Recording from TT

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Today I tried connecting an old United Audio turntable
in thru the MIC inputs of an old cassette deck, set to RECORD
and PAUSE, and thence out to the LINE IN jack on the
sound card. Actually sounded OK on playback.

Is this verbotten? Will it damage anyhing? Is the MIC
input on the cassette deck as dirty as the MIC input on
the sound card?

thanks fer listening,

chuck

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Laurence Payne wrote:

> It won't hurt anything. Doing it properly will give better quality.

Thanks for the response.
What means "doing it properly" in this context?

1. Running the T thru a "real" pre-amp to the PC?

B. Running the TT thru my amplifier to a cassette tape,
and then playing the cassette tape into the PC (which is
what I have been doing)?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

In <mjRqc.21670$KE6.3175@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net>, on 05/19/04

at 10:36 PM, chuck <cciafNOSPAMfone@earthlinNOSPAMk.net> said:

>Today I tried connecting an old United Audio turntable
>in thru the MIC inputs of an old cassette deck, set to RECORD and
>PAUSE, and thence out to the LINE IN jack on the sound card. Actually
>sounded OK on playback.

It may sound OK, but it would probably sound better if you plugged into
a device designed for a turntable. MIC inputs are not optimal for
turntables.

At the time of recording, records are equalized in a special way that
affords some immunity to record surface and electronic noise. It is
assumed that the playback system uses a complimentary equalization
scheme. This is known as "RIAA" equalization. A MIC input has no
equalization. It is possible for software to correct this problem and
provide the RIAA playback equalization.

In addition, there are some subtile differences in the electronics
optimized for microphones or phonos. Most phono cartridges will sound
better when plugged into a "PHONO" input.


>Is this verbotten? Will it damage anyhing? Is the MIC
>input on the cassette deck as dirty as the MIC input on
>the sound card?

Nothing will be damaged.

While the MIC preamps on cassette decks are generally poor, they are
often a step up from a run of the mill sound card.

Look for an inexpensive (about $30.00, maybe less) "phono preamp" that
can be placed between the turntable and the sound card. In the grand
theme of things these phono preamps are definately low end, but in your
situation they willl do a better job than your current lashup.

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Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

chuck wrote:
> Today I tried connecting an old United Audio turntable
> in thru the MIC inputs of an old cassette deck, set to RECORD
> and PAUSE, and thence out to the LINE IN jack on the
> sound card. Actually sounded OK on playback.
>
> Is this verbotten? Will it damage anyhing? Is the MIC
> input on the cassette deck as dirty as the MIC input on
> the sound card?
>
> thanks fer listening,

If it sounded OK, then something in the music, phono cartridge, soundcard,
or speakers is highly rooted.

It needs RIAA equalisation as supplied in a phono preamp, which has a tilt
of 40dB between the 20HZ and 20KHz. The bass end being cut by ~20dB wrt
1KHz, and the high end boosted ~20dB

geoff