Hi, Is there any kit out there that will play LPs, CDs (Tapes would be a bonus) that can encode with clarity to a PC or CD. I did just get one (without tape facility)from a newspaper offer (Daily Express) but its "retro" appearance is ugly and I am not impressed with it's technology. In fact it doesn't detect the CD when loaded so it is going back. It will play LPs and CDs but comes with flash key to encode to, which can then be transferred to PC or MP3 etc. It's a gift for 76 yr old Dad and can't afford to pay for supreme technology. Urgent responses very welcome. Also any adivice on the best software for this. Regards, Marina

I believe there are a number of USB turntables - you just plug them into your computer (you didn't say whether it's a Mac or a Pee Sea) and come with the necessary software. What the quality is like, I have no idea. I would also guess that any cassette deck or player can be hooked up using a 3,5mm mini jack lead.
To do the job properly, however, one needs a good turntable and a dedicated CD recorder - I use a Linn LP12 and a Pioneer CDR609 - and clean up the files on my Mac using ClickRepair - the end results are as good as, if not better than commercially recorded CDs.

If you already have a t/t buy an mp3 player that will encode 256 quality on the fly from your amp's analog tape out, then convert mp3 to CD & burn. iAudio come to mind (& it also has excellent FM radio + voice recording).

Using a Linn LP12 and hi-end amp the results (playback off iAudio, not converted CD) are better than the original vinyl (hint: recorded with amp volume at zero to elinate feedback).

Many thanks Julian and Richard for your prompt replies. You both mention Linn LP12; any more info on where to get this? I will look it up on the web anyway. Regards, Marina

The Linn LP12 is a superb turntable - but very expensive new - there are some reviews on this site (including one by me!). However, you can pick one up at a greatly reduced price on eBay. The trouble is, once you have got one of these, you will realise how bad many CDs and CD players are.
There are other, more affordable turntables out there - Rega and ProJect spring to mind - and other, better turntables but you will need to take out a (second) mortgage for not much of an improvement.
Second-hand buys worth considering include Thorens, Systemdek, Michell.

Pro-Ject now do a USB turntable that I think might be a good idea for you. It's a little low on features (no auto return and you have to change the speed manually).

There are some problems with the Linn for the casual user. It's a touch high maintenance and most of them only play 33 1/3. I love mine but it takes work to get it right. Again, it has no features other than an 'on switch'.

This looks like it will do the business. The company has a reputation for fine sounding, value for money products. The cartridge is also quite a respectable beast.
Once you have got the sound onto your computer, get yourself a copy of ClickRepair - this software does exactly what it says on the box and is relatively easy to use. It's available for Macs and PCs. I have cleaned up some pretty horrendously damaged records and unlike filtering systems that also get rid of some of the music, this just gets rid of the clicks and pops.
The developer is also working on a program that will get rid of vinyl roar - I have been beta testing it for some time now and it does its stuff but the interface is still a bit clunky.
There will also be a denoise application to get rid of tape hiss so you will be able to digitise your cassettes in the not too distant future.

There are also products like this.

Some of the user reviews are less than complimentary and of course, this is a PC only application. There are other operating systems...
I have cleaned up and burned to CD several hundred records and have sold the original vinyl on eBay.
Now if only someone would make a flat bed scanner that could scan an LP sleeve in one take - instead of stitching multiple scans together in Photoshop...

Don't you just copy & paste from Amazon? ;)

Chris

No - 72 dpi and tiny little images... I scan the sleeves at 300 dpi and print on photo quality paper.

Aah. I was thinking Ipod.

iPod - yo mean lo fi - or should that be un fi or even in fi?

But seriously, there's still an awful lot of vinyl recordings that haven't made it into the digital age which means the artwork isn't available either.

Hi Julian and Christopher, your comments and recommendations have been extremely helpful. Thank you very much. Regards, Marina

As no one has mentioned the way I do this - here it is:
I use an Edirol UA-1X USB audio interface connected to an output of my amp which via USB connects to the PC (or Mac for that matter.) To record I use the Open Source free software Audacity (again PC or Mac available,) which allows me to save wav files (they make much better quality CD's than any MP3.) As I don't have an MP3 player and always make a CD this suits me fine. I can always make MP3's from the Audacity file if I need to anyway. Audacity also has a noise reduction filter and loads of other features, but I don't tend to use them. As the Edirol connects to the amp I can wav/mp3 cassettes this way as well.

Audacity is a good application although its <repair> filter is a filter - it gets rid of some of the music - unlike ClickRepair.
I am told that some Windoze machines introduce spurious low level noise into audio recordings - unlike Macs - it's to do with the physical layout and internal earthing.
If you really must have your music in MP3 format, iTunes (for both PCs and Macs) allows you to encode these from WAV and AIFF (PC and Mac audio formats, respectively) files.
I would have thought that a regular 2 phono to mini jack lead would work just as well as a USB lead - plug the mini jack into the line in on your computer and the 2 phonos into the tape out on your hi fi amplifier. I use this to hook up a mixing desk to my Mac for live recordings.

Howard and Julian, seems like some good options ~ very much appreciated. Regards, Marina