How to Record an LP to a CD With Software

Connect a turntable to an amp and PC for recording records to CD.

LP records were never user-friendly when it came to enjoying portable music on the go. Old vinyl also warps and scratches easily, effectively ruining the sound quality of the music in the grooves. CDs changed all that. Recording records to a CD can add life to an LP collection by copying the vinyl to a computer with a disc burner and audio recording software. An amplifier is also needed to boost the signal from the turntable to a level suitable for recording.

Things You'll Need

• Turntable
• 2 sets of audio cables
• Amplifier
• Computer with audio capture card, recording software and CD burner

Instructions

Connect and Record to PC

1. Connect a set of stereo cables from the turntable's output jacks to a set of audio input jacks on the amplifier, using the white plug for the left channel and the red plug for the right.

2. Hook up a second set of cables from the amplifier's Monitor OUT jacks to the input jacks on the computer capture card, typically located on the back of the tower.

3. Open the audio recording software on the computer by clicking twice on the program name.

4. Place an LP on the turntable and insert a blank CD in the computer's media tray. Close the tray.

5. Start playback of the record by lowering the turntable tonearm to the outer groove or any selected track.

6. Click the "Record" button on the software to begin copying the LP. Click "Stop" when finished, then click the "File" tab to select "Save as WAV" and type a name for the new recording. Click "Save" once more to store the recording on the hard drive. The WAV file format is suitable for burning audio to a CD.

Burn the CD

1. Open the recording program that operates the CD burner, such as iTunes on a Mac or Windows Media Player for a Microsoft operating system, and click the "Burn" tab.

2. Click "New Playlist" in iTunes or "Library" in Media Player to open a folder containing all audio files on the computer.

3. Click the name of the LP recording in iTunes and select "Import" to add the recording to a burn list. Click and hold the mouse button on the name of the LP recording in Media Player and drag the file to the Burn list.

4. Click "Start Burn" to record the LP file to the CD.

Tips & Warnings

• Record and save individual LP tracks to the computer to create a "mix CD" later. Recording the entire LP to a single file means it must also be burned as a single file to the CD.

• Disconnect the amp and turntable from the electricity while hooking up the components to the computer.

References

• PC World: Rip Your Records