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Best Way To Archive Vinyl On My PC

I have a metric $#%&load of vinyl that I'd like to archive on my PC. The native sound card has to go. I already have the PC-to-stereo big rig connection in place, and it functions. Now, I'd like to stereo-to-PC, so I can play all the vinyl using my good TT, into my PC. It looks like there's a movement afoot to go to PCI E sound cards. My current PC has only PCI sockets, so maybe USB is the way to go. I'm not sure. I'll probably go FLAC, WAV, etc. if I can find the space. Right now, all my tunes are high-bitrate MP3s, or M4As.

Any advice on this?
licoricepizza
ghasley
2,507 posts
 
Orpheus, thanks for the reply and I am glad that you are enjoying your music, that's what it is all about isn't it?

As an aside, you may catch some flack around here if you advocate too vociferously that coverting your vinyl to MP3 is remotely high quality. As long as you enjoy it, that is what is important but it is an accidental disservice on your part providing vinyl conversion advice to someone looking for answers without disclosing you are converting to MP3. Like many on this site, I find MP3 lacking considerably qualitatively. Just trying to be kind....
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
I don't know what MP3 is, and I don't care what MP3 is. I know good audio when I hear it, and if it's called KJ7, that's fine with me
ghasley
2,507 posts
 
Orpheus, please don't be defensive, i am trying to be very kind and understanding....I am actually not at all surprised that you didn't know the difference based on your posts in this thread.

MP3 files are a serious compromise.....data is intentionally omitted in order to shrink the file size. The typical MP3 track will be about 5mb. A standard redbook(16/44) cd track is about 80mb, a 24/192 sample of the same track is around 800mb. So for a MP3 track versus the other samples you can do the math and see how much data is missing.

I'm not saying a person can't enjoy MP3's.....you are enjoying your music and that is cool. I'm not trying to insult you at all but you might consider reading up about MP3's and the material sonic compromise inherent with them. At the other end of the spectrum, in my earlier posts, I have referred to 1 bit DSD or Direct Stream Digital. There is no higher quality method to record digitally today. It is the closest quality wise to an analog master tape and lower in noise.

I hope this dialogue has been helpful and a mild mea culpa on your part, following some research on your part, could help you save some face. We all have to learn sometime and alot of high quality music is in store for you! Imagine more of your favorite music with inner detail you've never heard awaits! Warm regards and happy listening.
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
My computer says WAV, where does MP3 come in.
daverz
487 posts
 
I get great results with an M-Audio Audiophile USB, which is a pretty old design. Unfortunately, I don't think this particular model is made anymore, but you can still buy it online. I usually use it with my Macbook. I take the output from my pre-amp's tape output.

I use Audacity for recording. Lately I've been recording at 24-bit/96 kHz, and it really does sound better to me. I save as FLAC and play back with a Squeezebox Touch. I use ClickRepair on a low setting for removing tics and pops. I suggest turning off the amp when recording to eliminate acoustic feedback.
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