[ale] Request for Comments/etc - Multimedia questions

[Doug McNash]

I have converted about 600+ LP's in my collection to 
.mp3's - took me about 2-3 years at one an evening.  I 
would record to a .wav and edit tracks with Sonic Foundry, 
 write to CD format as .wav, encode to .mp3's and backup 
.mp3's to CD.

My setup

Turntable:      Pioneer PL-550 (fished out of 
Brother-in-Laws trash)
Pickup:         Shure V15      (another relic from the 
70's)
Integrated Amp: Luxman L-85V (bought in 1971)
Speakers:       Klipsh KSB1.1 speakers
Sound Card:     Midiman Audiophile 2496
Software:       Soundforge Sonic Foundry X4.5
Encoder:        Soundfordge Siren (Fraunhoffer) or Lame

Obviously I used W2K, when I started the Linux drivers and 
tools were, to be kind, of inadequate quality.  I still 
believe that to be, sad but true.  The ALSA drivers are 
suppose to be better.  Audacity may be OK, I am just so 
imprinted on Sonic Foundry I can't use it. I have trouble 
with vim vs vi so it may just be me. 

You can get a single purpose RIAA preamp so you can 
connect your turntable directly to your soundcard.  I have 
one by Rolls (about $60 PartsExpress). It is about 1x1x2" 
with a wall wart.  I don't like the sound from it so I use 
my old friend the Luxman. Most new amps will not have a 
phono input but you can find lots of oldies but goodies on 
ebay, some cheaper and better than a new single purpose 
unit.  I connect my sound card to the amp as a tape drive.

Pointers -

Get a good semi-pro sound card like the Midiman 
Audiophile2496 at a minimum, if you can hear the 
difference.  To me there is a world of difference between 
it and the Ensoniq AudioPCI I was using initially.   

Forget about digital noise reduction.  I find the muffled 
rumblings of the artifacts from this process worse that 
the scratches.  I edit them out manually or just live with 
it.  Some recordings I have come to expect the scratches 
and remember the party and person who cause it.  Brings 
back memories.  
--
Doug McNash <dmcnash at yahoo.com>