"Mac" users' input-burning cds

[David P. Hill]

I have a Mac G4 with a Pioneer DVR-103. I want to record lps to cdr-s. I just got Toast 6 and the Spin Doctor2 has been improved over Spin Doctor. This is the software used to transfer from your turntable to the computer. After that, it goes to Peak LE 3.1.0 to be edited. What questions I have is dealing on which analogue/digital converter to use. On the Toast discussion groups, most are using the imic(Griffin Technology). What worries me about imic, its inputs and outputs are 1/8" jacks. i worry about sound quality that comes from these wires. Any person with a Mac that uses this imic situation, what kind of results do you have? The other device is the Formac suitable to Mac. It has both RCA inputs and outputs. It is also used for transferring analog video to digital video. I have a digital camera and this would probably used both ways, audio and video tranfers. It cost around $350-$390 whic is pretty costly.The imic cost about $40. Which a/v digital converter or the imic(analog only), burning, editing software do you use? I am trying to get the best sound quality, not deprive it.:confused: :confused:

[Casino]

Well, my G4 has an audio-in jack, so I don't need the imic - but I've heard it works well. I really wouldn't worry about the small jacks as long as the cable is decent.

Regarding conversion, I started out using Spin Doctor (from Toast 5), but switched over to SoundStudio. It's much more versatile (though I haven't compared it to the new Spin Doctor) and it's very intuitive. Available from felttip.com. A free trial cam be downloaded - that's what I did to try it out before I bought it.

[David P. Hill]

Casino,
On your G4, are you using the headphone jack as your audio-in jack? I bought my G4 Dual 800 late 2001. It has a headphone jack and a speaker mini-phone jack. They are located on the back. I checked out the Sound Forge and it looks pretty good. Looks like it does not burn the cd, just recording and editing. Thanks for your input.

[Casino]

Dave - The headphone jack would be audio-out. The earlier G4 computers, such as my 450, had an audio-in on the back. The later G4's, such as your dual 800, did not include it (bad decision on the part of Apple which they've rectified on the G5's). Absence of the jack is why people had to start buying the Griffin imic.

What you write about SoundForge is true for SoundStudio as well - you do your importing, track splitting, editing, EQ, volume adjustments and whatever else in the program, then drag the files over to Toast for burning.

[AudioEnz]

Originally posted by David P. Hill
I have a Mac G4 with a Pioneer DVR-103. I want to record lps to cdr-s. I just got Toast 6 and the Spin Doctor2 has been improved over Spin Doctor. This is the software used to transfer from your turntable to the computer. After that, it goes to Peak LE 3.1.0 to be edited.

Why use Spin Doctor at all? I usually go straight into Peak.

What questions I have is dealing on which analogue/digital converter to use. On the Toast discussion groups, most are using the imic(Griffin Technology).

The iMic is good for what it is, but be aware that the line inputs also go through the microphone stage and has a lower s/n ratio than it really should have. The iMic is a great cheap'n'cheerful solution, but if you have a very good turntable and cartridge, then you may want to look higher.

Perhaps one solution would be M-Audio's Audiophile (http://m-audio.com/products/m-audio/audiophileusb.php) USB connecting A/D convertor. That's what I'd be looking at.

[David P. Hill]

Roxio has improved SpinDoctor 2 by correcting the record levels while recording lps and cassettes. They had a problem with one channel that was only audible. Spin Doctor 2 works only in OS X. I have Peak LE 3.1.0 and i don't think you can record lps into that program. You have to use Spin Doctor 2. Also when you talk about recording lps or any music into Spin Doctor2 or Peak, do you enhance it to 24bit/96khz and then edit the file. After that drop the file in Toast and burn it in 16bit/44.1khz or 48khz?

What have you heard about the Formac audio/video converter as far as sound quality? I noticed the M-Audio a/d converter doesn't convert analog video such as S-VHS. On the M-Audio, after the input source is completed, does the output from the M-Audio go into the computer, firewire or USB?

[AudioEnz]

Originally posted by David P. Hill
I have Peak LE 3.1.0 and i don't think you can record lps into that program. You have to use Spin Doctor 2.

You can record anything that the Mac can see as audio in. I've used Peak to record concerts from FM previously.

What have you heard about the Formac audio/video converter as far as sound quality? I noticed the M-Audio a/d converter doesn't convert analog video such as S-VHS. On the M-Audio, after the input source is completed, does the output from the M-Audio go into the computer, firewire or USB?

I suspect that you may need to decide if you want to do audio well, or both audio and video less well. (No, I haven't heard the Formac, but "universal" solutions are usually not as good as specilised solutions). The M-Audio's Audiophile unit uses USB. The link I provided will tell you all about it.

[weremichael]

I am much cheaper than ya'll. I use my imic running to my ibook ('99 clamshell running os X) through a freeware program (final vinal) to copy snippets off of movies for my radio show and archive my meager oop vinal collection. I don't edit pops or anything like that because I am afraid of removing more than just pops. I guess I could use protools (another great free download) but I kind of don't mind the pops. I find that the imic works fine for my applications (it does look and feel cheap however). I haven't used any of the toast programs since toast 3.5 or something like that so I can't compare. I say for the price (about $30) you might as well give it a try.

Michael