[newcomer]

my apologies if this has been covered elsewhere - but my search only threw up a thread from 2001, so i was hoping for some up to the minute advice(!)

i have a large collection of Vinyl (and some things on tape), which i really want to transfer to CD.

i have an iMac, but the only software i have is iTunes. I have an old technics hi-fi (mid 80s) with a turntable.

am i right in thinking that the only software i need is Toast Titanium, and that the only hardware i need is a cable to connect my imac and my hifi?

if so what cable do i need, and what port/jack do i need on my hi fi?

how does toast get the audio off the vinyl and in what form does it then save it on the mac, for burning to CD? Is it possible to take it off the vinyl as mp3 (so as not to clog up my hard drive with big files) before burning it back to CD as wav?

cheers dudes!

[Nap]

Originally posted by newcomer:


"if so what cable do i need, and what port/jack do i need on my hi fi?"

"how does toast get the audio off the vinyl and in what form does it then save it on the mac, for burning to CD? Is it possible to take it off the vinyl as mp3 (so as not to clog up my hard drive with big files) before burning it back to CD as wav?"

cheers dudes!

Well, Toast 5 came with a cable; mini-stereo that plugs into the line-in jack on the computer and the other end has red and white RCA jacks that plug in to line-out on your stereo.

As indicated above it expects to plug in to the line-out of your stereo. It comes with an aplication called CD Spin Doctor which they claim is optimized for getting sound off vinyl; it has filters to help eliminate pop and hiss from LPs, for example. I haven't actually use CD Spin Doctor so I am just telling you what it says in the Toast 5 Manual (242 pages) I am not sure what format it is saving on your disk but it does say "one minute of recording time takes 10 MB of disk space. Thus one hour of recording time takes 600 MB on your hard disk" Those figures suggest it is storing in a uncompressed format like AIFF. MP3 would probably be closer to 1 MB per minute.

[zigzag]

I've used Toast/Spin Doctor, but there are some cheaper/free recording applications that you can use instead - check under "audio" or "recording" at www.macupdate.com or www.versiontracker.com . One example is http://www.realmacsoftware.com/audiox.php Others I've heard mentioned are Coaster, Wiretap, Felt Tip Soundstudio, and Audiocorder. But Toast/Spin Doctor works well and includes good CD burning software if you need that. Also see my comment about Final Vinyl below.

Do you have an older iMac? The older iMacs have analog inputs. Just run a stereo RCA cable from the tape-out jacks of your hi-fi to the iMac (you'll need a stereo to 1/8" minijack converter - Toast 5 came with one). Open the recording software and go. You'll probably get large AIFF files. Import them to into iTunes, convert them to AAC or MP3, and trash the AIFFs.

If you have a flat panel iMac, you'll need something to convert the analog signal to USB (some people prefer to use USB on the old iMacs as well because the analog inputs could be noisy). The most common converter is the iMic from www.griffintechnology.com and it's only $30. Note that Griffin offers free recording software (Final Vinyl) that you can use with the iMic and allows you to run your turntable directly into your Mac (you'll still need an RCA stereo-to-miniplug cable or converter).

[Mark E]

Originally posted by zigzag:
If you have a flat panel iMac, you'll need something to convert the analog signal to USB

when the imacs went up to 1ghz they added an analogue sound in port.

[mrsmac]

OK - I'm resurrecting this one, since I now have the Griffin iMic and have started playing around with Final Vinyl. The results however are a little disappointing and my total lack of audio understanding probably isn't helping.

Basically I've connected everything together and figured out how to record and save files, but my big problem is with background noise.

Even with input levels (in final vinyl and in sys prefs) set to virtually zero, the turntable setting of +40db in the EQ panel still gives me a lot of background 'hum' in the gaps at the start and in between tracks, plus my recordings from vinyl are so quiet you can hardly hear them played back n iTunes or burned to a CD.

I hope I can get the results I need with a little tweeking but if anyone has experience with Final Vinyl and knows of good settings please let me know.

Also would it help if I bought a more expensive high quality 3.5mm to 2phono cable to connect turntable and iMic - the one I'm using right now is a bit cheap and nasty.

[mrsmac]

Help!!

When using Final Vinyl + iMic - does my turntable need to be connected to the hifi amplifier? With the recordings I've made so far being so quiet, I wondered whether this would make a difference?

On the one hand the instructions for Final Vinyl suggest that only the turntable is required, yet the support page of Griffin Technology says:

NOTE: Turntables require pre-amplification and a special equalization curve (called the RIAA curve). You need the receiver/amp that you would ordinarily use with your turntable, since you can’t connect it directly to the iMic.

[Freeflyer]

A turntable definitely needs amplification. It's just not going to work without either a regular amp with a phono (turntable) connection or a special separate phono amp.

Effectively you're recording via the microphone input which is a different level to that of the turntable. The phono amp stage brings the level up.

If you're just running the turntable output to the mic input then this is why it's a very quiet recording.

J.

[zigzag]

LPs are made with what is known as RIAA equalization, which compensates for the sonic limitations of vinyl. If you look at a really old LP cover, you'll see references to it.

A phono preamp is required to apply proper re-equalization to the signal coming from the LP/turntable/cartridge. Most older receivers/amps have phono preamps built-in - that's why you have to plug your turntable leads into special "phono" inputs. A Technics receiver from the '80s would almost certainly have a phono preamp built-in.

As I understand it, Final Vinyl is designed to do the re-equalization in place of a phono preamp. Therefore, if you're using Final Vinyl to record, DON'T USE A RECEIVER OR PHONO PREAMP! Just plug the turntable directly into the iMic and let Final Vinyl do the re-equalization. Make sure you're using the correct jack on the iMic and that the iMic switch is in the correct position. This is often a source of confusion.

If you're using recording software other than Final Vinyl, you'll need a phono-preamp/receiver to do the re-equalization first. In that case, plug the turntable into the phono inputs of your receiver, then connect the tape outs of your receiver to the iMic/Mac (this is where the instructions you quoted from the Griffin website apply).

Hopefully this will take care of your problems. As for the hum, that can be a problem with some cartridges/turntables. You might have to experiment, e.g. reverse the AC plug polarity, use a ground interceptor, etc. I think it's unlikely that your inexpensive cable is causing the problem, but anything's possible.

Good luck.

[Robster1958]

I just bought the iMic...and yes it looks like just the trick for getting my vinyl into iTunes and then to iPod.

I do have an older receiver with phono input...and it also has a "pre-out" set of jacks which i will experiment with. My cartridge is the higher output moving magnet variety vs. the moving coil with lower output but better sound...or is it the other way around??

The NY Times ran a pretty misleading article last thursday in Circuits section saying Toast was only mac option, but then you coundn't convert to mp3, etc.

Anyhow, I am very anxious to hear how others have fared with this vinyl to mp3 quest.

Oh..i cannot share my success or lack thereof because when i unpacked my pristine Yamaha turntable, the rubber belt was broken. DOH!! A little Google and eBay and a it was surprisingly easy and cheap to order a replacement...but now i will have to wait a few days.

[Nivag]

i currently use AudioX for converting Vinyl to my Mac - it saves the file as .mov, which is a fairly large file size for music, but you can export it to .mp4 for a smaller file size. It also converts to other file types as well or you can use Quicktime Pro for even more types.

I've got a PB Pismo, so i can use the Audio in socket to connect to my record player.

Also if you want to batch process lots of .mov files may i recommend this app QuickTime QuickBatch - a great timesaver, select the files to export and off it goes, runs in the background or go a make a cup of tea while it works