Anything specific you're wanting to improve?broz wrote:I use a Technics SL-1200 with a Shure M97eX cartridge. From there I go to a Rolls preamp, to a Yamaha HTR 5860 receiver. My computer is a MacBook Pro, and I'm using Amadeus Pro 1.3.3. I'm using the built in A/D converter on the Mac. The gear is certainly not audiophile stuff, but not the bottom end of the line either.
I'm trying to get the best quality (within reason) from my vinyl. I have several questions related to that goal. The quality I get right now, is actually pretty dang decent...
Q2) My preamp is kinda cheap, and I could be convinced to get a better one. Could I plug the turntable directly into the Mac? I noted that Amadeus has an RIAA equalization option, so maybe... Seems the signal level would be too low for that sort of thing. I can't disable that RIAA eq on the preamp...
Bad idea to go direct into the Mac. The Mac D/A is designed for a line-level input, which it currently is getting. My understanding is that Amadeus having RIAA is for situations where someone does not have access to a proper RIAA-equalized preamp and is forced to record "flat" (and have Amadeus fix the E.Q.). I know of no reason to use Amadeus' RIAA E.Q. preferentially over that in an external preamp. I am not familiar with the Rolls, yet between the 1970s and mid-1990s when i was measuring these things, virtually every phono preamp section i dealt with in home audio gear was _very_ accurate in terms of following the RIAA (or IEC extension) E.Q. curve. At least some DJ mixers do tend to roll off the bass a bit to avoid feedback.
Q3) How big a benefit would I see by getting a better D/A converter? Presumably, the one on the Mac is less than optimal. My results now are decent, but if I can do something to improve the quality, I might do it.
Opinions differ on this. I am a mid-fi person, though i did work as a repair professional fixing both mid-fi and high-end audio components for about 13 years, so was exposed to some of what the high end had to offer. As you pointed out, like many here, i too have (and continue to) digitize many LPs and other vinyl bits. The source recordings so far have been commercial releases between OK and like-new condition, yet being mainstream commercial have their own imperfections and limitations. No audiophile vinyl digitizations yet.
I use the built-in A/D on my PowerMac 8600/300 running OS 9.1 most of the time. Due to bugs and substandard metering with Amadeus II, i do the digital capture with Coaster 1.1.3. Recently, i have been moving the raw AIFF files over to an OS X system (PPC running Tiger 10.4.11) and using Amadeus II or Pro to do the editing and ClickRepair to do the de-clicking. (Previously, i did everything with Amadeus II on the 8600. The manual Amadeus click repairs worked well, yet were very slow. ClickRepair is very fast and does even better.)
I'm running an SL-1200 Mk. II (Stanton 681 EEE-S or whatever they're on recently) feeding a Yamaha R-300 (circa 1982) receiver phono preamp section, with the Record Out of the Yamaha directly feeding the 8600. Via careful level adjustment, i have been able to capture everything the records i have digitized have had to offer, short of whatever truly top-end turntable/cartridge/A/D setups might do. Given my experiences, i do not feel that my more modest setup is the limiting factor, and do not feel i am missing much in the digitizations (44.1 kHz 16 bit).
The results usually wind up as standard CD-DA audio CDs for the extended family and myself. One extended family member is a retired professional French Horn player in Budapest (Hungary), who has been blown away hearing my CD reissues of some of his performances that the label has not and will not reissue itself on CD... done from used vinyl! Others have responded similarly.
The point: i have not found the built-in A/D on my older Mac lacking, given source material limitations. If someone handed me a well-recorded live recording on analog reel-to-reel tape with an actual dynamic range greater than 50 dB, then yes, my Mac's A/D would or could be a limiting factor, and i would want to go for a superior outboard device (and likely higher bit and sampling rates). Probably the same for a pristine audiophile vinyl record, and i might prefer a superior turntable and/or cartridge and/or preamp in addition.
It's great to get opinions, yet what really matters is what *you* and anyone else who may be in your intended audience for the final results of your digitizations experiences. I'm pretty confident that the A/D in your MBP is at least as good, and likely superior to, what is in my 9600. If you and your audience are fully satisfied with the results, why go further? If you notice specific issues, then ask about those, and the many people here with expertise will have good suggestions.
As a point of reference, my digitizations from good vinyl sources, with the equipment listed above, produce CDs that tend to be extremely hard to distinguish from CDs from analog tape masters without very critical listening. Other vinyl sources give themselves away with groove wear and/or stylus mistracking artifacts, or maybe an occasional click or soft pop that ClickRepair and Amadeus and myself all have not been able to exorcise (or chose not to take the time to fully remove). Some of the records have a low S/N ratio and/or were pressed on bad vinyl so even though clean they have "groove rumble" that gives away the source. If your results are along these lines or better, i suggest that you might want to enjoy the wonders of the setup you have, and the amazing results Amadeus and the rest of your setup can provide!
My one suggestion: try feeding the Rolls preamp directly into the Mac instead of having it first pass through the Yamaha. Compare the residual noise and hum of this method vs. your usual. If they are for all practical purposes the same, enjoy the convenience of the hookup you've been using. Otherwise, one might be very slightly less noisy than the other.
Enjoy!