Converting vinyl records

Can someone recommend an app to convert vinyl records to iTunes?  I have used Audacity and EZ but they don't always replicate the track and album information when imported.  Griffin iMic/Final Vinyl has been recommended but I live in Kenya and can't get the iMic part.  I don't mind if the app is free or to be paid for but if the latter, useful if it can be tried first

Griffin Technologies iMic and Final Vinyl.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/

Similar Messages

  • Can MacBook Pro Retina be used to convert vinyl records to digital files?

    Can MacBook Pro Retina be used to convert vinyl records to digital files?

    As the retina model doesn't have a line-in port, you'll also need a USB input device.
    Griffin's iMic is a Mac stalwart. However, they don't list Lion or ML in the compatibility list, so some further research may be necessary.
    If that's OK, their Final Vinyl software is free.
    There are other analogue-to-digital converters, though most if not all are more expensive, and the excellent (free) Audacity  software will also help with the import and any editing. It exports to a good selection of audio file types too.

  • Convert vinyl records.

    I am planning to buy turntable and convert old records. Is the Numark's EZ Audio Converter a preferable choice for software? What options in Logic can I use? Does logic do a better job? How to get the best possible transfer and then eliminate pops and other undesirables with out loosing the cleanness of the original sound. Thanks in advance.

    Hi,
    First make sure your turntable is the highest quality possible, is transparent or neutral sounding, the stylus/cartridge is in good condition, is grounded correctly to eliminate hum etc, is turning at the right speed (calibrate it), and preferably is using a stylus/cartridge/tonearm that will be able to pull plenty of high (and low) frequency content off the record. You'll have to research but some high end ones will capture information right up to 30khz and beyond which definitely makes a difference compared with the truncation at 22.05khz of CD.
    Use as good a vinyl source as possible. Find the best version of the record as you can. There may be superior pressings, masterings, etc etc of the recording and these will have a dramatic effect on the information that is captured. You might just want to transfer the records you already have but it shouldn't be so hard to find better versions for not much money.
    Depending on the condition and what you know about the history of the records, you can clean them carefully using soap and warm water. Dont use an abrasive cloth but instead use one or a few of those very soft cloths for cleaning glasses/camera lenses. A small bit of detergent and a gentle hand moving around the record grooves (not across to the centre like you do with CD) should get a lot of crap out of the record depending on its condition and could provide a big leap in sound quality. Take care not to get water on the inner labels. Make sure to dry the record for a few hours (not using too much heat) before playing.
    Make sure your signal chain is as short and high quality as possible. The RIAA EQ curve is important as stated - get yourself a Cambridge Audio 640P Phono preamp for about £50 - this has excellent sound quality, will preserve your frequency response up to about 50khz and it will be much better to let hardware like this do the RIAA curve than letting software do it.
    To record on the computer, use a high quality interface (Apogee Duet, MOTU Ultralite etc) use 24bit and at least 96khz sample rate to preserve the high frequency information. Determine the loudest parts of the record and set the level according to that - you can leave 6 - 10db headroom with 24 bit, just to be safe, and the sound quality/resolution won't suffer.
    Use something like spectral view in Sountrack Pro to check the integrity of the recording. You'll be able to see things like hum, clicks, pops and may be able to edit them. I use iZotope RX Advanced as it is very good for things like noise reduction, manual/automatic click restoration etc and it does it very transparently (as long as you put the time in to find the exact right settings). But you won't want to do too much noise reduction generally as the sound will almost certainly suffer.
    You might want to convert your master to 32 bit before editing as it will preserve the audio better and not introduce (albeit very very low level) dither etc.
    Finally, I would avoid 'delivering' the final needledrop on CD and personally would always listen to the results in a nice environment with high resolution monitors/speakers in native 24 bit 96khz resolution, because that way it will sound as much like the record played live as possible. If you do have to go to CD, I would recommend sample rate conversion by iZotope (64 bit SRC) or Voxengo (r8brain), and dither by iZotope (MBIT+) as these are definitely among the best available.
    Hope this helps
    Cheers
    rrrobo
    Message was edited by: rrrobo

  • Converting vinyl records to iTunes

    Does anyone have any product or software reccomendations for converting old vinyl albums to store and use in iTunes?

    I know this an old thread, but I purchased a digital turntable to computer and have started to transfer my records to iTunes. The major problem i am having is this; I use a USB cable between the 2 pieces of equipment, but I cannot turn off my iSight microphone and all of the room noise and conversation is being recorded along with the record. the turntable has no provisions for a microphone so I know it's the iSight one. I have turned off this in everyway possible, but it still records all sound when transferring in iTunes. How is that possible?

  • Convert vinyl records to digital

    Is there a way to convert old analog records to digital using Garage Band?
    What kind of equipment would I need to do it besides a turntable and receiver?

    http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/Tutorials.html#allabouttransferringlps

  • How can I get my (vinyl) record music into iTunes Match?

    I have a rather large collection of music on CDs, Tapes, and records.
    Now that iTunes Match exists I would like to include all of my music into my iTunes library.
    There is no easy way (that I know of) to load anything except CDs into iTunes. So for the rest of the library one must either buy all the music again or buy equipment to play the music one time and convert it to a newer format.
    My CD collection is mostly loaded and since 99.999% (virtually all) of that music is already in iTunes Match it is not uploaded to iTunes again, but it quickly becomes available to play on all my iTunes Authorized Devices.
    With the exception of that 1 in ten thousand songs that I may have that iTunes does not have in the Match library there is no reason to import the music at all - other than to prove I have the actual CD's. (In any case I suppose I could have borrowed them for that anyway.)
    However for CDs at least they can be imported - but for tapes and records I know of no direct way.
    With something state-of-the-art like iTunes Match and my PC(s), iPhone(s) and iPad, why use stone-age-like means to prove ownership of outside-of-iTunes music?
    Why not provide some other information to identify albums owned and have them available in iTunes Match without the 99.999% useless step of loading them?
    In fact for most tape music it is no longer playable (to convert) as the rollers in the tape devices deteriorate and they no longer play.
    Vinyl records play just fine, just not easily into a PC without purchase of expensive equipment that would be used only for the one-time load (which is really just for proof-of-ownership).
    What a ridiculous waste of time, energy and funds for that 1 in 10,000 songs that may not yet exist in the iTunes Match library. Okay, as the music gets older it may even be 2 in 10,000 - but I doubt it.
    I remember that each album (and 45 rpm single) has identifying information scratched into it (around the inside of the innermost track) - can that (or something else) suffice as proof of ownership to get the music into iTunes Match?
    Please respond with ideas to quickly and easily get already-owned vinyl record music into an iTunes Match library.
    I personally do not care if 1 (or 2) out of 10,000 of my songs gets lost because it is not in the iTunes Match library - couldn't be that good in that case anyway.
    Thanks!!

    I too have not figured out how to convert my vinyl collection to iTunes match. Here is what I have tried:
    I record my vinyl records onto CD using a Sony RCD-W500C which makes a very high quality recording. I make sure the song lengths are the same as those from the same album at the iTunes store.
    Then I import the CD into my iTunes music library. I have to enter the names of the tracks manually because Gracenote cannot identify the names of the songs. I do this while the music is in my iTunes music library and the CD has been ejected from my PC.
    Then I try to get the iTunes Match, but it never works. I do, however, get the artwork from iTunes. iTunes then uploads my songs into the iCloud. When I download them back onto my PC and iPhone 4s, I get the identicle recording that I imported onto iTunes. I know this because I can hear the static and crackling of the vinyl. I don't necessarily mind that noise, but I figured if I paid for the iTunes Match I should get the AAC 256 bps music. After all it doesn't cost iTunes anything to give it to me. And there's no way I'm going to purchase all my vinyl records again. I have about 500 albums.
    I do buy all my new music from iTunes because I think it is the best system available. I just think it could be so much better if they would let me download the highest quality recording of the music I own from them.
    I have also tried the Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio which records my vinyl records into a music file on my PC. But that doesn't get the match either.
    THERE HAS TO BE SOMEBODY OUT THERE THAT CAN TELL US WHAT ITUNES MATCH LOOKS AT IN OUR MUSIC UPLOADS THAT DETERMINES WHETHER THEY GIVE US THE MATCH!!!!!!
    When you download a CD, there is some information embedded in the CD that iTunes matches. I don't believe there is any information embeded in the vinyl albums, but when I burn them onto a CD-maybe I could add the info onto the CD before trying to match it if I just knew what they looked for.
    I would appreciate any help anyone can give me on this.

  • How to transfer a vinyl recording to a digital file on an iMac?

    I have an analog output turntable and many vinyl records that I would like to get into digital form.

    Two questions one what year iMac and two  what kind of analog output from the turntable, line or phono?
    The latest Macs do not have an audio input so you will need to use an analog to USB interface. If the iMac is older and you have an audio input jack you cam connect to that.
    Now the big question is the type of output from the turntable, If it is a line level output you can connect this right to the input (either iMac jack or USB converter) if the output from the turntable is phono then you will need a phono pre-amp to boost the signal and equalize it. Look in the owners manual or search on-line to find this out.
    Once you have your turntable hooked up to the iMAc you sillneed recording software. I like the Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder.
    Once you have all this you]re set to go. You can take the files generated by Audacity and import them into iTunes for storage and playback.
    regards

  • Recording vinyl records to computer using the Imic

    Has anyone used the IMIC to transfer vinyl records to their computer in order to convert the music to a CD? I have seen mixed reviews on the IMIC and would like to know what other people think. I also would like to know what else is needed to make this work. My stereo system has two AUX ports labeled "L" & "R". I purchased an audio Y-cable (1/8" Stereo Male to Dual RCA (Phono) Male but that alone does not work. If I plug that Y-cable into an IMIC and the IMIC into my computer and use Garageband to record should that work? Is the Final Vinyl a better software than Garageband?
    I am a novice at this and need the easiest process to accomplish the conversion. Any input would be appreciated.

    You stereo system's AUX ports are probably inputs, not outputs. Does it have TAPE OUT ports? They should work with your cable to the Mac's audio input. See if you get any signal in the "Input" tab of "Sound" system preference. Select "Line In" and adjust the input volume slider.
    You can record with QuickTime Player using "New Audio Recording" from its "File" menu.
    You only need the iMic if you want to go directly from the turntable to the computer without using your stereo system. In that case, you have to use the Final Vinyl software to handle the RIAA equalization.

  • Recording/Copying vinyl records to a MacBookPro to CD

    Being new to Mac and iTunes, is there a recommended method to copy older vinyl records to CD via my MacBook Pro? Is there a device that plugs into a turntable or tuner that converts the signal to digital that can then be copied to a CD?
    I would appreciate any help and suggestions.
    WM

    I purchased an Ion usb turntable from Costco that comes with IZ vinyl converter/and Audacity. So far it works except I have not been able to hear the file once I play it from the iTunes library. The process was pretty easy and the price was $125 for the turntable which came with the conversion software belt drive turntable , and stylus. Any help as to why the files to do not have audio would help.
    Joe

  • Clear Instructions: import Vinyl records into iTunes

    I have been researching for some weeks. Amazing,no succinct article or info on HOW to use a Mac and import music from Vinyl records into iTunes. ( Adam Engst, where is a Tidbits eBook when I need it?)
    I think I have the gist but maybe you audiophiles can clarify for me?
    (not sure what format to use when finally able to import the music file into iTunes)
    - have ordered an AudioTechnica turntable
    -using iMac G4...am I correct that it does not have a distinct "LINE IN"?
    - So, will need iMic from Griffin
    -will use Audacity (available free or lo cost with the iMic?
    -Possibly use "ClickRepair" to rid of clicks and clacks in the music?
    Clean the vinyl first (any suggestions what to use?)
    connect turntable to iMac via iMic
    put record on the platter
    launch Audacity
    start the turntable
    tell Audacity to record into a non compressed format (so I can use ClickRepair).
    after both software products have finished, import into iTunes?
    As what? AiFF, Apple Lossless?
    Any and all advice appreciated.
    (This is birthday gift for hubby and I want to get it right !)
    Message was edited by: Barbara Passman3

    Work Flow - Recording a vinyl LP to the Mac for iTunes
    The short version of what needs to be done is this:
    * Set up the hardware - find the cables needed to connect the turntable to the Mac.
    * Provide an RIAA EQualization curve - this can be done with hardware or software
    * Clean the vinyl LP
    * Set up the recording software - select input and output, designate where the file is to be saved and in what format (considering quality level desired and hard drive space available), enable "pass through" (so you can listen while recording), and set the recording level.
    * Record
    * Edit - define tracks, if necessary, clean pops and scratches, if possible
    * Import into iTunes - name tracks, change file format, if necessary to save hard drive space
    Here is the long version:
    *Hardware:
    I suggest connecting your turntable to a stereo amplifier or pre-amplifier which has a "Phono" input. The (red and white) RCA plugs on the turntable would plug into the Phono jacks on the back of the amp. Then, use a stereo-RCA-to-1/8th-inch-minijack-cable (RadioShack) to connect a set of the amplifier's "Line Out" jacks to the Mac's audio "Line In" port.
    If your Mac does not have a "Line In" port, I highly recommend the Griffin iMic ($40 - http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/). The iMic comes with a short RCA-minijack cable; you will probably want a 1/8th inch stereo extension cable which is long enough to reach between the turntable and the Mac.
    I also suggest a good set of headphones - especially if you are applying filters and effects. It will be difficult or impossible to tell what you are doing if you are monitoring the results with typical computer speakers. I use (and highly recommend) the Sennheiser HD-485s although there are many others you could choose from.
    * RIAA Equalization - As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, you will need to provide an RIAA equalization curve so your LPs will sound right when played back. Your stereo amplifier or pre-amp with a "Phono" input has that built in, so you are all set.
    If, however, you don't have an amp or pre-amp with "Phono" inputs, then you could connect the turntable's RCA jacks directly to the iMic and use the Final Vinyl software (included with the iMic) to provide the RIAA curve (Filters>Add>EQ> then check the button "Connected to a turntable"). I can't comment on the results from using Final Vinyl's for the RIAA, because I use a stereo amp.
    * Clean the vinyl LP:
    First, I use a brush with very fine nylon bristles and a weak solution of dishwashing detergent in tepid water (http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Nylon-Bristle-Brushes) to remove dirt and fingerprints. Gently work the bush with a concentric motion, following the groves, then, rinse under tepid tap water and blot dry on a clean tea towel.
    This will leave some lint, so clean again by using the Discwasher brush (http://www.needledoctor.com/Discwasher-D4-Kit?sc=2&category=108), held lightly, on the LP as it rotates on your turntable. After using up my Discwasher fluid, I started mixing my own: half distilled water and half isopropyl alcohol.
    I should mention, my goal was to clean the LP for one last playback for the recording, without consideration of what long-term effect my cleaning method might have on the LP.
    Don't forget to examine the needle on the turntable cartridge - it can collect crud which seriously degrades the playback quality. The Discwasher kit has a little brush for the needle, too - careful - it's very fragile.
    *Set up the Software:
    For general recording, including LPs, I recommend "Audio Hijack Pro" ($32 - http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/) I prefer Audio Hijack Pro to Final Vinyl and CD Spin Doctor, because I can use it to record from many more sources (including streaming audio from the internet), it has many more options for effects and file types, a better Help manual, and, in my experience, fewer crashes. However, Audio Hijack Pro does not offer an RIAA equalization curve, as does Final Vinyl.
    - Format - IF you have enough hard drive space, I would suggest you make the initial recording in 16 bit AIFF format at 44.1kHz. That is the standard format used by audio CDs, so this file type can be burned directly to CDs without conversion or compression. Every audio software application should be able to open an AIFF file.
    If the AIFF files take up too much room on your hard drive, you can always convert them to MP3 or AAC, using your recording software or iTunes, but I suggest you first burn a copy of your AIFF recording to a CD, so you can go back to the original "master" recording in case you want to re-edit it later.
    Some file formats which are compressed - like MP3s - get re-compressed every time you Save. A little information is lost each time the file is compressed, so if you are doing a lot of editing and saving, the file can degrade. That's why I prefer to do any editing on AIFF files, which I change to high quality MP3s in iTunes only when I am done editing.
    - Refer to your software help files to learn how to set input and output, save preferences, and to enable pass through, if needed, so you can hear what you are recording.
    - Next, you will need to set the "level" to be as strong as possible without clipping. Clipping results in distortion when the signal is too strong. If the signal is too weak, the recording will be noisy because the junk will be louder relative to the desired audio. Audio Hijack Pro has "VU Meters" with clipping indicators, and you can set up a "Gain" control to increase or decrease the signal strength. You may need to visit the Mac's "Sound" Preference Pane>Input Tab, to change the signal strength at the system level.
    - Your recording software may offer a few - or many - filters and effects. Filters and effects are available as plugins, so you may be able to find even more as free downloads or for sale. Many filters and effects are going to be of interest only to sound engineers and only for rare special circumstances. Some are quite useful when cleaning up tape or microphone recordings, but I have not found any which are very effective on LP-type pops and scratches. You can waste a LOT of time playing around with these.
    My suggestion is to make your "master" raw recording using few or no effects, then go back and edit COPIES of the master, so if you mess it up, you can start over. With experience, you will learn what works - only then you should apply the filters as you record.
    * Record:
    If your recording software offers these features, here is something you may want to try when recording LPs. One is a feature to automatically detect the "silent" groove between tracks so the finished recording will consist of a separate file for each track. You may have to adjust some sensitivity settings to get this to work, and I found it to be somewhat fussy.
    Another useful feature is a Pause button, so you can turn over an LP without actually stopping and restarting the recording - and also without the sounds of picking up the needle from side A and setting it down on side B. The pause feature is especially nice when the LP is really one long recording, such as a symphony.
    If you are recording in the AIFF format, don't waste time naming albums, artists, and tracks in the recording software. That info is not encoded in the AIFF file, so when you move the file to iTunes you will have to rename everything again. Might work if you are recording in the MP3 format.
    * Edit:
    If your finished recording lacks tracks, you can re-create them by using the "split" feature of your editing software - which may be the same as your recording software, or something different. I really like Fission for simple editing like splits, cuts and fades, and they claim it's "lossless" even when editing MP3s (http://rogueamoeba.com/fission/). It's particularly good for trimming off the "silent" grooves at the start and end of the LP where the pops are much more obtrusive. For applying filters and equalization, I stick with Audio Hijack.
    The Holy Grail for LP recordings is trying to eliminate pops and scratches. I can't offer too much encouragement. Nothing I've tried has been very effective in reducing pops and scratches, and everything I've tried which has helped, has also degraded the recording somewhat, usually dulling the sound a little.
    "CD Spin Doctor" is somewhat useful, offering separate sliders for applying "De-click" De-crackle" and "De-hiss". The effect can quickly be previewed, and after you get the degree of adjustment you want, it can be applied to the whole file (works on AIFF, not MP3). My copy of CD Spin Doctor came with Toast Titanium 6, but I see it is now being sold on Roxio's site as a stand-alone application ($40 - http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/spindoctor/overview.html). Sadly, the improvement I've seen in LP noise has been less than miraculous.
    Many reviewers say great things about SoundSoap2, but I was disappointed. It is the best noise reduction software I have tried, and also the most expensive ($129 - http://www.bias-inc.com/products/soundSoap2/), but I was unable to make much improvement in LP pops and scratches without also degrading the overall quality of the audio. It has a "Learn Noise" feature which is very cool - in theory. Find a groove to sample with pops (but no music) and SoundSoap2 will eliminate the same noise profile from the entire recording. There is another cool feature in which you can listen just to the "noise" which is to be removed - and there you will hear the learned "pop" also includes quite a bit of the music spectrum.
    SoundSoap2 is pretty good at cleaning up hiss from tape recordings and wind noise from microphone recordings, but not so good for LPs.
    Some editing software (like CD Spin Doctor and SoundSoap2) offer an "Exciter" or "Excitifier" effect which helps restore some of the brilliance and high end which is lost in noise reduction. This is one of the few effects which I've found to be useful, if used in moderation.
    I haven't tried "ClickRepair" which I just learned about from this thread, but after reading the website (http://wwwmaths.anu.edu.au/~briand/sound/) and Version Tracker, I'm hopeful that it will perform better than CD Spin Doctor and Soundsoap2. Thanks for the tip.
    * Import into iTunes:
    After I have the recording edited and cleaned, I import it into iTunes. At this stage I usually have AIFF files, one for each track on the LP. In iTunes, the album and tracks will have generic names (track 1, track 2, etc.), so I edit the Album name, track titles, genre, year, etc (File>Get info>Info tab); Select the whole album before "get info" to edit the Album, Artist, Genre and Year info, but select each track one-at-a-time to edit the Track titles.
    Next, I burn one or two "master" copies of the edited recording as an audio CD form the AIFF files. Be aware that if you burn an audio CD, the album and track names you edited will appear only when you insert that CD back into the same Mac it was burned on - take it to another Mac or PC and all you will see are the Generic names (track 1, etc) - this is normal for an audio (AIFF) CD.
    Because they take up so much room, I don't keep AIFF files on my hard drive - I use iTunes to convert them to MP3 files (Advanced>Convert Selection to MP3). You may want to use AAC or some other format, instead. Consider all possible future uses of your iTunes library (iPod vs non-Apple MP3 player, compatibility with the CD player in your car or home stereo, quality of your playback equipment, etc.)
    To change the quality of the MP3 or AAC files imported to iTunes, go to: Preferenes>Advanced>Importing. (I use a Custom import setup of: High Quality (160kbps), Variable bit rate - a step up from the mor common 128kbps MP3.) Whatever settings you have selected here is what will be used when your AIFF files are converted to MP3. After converting the recording to MP3, I delete the AIFF file from iTunes (and my hard drive), but I keep my master (AIFF) CD in a safe, accessible location.
    If I want a music mix to listen to in my car, or for a party, or for background music while I work, the MP3 files on my hard drive are fine. However, if I really want to listen to the music on quality playback equipment, I'll choose the CD I burned from the uncompressed (AIFF) file.
    Hope this helps.

  • HT2929 How do I transfer vinyl recorded on a PC to iTunes?

    How do I transfer vinyl recorded on a PC to iTunes?

    What format was it recorded on?  Wav? MP3? 
    If so, just use the Add File To Library or Add folder to Library options in iTunes File Menu.
    iTunes: About the Add to Library, Import, and Convert functions - Apple Support

  • I used a usb turntable to import old vinyl records into iTunes. Then with the cloud and iTunes match I put them on another Mac.  The songs come up in the music list but they are greyed out.  How do I get them recognized.

    I used a usb turntable to import old vinyl records into iTunes. Then with the cloud and iTunes match I put them on another Mac.  The songs come up in the music list but they are greyed out.  How do I get them recognized.  The symbol states the songs were downloaded from iCloud.  I would like to get them to play so that I can make a playlist, and burn a CD.

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    - Reset all settings      
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    - Restore from backup. See:                                 
    iOS: How to back up           
    - Restore to factory settings/new iOS device.

  • What do I need to hook up a turntable directly to the iPhone 5s in order to record vinyl records?

    What do I need in order to hook up a turntable directly to the iPhone 5s in order to record vinyl records?

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