New & question about using imic

by **hollywooddreams** » 28 Jun 2009 03:41

Hi all - this is my first post, I am delighted to have found this forum.

I have recently had my interest (a.k.a. obsession) in vinyl reawakened, and I have been buying records like mad in replacing everything that I used to have as a teenager before cd's took over.

My question is - I am using the Griffin imic and attaching it to the headphone out jack on my stereo, as there are no red & white output jacks for my record player. The sound is "ok" - however the sound for cassettes with the same workflow is much, much stronger.

This stereo is from the 80's, it is a dual cassette/radio/record player. The only input jacks on it were meant for an attachment of a stand alone cd player, and there are no output jacks at all (other than for headphones).

I have a preamp on order from Amazon, I am wondering if you think it is likely that this will solve the "wow" factor not being there when I record from records? The sound is fine when it is coming in through my computer, it is only after I am converting it to wav - and then to mp3 - that it seems to be degrading.

Any advise here would be much appreciated. I am just starting this project, already have to throw away the first half dozen or so rips that I have done but I have a couple hundred of records to go.

thank you!

by **Alec124c41** » 28 Jun 2009 06:12

I presume you have the iMic plugged into your computer USB port because there is no mic jack, and the headphone jack of your outfit is feeding the iMic.
A phono cartridge puts out a very small signal. Many phono stages do not bring this up as far as the output of a tape deck or CD player.
When using the iMic, do not use the phono setting, because it is getting a signal that has already been converted.
To preserve some quality, set your MP3 conversion to 256 bits. It takes more space than lesser rates, but sounds better.

Cheers,
Alec

by **hollywooddreams** » 28 Jun 2009 13:50

thanks for the tips - I am fooling around with the EQ and loudness settings. It is recording right now, my suspicion is that this is going to make all the difference.

I am saving the original rips to wav, and then converting to mp3 256 with a LAME encoder. I know it doesn't sound as good as the regular vinyl, but it is necessary for me for portability, as most of my music listening time during a typical day is at work.

If this works, I have a never ending project that I will be obsessing over, I really appreciate your help.

__________________________
ETA - well, it is indeed louder, but unfortunately now I have feedback coming out of the WAV file that I am playing in itunes. I did a combination of setting the equalization to the Loundness preset, and raising the recording volume a bit.

Do you think the answer here is in playing with the equalizer settings in Final Vinyl's effects panel, or is this something where I need to wait for the preamp I ordered to arrive?

by **Alec124c41** » 28 Jun 2009 21:16

If you have ordered a phono preamp, you should get yourself a separate decent turntable for this project. A used Dual, Technics, or Pioneer, for example, can be found for very little. Garage sales and thrift shops are a good bet.
A new cartridge for as little as $25, and you are set. Plug this into a phono preamp, and not only will you have a much better turntable, you will eliminate the electronics of your combo. Most combos had low-end designs. They will not give you the wow factor.

Cheers,
Alec

by **hollywooddreams** » 28 Jun 2009 22:29

Alec124c41 wrote:If you have ordered a phono preamp, you should get yourself a separate decent turntable for this project. A used Dual, Technics, or Pioneer, for example, can be found for very little. Garage sales and thrift shops are a good bet.
A new cartridge for as little as $25, and you are set. Plug this into a phono preamp, and not only will you have a much better turntable, you will eliminate the electronics of your combo. Most combos had low-end designs. They will not give you the wow factor.

Cheers,
Alec

I was planning on getting a second turntable for my bedroom, so that is not out of the realm of possibility.

Could you please give me any advise in what I should be looking for in a turntable? And specific kind of output connections, or how to know if I am buying something acceptable? I'd like to start looking on ebay, rather than going hunting locally.

by **hollywooddreams** » 29 Jun 2009 03:47

bidding on a Technics right now with local pickup...keeping my fingers crossed!

Of course I have no idea what kind of shape it will actually be in, the listing just says that "it works". So I may be coming back for tech support

by **hollywooddreams** » 30 Jun 2009 21:35

I have a follow up question. The new stand alone turntable has not yet arrived, but the preamp has. So I hooked the preamp up to my 3 in 1 stereo, and there is no question the music is coming in louder. However, it is also coming in full of feedback.

Is there anything I can do to strip out the feedback? Or do you think this is because the stereo I am trying to use is not suitable for this project, and I need to wait for the turntable?

by **bastlnut** » 30 Jun 2009 21:48

hallo,

just found this thread...

i use the Grifin iMic for ripping too.
great product.

i think your problem is the speakers.
they are probably causing the feedback.
get the speakers off the furniture you have placed the stereo on,
and this should do it for you.

getting a good amp and speakers is the next logical step.
you can find something on Craigslist locally.
maybe even an amplifier and speakers from the same seller.
i bought my stereo stuff from Craigslist the last time i was in LA for a 3 month stay.
it should be easy.

regards,
bastlnut

by **hollywooddreams** » 30 Jun 2009 21:59

Well, I disconnected the speakers - it helped in that the horrid noise that was coming out is now gone, but the music is still coming into the computer with static.

My assumption that this is coming from attaching the preamp to my stereo system, since when I was doing a direct connection the sound was lower, but there was no static at all, it was clear.

I am hoping that when my stand alone turntable arrives, it will fix this problem. But I'm just guessing at this point.

by **bastlnut** » 30 Jun 2009 22:13

hallo,

it can be that the input level is too high and causing distortion.
have you set the input level so the peaks stay below the -0db level?

btw, if you are not using the speakers, are you using headphones to monitor what you are recording?
if not, then you can input directly from the phono stage into the computer.
this was you will get even better quality recordings on your computer.

another question,
you are inputing the signal from your phono stage into the aux/cd input of the 3 in 1 stereo, are you not?
if not, this is the connection you should be using.
going thru the phono input of the 3 in 1 unit is equalizing the signal from the turntable twice.
this is not good.

so just KISS it....keep it simple .....

regards,
bastlnut

by **hollywooddreams** » 30 Jun 2009 22:21

I think I'm missing something here. I have an input for cd, so I can plug that into the input of the amp - but how does that get the phono sound output into the computer?

the way it is now set up is I have the rca red & white jacks going into the stereo, and on the other side they are going into the preamp. The other output side is going from the preamp through imic into my computer.

It is not working, the computer isn't reading sound, but I'm not sure on how it would?

Before I was sending the signal out from the headphone jack and into the preamp, and then out from the preamp into the computer. It was reading the signal, but with tons of static.

by **bastlnut** » 01 Jul 2009 00:51

hallo,

you have an all in one stereo box.
the cartridge sends the signal directly to the internal phono stage.
the one inside of the 3 in 1 stereo you are using.
from there, you need to use an output......RCA jacks, to connect to the iMic.
and the iMic to the computer.
it may be that the only output is either the speakers or the headphone jack.
so use the headphone jack as the output to the iMic, and from there to the computer.

the extra phono stage you bought from Amazon is only for the new turntable.
so, Technics TT to phono stage, and phono stage to aux/cd input of the stereo. (for listening)
or,
Technics TT to phono stage and phono stage to iMic to computer. (for recording)

i hope this is clear now.
if not, explain what you don't understand...

regards,
bastlnut

by **hollywooddreams** » 01 Jul 2009 14:30

It has been determined that the preamp I bought was the incorrect kind and a honking piece of crap.

I have purchased a usb preamp and it looks like this should solve my problems.

I'm also in the process of purchasing a higher end stand alone turntable as well for this project.

thanks everyone.[/i]

by **Rice** » 10 Jul 2009 19:59

connecting a headphone output to any input ,is not a proper way of connecting devices.There`s always gonna be a mismatch between the two.So ,it will never sound great.Furthermore the signal levels are much higher.By switching the loudness on ,as to get better frequency response ,you only make things worse.Loudness is for amplifying the low and high ends ,of the frequency spectrum ,WHEN PLAYING at low volumes.

The best thing to do is to get a amplifier with phono input ,and a separate turntable.

Eric