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Re: [ARSCLIST] Project Gramophone: Advice needed NOW on transfer equipment
--- In project-gramophone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Jon Noring <jon@xxxx>
wrote:
>
> 1) Acquiring "portable" transfer equipment and the process of
> performing the transfers where the collections reside, and
What do you mean with "portable"?
Maximum size, weight?
A laptop PC is OK for the digital part, but I don't know any good
"portable" transcription turntable.
>
> So, for 1) we have the following "sub"-issues to resolve:
>
> a) Turntable selection (no thoughts here, anyone?),
For 16" disks, the choice is very limited.
The only transcription turntable I know of is the German EMT-927
broadcast turntable with a 44 cm (17.32") platter, tone arm, Ortofon
TND65 moving coil cartridge, built-in preamp with various eq settings.
http://www.emt-profi.de/T%20EMT%20927.htm
However, 100 lb is not really "portable".
For 12" disks, an EMT-930, EMT-938, EMT-948 or EMT-950 would be an
excellent choice for a transcription turntable, but also very heavy
stuff.
http://www.audiosharing.com/archive/german_audio/emt/pdf/EMT_930.pdf
Since these broadcast turntables are no longer manufactured, you may
find a refurbisched one from
http://www.emt-profi.de/Used%20Units.htm
Other turntables with 78 rpm (without arm):
- Garrard 401
- Thorens TD124, TD126,
- Technics SP15
to be equipped with 12" arm to play 16" records,
- SME312, SME3012R
or 9" arm for 12" records
- SME309, SME3009R
Turntables incl. arm (max 12" records):
- Lenco L75 (= Goldring GL75) with continuously variable speed
An excellent all-in-one solution is the Stanton ST-150 (direct drive,
incl. pitch control) turntable
with built-in RIAA preamp and A/D converter with S/PDIF output (44.1
kHz)
http://www.stantondj.com/alpha44/load.asp?page=st150
You can plug it directly into a laptop PC, and do eq corrections
later.
>
> b) Cartridge and styli selection (no thoughts here, anyone?),
>
Choice of 78 rpm styli is limited:
EMT TND65 cartridge (moving coil) for EMT transcription turntables
www.hans-fabritius.de/emt/technical_data_pick_ups.pdf
Stanton D6827 stylus for 680 series cartridges
http://www.stantondj.com/alpha44/load.asp?page=78rpm
Ortofon 78 Stylus for Concorde or OM78 cartridge
http://www.ortofon.dk/html/body_styli_technical_data.html?varenr=00207
81
Shure M78S cartridge (N78S stylus)
http://www.shure.com/m78s.html
Grado 78C and 78E cartridges
http://www.gradolabs.com/product_pages/78_cart.htm
> [Regarding a) and b), should we consider the professional-grade
> laser turntables? Or stick with the tried-and-true stylus?]
>
Laser pick-ups such as the ELP may be sensitive to dust particles.
http://www.elpj.com/
We have no practical experience nor feedback on the ELP.
> c) How to handle equalization (my current thinking: do as best as
can
> be done in the analog realm during transfer -- does this make
> sense? Or can proper equalization be done "good enough" in the
> digital realm during restoration?)
>
EMT transcription turntables have built-in MC preamps with various eq
settings for 78 rpm records.
The Elberg MD12 is a dedicated 78 RPM and RIAA Record Preamplifier
with may eq options
http://www.vadlyd.dk/English/RIAA_and_78_RPM_preamp.html
A well trained ear is a very important tool to define the right eq
settings.
The high frequency content is important for declicking and decrackling
software,
so don't use low pass filters.
For the same reason, try to make a stereo copy since noise is usually
different at both sides of the groove.
> e) A-D converter (professional grade, 96k sampling, 24-bit depth for
> the raw transfers. Any recommendations?)
Several European broadcasting organisations have chosen the Digital
Audio Denmark ADDA 2402 for archiving
http://www.digitalaudio.dk/adda_2402.htm
>
> f) Digital storage (pc with terabyte of storage in 3, 300+ gig IDE
> hard drives, maybe with redundancy by having two pcs that are
> synchronized.)
>
Redundancy is best implemented with standard RAID technology
(e.g. hot pluggable SCSI disks). Avoid IDE.
RAID is fully automatic (hardware) and transparent for software.
> g) CD/DVD burner (to immediately give the raw digital transfers to
the
> collector as well as backing up right away what is on the hard
> drives in case of hard drive failure.)
>
Plextor Premium
>
> i) Disc cleaning equipment and techniques (no thoughts here.
Anyone?)
>
Keith Monks (KMAL) Record Cleaning Machine.
Some archive disks may have been "protected" by filling the grooves
with talc powder, which needs to be removed first.
> j) Process-related:
>
> i) Do multiple transfers with different styli radii, or simply
find
> stylus shape/radii which gives best quality transfer, and do
one
> transfer?
>
To avoid groove damage, it may be a good idea to measure the groove
width
with a microscope to define the right stylus radius
Jos Van Dyck
NGM audio restoration