[Dixielandjazz] LP to CD

[Anton Crouch]

Hello all

Not surprisingly, there are as many views on this matter as there are
people. My bit may be of interest. As I read the last week's postings,
there are 3 general methods being suggested:

1. Direct copying from turntable to CDR or CDRW using a stand-alone CD
recorder in a conventional audio ("hi fi") set-up.

2. Copying from a turntable/preamplifier combination to a computer hard
disc via a sound card. The .wav files on the hard disc can be processed
using editing and/or repair software and a CDR can then be burnt using an
in-computer CD burner.

3. A hybrid of the above - using the CDR or CDRW from 1. as the source of
the .wav file(s) for the processing and CD burning in 2.

Method 1. is the most straightforward but it has some significant
disadvantages - the auto track numbering may not work if there is surface
noise between the LP tracks and, unless you are prepared to spend serious
money on noise reduction hardware, you get the LP preserved with all its
faults.

Method 3. is, in terms of the final product, the same as 2. and is a good
solution to the problem of audio gear and computer being in separate rooms.

Method 2. is the one that generates most of the discussion and it all comes
down to how and by how much do we process the "raw" material from the LP.
I've being doing this for some years now and I've come to the conclusion
that it's all a matter of the amount of time one is prepared to spend on
the process. There are numerous software packages available, ranging from
modest freeware to very expensive "professional", but the quality of the
result is not necessarily a function of the money spent.

The software that comes with CD burners will take out the grossest of
clicks and plops but, if used in a heavy handed way, will seriously degrade
the music. Most of the other programmes available for the domestic market
are primarily audio editors and, while doing a good job of cutting,
pasting, repitching, equalising etc, are actually quite poor when it comes
to removing the sound of damage to the LP grooves. What is one to do?

Spending umpteen thousands of dollars on the sort of professional software
that the record companies use is not an option for most of us. This leaves
us with finding modestly priced software that is specifically designed to
remove and repair damage. I have found one, and I imagine that there are
others.

I use "Wave Repair" (for Windows PCs) and you can check it out at

http://www.waverepair.com/

Bear in mind that processing is not a reasonable substitute for getting the
best possible .wav file(s) on to the hard disc at the start of the
exercise. Clean the LPs before you transfer them - simply washing with mild
soap can make a big difference to a really noisy LP if the problem is
largely one of dirt! Also, bear in mind that most sound cards supplied with
PCs are not of audiophile quality - if you get bitten by the transfer bug,
one of the first things you will do is buy a decent sound card.

The repair process easily becomes a labour of love. I've spent up to an
hour on a single 3 minute track and it's not a chore. You'd be surprised at
how much more you hear in those old records when you start listening
carefully.

Clickety, click
Anton