great for players (auto, home or portable) that show song info.

 

[2manyrocks]

Probably your easiest option is to buy a turntable with USB output and install Audacity on your computer as others have mentioned.

 

[JasperFrank]

Finding a decent working turn table, will cost you more than a conversion service. The Mp3 conversion tables I've seen are all junk, from big box stores. I'm sure there are higher end tables with the encoders built in which you can set the sampling rate. Depends on if this is a one time conversion, or you are an active collector of records.

 

[2manyrocks]

Also depends on what shape the original records are in and whether the OP wants to avoid further damage playing them on an iffy turntable.

 

[Hughman]

Then comes the question... What to do with all that vinyl after you get done converting it to digital? I'm still sitting on mine, but I think I've only spun the vinyl once in the last 10 years. I hate the idea of dumping them but I'm also getting tired of storing them. I'm pretty sure none of my offspring have any interest in inheriting my record collection.

 

[deserteagle71]

Then comes the question... What to do with all that vinyl after you get done converting it to digital? I'm still sitting on mine, but I think I've only spun the vinyl once in the last 10 years. I hate the idea of dumping them but I'm also getting tired of storing them. I'm pretty sure none of my offspring have any interest in inheriting my record collection.

My "offspring" will have to decide what to do with mine. Don't intend to ever get rid of them. Some of the albums - Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Andy Williams come to mind - just sound better on vinyl than the digital versions do so I do play mine.

 

[2manyrocks]

The album jacket covers are also interesting to look at.

 

[Oaktree]

Then comes the question... What to do with all that vinyl after you get done converting it to digital? I'm still sitting on mine, but I think I've only spun the vinyl once in the last 10 years. I hate the idea of dumping them but I'm also getting tired of storing them. I'm pretty sure none of my offspring have any interest in inheriting my record collection.

My "offspring" will have to decide what to do with mine. Don't intend to ever get rid of them. Some of the albums - Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Andy Williams come to mind - just sound better on vinyl than the digital versions do so I do play mine.

A couple years ago I was cleaning house and brought a ton of old records to a used record store. They don't pay a lot, and some weren't worth much of anything, but I still came home with a check for ~$350 or so.

Other than maybe Sinatra, the 50s crooners aren't worth much today. Believe it or not, 70s-80s punk/alternative rock is where the money is.

If you're thinking of getting rid of records, now is the time before the whole vinyl revival runs its course.

 

[Hughman]

My first reaction was "record store... They still exist?", but then I did a Google search and actually found a few. I'd have to make a good inventory and see if there's any value making it worth hauling several hundred pounds of vinyl an hour into town.

 

[deserteagle71]

Other than maybe Sinatra, the 50s crooners aren't worth much today. Believe it or not, 70s-80s punk/alternative rock is where the money is.

To me my old vinyl albums are priceless and I will never sell them. So it doesn't matter what they are worth to someone else.

As far as punk/alternative rock...to me that is nothing more than noise. Never listened to any of it and never owned any of it...and never will.

 

[davrow]

Pity you are on the opposite coast, I would give you my USB turntable. I got it years (and years) ago to convert my vinyl to mp3, but it introduced so much hum the music was not worth listening to. No audacity back then, just the packaged software.

Probably just a ground differential hum that with enough knowledge I could have reduced, if not eliminated. But we got rid of all but about 20 records so no longer worth pursuing.

 

[JasperFrank]

The jackets are often worth more than the vinyl if in good shape. People say they can tell, an analog from a well sampled digital. This has been dis-proven many times in blind testing when using the same playback amps/speakers. People could not tell the difference.

 

[Topzide]

I would opt for the NERO software. I've done some of mine with more to do. I have an interface unit that converts usb to rca and digital out. The software allowed me to cut noise and static. Didn't take it all out. Something about hearing it is just comforting. Can't remember the converter device name. Have to look for it, and I will post later.