Recording LPs question

[jeanrosenfeld]

I have been using Sound editor to record some LPs (currently Beethoven's violin sonatas, Perlman and Ashkenazy, dating from 1977 :-)). That's all going well, but I have a question on what is the best way to do this.

 

I have been setting the record level at maximum and attenuating the line in signal to just avoid clipping on the loudest bits (for most LPs this means about -6dB attenuation).

 

But would it be better to have the line in at full volume and set the record level lower (again to avoid clipping)? Or does it not make any difference?

Advice would be welcome

 

BTW I am very impressed by Sound editor's declicker. Works perfectly on these records.

 

In case someone read this before the edit: I'm using Sound editor, of course, not videowave as I originally posted.

[REDWAGON]

Although I haven't been using Sound Editor to record some of my LP's, I use "Audiograbber" (Freeware program that I think is great. www.audiograbber.com). and the line-in on my Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS and have tried both your suggestions and really haven't been able to tell the final audio difference between the two methods. However, when I set the LP player to full volume, I have to set the line in volume to compensate. When I set the line-in full, I have to always be tinkering with the player volume to get it just right.

 

So I have been setting the player volume to full and then changing the line-in so it stays at about 85 to 90 % and that seems to work best for me.

 

If this is not helpful based on your question, I apologize.

 

Frank....

[tbrewst]

I would think that maybe the best might be to find a happy medium between the 2.That way you're not overdriving either the output or the input.

[jeanrosenfeld]

Thanks for the advice.

 

I did some experimenting. As far as the music itself is concerned there is no discernable difference to my ageing ears. However, I found that if I set the line in at full volume and reduced the recording level to avoid clicking at the loudest parts (using the auto button), the clicks were so loud that the declicker coped less well in subsequent clean up. (the clicks are too short to affect the recording level as set with the auto button sampling the loudest part of the LP very much, I think). So I'll stick to my original strategy, record at maximum level and attenuate line in to suit.

[REDWAGON]

Unless one does a lot of this type of task, it isn't that big a deal. But having done quite a bit of this same type of recording, I think you brought up a good point on this subject. As long as you are satisfaied with your results. that's what's important, so glad you can make a reasonable decision. Thanks for your post Jean...

 

Frank.....