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John_Galbraith 7 November 2013

Newbie here. Apologies if this is in the wrong section or it's been asked a million times.

I sell vinyls for a living but used to make a point of MP3'ing every vinyl before posting it to the customer. I had a terrabyte external and literally had around 2 thousand vinyl rips - yup, you guessed it, the hard drive blew and I lost the lot.

That was a sickener. A couple of years worth just gone - it scunnered me so bad I stopped doing the recordings.

I found another little external recently that had around 600 vinyl rips on it so that gave me the motivation to start again as it was a good starter to work with.

I have been listening to the older rips I done and I think they are really good quality for vinyl rips in terms of sound and depth. Others have complimented the quality too.

However, I've started doing them again and the sound quality is nowhere near as good as they were first time round.

I'm using the same equipment - Technics 1210's, same mixer, same cartridge/needles, same PC, same LP recorder programme, same phono to jack lead and same copy of Windows Audio Converter to convert them.

The sound is either far too tinny or far too deep/bassy/borderline subtle distortion

The gear has been locked away for over a year and recently re-set up again ... could this have something to do with it?

I've also just ordered another "high quality" phono to jack lead from E-Bay, could this help? the other ones around 5 years old...

The sound coming out the speakers is OK, considering, a lot better than what's coming out as the final converted recording.

I've also tried recording through other programmes like Audacity, but still the same problem.

Can anyone help? - thanks.

Comments

Boswell Thu, 11/07/2013 - 08:18

Which piece of equipment in your chain is doing the RIAA curve equalization? What make/model is the "mixer" that you mention?

I should mention that in English law, it's [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.ipo.gov…"]illegal[/]="http://www.ipo.gov…"]illegal[/] to make and keep copies in any format of commercially copyrighted material (including vinyl LPs). From your profile, I'm assuming you are located in Dumbarton, Scotland so things may be different there.

John_Galbraith Thu, 11/07/2013 - 08:43

Boswell, post: 408255 wrote: Which piece of equipment in your chain is doing the RIAA curve equalization? What make/model is the "mixer" that you mention?

I should mention that in English law, it's [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.ipo.gov…"]illegal[/]="http://www.ipo.gov…"]illegal[/] to make and keep copies in any format of commercially copyrighted material (including vinyl LPs). From your profile, I'm assuming you are located in Dumbarton, Scotland so things may be different there.

Hi.

Thanks for the reply.

The mixer is one of them Technics DMC ones. It's not the fanciest, but it's the same mixer I was using a couple of years ago when doing the MP3's first time round.

Can you expand a bit on the RIAA curve equalization please? I'm a bit lost there.

Regarding the legal side of things, if it's illegal in England then it will be illegal in Scotland too. I always (wrongly) assumed you were allowed to make up a back up copy of any piece of music you owned. Obviously not.

John_Galbraith Thu, 11/07/2013 - 09:30

pcrecord, post: 408257 wrote: It is ok to make a copy of the music you own, but it's illegal to keep it if you sell the original.
It's like going in a store and making copies of there record to bring home while they are gonna sell the original...

It's not really - but I appreciate the point your making.

Is anyone able to advise me further in light of the legal side of things?

Boswell Thu, 11/07/2013 - 15:25

In the UK, the strict interpretation of the law is that it is illegal to make any copy of a copyright recording of a musical performance, even it be for your own use. In practice, there does not appear to have been any prosecutions for small-scale domestic backup copying of material that you own and continue to own. The problem as I see it with the process you described is that you made the copies and then sold the originals, and on a relatively large scale.

I checked the specs on the Technics DMC mixers, and they all have RIAA equalisation on the phono inputs. As long as you had the deck plugged into one of the phono inputs and not a line or mic input, your sonic troubles are unlikely to be due to that problem.

John_Galbraith Fri, 11/08/2013 - 04:35

Boswell, post: 408262 wrote: In the UK, the strict interpretation of the law is that it is illegal to make any copy of a copyright recording of a musical performance, even it be for your own use. In practice, there does not appear to have been any prosecutions for small-scale domestic backup copying of material that you own and continue to own. The problem as I see it with the process you described is that you made the copies and then sold the originals, and on a relatively large scale.

I checked the specs on the Technics DMC mixers, and they all have RIAA equalisation on the phono inputs. As long as you had the deck plugged into one of the phono inputs and not a line or mic input, your sonic troubles are unlikely to be due to that problem.

Thanks for your reply. Just to clarify slightly on the legal point you make - I'm not making copies and then selling the originals .... the original tangible product sells first then I make a digital copy for myself before I let it go. Just semantics probably and still illegal (going on the comments) but just wanted to say anyway

pcrecord Mon, 11/11/2013 - 06:52

John_Galbraith, post: 408267 wrote: Thanks for your reply. Just to clarify slightly on the legal point you make - I'm not making copies and then selling the originals .... the original tangible product sells first then I make a digital copy for myself before I let it go. Just semantics probably and still illegal (going on the comments) but just wanted to say anyway

I re-read the whole thread and I must say ; Anyway you want to put it, if you copy before or after it's sold, it's still illegal and I think you should go in hell for this.. Ah ah ah (JOKE)!!!

For the difference in quality by using the same equipement years later. I guess something happened to the equipement. Was it expose to heat or humidity ??
You say the sound is perfect when listened to live... I'd say something wrong with the converter or the analog part of the audio interface or with the cable(s)...

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