How To Convert Your Vinyl Records To A Digital Format
Hey there, Vinyl Lovers! Are you looking to keep your favorite records safe for future listeners? Then, you have landed in the right place. In today’s blog, you will learn about “how to convert your vinyl records to digital format within 4 simple steps.
Vinyl records bring nostalgia and unique sound quality that is hard to find. But the question is that can you listen to your favorite Vinyl Record other than on your turntable? The answer is a big YES! So, if you want to enjoy your all-time favorite vinyl records anywhere or just want to preserve vinyl records digitally, converting them into digital format would be the perfect option.
So, without wasting the precious time, which is limited and crucial, let’s quickly go through the steps, tools, and tips to help you digitize vinyl records. The following tips and tools will surely help you in keeping top-notch sound quality even in digital format.
Why Convert Your Vinyl Records To Digital?
Vinyl digitization is gaining immense popularity among vinyl enthusiasts, especially because older records start showing signs of decay. You must have heard of backup of data to avoid its loss, right? So, digitization of records is just like backing up your vinyl records in the digital format.
Above all, by digitizing your vinyl collection, you are not just preserving your collection but rather switching to flexibility—no more stressing about the loss of sound quality, skips, or scratches over time. Plus, you will have the liberty to listen to your music on any device once you convert vinyl to digital.
What Do You Need to Start the Process?
Well, there are only a few essential tools you would need to have the right setup for vinyl to digital conversion. Below you can find the primary tools that you would need for this purpose:
A Turntable:
Obviously, a turntable. Many modern turntables come with both a built-in preamp and a USB output. A USB turntable is considered to be the most efficient form of connecting it to your computer. Let’s say, your turntable only has RCA output, no issues! Just get an RCA-to-USB converter and you are ready to go.
A computer with recording software:
Many premium applications are designed to assist you with ripping audio from your turntable, like Vinyl Studio or Pure Vinyl. But what if you can get similar quality with an open-source platform? It is Audacity, a freemium application considered the best choice among most users. It can record at sampling rates up to 192 kHz, and from there you can export the recorded audio file in your desired format.
Audio Interface:
Well, this is an added and optional tool. But it can convert your sound to high-quality by reducing noise and interference.
So, that’s it. This is all you would need to start your process. Now that you have all the necessary tools, let’s go ahead to a step-by-step guide that will help you get the desired output.
Step-by-Step Guide to Convert Vinyl to Digital
Here’s the process to digitize your vinyl collection gradually in the following simple steps:
Organize your setup
- First of all, connect your turntable to your computer with a USB cable or RCA-to-USB converter.
- Now, open your chosen recording software on your computer and make sure it detects the turntable input.
Prepare the vinyl record
- It is important to clean the record to remove any dust or grime, as it can impact the sound quality of your recording. To do so, you can use a vinyl brush and a few drops of cleaning solution to clean. Because, the cleaner the record will be, the better will be your record quality.
Recording process
- Now as the basic setup is done, let’s move on to recording. Play the vinyl from the beginning and ensure that there is no background noise.
- Most important thing, record each side separately, as it will allow better editing once the recording is done.
Edit and save in your desired format
- Once you are done with the recording, it’s time to edit audio in the software.
- After editing, export the final recording in a format you prefer, like WAV or MP3. While WAV files preserve recordings in high-quality, they also take up your extra storage space.
Finally, by following the above steps, you can easily digitize vinyl records.
Custom Vinyl Records in Australia: Is It Worth It?
Well, if you are passionate about vinyl records, then you must have heard of custom vinyl records in Australia. If you are interested in creating unique records, custom vinyl services can take your recordings or favorite playlists and press them into a vinyl record. Isn’t it exciting to hear?
Yes, it is! At least to me.
Impress Vinyl offers vinyl pressing services at an affordable cost. It can even help you with converting vinyl to digital copy if you want a custom-made record. They provide endless effects and variations that suit your liking. Like color range, opaque or transparent variant, splatter, marbling, picture disc, vinyl engraving, and what not. You name it, and they will create it.
Benefits of Digital Conversion for Your Vinyl Collection
No doubt digitization brings many benefits to the table, like:
Easy Access:
With the digital format of your favorite recordings, you can listen to them anywhere.
Preservation:
Unlike vinyl records, which are subjected to damage, the digital format of recording offers timeless preservation.
Sharing:
Obviously, if it is in online format, then how easy would it become to share your favorite records with your family and friends?
Common Questions About Vinyl Digitization
Is it possible to get the same quality as the original record?
Yes, absolutely. Though the quality differs due to the equipment, especially the turntable and the software. If you want original-like sound quality, then vinyl digitization with professional-grade tools can closely match the original quality of the record.
Can I preserve vinyl records digitally without a computer?
Yes. But it is mainly possible through modern turntables, which come with built-in recording features. These turntables will allow you to save directly to an SD card without using a computer.
Is it legal to digitize vinyl records?
It is legal in most cases if you are using it for personal use. However, sharing digitized copies without consent may not be a good idea.
How long does it take to digitize a single record?
Usually, it will take 20 to 30 minutes to record each side. Then, editing can take time up to 10 to 15 minutes per record.
Make the Most of Your Vinyl Collection
At last, I would say whether you are an enthusiast looking to preserve vinyl records digitally or you are exploring options to create custom vinyl records in Australia, Impress Vinyl offers many options to choose from. While digital format allows flexibility and longevity, custom vinyl with Impress Vinyl can help you keep the nostalgic effect in your living space.
For more details or to explore custom pressing options, you can visit impress Vinyl. It offers a wide range of services and pricing options to enhance your vinyl experience.
