[Dixielandjazz] Need advice regarding transfer of LPs to CD

[Phil Wilking]

Your best results will be obtained with components, rather than a 
self-contained unit.

Get the highest grade turntable and stylus you can (crystal speed controlled 
if possible). These days you can get turntables which feed directly to a USB 
plug for your computer.

Rinse the record surface in running water before playing it. Wipe it dry 
with a soft new paper towel with a counterclockwise circular motion, 
starting at the center, to take off as much dirt as possible without gouging 
the microgrooves. Use a new towel for each surface - paper towels are cheap, 
your record may be the last of its kind.

Feed the signal from the turntable into an excellent audio editing program 
(I use Adobe Audition, there are others) and have it record your signal as a 
WAV file. Do not save as an MP3 or any other compressed file form. Do not 
save at maximum signal level - put the peaks at about -3db to avoid 
clipping.

Make a copy of your new master file and do all the editing on that to remove 
clicks, etc.

Use a first class CD burning program such as NERO to burn your edited WAV 
file(s) to a high quality CD-R (but a "music" CD-R is not required). Burn 
the CD-R at the slowest speed to get the best physical recording, but don't 
expect a CD-R to last forever, you should expect to have to make a 
preservation copy in a few years.

The quality of the result you get will be directly proportional to the work 
you put into the editing with the audio program.

If you insist on the self-contained unit, still do wash the record surfaces 
before making your CD copies.

Phil Wilking

Those who would exchange freedom for
security deserve neither freedom nor security.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Norman Vickers" <nvickers1 at cox.net>
>
> Our Jazz Society of Pensacola needs to purchase equipment to transfer LP
> recordings to CD.  >
>