Re: [ARSCLIST] recommendations solicited -- simple analog-to-digital USB setup

[Alex Hartov <alexander.hartov@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mac is a very good platform to do this, been doing it for years

On the cheap, I recommend "Audacity" a free program that works well.

For digitizing there are many USB or FireWire based external modules  
that work well.  I use an Edirol UA-5 which I bought years ago.  It  
does 96kHz/24 bits if you want it.

For restoration I don't know of free software, I have been using the  
Waves restoration bundle, very happy with it.

All the best

Alex Hartov
Dartmouth Jewish Sound Archive


On Sep 10, 2007, at 8:13 AM, Tom Fine wrote:

> Hi All:
>
> I have a friend, an older person, who is very expert in all things  
> analog -- and has a wonderful setup for playing tapes and records.  
> However, he is far from expert on anything computer and is not  
> likely to gain the expertise of a 20-year-old ever. He has an iMac  
> and wants to transfer some of his tapes and records to digital so  
> he can burn CD's for his car.
>
> I live in a PC world, so I'm not sure what's out there for the Mac.  
> I think he's OK making the CD's in Roxio Toast, but what's a good,  
> simple, non-kludged audio recorder/editor -- in other words is  
> there a Mac equiv of Sony Soundforge Audio Studio (ie "lite")?
> http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/product.asp?pid=454
>
> And, what's a good and simple-as-possible USB interface for him? I  
> think he wants to transfer 96/24, but I think almost any A-D  
> interace will do 96/24 these days. I don't think he has to have  
> balanced inputs and outputs, but something that can handle +4 input  
> levels would be preferable. He has no need for mic preamps or any  
> sort of built-in hardware beyond maybe input trimmers.
>
> So, for the Mac world, does such a simple solution exist? Think the  
> opposite of what a total "engineer type" would want (ie as few  
> useless "features" as possible, as simple and direct a user  
> interface as possible -- think of the phones with big number  
> buttons made for old folks as a model).
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> -- Tom Fine