General Forum

Re: Pro-Ject Record Box USB

mhw — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:37:02 GMT

Try the microphone input, but my guess is that you won't be satisfied... There will most likely be a lot of noise, so an external USB soundcard is definitively recommended!

I doubt the Beoport will do the job, but I don't know for sure...

Re: Pro-Ject Record Box USB

beoaus — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:23:37 GMT

Not sure either. Another post'r has answered a few questions on beoport and using it with a turntable, BS9000 etc... I figure its worth a shot from my end. My laptop being a Lenovo T61 has some high quality settings on the microphone input at well. I'll see how I go and while I am waiting......

1st test will to be to connect the laptop to the BS9000 aux port via the 2 RCA connecters that are marked as audio out.

beoaus.

Re: Pro-Ject Record Box USB

Sigmund — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:50:31 GMT

beoaus:
If I bought a beoport could I record vinyl coming through the BS9000 aux port through to the laptop using the beoport box masterlink at a high sample rate to the laptop....?

The question is if Beoport is able to digitze line input and feed the computer via the USB port, right? I don't know, but it would be really interesting to see an answer. I use Apple Airport Express to tap music from the computer (into an Ouverture via an external DAC and a switcher), and I don't know much about the possibilities of Beoport.

Sigmund

Re: Pro-Ject Record Box USB

beoaus — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:09:36 GMT

Thanks for all the info...

I do have a few B&O turntables with internal and external RIAA's so I'm ok with the phono amp side, line level side.. I have tossed out the idea of recording through the B&O system.

I use the BS9000 aux port to play Vinyl already.

The Pro-Ject box allowed connection to my laptop usb port though I am not sure on the sound quality, my only other option is the microphone socket. If I bought a beoport could I record vinyl coming through the BS9000 aux port through to the laptop using the beoport box masterlink at a high sample rate to the laptop....?

or am I nuts..

beoaus.

Re: Pro-Ject Record Box USB

Quim43 — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:40:24 GMT

I use a pre-amp called X-LPS, made by Musical Fidelity. It does the job very well, and it works with MM and MC turntables.

Re: Pro-Ject Record Box USB

Sigmund — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:52:48 GMT

beoaus:
The recording process would be done (ideally) in a different area to the the BS9000. I may be able to do some juggling though...
With the Turntable connected to the BS9000 (aus port) where would I connect the PC for recording? I have a BV7 and gear in other rooms as well... is the headphone socket good enough for recording?...

There is a three step path from turntable to computer:

(1) The weak output from the turntable must be amplified up to normal line level. This step also involves the RIAA frequency correction.

(2) The analog line level signals must be digitized.

(3) The raw material from the record must be broken into named tracks and converted to the format of preference.

For step (1) you need a phono pre-amplifier. You always need this preamp, even if you are just listening to the turntable, in which case you connect the preamp between the turntable and the BS9000. The Pro-Ject box does this job, as would any quality phono preamp.

How to accomplish step (2) depends upon your PC. I have an iMac with line input and a high quality digitizer built in. In the Linux/Windows world I believe the line input is replaced by a microphone input which doesn't do exactly the same job. In this case the Pro-Ject box will do the digitizing and output the digitized signals via USB to the computer.

Finally you need some music processing software for step (3). There is lot of shareware around. I use Amadeus Pro, but it's Mac only.

As for the question if the Pro-Ject box solves your problem, I think the answer is yes, at least steps (1)-(2), and especially if you have a Linux/Windows machine.

BE AWARE: The Pro-Ject box is MM only! While many phono cartridges use the Moving Magnet (MM) principle and outputs between 2.5 and 7 mV there are some, especially top quality ones, that use the Moving Coil (MC) principle with a much weaker output, less than 1 mV. Some phono preamps accept both (with separate inputs), but the Pro-Ject box is not one of them. Then there are MC cartridges with inputs like MM, and there are Moving Iron cartridges. Make sure your cartridge corresponds to MM voltage before you buy the Pro-Ject box.

Also, I have some doubts about the quality of the digitizer in the Pro-Ject box. The technical specifications say 16-bits/48 kHz. 16 bits is what you need for CD, but for other digital formats you may want 24. Also, 48 kHz sampling rate seems low, both by itself, and if you want to burn a CD with 44.1 kHz, the end result may be better if the starting point is higher than 48 kHz, like 96 kHz or 192 kHz (or if you just want to make a CD, making it 44.1 kHz from the beginning could be the best). Well, the ear is the final judge, and I have just looked at technical data.

If the Pro-Ject box fits in, it will let you record vinyl, and it will enable you to just listen to records as well. Your connections would be:

RECORDING: Turntable -> Pro-Ject box USB output -> Computer's USB port

LISTENING TO VINYL: Turntable -> Pro-Ject box line output -> BS9000's AUX port

Sigmund

Re: Pro-Ject Record Box USB

beoaus — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:32:17 GMT

The recording process would be done (ideally) in a different area to the the BS9000. I may be able to do some juggling though...

With the Turntable connected to the BS9000 (aus port) where would I connect the PC for recording? I have a BV7 and gear in other rooms as well... is the headphone socket good enough for recording?...

Thanks Beoaus.

Re: Pro-Ject Record Box USB

Calvin — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:41:15 GMT

You just need to connect your amplifier to the computer (via the headphone socket or the like) rather than the turntable itself. Turntables have a much lower signal level than the outputs from an amp. Then you can either just record with bog standard editing software, snipping it into sections and saving. Alternatively, there's some custom audio programs that automatically split the 25 minutes or so into separate tracks; you need to normally pay around $15 or so, but it really does make it a heck of a lot easier.

I suppose you could also just buy one of those decks that has a USB port and does everything, but i expect that the sound quality is fairly poor unless you want to spend a lot, in which case just do the other option I suggested and save a load of money

Pro-Ject Record Box USB

beoaus — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:03:30 GMT

Anyone used this or could recommend something similar converting records to USB?... B&O Turntables have low volume levels so there maybe something more suitable.

Thanks, Beoaus.