Hope this is the right topic for this question...
I’ve got some records that I’d like to convert to MP3. I’ve done some research on the internet and found two different pieces of hardware that I might be interested in. The Magix music cleaning Lab XXL and the Terratec Phono PreAmp Studio USB. link Link to Magix (sorry, text is Dutch) link Link to Terratec
Both of them have a built-in preamp and connect to a turntable directly without the need of stereo-equipment.
The Magix hardware connects to the soundcard, the Terratec uses an USB connection.
Both of them come with software to record LP’s, the price difference is not an issue.
Added feature to the Terratec is the ability to record tape as well…
Added feature to the Magix is a wide range of software…
Does anyone use one of these gadgets? How do they compare?
Is the software any good, or should I use another program?
This is a topic I'm very interested in too. I've got a loft full of vinyl albums that I'd love to download onto my MP3 player. Any technophiles got any advice for us ?
Well you're speaking of very advanced methods of doing this.. which is great, but personally I've just been recording them from an out on the receiver to an input on my sound card and my results have been very good. I use an older version of Sound Forge (same thing I do my Queen edits with). I take some time to get the levels just right.. find a loud part of the record and make that the maximum without 'clipping'.
I think this is a pretty good guide that answers most questions: link
Yeah, I'm the same as you Jeffrey Todd...
Hook the back of my vinyl player into the input socket on me PC (ask somewhere like Maplin, they will sort out the right cable for you) and capture with CoolEdit Pro, you can then do all the tweaking you want with that. And save them as wavs to put onto CD. Or use dbPowerAmp or summat similar to convert them to all manners of formats.