2. analog
  3. 150228-4294

Digitizing Vinyl; Suggestions Please

I’m moving out of country and will be selling my vinyl, about 300 discs
So I want to digitize them, then sell them prior to leaving the US .....

TT-Arm-Cart: VPI Scoutmaster II, VPI JMW 10.5i tonearm, Classic 3 Headshell, Ortofon Quintet MC Black
Phono cable: Furutech Ag 12, 1.2m ----> into a
Phono PreAmp: Manley Chinook Phono (4 Tubes) --> into
----> Shunyata Zitron Cobra ICs. ----> Aesthetix Calypso - (4 tubes).

I don’t own/run any recording software on my Mac at home since I live off-grid with no wifi or cell.
Ive always wanted to use the Pure Vinyl Vinyl App to record, but I don’t want to invest in it now.
I guess I do have JRiver, but really haven't used it since my computer was stolen 6 mo ago. 

I’m just looking for a simple and easy way to digitize . That said, I have a Sony PCM D100 portable audio recorder that also has an ADC. The ADC recording is a bit flat to my ears, so I want to make sure it records some of the tube qualities that I like- rich tones, ripe bass, airy top end.

Right now Im experimenting with using the Sony to record. Ive tried two methods so far to check for SQ.
1. Recording right out of the Chinook Phono Pre with an IC having 2 RCA terminations on one end and 1/8’ term on other end.
2. Allowing the signal to run into the Calypso PreAmp, then recording out of the "Tape Out"

--> The 1/8" end plugs into the Sony. Records in 2.8 DSD and 24/192 and its derivatives
The 2 RCA- 1/8" IC was made by Belkin. It is good, but not up to par with the VPI and Chinook.

So I decided to buy the Nordost Heimdall 2 likable IC in the same configuration.
It was a ridiculous price, but it appears head and shoulders above the competition.

Any suggestions so far?

Last, Im looking for an audio editing App mainly to cut up the songs, add track marks and song names, maybe take some distortion out if I can, If it is relatively easy to correct.

E.g. the SQ from my 2 different recording methods above are slightly different.
There is actually more "vinyl hiss distortion" when recording out of the Chinook than the Calypso.
But recording out of the Calypso covers up the hiss with a sound that is tube-like,
but not always better than recording right out of the Chinook. Following me??? LOL>

Ok, thanks for your input!


128x1281graber2
jawest0078's avatar
jawest0078
5 posts
 
Get a used PS Audio Nuwave Phono Converter. It's a high quality, highly configureable phono stage and ADC. It records in double dsd and will convert to any PCM rate you desire. It was made for this process.  $700-$800 on the used market right now.  It also has line level analog inputs so you can still use the Chinook as a phono stage and just use the ADC in the nuwave to record. 
1graber2's avatar
1graber2 OP
303 posts
 
Thx @jawest0078 

I remember when the NuWave came out- reviews were ok that I saw. But they really didn't touch the ADC aspect that you suggest.
Will check it out
tellefsen
73 posts
 
I have been experimenting with digitizing vinyl and found a not too pricey solution that I think provides very close to equivalent performance to the
original vinyl. I bought an RME ADI-2 Pro AD/DA. I am using Vinylstudio which is pretty reasonable and designed for ripping vinyl from a workflow point of view. I am ripping @ 24/352 (aka DXD). Yes the files are big. (5GB for an album)...storage is cheap. My analog front end is a refurbedTechnics SP10 MKII / Basis Vector IV arm / Soundsmith Paua cartridge/ Tom Tutay tube phono..My digital playback is Lumin A1 streaming from Synology NAS.    I think you can do an album in about 80 minutes beginning to end. Yes it is a lot of time.
peter_s
1,314 posts
 
I compared the benchmark and the ayre a2d, and the ayre was audibly better. Benchmark was also good though. 
1graber2's avatar
1graber2 OP
303 posts
 
@tellefsen 
will check out vinyl studio, thank you, and for the other info- helps me gauge my time, which Im running out of. 

Recently:
I received the Nordost Heimdall double RCA to 1/8" terminator yesterday. Burning it in. This was part of the main plan before I even posted this forum topic. To run a double RCA from the preAmp into the Sony PCM D100 for ADC and recording onto a Mem stick. The Heimdall was expensive, but I can resell it in a couple months without too big a loss $$ (there were none on the used market). But the Heimdall cable seems to be head and shoulders above the others in terms of SQ and without going over $500 for a cable. In a quick test, it sounded much much better than the Belkin. I haven't been impressed with the Sony ADC until now. It just needed better cohorts to increase SQ. 

I was getting too much "hum/low level distortion" when waiting for the needle to drop. the distortion appears to be constant, eg it doesn't go away after the needle drops.

So I reduced the gain in the Chinook tubed phonoAmp from 65 to 60, and reduced the gain in the Calypso tubed PreAmp from 29 toto 22. Made an obvious difference, but not substantial. Eg. I can still here the hum, made I have some RFI or something. Ive cleaned up my electricity as much as possible. 

I live off-grid, so Im using an "audiophile" :)  gas generator for power (rolls eyes) running into the cabin in an open circuit. - To mitigate this, Ive got a Richard Gray Power Co/RGPC Pole Pig, a RGPC 400 Pro conditioner, and a Shunyata Hydra 2. When I daisy-chained these 3 components together, it was overload from my audio gear, even tho Im using low-power Class D DAC and amps. So I removed the Hydra, and it sounded better. But it looks like I should do more tests. 

Oh, the challenges continue 
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