Thanks for the post, Jazzfan. One point I'd like to make: Michael's article was not intended to be a comprehensive piece on digitizing vinyl. It is a column on digitizing vinyl using Channel D's Pure Vinyl program, and should be viewed in that light.

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TAS gets the nod here by a least mentioning (but not clearly explaining) things like lossless and lossy compression.

Stereophile has covered this subject at depth in the past and we have made no secret of the fact that we strongly recommend ripping to a lossless format. See, for example, my feature at www.stereophile.com/features/308mp3cd.

There is always the question of how much supporting material to include in any one article. To assume no knowledge on the part of the reader leads to over-long, unwieldy articles. As Stephen explained above, Michael's March column was not intended to be a comprehensive essay on the subject of ripping LPs but a specific look at one solution.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

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As I stated in my original post it would appear that the main selling point for the Channel D software is it's ability to apply RIAAs in the digital domain but MF didn't test that feature of the software because he couldn't get a hold of a microphone preamp!?!?!?

Michael has now received a sample of Channel D's own flat-response phono preamp for use with its software. He will be writing about using it with digital-domain RIAA EQ in a future column.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Also, as he was using a mac, it would've been real great info as to how it compares with Apples own ripping software, Logic Express/Pro which provides the tools to rip at different sample rates.

Been using Macs & PC's to rip vinyl for > 10 years and the best software I've found for this purpose (reasonably priced, good interface, easy to use and least "bloated" with irrelevant bells & whistles) for this job:

On the PC: Adobe Audition (AKA CoolEdit Pro) (v1.5 - later versions somewhat bloated) - has great 2 track editing and noise reduction features built-in that puts the competition to shame.

On the Mac: Sound Studio 3.5.7 - this inexpensive gem is IMHO flat out the best tool on the Mac for ripping vinyl to disk. Everything needed with exception of noise reduction (that's what I use Audition for) and nothing more. With this software, tracking, splitting and tagging high-res digital (192/24bit) copies of LP's in Apple Lossless format is a snap. Just hook a good firewire audio interface to the output of your phono preamp and you're good to go!

Carefully transferred copies of LP's in hi-res (192/24) lossless format always sound better (to my ears) than the same material ripped from commercial CD's when played back directly from a computer using a good DAC.

It's also great to restore those priceless analog disks which might have been scratched in years past by digitally removing those nasty blemishes.

I think it's fair to say Stereophile actually makes an effort to describe a revolutionary product here. MF does mention his lacking computer (PC?) skills. The scope of MF's Analog Corner doesn't seem to be a comprehensive 'How to...'-article. On the other hand, MF's repeatedly mentioning how brilliant this or that CD-R he brought to this or that show (always made on the Alesis Masterlink from his Continuum Labs 'table) must have left some readers reeling as to how they can digitize their vinyl.
As for software, Korg's AudioGate (included with their MR-recorders) is an easy recommendation. I'm familiar with Sony SoundForge and the like, but AudioGate cut down editing time to at least 20%. And it works with DSD-recordings.

John:

It would be interesting to hear what MF and various readers have accomplished with their efforts to digitize vinyl. Would it be possible for MF and the readers to archive a few short 'snippets' (to avoid legal problems) of standard LP titles they have converted with various software/hardware setups for comparison purposes?

Hi,
I too have been digitising vinyl for the last couple of years. My setup includes a PC with a Lynx L22 card (similar to MF) and Audacity software. My observations include:
- hirez files (in my case 24/96) sound much better than other low rez, including CD redbook (no brainer really,but needs to be said)
- soundcard has a bigger impact than software,
- PC setup (both software and hardware) is also important on overall sound quality (both import and output/playback)
- playback through DAC is better than straight from the PC (soundcard DAC)
and finally
- I like the sound of my phonostage (Audible Illusions tube preamp) and by running this signal to the Pc/soundcard, I am in effect preserving this important feature.

Things that would be nice to know:
- experiences with other cards
- best PC/Mac setup (power supply, other software running)
- playback software - foobar vs Quicktime/iTunes Windows media
- sound restoration software experiences, value

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As for actually using a computer as the front end to a high end audio system - no f*&king way! Got to support those $1K+ power cords, $5k+ power conditioners and all the other overpriced high end voodoo.

Not really. Stereophile has covered the use of a computer as a high-end source for quite a while, and we have been doing so since TAS was still on "its computers have no place in a high-end audio system" jag. See, for example the round-up I published at www.stereophile.com/computeraudio/1008servers, which has a lot of relevant links to other stuff we have published.

What does puzzle me is the idea of digitizing your vinyl, which in some aspects, unless done with great care and true high-resolution gear, gives you the worst of both worlds. YMMV, of course.

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A computer based front end doesn't care about all that mumbo jumbo since, in this case, the old "bit is bit" axiom really does apply. No more free meals, junkets or what have you from the fat cat cable and power conditioning companies.

Good grief, Jazzfan, what happened to make you go off the rails?

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Thanks Jazzfan,
unfortunately, I am starting to agree with you, especially on your thoughts on the disapearance of vinyl. For me, digitising LPs is the only way of preserving my collection, which I don't want to get rid of and I don't want to further damage by playing the favourite tracks over and over again.
Getting back to the MF article, the whole idea was to promote the software, which, I think, in general is way down the list of factors affecting quality of digitised music.
If you already have records, one would assume that you have the equipment to play them on, and that if you wish to transfer them to your hard drive, the main issue would the preservation of the sound of the total LP playback system (which includes LP, turntable, cartridge, cables and phono stage).
The next question is format, and I think that we agree that a hi rez format is the only way to go (24 bit and 96 or 192 kHz).The last question is how do we play those files back (using our system), and how well has the process been able to preserve the analogue sound.
As you say, there is not much room here for adding any expensive equipment in this process, which is why this topic will not be coming up in future issues of the magazine.
Pity - because I know there are many vinyl lovers who are very interested in this topic.

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there is not much room here for adding any expensive equipment in this process, which is why this topic will not be coming up in future issues of the magazine

Oh dear. Another conspiracy theorist heard from :-)

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

And...if we want to go all the way back..in the 'way back' machine..one could dig up JGH's work with the early digital recorders that he was so fond of-with regards to having fun. These events I speak of were barely past the days when the rag was stapled.

Actually..in all my years in around the business, I've never heard a hint of this sort of thing happening at stereophile. To be sure, it's darned near impossible to not form friendships with the odd person. This is a small market, and if two (people,companies, whatever) where to be found to be in bed with one another, you can be damned sure that someone from some other side of the table/audio world would be screaming from the rooftops about it, and the rest of us would know about it in less than a week.

So -NO- Jazzfan..this is not the construction business and it's not even remotely the same situation/world/genotype.

This audio world is too damn small to even pick your nose and not have someone else find out about it.