Wife wants LP-to-CD burner...

[Charles Packer]

....so I tell her we don't need an LP-to-CD converter
because we already have everything we need to do that
conversion -- stereo system and computers. All we need is
some software, and there must be some free stuff out
there somewhere. I'll just do a Google search on
"lp-to-cd" and...oops, opened the fire hose...Mind
if I pick some brains here first?

Is there a good tutorial that emphasizes the software
aspect (I already understand the hardware part) -- without
trying to sell me software? Nero, which came with my
CDROM drive, has menu items "Make Audio CD" and "Make
MP3 CD". I assume that I will want to do the former.
The pop-up information balloon over that menu item says
"Create a regular audio CD." Would that be from a .wav
file? And in Windows XP do I already have the capability to
create .wav files from audio input? (I'm a Linux guy,
so I don't know.)

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

[Arny Krueger]

"Charles Packer" > wrote in message

> ...so I tell her we don't need an LP-to-CD converter
> because we already have everything we need to do that
> conversion -- stereo system and computers. All we need is
> some software, and there must be some free stuff out
> there somewhere. I'll just do a Google search on
> "lp-to-cd" and...oops, opened the fire hose...Mind
> if I pick some brains here first?

Why not read up at some good web sites?

http://www.delback.co.uk/lp-cdr.htm

http://www.a-reny.com/iexplorer/restauration.html

http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/sound/anaudio/analoguesoundrestoration.pdf

[Richard Crowley]

"Charles Packer" wrote...
> ...so I tell her we don't need an LP-to-CD converter
> because we already have everything we need to do that
> conversion -- stereo system and computers. All we need is
> some software, and there must be some free stuff out
> there somewhere. I'll just do a Google search on
> "lp-to-cd" and...oops, opened the fire hose...Mind
> if I pick some brains here first?
>
> Is there a good tutorial that emphasizes the software
> aspect (I already understand the hardware part) -- without
> trying to sell me software? Nero, which came with my
> CDROM drive, has menu items "Make Audio CD" and "Make
> MP3 CD". I assume that I will want to do the former.
> The pop-up information balloon over that menu item says
> "Create a regular audio CD." Would that be from a .wav
> file?

Yes, that is very likely exactly what it means. There are also
free-ware apps that will produce conventional "Red-Book"
audio CDs. One of my favorites is www.imgburn.com which
also does video and ISO and many other types of discs.

> And in Windows XP do I already have the capability to
> create .wav files from audio input?

There are free-ware apps to record audio from the inputs
on your computer and output to WAV. One frequently-
mentioned (open-source) application is Audacity which
is cross-platform for Linux/Unix, Mac, and MSwindows.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net

> (I'm a Linux guy, so I don't know.)

I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
Book CD burning apps. Likely several of each to chose
from.

[Dave Platt]

In article >,
Richard Crowley > wrote:

>I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
>both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
>Book CD burning apps. Likely several of each to chose
>from.

Yes, the latter is the case... there are at least three major
CD-burning back-ends, and quite a few sets of GUI and command-line
tools to ease the job.

Here's what I'm using currently: a turntable, RIAA preamp, an outboard
A-to-D converter (Crystal Semi eval board), a sound card (CMI chipset,
with an optical S/PDIF input for the feed from the ADC), ALSA sound
drivers, the "arecord" program to capture the data to a WAV file,
Audacity to examine and edit the data (pop-and-tick removal, other
noise reduction), GCDMaster to set up the burn (setting track and
index markers), and cdrdao to actually burn the CDs.

--
Dave Platt > AE6EO
Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

[Kalman Rubinson[_3_]]

On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:38:05 -0800, (Dave Platt)
wrote:

>In article >,
>Richard Crowley > wrote:
>
>>I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
>>both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
>>Book CD burning apps. Likely several of each to chose
>>from.
>
>Yes, the latter is the case... there are at least three major
>CD-burning back-ends, and quite a few sets of GUI and command-line
>tools to ease the job.
>
>Here's what I'm using currently: a turntable, RIAA preamp, an outboard
>A-to-D converter (Crystal Semi eval board), a sound card (CMI chipset,
>with an optical S/PDIF input for the feed from the ADC), ALSA sound
>drivers, the "arecord" program to capture the data to a WAV file,
>Audacity to examine and edit the data (pop-and-tick removal, other
>noise reduction), GCDMaster to set up the burn (setting track and
>index markers), and cdrdao to actually burn the CDs.

NAD just announced a neat phono preamp with analog and USB output.
Comes with software.

Kal

[Charles Packer]

On Nov 18, 1:02 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
> "Charles Packer" wrote...
> I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
> both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
> Book CD burning apps. Likely several of each to chose
> from.

I'll check out the URLs mentioned in this thread (thanks,
folks) with this in mind. I had intended to set up the operation
in my Windows partition for ease of use by my wife, but I realized
that my backup computer, which is Linux-only, could be
dedicated to her LP-to-CD project.

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

[[email protected]]

On Nov 19, 11:18*am, Charles Packer > wrote:
> On Nov 18, 1:02 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
>
> > "Charles Packer" wrote...
> > I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
> > both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
> > Book CD burning apps. *Likely several of each to chose
> > from.
>
> I'll check out the URLs mentioned in this thread (thanks,
> folks) with this in mind. I had intended to set up the operation
> in my Windows partition for ease of use by my wife, but I realized
> that my backup computer, which is Linux-only, could be
> dedicated to her LP-to-CD project.
>
> --
> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
> mailboxATcpacker.org

It's very time consuming because it has to go a 1x. And you need to
babysit it. So unless you have some odd albums you might find it a
whole lot simpler to just buy the cd's.

[just me]

On 2008-11-19, > wrote:
> On Nov 19, 11:18Â*am, Charles Packer > wrote:
>> On Nov 18, 1:02 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
>>
>> > "Charles Packer" wrote...
>> > I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
>> > both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
>> > Book CD burning apps. Â*Likely several of each to chose
>> > from.
>>
>> I'll check out the URLs mentioned in this thread (thanks,
>> folks) with this in mind. I had intended to set up the operation
>> in my Windows partition for ease of use by my wife, but I realized
>> that my backup computer, which is Linux-only, could be
>> dedicated to her LP-to-CD project.
>>
>> --
>> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
>> mailboxATcpacker.org
>
> It's very time consuming because it has to go a 1x. And you need to
> babysit it. So unless you have some odd albums you might find it a
> whole lot simpler to just buy the cd's.

But many of the commercial cd's are "flatter" & gimmicked so that one's
own lp-to-cd sound better; I have a feeling that the current crop of
recording engineers/producers are more interested in removing any rumble
& such rather than have the dynamics of the original. Well, at least
that's what I have found on my prefered recordings.

The lp-to-cd process also requires, probably, a quick finger for setting
the track-mark, unless one doesn't care if the lp is recorded as a single
track; gets harder to set the track for live recordings that has the
audience clapping until shortly after the next selection starts.

[Arny Krueger]

"just me" > wrote in message


> The lp-to-cd process also requires, probably, a quick
> finger for setting the track-mark, unless one doesn't
> care if the lp is recorded as a single track; gets harder
> to set the track for live recordings that has the
> audience clapping until shortly after the next selection
> starts.

Nahh, if you use a computer you do all that sort of thing, often quickly and
visually, with your recording software.

[Diogenes]

Arny Krueger wrote:
> "just me" > wrote in message
>
>
>> The lp-to-cd process also requires, probably, a quick
>> finger for setting the track-mark, unless one doesn't
>> care if the lp is recorded as a single track; gets harder
>> to set the track for live recordings that has the
>> audience clapping until shortly after the next selection
>> starts.
>
> Nahh, if you use a computer you do all that sort of thing, often quickly and
> visually, with your recording software.
>
>
check out audiograbber. it's free. it does a fantastic job of ripping to
wav via line-in jacks, cd drive, mic-in, whatever.

[Mr.T]

"Diogenes" > wrote in message ...
> check out audiograbber. it's free. it does a fantastic job of ripping to
> wav via line-in jacks, cd drive, mic-in, whatever.

But bugger all editing! Audacity is also free, and gives you all the
recording and editing capabilities most people ever need.
Keep Audiograbber for what it's best at, ripping CD's.

MrT.

[Michael L Kankiewicz]

Well, I have all the computer stuff, but I much prefer the convenience of
my Sony RCD-W500C CD recorder. It's one of the best purchases I have
made. Sits right along with your other components always ready to go,
can double as your CD player. No futzing with connecting the 'table to a
computer or software. If I want to copy an lp, all I do is put it on the
old AR and record it directly to disc. Also, it's great for when
something comes on the radio that you want to record. Just put in the
blank disc and hit record. I *really* like it.

[Charles Packer]

On Nov 20, 10:50 am, Michael L Kankiewicz >
wrote:
> Well, I have all the computer stuff, but I much prefer the convenience of
> my Sony RCD-W500C CD recorder. It's one of the best purchases I have
> made. Sits right along with your other components always ready to go,
> can double as your CD player. No futzing with connecting the 'table to a
> computer or software. If I want to copy an lp, all I do is put it on the
> old AR and record it directly to disc. Also, it's great for when
> something comes on the radio that you want to record. Just put in the
> blank disc and hit record. I *really* like it.


When making a CD from an LP, does this device automatically
produce a CD with tracks corresponding to the LP bands?
With the computer method, there seems to be a mandatory
session with an editor to label tracks, either manually or
semi-automatically through silence detecting. If that stage
can be eliminated with the Sony, the computer method is
going to be a hard sell to my wife.

Incidentally, at audioreview.com there are five reviews of the
Sony and the most recent two are extremely negative.

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

[Michael Black[_2_]]

On Thu, 20 Nov 2008, Michael L Kankiewicz wrote:

>
> Well, I have all the computer stuff, but I much prefer the convenience of my
> Sony RCD-W500C CD recorder. It's one of the best purchases I have made.
> Sits right along with your other components always ready to go, can double as
> your CD player. No futzing with connecting the 'table to a computer or
> software. If I want to copy an lp, all I do is put it on the old AR and
> record it directly to disc. Also, it's great for when something comes on the
> radio that you want to record. Just put in the blank disc and hit record. I
> *really* like it.
>
I have an AM/FM receiver permanently connected to my computer. It's the
amplifier to take the sound from the sound card and feed the speakers,
which works out far better than virtually all "computer speakers", plus
the full set up only cost me $20 at garage sales.

My turntable feeds the phono preamp of the receiver, and then the "tape
out" goes to my soundcard input. So I can record from my records.

But it also means I can change the selector switch and record off the
receiver's tuner, or off the cassette deck I have connected to it.

It really isn't that much more complicated than a standalone unit, but
this way I don't have to record to CD just because I want to watch tv
when something is on the radio.

Michael

[[email protected]]

On Nov 19, 3:59*pm, just me > wrote:
> On 2008-11-19, > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Nov 19, 11:18*am, Charles Packer > wrote:
> >> On Nov 18, 1:02 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
>
> >> > "Charles Packer" wrote...
> >> > I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
> >> > both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
> >> > Book CD burning apps. *Likely several of each to chose
> >> > from.
>
> >> I'll check out the URLs mentioned in this thread (thanks,
> >> folks) with this in mind. I had intended to set up the operation
> >> in my Windows partition for ease of use by my wife, but I realized
> >> that my backup computer, which is Linux-only, could be
> >> dedicated to her LP-to-CD project.
>
> >> --
> >> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
> >> mailboxATcpacker.org
>
> > It's very time consuming because it has to go a 1x. *And you need to
> > babysit it. *So unless you have some odd albums you might find it a
> > whole lot simpler to just buy the cd's.
>
> But many of the commercial cd's are "flatter" & gimmicked so that one's
> own lp-to-cd sound better; I have a feeling that the current crop of
> recording engineers/producers are more interested in removing any rumble
> & such rather than have the dynamics of the original. *Well, at least
> that's what I have found on my prefered recordings.
>
> The lp-to-cd process also requires, probably, a quick finger for setting
> the track-mark, unless one doesn't care if the lp is recorded as a single
> track; gets harder to set the track for live recordings that has the
> audience clapping until shortly after the next selection starts.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Guess I'd argue that that issue is less than the issue of finding
perfectly clean lp's to record.

[Michael Black[_2_]]

On Thu, 20 Nov 2008, wrote:

> On Nov 19, 3:59*pm, just me > wrote:
>> On 2008-11-19, > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Nov 19, 11:18*am, Charles Packer > wrote:
>>>> On Nov 18, 1:02 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
>>
>>>>> "Charles Packer" wrote...
>>>>> I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
>>>>> both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
>>>>> Book CD burning apps. *Likely several of each to chose
>>>>> from.
>>
>>>> I'll check out the URLs mentioned in this thread (thanks,
>>>> folks) with this in mind. I had intended to set up the operation
>>>> in my Windows partition for ease of use by my wife, but I realized
>>>> that my backup computer, which is Linux-only, could be
>>>> dedicated to her LP-to-CD project.
>>
>>>> --
>>>> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
>>>> mailboxATcpacker.org
>>
>>> It's very time consuming because it has to go a 1x. *And you need to
>>> babysit it. *So unless you have some odd albums you might find it a
>>> whole lot simpler to just buy the cd's.
>>
>> But many of the commercial cd's are "flatter" & gimmicked so that one's
>> own lp-to-cd sound better; I have a feeling that the current crop of
>> recording engineers/producers are more interested in removing any rumble
>> & such rather than have the dynamics of the original. *Well, at least
>> that's what I have found on my prefered recordings.
>>
>> The lp-to-cd process also requires, probably, a quick finger for setting
>> the track-mark, unless one doesn't care if the lp is recorded as a single
>> track; gets harder to set the track for live recordings that has the
>> audience clapping until shortly after the next selection starts.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Guess I'd argue that that issue is less than the issue of finding
> perfectly clean lp's to record.
>
This seems to be a common belief, that since someone is going to digital
they have to have pristine sources.

When the CD came along, it was touted as the ultimate in High Fidelity,
but the reality is that once in place, it was such a useful format
that it became commonplace. The fact that you don't have to turn it over
to play the other side, the fact that you can get a double record album
onto one CD, the fact that the whole CD is smaller than a record, these
are all pretty good features. Plus, not only did you have to get up
to turn the record over, you also had to get up to move the tone arm
if you wanted to skip a track on that record. Now, you either have
the CD player close at hand, or a remote to skip tracks. I would never
have a record changer, yet for almost ten years I've had a CD changer, so
I dont' even have to get up to change the CD. It's no wonder $20
boomboxes, even CD clock radios, have become common; the CD is a very
easy to use format.

I have gotten out of the habit of playing records because of that fuss,
even though I still have my first and only turntable set up. It's
probably gotten worse after I got a CD player and there was something
easier

Making a quick conversion to digital gets that music playable again,
while the more I fuss over getting it "noise-free" the less likely
I am to do that. It's not a surprise that many would rather spend
the cash on replacing their records with CDs, because a simple
task has become a lot of effort because of the perceived need
for perfection.

Yes, in the old days some people fussed about getting perfrect recordings
when the copied their records to cassette, which they did to keep
the records in better shape or for that portability. But many didn't,
they just started the tape deck, started the turntable, and made a
reasonable copy.

The same thing is possible today, don't fuss much, just copy those
records over to digital. So there's some clicks and pops and noise.
We lived with it when records were the norm, we can live with it
on CD so long as our reason for conversion is to make it easier to
play that music.

I digitized one double live album a few years back, and then stalled
over splitting it. Yes, because of the crowd it was hard more difficult
to find the right spot. So I put it aside. I saved the long .wav's to
a CDR, where they sat for a bit, and then when I got an MP3 player, I
converted each of the four tracks, one for each side, into long MP3s.
It wasn't the best solution, but hey, I was able to listen to that album
that I actually like quite a bit.

Michael

[just me]

On 2008-11-20, > wrote:
> On Nov 19, 3:59Â*pm, just me > wrote:
>> On 2008-11-19, > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Nov 19, 11:18Â*am, Charles Packer > wrote:
>> >> On Nov 18, 1:02 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
>>
>> >> > "Charles Packer" wrote...
>> >> > I would be astonished if there werent Linux versions of
>> >> > both audio recording apps (such as Audacity) AND Red-
>> >> > Book CD burning apps. Â*Likely several of each to chose
>> >> > from.
>>
>> >> I'll check out the URLs mentioned in this thread (thanks,
>> >> folks) with this in mind. I had intended to set up the operation
>> >> in my Windows partition for ease of use by my wife, but I realized
>> >> that my backup computer, which is Linux-only, could be
>> >> dedicated to her LP-to-CD project.
>>
>> >> --
>> >> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
>> >> mailboxATcpacker.org
>>
>> > It's very time consuming because it has to go a 1x. Â*And you need to
>> > babysit it. Â*So unless you have some odd albums you might find it a
>> > whole lot simpler to just buy the cd's.
>>
>> But many of the commercial cd's are "flatter" & gimmicked so that one's
>> own lp-to-cd sound better; I have a feeling that the current crop of
>> recording engineers/producers are more interested in removing any rumble
>> & such rather than have the dynamics of the original. Â*Well, at least
>> that's what I have found on my prefered recordings.
>>
>> The lp-to-cd process also requires, probably, a quick finger for setting
>> the track-mark, unless one doesn't care if the lp is recorded as a single
>> track; gets harder to set the track for live recordings that has the
>> audience clapping until shortly after the next selection starts.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Guess I'd argue that that issue is less than the issue of finding
> perfectly clean lp's to record.

That's also a reason some cd's don't sound as good as the vinyl as the xfer
was re-mastered from analog tapes. Quite subjective in what should be
edited out & what to keep. Then I tend to listen to the entire album rather
than parts of it in either classical or jazz.

[Michael L Kankiewicz]

On Thu, 20 Nov 2008, Charles Packer wrote:
>
> When making a CD from an LP, does this device automatically
> produce a CD with tracks corresponding to the LP bands?
> With the computer method, there seems to be a mandatory
> session with an editor to label tracks, either manually or
> semi-automatically through silence detecting. If that stage
> can be eliminated with the Sony, the computer method is
> going to be a hard sell to my wife.

No, it's pretty much the same thing. You either have to be there to hit
the button when you want to mark a new track, or there's an "automatic"
marking feature, where you set the level and time threshold. (default is
-50dB for 1.5 sec)

> Incidentally, at audioreview.com there are five reviews of the
> Sony and the most recent two are extremely negative.

Yes, I've seen that - Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never ended up with
a single coaster. I wasn't necessarily praising the Sony, just the
concept of the recorder vs the computer. I know there are others, such as
teac and phillips. I would assume they pretty much function the same way.

MK

[Michael L Kankiewicz]

On Thu, 20 Nov 2008, wrote:
>>
>> But many of the commercial cd's are "flatter" & gimmicked so that one's
>> own lp-to-cd sound better; I have a feeling that the current crop of
>> recording engineers/producers are more interested in removing any rumble
>> & such rather than have the dynamics of the original. *Well, at least
>> that's what I have found on my prefered recordings.

Not only that, but some CD reissues have been butchered. When CDs first
came out, I bought a couple of the Barney Kessel Poll Winners CDs
(jazz guitarist, Contemporary label). They were a mess. While the LPs
were nicely balanced with a realistic image, they did the CDs so that the
individual players/instruments were all divided either hard right or hard
left, so that everyone is either all the way right or all the way left,
with nothing in between. A completely unrealistic sound.

MK

[[email protected]]

On Nov 19, 12:00*am, Charles Packer > wrote:
> ...so I tell her we don't need an LP-to-CD converter
> because we already have everything we need to do that
> conversion -- stereo system and computers. All we need is
> some software, and there must be some free stuff out
> there somewhere. I'll just do a Google search *on
> "lp-to-cd" and...oops, opened the fire hose...Mind
> if I pick some brains here first?
>
> Is there a good tutorial that emphasizes the software
> aspect (I already understand the hardware part) -- without
> trying to sell me software? *Nero, which came with my
> CDROM drive, has menu items "Make Audio CD" and "Make
> MP3 CD". I assume that I will want to do the former.
> The pop-up information balloon over that menu item says
> "Create a regular audio CD." Would that be from a .wav
> file? And in Windows XP do I already have the capability to
> create .wav files from audio input? (I'm a Linux guy,
> so I don't know.)
>
> --
> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
> mailboxATcpacker.org

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