I think my Pioneer recorder was about $200 several years ago at Best Buy. They are much cheaper now -- check eBay. I'll bet one could be had for well less than half that. Trouble with those is that you have to monitor the recording in real-time and if the record skips, you've wasted the CD it's burning to. With the computer software, you can skip having to burn the CDs if all you want is to get them into iTunes.

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Radio Shack used to sell a phono preamp for ~$20. I have one laying around here if anyone would like to borrow it. Nothing fancy, but it'll get your phono signal to line level for recording to CD or HD. I also clean up my LPs with a "Nitty Gritty" record cleaner before I transfer them, but these buggers are spendy too. Nevertheless, even a cursory dusting-off of the record really eliminates the need for filtering, if you ask me.

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Ah, and lest I forget, if you're looking to convert cassette tapes to CD or HD, buy an old Nakamichi cassette deck (unless you happen to have access to a Tandberg, Uher, or Revox). Those Naks were/are awesome!

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

It gets sent to the Pc's soundcard, which takes care of all conversion.

Goldwave is a free software (a bit old) That acts as a recorder - you even get a waveform display on screen. Also comes with a few filters and such, to touch up that dusty record. You can either save it as a .wav now (fastest, but takes up space) or save it as a compressed file (.mp3/.mp4) and pop it on you Ipod. I like .wavs' because it's uncompressed (loss-less) so if your running a good homeaudio system, or a nice car system, you get all those lows you cant hear, but feel (.mp3 filters these out during compression, becuase it's information you cant hear)

Just be sure your gain is set right in the recorder, it should be touching 0db (shows up as yellow on the meter) as going anything past that and you'll get some clipping (NOT cool)

If your handy with a soldering iron, an RIAA preamp isnt a hard build.

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

I stay away from ratshack if at all possible...


To clean my records I either use a Carbon-fiber record brush, or a solution of rubbing alcohol, distilled water and "photo flow" (for a wetting agent)

http://www.djforums.com/tutorials/record_cleaning.php
http://www.djforums.com/tutorials/stylus_care.php

Be SURE your needles are clean, and setup properly. I've been Dj'ing for the past six years, and thats the most important part (when you have a few grand invested in records, you HAVE to take care of them.)

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

RatShack's phono pre's really were not that bad... no worse than you'd find in a garden variety receiver, and no worse than the other sub-$100 pre's. It actually bettered the QED pre that I used for a little while. You could go nuts and the sky's the limit on price... I retired the RatShack pre long ago, and have a custom Grado clone with rechargeable batteries (NO noise!) and a custom-built tube phono stage in the works that will accomodate RIAA and 78 equalization! But for converting LP's to MP3 format, the RatShack gizmo would work well enough.

Ditto the stylus comments, for obvious reasons. A dull stylus will tear up a record. Ever tried a Nitty Gritty machine? I have the Decca carbon brush too, and I'll tell you... that Nitty Gritty can't be beat for critical listening! The vacuum really pulls the crud out of the grooves.

Man, all this talk has me itching to spin some vinyl tonight. Wish I had time to settle in with a nice ale and a few of my favorite LP's!

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Everyone in the house is gone right now, I have my favorite Drexciya album blasting...


Nope, I've never had a record cleaning machine. Never really needed one, as most records are bought new and I dont dirty them (well, besides the battle breaks records...)

As the stylus tracks overthe groove, a lot of heat in generated. Enough to meat some vinyl onto the diamond - this leads to major record wear. It might only be a few grams of tracking for on the tonearm; but that .7mm diamond is running at VERY high PSI on the record.

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

It's to bad I cant fire this thing up right now:





It's a Bill Fitz Tuba30Slim. It's capeable of making every ricer with a car audio system cry. I drive it with a QSC RMX2540. This rig can do some major damage to a house...

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

Indeed, new vinyl, properly cared for, precludes the need for a cleaning machine. I have scads and scads of out of print LPs and just plain old stuff, so it makes sense for me. Somtimes a dirty record is the only option, so it goes on the Nitty Gritty before it's played.

You're listening now, huh? Quit rubbing it in! I find I listen to LPs a LOT more during the winter. Something about firing up the tubes and settling in with a scotch or ale to do some serious listening while it's cold outside, I guess!

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Kee-RIST! What do you isolate your tt with, 2000lbs of concrete? Yikes!

Funny, we're at opposite ends of the spectrum. I'm running a 3.5wpc SET tube amp into 5" Fostex full-range drivers in TQWT cabinets. Of all the audio gear I've owned through the years, this setup is by far my favorite.

Will that monster you built be used on the road, or in your home... or BOTH?

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Nice job on the box, by the way. What driver are you using?

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Thanks


Emerance Magnum 12HO

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

I use a product called "Freefloats" to isolate the Decks (which are Technics 1200 mk2's)


It's used for mostly partys, but I have hooked it up inside a couple of times. Puts the BOSE home audio speakers to shame, thats for sure.

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

The sad thing is that you find friends and kindred spirits that you'd love to be able to get together with or invite to your next party only most of us are spread out too far and wide for it to be feasible.

You guys are great! Thanks for all the suggestions.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Lebenz had done it. Wonder what's up with that fella.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman