What is the best way to convert LP's to CD's?


I'm getting ready to purchase a new Dell computer. I would like to convert some of my LP collection to CD for the conveniance. Besides a sound card do I need any other equipment? What do you all use and recommend? What types of CD\R or CD\RW sound better? Will I need some type of DAC to convert the analag to digital? I'm new to this process. Please let me know.
128x128sgr

Showing 4 responses by rives

Go to the following link for LP Ripper and Recorder. You may wish to upgrade your sound card. The best I've used thus far is the ESI U24 a 24 bit 96 kHz sound card. We sell it on our website because we use it for test and measurement purposes. Go to the software section of the Rives Audio site.
I should have added my current favorite burning software is Nero which comes with the new Yamaha CRW-F1 High speed drives (although we burn at 1x it's capable of 44x burning.)
Deluxe: It's a good point--documentation on the Nero is not great--that's really it's only downside. It took me a long time to figure out how to get it to burn with the correct options and even longer to get it to read slowly for mastering. I should take some time and write down all the settings (and how I accessed them) to share--and in case I ever need to set it up again.
Beowulf: not necessarily, in fact I don't. The 24/96 is the converter. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's saved in this native format (although you can) nor does it mean that you write to this format. In my case it's burned to CD-R and the bits are truncated. Of course, DVD at this sample rate would yield better results, but I don't have a DVD burner.