Digitize my vinyl records

Hello,

If i digitize my entire vinyl collection with a turntable in the price range 400-500 dollars, quite Ok player. What do I do when in a 2-3 year time, Im purchase a better record player? I must again digitize it again because the new sounds better? Surely a little problem, but what do people here? Dont wanna buy any album 2 times, and wanna digitize once.

That is a LOT of time-consuming work. You may consider digitizing only those albums that are not otherwise available via music services (Tidal, Spotify, etc.).

You may also find that there are newer versions (i.e., remastered versions) of the same albums that sound better than the version that you own.

And, of course, you need to tag every single track! (I did mention that it was a lot of work).

Years ago I digitized many of my old cassette tapes. Today, 90% of those recordings are available via Spotify or Tidal with better sound quality.

Just my 2 cents…

I think your options are:-

  1. buy a better turntable in the first place and stick with it for good.
  2. if you do buy a better turntable in the future:-
    a) re-rip your vinyl
    b) don’t re-rip your vinyl

I not sure what other advice folks can give you really!

Perhaps just re rip the vinyl that you favour the most, well a few albums to start with and see. If you really like the new rip over the old then you need to determine to what extent it’s worth re ripping more or all of your collection again.

Every play of vinyl takes a little away from it with wear…that’s why I would rip in the first place, but there is still that time when I must hear the vinyl play regardless…I think if you grew up with vinyl that’s the way it is…

Of course ripping ones vinyl also make it possible to take with you on the go.

It’s a labor of love which ever route you go.

Thanks for advice, its only one thing i can do then, priority of the record player is now number one.

What should i look into, when im purchasing a new record player? Is record player like Linn LP12 (Majik) a record player that you can have the rest of my lifetime?

The lp12 is no slouch when setup correctly. And there are plenty of tips on the vinyl forums for getting it right. Lenco’s are pretty popular too from the old school builds. Some newer brands also perform very well, and are all built to a price point. Your arm and cart play en equally big part.

Then of course there is the ADC process. I’m using a PS Audio New Wave Phono Converter with Bal in/out plus USB and digital out in up to 24/192 and pcm/dsd even. For under $1000 usd on run out at this time if there are any left.

I would say look at Rega as I know Roy Gandy puts everything into making a better product for the money.

Only didgitise what’s not available or the digital versions are poor sounding.

Get your album covers scanned to PDF and add them to Roon.

Understand that most modern vinyls are not really Analog in it’s pure form anyway. The preview system when they cut the acetate is a digitised signal.
Apparently only two studios in the world cut pure Analog. Abbey Road is one.

Thoughts, Chris

Buy the digital / cd and be done with it. No point wasting time polishing turds :innocent:

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If you are serious about it you need to buy better equipment.
There is no way around that.
If not follow @evand advice.

As an aside, I have digitised one track from an LP by Jim Couza Called My Old Man. Not available on CD and if you have lost a father it’s very pertinent and beautiful. I did it from an old Technics direct drive deck through a very cheap basic phono stage into my old desktop. You know what? It sounds lovely and very moving.
Ohh yes, I also did Kenny Everette Captain Kremen LP

True there are many releases that are only on vinyl. So If you need to play them conveniently going the rip the LP route is the best option.

There have been a few threads here about ripping vinyl. Here’s a fairly recent one

I would not contemplate ripping vinyl twice. If you do not think you will be satisfied ripping with a cheaper TT then I would defer the project until you are in possession of the TT and front-end which you will be happy with.

Much depends on your purpose for ripping. Is it to have a means to conveniently play your LPs without constant degradation through continued playing? Or is it to move over to digital without having to re-purchase media on CD or download?

My reason was the latter, so once done I was happy to leave the LP format for good.

Thanks for answers! I will wait and buy a better TT, so i can rip my music, its a big job, but i just love the sound:)

Update! I just got myself a fine Linn LP12 Majik with Lingo 4 and Trampoline, and a PS Audio Nuwave Phono Converter, and im so happy with the digital recording I get, its very good in my ears! I have decided to rip some of my favorite in DSD, but mostly i will record to PCM . But the new question is, what type of file format in PCM? Im a Apple fanatic, so I was thinking AIFF, since I was thinking about use as little lossless as possible?

Anyone has some good advice for me, im not very good at this:)

As @John_Mason says “buy a better turntable in the first place” if you’re sure you’re wedded to vinyl. My first deck after reviving my 1970s and 80s vinyl was the Pro-Ject Debut II (around £300) and it is a very good entry deck. I later upgraded to the Pro-Ject 1 Xpression Carbon UKX (~£600.) I’m not promoting Pro-Ject–I recommend you audition–but what I discovered is that the difference between the two was far greater than a similar price-wise upgrade in the digital world.

Also, since using Roon I rarely dust of the vinyl. They come out when I want to play something I have that’s not available on TIDAL or when it takes my fancy. Usually with a whisky! :smile:

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