How to record LPs from a Cambridge Audio One+ to a Macbook Air

[philipus]

Hello everyone

I found this What HiFi article when searching for info on how to connect my 2015 Macbook Air 11" (which only has USB and Thunderbolt inputs) to a Cambridge Audio One+ in order to record LPs from a Technics SL-23A. I will be using Audacity since I'm familiar with that.

The article mentions a Rega Fono Mini A2D "USB phono stage". I am wondering how I would connect that in the above setup?

At the rear of the Cambridge Audio One+ there's an RCA Output called Tape, see below. Does the Rega go there? I should say that there is a USB port on the One+ but it's input only.

A second related question is that I have a Mac Pro at home and have been thinking of connecting active or passive speakers to that. The computer does not have a sound card.

Would it be possible to find a piece of kit that allows me both to record LPs with my Macbook Air and to connect speakers to my Mac Pro?

Thank you in advance for your help. I'm a bit of a newbie on this so really appreciate your assistance.
Philip

 

[Gray]

Hello Philip
The USB output of the Rega Fono would connect to your PC.
The RCA output of the Fono would then go to an aux input on the Cambridge - to allow vinyl playback and monitoring during recording (preferably with headphones out of the Cambridge).

There are plenty of USB DACs available to convert digital from your PC into analogue, again for an aux input on your Cambridge.
(The ifi Zen DAC V2 or the cheaper 'Air' model are examples).

One alternative to the Fono, is the Art USB Phono Plus, which has its own headphone amp - (so no connection to anything else is necessary to monitor recording).

I know of a nice device that would do the lot for you, but when you see the price of the Korg DAC-10R, you'll probably choose to keep vinyl recording / PC to hi-fi functions separate😉).

P.S. If you were to go for the ART, a simple workaround would allow you to experiment and use it for both functions - it would 'only' be 16/44.1 CD quality, not hi-res from PC to hi-fi, but CD quality is good enough for most of us....and it would avoid the need to buy a separate DAC (which you could still do anyway, at a later date).

 

[Vincent Kars]

both to record LPs with my Macbook Air and to connect speakers to my Mac Pro?

You need a AD converter for recording and a DA converter for playback.
Typical audio interfaces like
Motu https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/motu-m4-audio-interface-review.15757/

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface Gen 3 Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface (DAC/ADC). I was talked into buying it recently. The 2i2 costs US $140 including free Prime shipping so very reasonable for amount of functionality. For a budge device, the Scarlett 2i2 looks pretty good...

www.audiosciencereview.com

can do this at a reasonable price.

You also need a phono stage (if you don't have one all ready) or use a linear amp and apply the RIAA correction using Audacity.

The One+ can be connected to the audio interface for monitoring

 

[philipus]

First of all thank you both for having replied so fast with so much info, I really appreciate it.

I am understanding now that the Rega Fono has been overtaken by developments as there are many other options out there.

I should also say that I'm starting to think that having both abilities – recording vinyls and playing music from my computer – may be unnecessary at this point. I'm very grateful for your suggestions about USB DACs though. It will definitely come in handy later on.

As I don't have that many LPs to record I'm looking at affordable options, but with acceptable sound quality, at around the 100 Euro mark.

The Art USB Phono Plus is there I see which is great, but are there other options to consider? I realise this is budget territory but perhaps they distinguish themselves?

I've seen that some have "XLR" inputs which I guess are for instruments and such. I suppose one needs an adapter to connect RCA plugs to them?

Apologies Vincent, I didn't quite understand this bit about the phono stage, linear amp and the RIAA correction.

You also need a phono stage (if you don't have one all ready) or use a linear amp and apply the RIAA correction using Audacity.

Cheers
Philip

Hello Philip
The USB output of the Rega Fono would connect to your PC.
The RCA output of the Fono would then go to an aux input on the Cambridge - to allow vinyl playback and monitoring during recording (preferably with headphones out of the Cambridge).

There are plenty of USB DACs available to convert digital from your PC into analogue, again for an aux input on your Cambridge.
(The ifi Zen DAC V2 or the cheaper 'Air' model are examples).

One alternative to the Fono, is the Art USB Phono Plus, which has its own headphone amp - (so no connection to anything else is necessary to monitor recording).

I know of a nice device that would do the lot for you, but when you see the price of the Korg DAC-10R, you'll probably choose to keep vinyl recording / PC to hi-fi functions separate😉).

P.S. If you were to go for the ART, a simple workaround would allow you to experiment and use it for both functions - it would 'only' be 16/44.1 CD quality, not hi-res from PC to hi-fi, but CD quality is good enough for most of us....and it would avoid the need to buy a separate DAC (which you could still do anyway, at a later date).

You need a AD converter for recording and a DA converter for playback.
Typical audio interfaces like
Motu https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/motu-m4-audio-interface-review.15757/

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface Gen 3 Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface (DAC/ADC). I was talked into buying it recently. The 2i2 costs US $140 including free Prime shipping so very reasonable for amount of functionality. For a budge device, the Scarlett 2i2 looks pretty good...

www.audiosciencereview.com

can do this at a reasonable price.

You also need a phono stage (if you don't have one all ready) or use a linear amp and apply the RIAA correction using Audacity.

The One+ can be connected to the audio interface for monitoring

 

[Vincent Kars]

Technics SL-23A

To the best of my knowledge this is a traditional turntable so no phono stage inside.
Hence you need a phono stage to beef up the signal and apply the RIAA correction.
This is explained here: https://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/KB/RIAA.htm

The signal of a cartridge is very weak, You can use a linear (microphone) amp to bring the signal to line level. If you do so you are missing the RIAA correction but Audacity can do that in software

Recording 78 rpm records - Audacity Manual

manual.audacityteam.org

If you are on a budget, check if your LP's are available as CD's

Also check https://www.behringer.com/behringer/product?modelCode=P0A12

 

[Gray]

....with acceptable sound quality, at around the 100 Euro mark.

The Art USB Phono Plus has more than acceptable sound quality - and is versatile due to its inputs and outputs.
(I bought one with the intention of copying from its optical digital input to my laptop - but so far I've used it only to copy vinyl).

With its RIAA equaliser switched out, it can be used to copy from a cassette deck (or any other analogue line level source).

If you can zoom in on this block diagram, you will see what can go where:

Take Vincent's advice and check that your vinyl isn't available on CD because, when properly done, copying vinyl is extremely time consuming - especially if you manually remove clicks and pops......and of course you need to divide the tracks, making sure you edit the side change down to match the gap times....maybe convert your Audacity WAV to a FLAC file, then manually add all metadata, find and add the best album art....

Use headphones to monitor....you don't want any risk of acoustic feedback from speakers being a permanent feature of your recordings 👍

 

[DiggyGun]

If you’re looking for a cheap option, one to consider is an Ion Audio USB record deck that would connect directly to your Macbook. They are around £100 or less.

This is what it states:

• Digitize your collection - Convert tracks into digital files via USB onto your PC or Mac with the included ION audio EZ conversion software

DG…

 

[nads]

Having had a go at this many years ago. Don’t waste your time unless it is just unobtainable in any other form.

 

[philipus]

Thank you very much for your suggestions. I will think about this a bit more. A dedicated deck might be the best or I might just buy the records from the iTunes Store. I have recorded a lot of minidiscs and cassette tapes so am very familiar with the work it takes to organise, tag, clean up and export tracks in Audacity. It's perhaps not worth the trouble or the money for the amount of records I'm thinking of recording.

To the best of my knowledge this is a traditional turntable so no phono stage inside.
Hence you need a phono stage to beef up the signal and apply the RIAA correction.
This is explained here: https://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/KB/RIAA.htm

The signal of a cartridge is very weak, You can use a linear (microphone) amp to bring the signal to line level. If you do so you are missing the RIAA correction but Audacity can do that in software

Recording 78 rpm records - Audacity Manual

manual.audacityteam.org

If you are on a budget, check if your LP's are available as CD's

Also check https://www.behringer.com/behringer/product?modelCode=P0A12

The Art USB Phono Plus has more than acceptable sound quality - and is versatile due to its inputs and outputs.
(I bought one with the intention of copying from its optical digital input to my laptop - but so far I've used it only to copy vinyl).

With its RIAA equaliser switched out, it can be used to copy from a cassette deck (or any other analogue line level source).

If you can zoom in on this block diagram, you will see what can go where:
View attachment 3910
Take Vincent's advice and check that your vinyl isn't available on CD because, when properly done, copying vinyl is extremely time consuming - especially if you manually remove clicks and pops......and of course you need to divide the tracks, making sure you edit the side change down to match the gap times....maybe convert your Audacity WAV to a FLAC file, then manually add all metadata, find and add the best album art....

Use headphones to monitor....you don't want any risk of acoustic feedback from speakers being a permanent feature of your recordings 👍

Ion Audio USB

Having had a go at this many years ago. Don’t waste your time unless it is just unobtainable in any other form.

 

[nads]

Thank you very much for your suggestions. I will think about this a bit more. A dedicated deck might be the best or I might just buy the records from the iTunes Store. I have recorded a lot of minidiscs and cassette tapes so am very familiar with the work it takes to organise, tag, clean up and export tracks in Audacity. It's perhaps not worth the trouble or the money for the amount of records I'm thinking of recording.

You might want to have a look at this https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/vinyl-nrs-box-s3/
think it is brand new.

 

[Al ears]

You might want to have a look at this https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/vinyl-nrs-box-s3/
think it is brand new.

Oh dear, someone else needs to be told what the plural of vinyl is.....

 

[Gray]

Oh dear, someone else needs to be told what the plural of vinyl is.....

...someone that should know better too.