any thoughts on vinyl to cd recording

A contrary opinion here. I need to digitize my vinyl, not to eliminate the need to listen to it, for I will continue to listen to vinyl on the big rig. However, for casual listening, and especially mobile use (car, iPod, etc.), I must digitize my vinyl. If money were no object, I could buy downloads or CDs of my LPs, but money is an issue. Besides, my results so far, even on my modest rig, have been delightful. CDRs I make sound much more dynamic and smooth than the majority of my commercially produced CDs.

My virtual system is posted, but the basic chain is:

Thorens TC-166 MkII/Ortofon OM-30 Super -> Conrad-Johnson PV11 pre (w/phono) -> Kenwood GE-7020 EQ -> Marantz CDR-632 stand-alone CD recorder. I use inexpensive, but good quality CD-Rs from Taiyo-Yuden. The EQ allows me to make subtle adjustments that work well in my car. I clean my LPs with the KAB EV-1 record cleaner (a no-frills vacuum cleaning machine), and surface noise is not really bothersome (but there is some, of course). I monitor the recording using Grado SR-60 cans (a terrific value).

Although many audiophiles suggest the Alessis CD recorder, the Marantz (TDK rebadges the same machine, too) is a lower-cost, less feature-laden machine that does a very nice job with analog to digital recording. I think it is on sale at SuperMediaStore.com this weekend. SuperMediaStore is a good source for blank media and other related items, too.

I spend more time listening to music in my car than anywhere else, so I am continuing the long slow process of digitizing my LPs. I do one LP each night, manually inserting track numbers in real time (I miss about 5% of them by a second or two). To save time, I just use large Post-It notes to hand-write the track listings, and stick them in the clear side of the jewel cases. I use a Sharpie to label the CD-R.

IMO, the whole process is kinda fun.

If the end result is targeted to transfering vinyl to a redbook cd I would not consider that worth the effort to do.

OTOH if the goal were to record at a hi-rez bit rate for use on a music server or playback on any non-redbook/mp3 format, it can be easily worth the effort. A hi-rez recording can be diluted down to cd/mp3 formats later for mobility or casual listening.

Needle drops are very labor intensive because it can involve much more tha simply pressing the RECORD button if it includes taking out the pops and clicks in the recording.

I use a stand alone CD recorder (a Pioneer PDR-555RW). MY unit may be a little older but it does make very nice CD copies from my vinyl discs. I have found when I copy an LP to one of these CDR's that they sound better in Redbook CD form that if I put in an play the commercially made CD version.

I make most of my CDR's for car listening use but one can be quit surprised at how good a CDR made from an LP can sound even in your home audio system.

Redbook CD's often take a beating by audiophiles and other music listening fans but honestly a good CD be it a commercially made one (though with the loudness wars on going for the last decade or so this is harder to find) and CDR's one can make at home especially in my case using my stand alone CD recorder a CD is a hi-fi medium, no most of the time LP's still sound somewhat to even substantially better but the CD is not some crappy system like MP3 is.