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How To Made Vinyl Recordings Sound Good
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JP8000Lover
I'm using a Gemini MK II direct drive turntable and a USB Phono adapter to record all my vinyl. The raw recordings sound muddy and desperately need to be cleaned up. I don't have a lot of time to baby each recording, so I use AAMS to "master" the recordings, but I'm still not satisfied with the results. What techniques do you guys use to make recordings sound bright and pop/crack free? Software? Hardware? Any pointers or things I should be trying differently?
david.michael
Well, your recordings are only as good as your source. So if your records are worn, there's no one "magic button" to fix it.

Pops and cracks are usually caused by dirt and dust. Look into a good enzyme to clean the records.
JP8000Lover
I take a lint free rag and wipe the vinyl before recording to reduce pops/cracks. The pops/cracks I'm talking about are just part of the vinyl and require software to remove.
david.michael
I know that Audacity has pop/crack removal functionality (and is free), but I can't attest to how good it is. Stuff like that always makes me nervous (anything that takes away sound from a recording).

Also, a lint-free rag may not be enough to get what you can't see, so a specialized solution still might be a viable option. (Couldn't hurt, right?)

Good luck!
JP8000Lover
What about making the raw recording sound better? Any tips on EQ, compression, etc.?
Looney4Clooney
If don't have experience mastering, i would just try and get the best signal chain. Make sure you go thru a device that adds the RCIAA curve. Be careful using any restoration tools. You will often degrade the recording by using standard pop / hiss / noise / crackle eliminator tools.
Dykes_on_Jay
Play them like they were meant to be played and put away the laptop?
itsamemario
There's a software called Cable Guys Vinyl Shaper that has about 20 different filter presets for cleaning up vinyl. It might be worth a shot, but as it's been stated if the source material is the end result is gonna be no matter what.
DJ RANN
The ovbious things to check have been completely ignored. Check you tonearm calibration, check your headshell calibrations (if used), check your stylus isn't worn out, clean your records with cleaning fluid, and make sure your "USB phono adapter" isn't just a cheap RCA to USB interface (as Bustin4Justin suggested, you might not have a RIAA preamp curve which is needed to reproduce vinyl's balance of frequency).

Then after all that, if they still sound then buy some less worn out vinyl.
Looney4Clooney
that name is brilliant.

DJ RANN
quote:
Originally posted by Looney4Clooney
that name is brilliant.


I thought you might appreciate, but I know you've got about 10 better ones ready to go.
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