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Integrating a turntable into a digital system

MRC01

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BTW, if you have a MM cartridge with enough output, you can skip the phono preamp and put the filter directly into the SHD. At least I've seen threads about people doing that, i've not done it myself (I have MC anyway).

I used to run my phono to a DA-3000 recorder, then to the SHD via AES. Now I use RCA Y cables to the SHD analog and DA-3000 so I don't need to always run it through the recorder.
How do you like the DA-3000? I captured all of my vinyl with an SS-R1 that I still have. Years old it still works like new but I've been thinking about upgrading to the DA-3000 since the SS-R1 is limited to 44.1 or 48k and 16 bit only.
 

radix

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How do you like the DA-3000? I captured all of my vinyl with an SS-R1 that I still have. Years old it still works like new but I've been thinking about upgrading to the DA-3000 since the SS-R1 is limited to 44.1 or 48k and 16 bit only.

The DA3000 works great for vinyl. I have it setup so I can record an entire album side at a time, then it auto-stops at the end of the side because of a silence timeout (I forget what the setting is called, but it's a standard option). About all I do is sample some of the louder parts and make sure the gain is set OK.

This gives me 2 tracks. I then go to Audacity and split the tracks there (there's a way to automatically do it, then you can fine-tune if needed). I do most all the work in Audacity.

Sometimes, I just keep recording album sides until I've done say 4-5 of them (say 8-10 tracks), then do them all in Audacity in one sitting.
 

MRC01

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That's how I used my SS-R1. It will also auto-split the tracks, and you can adjust the duration & level to trigger the split, and even make it set the track split just BEFORE the next song starts (it buffers to do that). And I read through the DA-3000 manual, it has all the same features and interface. The big difference is the DA-3000 supports higher bit rates and depth.
Too bad Tascam discontinued it, prices went through the roof after that.
 
OP
Pe8er

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Love how this thread exploded in so many different directions And thank you everyone for valuable advice. I eventually got the Schiit Mani and connected it with RCA > XLR cable I had lying around, to the analog input on MiniDSP. Degradation in sound quality is very noticeable, but I decided to keep my turntable because I ended up enjoying the "ritual" of interacting with records. Also, my speakers deliver an overwhelming amount of detail. It's sometimes nice to eliminate some of it for more casual / background listening sessions.
 
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Snoopy

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Love how this thread exploded in so many different directions And thank you everyone for valuable advice. I eventually got the Schiit Mani and connected it with RCA > XLR cable I had lying around, to the analog input on MiniDSP. Degradation in sound quality is very noticeable, but I decided to keep my turntable because I ended up enjoying the "ritual" of interacting with records. Also, my speakers deliver an overwhelming amount of detail. It's sometimes nice to eliminate some of them for more casual / background listening sessions.

I probably will have to get a turntable as well. I'm all digital also. Only reason I have a CD drive is to rip CDs to my roon server. I don't even own anything at all that plays discs...

Anyway, since I got into Japanese jazz and Funk music I discovered so much stuff that is not on Streaming services at all.. and even more stuff that was only ever released on vinyl.. often the latest release is 40 years old.

Plenty of stuff isn't even on YouTube.

Funny thing is these LPs are still reasonable priced even with shipping.
 
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Pe8er

Pe8er

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The new rme ADI 2/4 pro is a really interesting but expensive device with its RIAA input.
Agreed, even though I'm not sure I would want to use it in my system -- everything is digital all the way to the speakers, I don't need an external DAC.
 
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I went through the same thought process myself. Because I have a Bluesound Powernode, I’m considering going with their hub which will digitize it remotely, and the turntable could be in another room. Obviously not for purists, but I have my 1972 Empire turntable that I want to hook back up
 

wgh52

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... I have the MiniDSP SHD, not Studio. This wide guy: https://www.minidsp.com/products/streaming-hd-series/shd...
If this is so, why do you then go through USB Out and DAC, just to AD convert with the SHD again?
In my view one AD conversion (the one with the SHD) should be "sufficient" (AD/DA/AD conversions may be "detrimental" to the sound quality) - I just don't understand the USB route...
Does your USB Turntable not have line outs? Which one is it, by the way...?

Greetings
 
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Pe8er

Pe8er

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@wgh52 I never bought a USB turntable, sorry if that wasn't clear. The route is:

turntable > Schiit Mani > MiniDSP SHD > Genelecs
 

wgh52

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@Pe8er OK, sorry, missed that part and understand your set up now.

The one I'm building up (slowly) is partly similar: For Phono an Audiophonics ADC board feeds the openDRC driving koax SPDIF outs to nanoDIGI digital x-overs placed in the (4-way) speakers with two Khadas DAC boards each.

Greetings,
Winfried
 

antcollinet

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@Pe8er OK, sorry, missed that part and understand your set up now.

The one I'm building up (slowly) is partly similar: For Phono an Audiophonics ADC board feeds the openDRC driving koax SPDIF outs to nanoDIGI digital x-overs placed in the (4-way) speakers with two Khadas DAC boards each.

Greetings,
Winfried
Riia in the openDRC?

How are you providing the gain from turntable to ADC.
 

wgh52

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Riia in the openDRC?

How are you providing the gain from turntable to ADC.
No Tony ;)

The openDRC is purely for room modes and overall speaker equalization.

My Phono set-up starts with a Benz ACEH (on SL-1000 II with EPA-500) feeding a Lehmann Black Cube SE II PWX (with modifications), so I have a RIAA equalized line level signal for the ADC.



Greetings,
Winfried
 

antcollinet

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No Tony ;)

The openDRC is purely for room modes and overall speaker equalization.

My Phono set-up starts with a Benz ACEH (on SL-1000 II with EPA-500) feeding a Lehmann Black Cube SE II PWX (with modifications), so I have a RIAA equalized line level signal for the ADC.



Greetings,
Winfried
Ah - you said "for phono". I assumed by that you meant phono pre.
 

JP

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Riia in the openDRC?

How are you providing the gain from turntable to ADC.

I do RIAA with an OpenDRC. I use flat phono stages designed by Wayne Kirkwood before the ADC.
 

MRC01

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The DA3000 works great for vinyl. I have it setup so I can record an entire album side at a time, then it auto-stops at the end of the side because of a silence timeout (I forget what the setting is called, but it's a standard option). About all I do is sample some of the louder parts and make sure the gain is set OK.

This gives me 2 tracks. I then go to Audacity and split the tracks there (there's a way to automatically do it, then you can fine-tune if needed). I do most all the work in Audacity.

Sometimes, I just keep recording album sides until I've done say 4-5 of them (say 8-10 tracks), then do them all in Audacity in one sitting.
I've been scanning eBay for the DA-3000 for more than a year and I finally got one at a decent price, to replace my trusty old SSR1 (older model of the same recorder). And updated it to the latest firmware. Overall it's a nice improvement over the SSR1.
DA-3000 compared to SSR1:
  • Better VU meters: more lights, finer grain settings
  • Handles PCM @ 44, 48, 88, 96, 176 and 192, 16 and 24-bit, and DSD. SS-R1 is 44 and 48, 16 bit only.
  • Slightly better SNR, SINAD, FR.
  • Dual storage: SD and CF. The SSR1 is CF only.
  • Rack mount wings: the SSR1's rack mount wings are removable, the DA-3000 wings are not.
  • Level based auto-track: SSR1 can start the new track just before the levels rose (how far back is configurable). The DA-3000 doesn't have this feature. Strange that Tascam would drop this cool feature.
  • Recording L-R balance: the SSR1 has this, but the DA-3000 doesn't have this, or I haven't found it in the menus. You can set the recording level but not the channel balance.
  • DA-3000 calendar/clock doesn't work. Set it all you want, it instantly forgets.
 
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