78rpm to mp3---how to?

[mysts]

I have a stack of 78rpm records that I would like to convert to mp3. How do I go about it?
Can someone recommend a good record player and software and of course a procedure to put it all together.

[Barnabas]

DAK has some stuff to make it VERY easy. Even has a converter that can convert a 78 record played on a 33 1/3 player!

http://www.dak.com/Reviews/2020Story.cfm

[mysts]

To Barnabas

Thanks for directing me to DAK. It certainly looks promising.

[Barnabas]

Anytime,

DAK always has had some great and really useful stuff.

[Cornucopia]

You can do a great job with a lot of tools, many of them freeware.

The steps should be--

1. Phonograph --> Phono Pre-amp
2. Pre-amp --> Sound card line-in (prob. RCA phono unbalanced -10dbm)

Using the sound card's line-in would be--

3. Capture with Audacity, Goldwave, Cooledit/Audition, ProTools, etc.
4. Edit with the same, all along saving as LPCM, 16bit, 44.1kHz, stereo WAV.

When you're finally done, then convert to mp3. This will give you the best quality.

Record a 33 1/3 rpm LP at 33 1/3, a 78 rpm at 78--IF you can.
If you can't, because your phonograph turnable can't do that speed, record the 78 using the 33 1/3 speed, and then pitchshift/timestretch it to the right speed/pitch.

From 33 1/3 to 78, this is a ratio of 2.34:1. IOW, you would time compress to 42.735% of the time. This would best be done after capture and before editing.

Scott

[mattypj]

3. Capture with Audacity, Goldwave, Cooledit/Audition, ProTools, etc.
4. Edit with the same, all along saving as LPCM, 16bit, 44.1kHz, stereo WAV.

Would this also be the best procedure also be the best for capturing the audio from a casset tape, either through line in or aux?

[paulw]

I hate to think what playing a 78 at 45 or 33 will do to your stylus..

[MOVIEGEEK]

3. Capture with Audacity, Goldwave, Cooledit/Audition, ProTools, etc.
4. Edit with the same, all along saving as LPCM, 16bit, 44.1kHz, stereo WAV.

Would this also be the best procedure also be the best for capturing the audio from a casset tape, either through line in or aux?

Yes.

[MOVIEGEEK]

I hate to think what playing a 78 at 45 or 33 will do to your stylus..

Good point as the grooves are cut differently on 78's,if you must use a 33 1/3RPM player I would buy a stylus that has 78 and microgroove:
http://www.78rpm.com/pages/rescat/audio/techinfo.htm

[lordsmurf]

I use a record player, a two-male wire from phono out to sound card in, record in SoundForge. Filter as needed, if needed. Goldwave may be needed too, or DartPro.

[Cornucopia]

I hate to think what playing a 78 at 45 or 33 will do to your stylus..

Good point as the grooves are cut differently on 78's,if you must use a 33 1/3RPM player I would buy a stylus that has 78 and microgroove:
http://www.78rpm.com/pages/rescat/audio/techinfo.htm

78's are mono and not microgroove, so it WOULD be best to use a stylus optimized for that type (conical, vertical mono) instead of the usual (elliptical/hyperelliptical/shibata, 45/45 stereo), but (assuming you CLEANED the record correctly 1st) it's more likely there would be damage the other way around (the stylus prematurely wearing the disc), but even that is minor.
And you have the added advantage of using the L+R sum channel as a self-noise-reducing feature (with the L-R channel as a good "noise reference"). So I wouldn't worry about it too much--it's not like you're going to be playing the disc all that often once you've digitized/captured it.

Scott

>>>>>>>>>>>>
edit: Just looked at that link. It's a GOOD one (although they are selling their turntables so there is some bias there). They say that most 78s were lateral groove, but it's been my experience that the majority of clients who have come to me to have records converted have had vertical groove. (A good 45/45 stereo stylus and a sum/difference matrix would allow for either contingency). You misqoted though, microgroove is a 33/45 invention that never retroactively made it to 78s.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Scott,
I never said microgroove was for 78's,I said you should use a stylus that has both types....maybe I wasn't clear.I had an old RCA turntable that had a stylus where you could flip it to "78" or "LP",I wish I never sold it...it's probably worth more now.

[Cornucopia]

Yeah, those were good ones.
Also P-mount tonearms--useful for just swapping the cartridges out.

Scott