What is my best bet for getting some LPs digitised ?

Like most foolsxxxx people I got rid of my turntable some years ago.

Jo

"Jo" wrote in message
...
What is my best bet for getting some LPs digitised ?

Like most foolsxxxx people I got rid of my turntable some years ago.

Jo

Interesting question, to which the answer involves more questions:-

How many albums do you want digitised?

Can the albums be purchased on CD?

If you only have one or two albums to convert, probably the cheapest
solution is to find a friendly audiophile to do it for you. Or, if the
albums you want converting are still available on CD, then just buy the CDs,
or get them from your local Public Library and copy them. Our Public Library
in Suffolk will get CDs in to order if they have them at any of their
branches. It may take a few months, but it works.

If you have lots of albums to convert, probably the cheapest option is to
buy a decent turntable. Ebay has lots available. You can then keep it or
sell it again as you wish. If you prefer to buy new, one of the cheaper
Pro-Ject seem to be good value.

Hope this helps.

S.

In ,
Serge Auckland typed:
"Jo" wrote in message
...
What is my best bet for getting some LPs digitised ?

Like most foolsxxxx people I got rid of my turntable some years ago.

Jo

Interesting question, to which the answer involves more questions:-

How many albums do you want digitised?


Not many, probably 20-30


Can the albums be purchased on CD?


Haven't checked them all, but there are some that definitely will not.

If you only have one or two albums to convert, probably the cheapest
solution is to find a friendly audiophile to do it for you. Or, if the
albums you want converting are still available on CD, then just buy
the CDs, or get them from your local Public Library and copy them.
Our Public Library in Suffolk will get CDs in to order if they have
them at any of their branches. It may take a few months, but it works.

If you have lots of albums to convert, probably the cheapest option
is to buy a decent turntable. Ebay has lots available. You can then
keep it or sell it again as you wish. If you prefer to buy new, one
of the cheaper Pro-Ject seem to be good value.

Hope this helps.


Yes, thanks. Useful suggestions. I hadn't thought of the library and I
haven't done an exhaustive search to see which ones might be available on
CD. I was just trying to get ideas from here before I made any decisions.

Jo

On Sat, 18 Mar 2006 15:31:04 +0000 (UTC), "Jo"
wrote:

What is my best bet for getting some LPs digitised ?

Like most foolsxxxx people I got rid of my turntable some years ago.

Well like most foolish people who have vinyl but not the turntable the first order of
business is............to get a turntable!

Get a used Rega, invest in a good cartridge/or new needle if it already has a
acartridge - and transfer using your integrated amp, which must have a PHONO input
for your type of cartridge. Simply hook the TAPE REC OUT to the LINE IN on the
computers sound card, sample using Adobe Auition or Goldwave or perhaps an open
source program like Audacity, and make wavs for burning cds.
If you don't want the pc route, then get a standalone cd-writer.
Don't buy CD-R discs for audio they are overpriced, and if you are like most people
who will not know the difference. I buy the cheapest around, I always buy 100+ if I
get to toss a few I will have laugh too.

If your integrated amp doesn't have an input for PHONO (aka turntable) or you don't
have an integrated amp (anymore) then a cheap RIAA amp will set you back 20-50
pounds, and even those can be bought used too.

When using a standalone RIAA amp, and I recommend getting one new for this project,
you can upgrade the quality of the setup by using battery power and not the wall
ac/dc adapter that ususally comes with those. The cheapest - and most reuseful
battery solution after the project is done - is getting some rechargable batteries at
your local electrical component outlets and make a combined battery near the voltage
required, which you can charge rarely and use without introducing hum into the
equation. Remember to keep everything grounded, and if possible keep mains cables as
far away from the audio cables as reasonbly possible.

Geting rid of your turntable already, may indicate that you are not going to use the
vinyl again, after transfering what is interesting for you today. So I anticipate
that some time after the digital process, when you are happy with what you have on
CD, you want to let go of your turntable, records, and RIAA amp and anything else you
used which can be offloaded to regain some money, perhaps enough to pay back for
those cd discs you bought.
The best way to offload vinyl is to offer a list of what you have, artist and title
of each record is enough to get peoples interest going, and someone may contact you
for more info. Those who will pay more for a single album or perhaps a handful of
albums will also be the ones reluctant to buy the lot. But selling a lot would mean a
lower price. you could also sell the record as they are processed, entertaining
single offers for one or more records, instead of waiting to get a small offer for
the lot once you are done.

-Mikkel

In ,
Mikkel Breiler typed:
On Sat, 18 Mar 2006 15:31:04 +0000 (UTC), "Jo"
wrote:

What is my best bet for getting some LPs digitised ?

Like most foolsxxxx people I got rid of my turntable some years ago.

Well like most foolish people who have vinyl but not the turntable
the first order of business is............to get a turntable!


:-)

Thanks Mikkel for your comprehensive reply.

Jo