Easiest Way to Burn CD's???

[Wolverine]

I am looking to record my growing vinyl collection onto CD so I can play my albums in the car of on my CD upstairs.

Is this easiest way to do this just getting a decent DVD recorder and hook it up to my tape output/inputs like it was a cassette deck?

[whoaru99]

Just connect those tape outs to the input of your computer sound card, record onto the hard drive, then burn the CD.

There's free software like Audacity et al. to use for the recording program.

[OvenMaster]

Wolverine:
IMHO, your way is the fastest and easiest, but whoaru99's method would enable you to edit out mistakes and such. And there will be mistakes that would annoy you every time you heard them when you play back the CD! :yes:
Tom

[drknstrmyknight]

Moving them to the computer is going to allow you to tag and organize your collection, as well as potentially cleaning them up and burning custom compilations. I'm with WHOARU99 on this one.

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

You will need a standalone CD Recorder to do this instead of a DVD Recorder. The DVD Recorder won't play in most car stereos. Tascam, Marantz, or the Alesis Masterlink is best. Computer recording is OK but less convenient for most. I do rip my standalone recordings to the PC if further EQ or light noise reduction is needed. The Sony, Teac, or Philips type units require Music or Digital Audio blanks and can't do multiple generation dubs without converting to analog. They also have a more limited choice of blank media. For ripping CD recordings, I use EAC (Exact Audio Copy) to Sound Forge.

[soundmotor]

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q294/soundmotor/portable_flamethrower.png

[BrocLuno]

4 stereo systems around the house, shop and office. Each has a TT. Just play the record.

Oh, you want it in the car and don't like cassette? OK, TT to PC (M Audio 24/96) to Diamond Cut 6 to Roxio Easy CD (older version 'cause it makes nice 1:1 CD copies easy).

[rwortman]

I use a Tascam CD-RW900. The current model is called a CD-RW900SL http://www.tascam.com/products/cd-rw900sl.htmlbecause it has a slot loading CD drive instead of the drawer in mine. I tried recording with a PC and was not thrilled with the results. I thought about buying an pro audio sound card and changed my mind and bought the Tascam. Unlike the consumer grade CD recorders you can use cheap computer disks and the sound quality is head and shoulders above using the sound card in your computer. I do mean night and day. Playback is almost indistinguishable from the LP itself. I bought mine on Ebay for around $400.

[terra1]

Easiest vinyl to CD recording for me is a standalone recorder.

Best control and editing is computer set up. I know people who have computer setups love theirs, but not all computers are equal and you have to account for that.

I use a Pioneer PDR-555RW standalone recorder hooked up to my audio system as my Tape 2 Monitor replacing a tape deck. Basically plug and play -- or record the same night I got it. No extra equipment required except the audio/music CD-R. This also allows me to record and archive cassettes from Tape 1 and even FM if I so desire.

Since I have already optimized my audio system through the years for the sound I want, I decided to go this route instead of reinventing the wheel and try to figure out how to archive vinyl direct into a computer sound card. I didn't feel like dealing with computer/audio compatibility issues, preamps, upgrades, researching optimal equipment, software, RAM and hard drive space, etc. This not even accounting for logistics of the location of computer vs the stereo set up.

Negatives are I have to use audio/music CD-Rs instead of data CD-Rs with the Pioneer. But I get the TDK 75 pack at Costco for $16.99 and that's fine with me.

I also don't use the auto track feature because it sometimes gets fooled by silences and could unexpectedly shut down recording. So I record whole sides of an LP at once. I think it uses SCMS which restricts digital recording of copy-protected CD, I think you can make an analog copy. But I don't use it for CD copying anyway, so I don't know much about how that actually works.

Ideally, the popular Tascam, HHB, or Alexis models would be exciting, but I could never compete with the bidding price range. The pro models can defeat SCMS and use data CD-Rs. I got my first Pioneer PDR-555RW off eBay ($123.50) and I loved it so much I got a 2nd off craigslist for $100. Be sure it has a remote. Here's a link where you can download the manual:
http://www.service.pioneer-eur.com/peeservice/RegistrInstrMan.nsf/search?openform&Modelnr=pdr-555rw

For computer CD copying and burning: I have an Acer CD-ROM I use for ripping CDs and Memorex CD/DVD drive for burning. I use EAC for ripping and Nero 6 for burning.

[Wolverine]

Thanks for all the advice to this point. I was going to go the computer route but no easy way to set it up without moving the computer to my set-up. I did pick-up a Toshiba D-R400 not neccessarily because i am going that route but needed to record the family VHS tapes and CC had it marked down from $170 to $119 so I had to jump on it. LIke the idea of the stand alone CD-Burner but will need to check out the cost. I wonder if my daughter's Mac Book would do this and then I would not have to lug the main computer..... decsions...decisions...

[BrassTeacher]

The MacBook has 24-bit/96kHz capability built in, as well as "core audio" in the operating system, which allows storing sound files in 32-bit floating point format. There was a great article awhile back in AudioXpress about doing this, and making audio DVDs from vinyl that were much higher than CD-quality.

[Wolverine]

The MacBook has 24-bit/96kHz capability built in, as well as "core audio" in the operating system, which allows storing sound files in 32-bit floating point format. There was a great article awhile back in AudioXpress about doing this, and making audio DVDs from vinyl that were much higher than CD-quality.

Brass

Thank you!
Is there any way you might be able to send me the link for the article you mention? I went to the site and don't know where to begin.

[rwortman]

BTW I record to CD-RW on my Tascam and then rip it into the computer for final editing and burning to a CDR. Best of both worlds.

[PMARTEL]

I just bought a dvd recorder & using it to transfer lp's. I take my dvd version of the lp & dump it onto the hard drive for restoration. Using Adobe Audition 1.5 with stunning results. If I get ambitious enough, I have fun experimenting with 96KHz/38 bit. The results have been stunning. I took an old Bert Kaempfert album & have turned one specific track into an audio demo cut. The only hirch is a limited hard drive at 10gig &, of course, time!!!

[GoMizzou1954]

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/Search.do?c=1&searchType=user&keyword=turntable&searchSection=All&go.x=6&go.y=9

[Franksta]

I see why some like the stand alone recorder method but if you take a little time and set up a system on a desktop computer the results are as good or better sonically as the stand alone recorder and there is much more editing flexability.

First off if you don't have your desktop hooked to a stereo sytem (preferably a vintage one) then you are missing out to start with. You need to hook the computer to a receiver with a good phono section. Next the soundcard on the computer needs to be designed for higher end audio production. There are a lot of those available. I have my 4 channel Soundblaster card hooked to a Harman Kardon 730 receiver. There are line in's and line outs on any nicer soundcards. They are hooked to the receiver's line in/line out tape monitor loop. Then the TT is hooked to the recievers phono input of course. Use the stereo mini to dual male RCA plugs for both the input and outputs (get these in as high quality as possible).

You can then use any number of different free software programs to record from the TT to the hard drive on your computer. Windows media player, Winamp, or Jetaudio all come to mind. Select record and then the source (LINE IN). Make sure that the Line In on the player control (that little speaker icon on the lower toolbar) is not muted so that the signal will get through. Now you can que up the record start the recorder on the computer and adjust the record levels. You can name the file and send it to any folder you choose.

What I do is record the LP's in WAV format. I purchased the software DEPOPPER for $18. It is the best inexpensive noise eliminators that I know of. It is simple and it works great. It processes only WAV files. It will take all the pops and clicks out as well as hiss and it will normalize the volume too. Just load up the original files that you just recorded and named. Depopper will process them and put the new improved file in the same folder the originals were in and tag them with .new on the end. Now, just load these new cleaned up files into your favorite burner and burn your CD.

There is a free software called Switch along with other similar programs that converts files to other formats and sends them to where you designate. If I want to leave the music on the computer too you can load those huge WAV files into Switch and convert them to Mp3's at up to 320 kbps. Remember to delete those original noisy WAV files and everything is cool. It's not a bad idea to make 2 CD copies of those clean WAV files while you are at it. One to play and one as a backup. Store it on a spindle that you can keep in a safe place. By the way you can run a copy of this depopped CD off on a stand alone CD recorder if you like.

A good thing to remember is that you can also record from many other sources using this setup as long as they are hooked into the receiver. Cassettes, reels, minidisc, etc. Of course you can enjoy streams and music playback from your computer on the system also. It's amazing how good a computer with a good soundcard sounds played back into a nice system. I have never heard a computers speaker system that sounds as good. I have that HK 730 hooked to a pair of Dynaco A-25XL's in the front and a pair of Mission 760i's in the rear. I spend a lot of time "listening" to my computer:D. Good Luck! Franksta

[Fisher-Dave]

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q294/soundmotor/portable_flamethrower.png


Depending on how he wants to burn them,if he want's to really burn them up then I'd say your way would get the job done best :smoke:

[terra1]

I see why some like the stand alone recorder method but if you take a little time and set up a system on a desktop computer the results are as good or better sonically as the stand alone recorder and there is much more editing flexability.

Thanks for being so thorough. A lot of times pro computer burneristas don't give enough information on how to set up and provide an end to end solution. It always seems like there are gaps in the steps and I'm struggling with but what about this and that. You're post is very helpful.

I totally agree burning with a PC gives you the most editing and control and eventually I may get there.

[BrassTeacher]

Brass

Thank you!
Is there any way you might be able to send me the link for the article you mention? I went to the site and don't know where to begin.

I left that issue at the shop for some stupid reason, and I don't think that article is online. I'll try to remember to bring it home tomorrow.

The cool thing is that with the MacBook, you should already have just about everything you need, except for the version of Toast the author uses. You'll need a normal phono preamp, and a cable to plug the preamp into the MacBook's line-in, unless you have a phono preamp with USB output.

[tomwil]

Originally Posted by BrassTeacher

The MacBook has 24-bit/96kHz capability built in, as well as "core audio" in the operating system, which allows storing sound files in 32-bit floating point format. There was a great article awhile back in AudioXpress about doing this, and making audio DVDs from vinyl that were much higher than CD-quality.

Brass

Thank you!
Is there any way you might be able to send me the link for the article you mention? I went to the site and don't know where to begin.


The article can be found at http://www.audioxpress.com/magsdirx/ax/addenda/media/staggs2737_highres.pdf

[Cloth Ears]

Just connect those tape outs to the input of your computer sound card, record onto the hard drive, then burn the CD.

There's free software like Audacity et al. to use for the recording program.

I use Audacity to burn my cassettes down to the PC. Then I use EAC to remove glitches and spikes. I'd so the same for vinyl if I wanted to, but mostly I just play them.

I hadn't thought about the car, maybe I should try transferring my Laurie Anderson 5-LP set down and putting it in the car - the missus will be soooo pleased!

[soundhd]

You might want to check out HHB's line of studio quality CD recorders/players.........very nice gear.............sound great also.....a little pricey but alot of extra features on them.....pro audio quality..........