Reply to: Vinyl to MP3

[Cowboy Bob]

Just looked on the left side of my Thinkpad T43 and the symbol says it's a Mic. It could be fibbing but it does take my little external mike just fine.

Same for old Toshiba, and on that I did not that it was Mic in the instructions too.

My old Thinkpad R51 had both line in and mic in. Don't see the point of only having a mic in when most laptops have condensers built in. Still, you can always get a USB audio input box if necessary.

[wendigo100]

Because MP3 copies have data missing by design - and yes you can hear the difference when played through a top-end system.

Also because I have stuff on vinyl that was never released on CD. Lots of it. It's not that unusual.

Me too - for example, Mr Raffles has been fecked up from the original vinyl version on every digital copy I've found online, plus some stuff by Family.

[expat]

Has there ever been any Muse on vinyl?

No I don't think so, though some bands do release on vinyl as well as CD.

Noticed "Love" on Amazon in a vinyl+Cd bundle: so after years of getting us to pay high prices for CD copies of our old vinyl, now they get us to buy both at the same time.

[expat]

I've never seen a laptop without line in, though I've seen them without mic in (my MacBook has no mic in, but has line in). Are you sure you're not getting it the wrong way round? Since laptops have built in condenser mics they'd forego the mic in I'd have assumed.

Or, as you said, get a USB input box. M-audio stuff is pretty good, though may be a tad expensive unless you're a pro.

Just looked on the left side of my Thinkpad T43 and the symbol says it's a Mic. It could be fibbing but it does take my little external mike just fine.

Same for old Toshiba, and on that I did not that it was Mic in the instructions too.

[Cowboy Bob]

Sounds like you're suffering from Tom Jones Syndrome

[expat]

Because MP3 copies have data missing by design - and yes you can hear the difference when played through a top-end system.

Also because I have stuff on vinyl that was never released on CD. Lots of it. It's not that unusual.

Sounds like you're suffering from Tom Jones Syndrome

[Cowboy Bob]

Why bother ! Unless and probably even if you have some obscure stuff on vinyl, you should be able to find a copy on the internet - emule, limewire, not to mention all the pay sites ???

Because MP3 copies have data missing by design - and yes you can hear the difference when played through a top-end system.

Also because I have stuff on vinyl that was never released on CD. Lots of it. It's not that unusual.

[lukemg]

Why bother ! Unless and probably even if you have some obscure stuff on vinyl, you should be able to find a copy on the internet - emule, limewire, not to mention all the pay sites ???

[Cowboy Bob]

Also got a Garrard 301 transcription turntable with an Acos Lustre arm & shure M75. Plays 78s.

We've (me and Mrs Bob) got a Realistic Lab-500 from the late 70s with a new GoldRing cartridge in it. Only the best for our vinyl.

Our amp is new though, a Rotel powering a couple of Tannoy speakers.

[DS23]

Plays 78s.

Feck.

I feel even older...

if you bought the 78's when they came out - you have a right to feel that way.

[DS23]

Use a proper turntable and connect to your computer via an amp and the line in on your sound card. Those USB things are sh!te quality and are just toys really.

proper turntable and amp is better but the usb connectors are not that bad. i found the quality perfectly acceptable. the process of playing, recording, cleaning and uploading is quite time consuming. a labour of love.

[Cowboy Bob]

Oh yeah, you'll need something to remove the hiss and crackle as well. The best program I've found for this is Gnome Wave Cleaner for Linux. I'd recommend downloading the free VMWare Player and an Ubuntu virtual appliance to get it going.

[portseven]

Use a proper turntable and connect to your computer via an amp and the line in on your sound card. Those USB things are sh!te quality and are just toys really.

Hmm, sounds like a good excuse to treat myself. Have always fancied a Technics SL1210, frustrated DJ etc

[Cowboy Bob]

Unfortunaltely many laptops don't have a Line In, just Mic. That is a different voltage and is not properly balanced for Line either. If you have a good vinyl collection and a good player, you might want to get a USB sound card.

I've never seen a laptop without line in, though I've seen them without mic in (my MacBook has no mic in, but has line in). Are you sure you're not getting it the wrong way round? Since laptops have built in condenser mics they'd forego the mic in I'd have assumed.

Or, as you said, get a USB input box. M-audio stuff is pretty good, though may be a tad expensive unless you're a pro.

[wendigo100]

I have one called "Muse", almost appropriate except I don't have any Muse on vinyl!

Has there ever been any Muse on vinyl?