Digitizing Vinyl - equipment recommendations

[DJ Matt]

what gear would you recommend for digitizing vinyl?
something that is affordable, but the best possible quality?
Im guessing, some kind of seperate audio recorder and plug the turntable directly into it might be the best option, then put it into a computer later for treatment.

for context, iv digitized some of my records before using a technics 1210mk2, Denon mixer, and Behringer UC222 interface going into a laptop, but i wasn't happy with the results.
The sound was just 'weaker than the original vinyl. That's really the best way to describe it, it just wasnt as present, or as punchy.
it wasn't a noise issue or volume or anything like that.

I did a test one time, and found that 'professional' remasters that you would buy online are often also slightly inferior to the original format, but with that said, my own home conversions were significantly worse.

[Manu]

and Behringer UC222 interface going into a laptop,
The sound was just 'weaker than the original vinyl. That's really the best way to describe it, it just wasnt as present, or as punchy.

Eurgh, can't have Behringer and sound quality on the same shelf I'm afraid.

what gear would you recommend for digitizing vinyl?

My combo is 1210 (had Shure cartridge + upgraded outputs) into Xone into Digidesign Mbox 2 into either Sony Soundforge for sound surgery, or straight into Waveburner or Logic Pro for direct remastering.

[DJ Matt]

My combo is 1210 (had Shure cartridge + upgraded outputs) into Xone into Digidesign Mbox 2 into either Sony Soundforge for sound surgery, or straight into Waveburner or Logic Pro for direct remastering.

What mastering did you do, out of curiosity?
im generally very prudent about that, usually just trim the start and end, and leaving the recording completely untouched. but then I guess i could do a couple of variations and see what works best

[Manu]

That depends on how the recording sounds.

I have done some previous intensive restoration removing all clicks and pops from old records, that's where SoundForge gets really handy as there are a ton of tools to go surgical in there. That said it's very labour intensive indeed, one bad sounding record would take about a day to restore to some degree of glory.

Other "brand new" records were very first play and record straight out of the sleeve, that's a more simple re-EQ the thing, maybe add a little compression and take the sound level up a bit more to digital levels. More or less direct into mastering and I don't ever touch the record again.

Each record was different, so I don't have one set recipe. There will always be a bit of tweaking around and listen to what comes out best. Oldest record I have done so far was Grand-Prix (1967), I removed all clicks, all hisses, all defects, re-EQ redone the dynamics, re-compressed re-mastered, lowered the S/N ratio a ton and a half and so on. Took me days but the result is stunning, it does sound glorious.

[spage]

I've always had a terrible time ripping vinyl tracks to digital, they always seem to sound dull.