Converting LP to digital. Advice please...

All I can say is: Sweet Vinyl SC2 = $2,000 retail
Tascam = $1,000 retail, and can be had at a modest discount.

Also, two experienced and technically knowledgeable guys on VA swear by the Tascam.  Both say they either cannot distinguish the recording from the original vinyl or that the two are so close in quality that the difference is trivial.  Dave Garretson has already performed a modest tweak to the PS of his Tascam and reports an upgrade, from "barely different from the LP" to "no audible difference compared to the LP".  Dave's vinyl system is first rate.  But I admit this is all hearsay.

I don't question your basic premise that (digital) technology marches on and that eventually something better than the Tascam will come along, just as the Tascam has eclipsed the Alesis.  Whether the Sweet Vinyl is that new product, I don't know.

PS. I don't like the idea of hooking up any digital device in the signal path of my phono.  Removing "ticks and pops" cannot be a free lunch with no untoward effects on the music.  Plus the mere fact of running the signal from a phono cartridge through an extra pair of male and female connectors before it gets to the phono stage (assuming the SC inserts at that point) cannot be without penalty. Moreover, ticks and pops are a rarity in my system, not really bothersome at all, even when occasionally they do occur.  Of course, anyone else who is totally allergic to ticks and pops may go ahead and indulge.  I will look up Fremer's review.

Additional A/D converters that appear to be well worth considering, and are just now being introduced, are the Sound Devices MixPre-3 (24/96 max, $649), and the Sound Devices MixPre-6 (24/192 max, $899).

They record to an SD memory card, and the recorded files can then be easily copied to a computer hard drive from either the card or the recorder itself.

Over the years Sound Devices has established a reputation as a "go to" supplier of very high quality equipment for a wide range of pro audio applications, as described in the "About" page of their website. They introduce new products infrequently, and I have no reason to doubt that these devices are sonically competitive with many that sell for much higher prices.

I have no affiliation, other than having just ordered a MixPre-6 for applications unrelated to my audio system.

Regards,
-- Al
 

Lewm -

I am in general agreement with your post. It is the convenience features of the Sweet Vinyl SC-2 that are appealing to me.

I have around 2500 LP’s that I want to digitize. I have an Alesis Masterlink. It is nice for making the occasional recording, but there is no way I am going to digitize my entire collection with it. The process is too cumbersome. The Tascam, and the Sound Devices units that Al mentions, allow recording to a usb stick or sd card, but other than that, none of them seem much easier to use than the Alesis that I own.

It is the splitting and naming of tracks, and the de-clicking, that takes up a lot of my time. The extra cost of the Sweet Vinyl SC-2 in my case would be worth it, as it does all of this in real time while the record is being played and recorded.

I don’t doubt that recordings made with the Tascam are excellent. I strongly considered buying it to replace my Masterlink. I am familiar with the two guys on VA and have much respect for their technological knowledge. I have owned some of the same gear that they currently own, but have moved on and discovered other gear that were an improvement to my ears. Such could be the case with the SC-2; who knows until it has been tried and evaluated?

I’m waiting to read further reviews of the SC-2. If the sound quality is good, and preliminary reports are positive, I would choose the SC-2 as it is worth the extra money to me if it means it will make it easier and quicker to digitize my collection. If I were only doing an occasional recording here and there, the Alesis, Tascam, or Sound Devices would suffice.

The feature that takes out the clicks and pops during playback is just a bonus that would be fun to play with. I agree with your philosophy that simpler connections are better. I would use the feature in something like a tape loop so that I can switch back and forth and do a comparison. If I hear a degradation of sound quality, I would not use the feature most of the time, but I would use it on occasion for fun or for some of my more compromised records.

I used to think about buying the Alesis when it was best bang for the buck.  Then I switched to thinking about the Tascam. But I know my own habits all too well, which means I know that I will never invest the time it takes to convert even a small fraction of my own 2500 LPs to digital. I don't even particularly want to do that.  I try to keep up with what's happening in that area only because I am attracted to the gadgetry. These days it's difficult enough for me just to get time to listen to music. 

Vinyl Studio is a great program for this process. It can record the data from USB or import a file. You can split the files and do various cleanup operations. One of its main advantages is that it does lookup of album data for several databases including discogs and imports track timings and names. This greatly speeds up the task of splitting tracks and providing names and other metadata. 30 day trial and only $29 for the license. Don't let the low price deter you - it is a great program.