How to transfer vinyl LP to my PC?

rosy

Tried a search but couldn't find anything - I'd like to put my vinyl collection on to my PC.
I'm sitting here with the leads with red and white connectors from the turntable plugged into the matching sockets on my PC ( I don't know the correct names for these, it says aux in R and L on the PC ). There's obviously much more to it than this :rolleyes: but I can't work out what else to do. I'm very untechnical :oand I hope someone will be able to explain where I go from here. Thanks!

espresso

The output from your record deck will need a preamp to amplify and equalise the low level signal. Something like this would be suitable and then simply use an audio package like audacity to record your collection.

rosy

So far so good! I 've managed to connect everything up going through my own amplifier and the audacity software and have recorded some stuff as WAV files but the sound is very quiet - it has definitely recorded ( can see it on screen on the media player ) but it's only just audible even with volume full up. Does this mean my amplifier isn't doing the job well enough or is there something else I should be doing?

Donnie

Have you already purchased the Stereo Phono Pre-Amplifier as suggested by espresso or did you decide to ignore that part of his advice?

How are you getting an output from the turntable, through the headphone socket of your amplifier?

Have you adjusted the line/aux input levels via the Volume control on your computer?

Before you do anything else, let us know the brand and model of your turntable?

rosy

Donnie wrote: »

Have you already purchased the Stereo Phono Pre-Amplifier as suggested by espresso or did you decide to ignore that part of his advice?
I've got every intention of buying the pre-amplifier if I need to, but when I saw it I thought I would try going through my own amplifier first to see if it would work ( saving time and money! ) as I found some connecting cables ( Having stupidly tried connecting just the turntable on its own the first time! )
How are you getting an output from the turntable, through the headphone socket of your amplifier?
I've connected the line out sockets on the amplifier to the stereo aux/in socket on the PC - should I be using the headphone socket?
Have you adjusted the line/aux input levels via the Volume control on your computer?
Yes, did that according to the insructions for the Audacity software ( had to go through the Auduacity site and there's a link there to instructions on wilkipaedia)
Before you do anything else, let us know the brand and model of your turntable?
It's a dual 505-2 ( yonks old) turntable

Hope that's enough info ( and that it's understandable! )

albertross_2

have you connected the deck to the amp's socket for record decks (if it has one, if not, you need preamp).

rosy

The turntable is connected into the MD/Phono sockets on the amplifier - is that what you mean? ( sorry to be so daft! )

earthmother

Whilst the pre-amplifier mentioned is cheaper, has anyone experience of USB turntables such as this one? http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=1401&display=all

It appears to be an all-in-one, with the software suggested earlier included. If it truly works as it says, it would be the best option for me, seeing as I have no turntable at present anyway. But, I don't want to waste £100 on something that isn't up to the job.

:question:

albertross_2

can you hear it at a reasonable volume through amp speakers?

rosy

Can hear it fine through left speaker ( right one hasn't worked for ages). Maybe the turntable earthmother suggested might be a better idea, seems a lot more straightforward...

albertross_2

if you can hear it fine through amp, then it should be audible through PC, if plugged into line-in, and all faders are up. Try audacity to record it.

The usb turntables are nice, but a bit of a waste if you already have the equipment