How to Use a Computer to Transfer LPs to CDs

You can use your CD burner to archive your record collection or to make sampler CDs to play in your car. You will need a sound card with a "line in" jack (other than a microphone jack).

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• CD-R Burners
• CD-R Discs
• CD-RW Burners
• CD-RW Discs

1. Clean the LP and the stylus.

2. Plug in your turntable and preamplifier or receiver near your computer.

3. Connect the preamplifier or receiver to the "line in" jack on sound card. Use jacks labeled Preamp Out or Tape Out or a headphone jack. Use a cable with two RCA plugs on one end and a stereo mini-plug on the other end. (Use a 1/4-inch plug to mini-plug cable for a headphone jack.)

4. Switch preamplifier or receiver to Phono.

5. Open your CD recorder application.

6. Select "line in" as the source or input.

7. Open the File menu and select New or whatever command is used for beginning a recording.

8. Sample a track to set a recording level. Set the level to peak at 0 dB, 80 VU, or as high as possible without going into the red portion of the meter display.

9. Lower stylus to beginning of record to record entire side. Otherwise, start a few seconds before end of preceding track.

10. Look for the command that starts the recording process: probably Record, Save, or Extract to File. Begin recording before the song starts.

11. Click Stop at end of track or side.

12. Save the recorded file as a WAV file to desktop. Save individual tracks as separate WAV files, or save entire LP side if your software allows.

13. Open WAV file in the CD recorder software (drag it into CD-R window in some applications).

14. Select the recording speed.

15. Look for the command that will record the file to a CD: probably Record, Create, or Save.

Tips & Warnings

• If you hear a hum, try grounding the turntable or preamp to the computer by connecting a wire to screws on the chassis of each component.
• Many programs for cleaning up LP noise are available. Use software to remove noise before and after songs, clicks and pops, and unwanted songs or excerpts.
• If you want to be able to listen to the CD on a CD player other than your computer, save the sound files in AIFF format instead of WAV before you burn the CD.
• Do not expect the CD to sound as good as the LP.
• Your preamplifier or receiver must have a phono section.
• Any computer activities during recording can interfere with the process. Prevent your modem or screen saver from activating during recording.

on 11/22/2005 Record an LP on your desktop as a .wav file, then use Winamp to convert the .wav file to .mp3, in stereo at a high bitrate of 128 Kbps and 44.1 kHz sampling rate. This gives the mp3 file a size only 10% that of the wav file. A single CD-R disc can store 10 LP's in this high quality mp3 format (ie 30 megabytes per LP side), because it can store 650 megabytes in all. A CD-R disc can only be played in a computer or an mp3 player.