Comments on: Blasphemy! Ripping LPs to CD

By: John Mitchell

John Mitchell — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:45:28 +0000

Alan: It’s great that you have taken the time to post clear instructions on ripping LPs to CD. I want to follow up on Ben Skelton’s remark about the danger of operating a receiver or amplifier that is not connected to speakers or headphones. I suggest that you remove the suggestion that starts “I usually unplug my speakers with the theory being …”, since it may lead some music enthusiasts to inadvertently damage their equipment.

I’m not an expert on audio electronics, so I don’t know if some types of amplifier/receiver are more prone to damage than others in such situations, but my amplifier’s instruction manual clearly warns the user not to run it without a “load” (i.e., speakers).

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:51:40 +0000

Thanks for all of the information!

By: Ben Skelton

Ben Skelton — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:23:46 +0000

I really enjoyed reading the information in this article, but I need to clarify one of the paragraphs. You were talking about the audio levels the computer reads as the record is being recorded, and stated if it clips, then turn the volume down on the receiver, and if the level is too low, then increase the receiver volume. The fact is, tape out, or monitor out jacks on the receiver is connected before the receivers’ volume control, so therefore, it has no effect on the level reaching the record out jacks. I would not connect the computer to the output jacks that are part of the combination of PREAMP OUT/ POWER AMP IN jacks, because all the controls on the receiver affects the output at those jacks. Another comment I want to make is: NEVER operate the receiver without speakers or headphones connected to it. To do so, will burn out the output stages of the amplifier, especially when you state that you can turn up the volume control with no speakers connected to it and then leave the room. I agree with everything else in the article, with the exception of the RIAA curve, and the comment cleared up that misconception.

By: Alan

Alan — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 01:13:06 +0000

Definitely much easier to use a CD recorder than it is to copy it into a computer, then burn it to a CD. Thanks for the tip!

By: Ben Baldassano

Ben Baldassano — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 00:59:43 +0000

Hi, Just a quick thought…I transfer my vinyl using my Sony 6036A Receiver from the 1970′s, A Realistic Mixer (which allows me to adjust bass and treble) and an Teac CD Recorder. It’s never let me down yet!!!
Ben

By: Alan

Alan — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 19:02:44 +0000

Thanks for the info. I guess the most important thing I wanted to stress was that you shouldn’t rip a record by connecting the turntable directly to a computer, but to run it through a pre-amp first, which is still true.

By: Roger Perry

Roger Perry — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 12:29:35 +0000

You write:
Believe it or not, but vinyl records are EQ’d before pressing. I don’t want to go into it here, but basically to fit all of the musical data on a record, some of the frequencies have to be shaved off the actual record, and added back to the music during playback.

Misleading. No frequencies are “shaved off”. They are all on the recording, which is done “flat”. Then lower frequencies are cut on the vinyl at a lower level than the mid, while higher frequencies are boosted on the disc. The process is reversed on replay by the amplifier. The reason is to prevent very large groove widths (from bass notes) on the disc, and to get the best signal to noise ratio (treble detail to hiss).

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:56:09 +0000

Yes, of course you’ll lose less of the integrity of the recording by eliminating a few links in the chain.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:16:22 +0000

I prefer to record directly onto a CD recorder. I already had a master CD player so I bought a second one for doing rips. If you are going to go down the route of using USB turntables (Sobs into his beer) then you may as well just download an MP3, they sound appalling. I am using a Linn Sondek LP12 as my turntable and have a Naim Audio CD Player, the CD recorder is a Sony

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:41:28 +0000

Absolutely. If you want to rip your LPs to CD in the easiest way, a USB turntable is the way to go. I’ll be adding these products to the shop very soon.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:39:43 +0000

This one will do the job without any hassle: http://i.gizmodo.com/5139666/ion-lp2cd-turntable-rips-your-vinyl-records-straight-to-cd