RIAA curve plug-in?

[max cooper]

I thought I read something about an RIAA curve plug-in. Searched the site and didn't find anything. Google etc. weren't successful either.

Anyone know of one? RTAS/Mac would be the ticket here.

I'd think this would exist because of people creating loops from LPs.

I'm working on archiving some of my endless LP collection to CD for travelling, driving, etc. I can certainly get there via the tape output from my phono preamp. I've got enough level going in, just need the curve.

[Ruudman]

Originally posted by max cooper
I thought I read something about an RIAA curve plug-in. Searched the site and didn't find anything. Google etc. weren't successful either.

Anyone know of one? RTAS/Mac would be the ticket here.

I'd think this would exist because of people creating loops from LPs.

I'm working on archiving some of my endless LP collection to CD for travelling, driving, etc. I can certainly get there via the tape output from my phono preamp. I've got enough level going in, just need the curve.

Ditto
I'd like Digidesign to make some small "problem-solvers",
that uses i.e like 1% per instance.
It could be plugs like RIIA curve adjuster and Phase switch.


ruudman

[Bob Olhsson]

There's a preset for the WAVES Q-10 that's pretty accurate according to my test records.

[ttauri]

Why would using a plug-in be more desirable than using a hardware phono pre?

Peece,
T. Tauri

[Ruudman]

Not more desirable, but I'd sure like PT to have handy widgets.

But then again; MP3/MP4 option-full OMF-Machine Control
and so on should be included in a PRO tool..


ruudman

[max cooper]

Bob Olhsson:

Thanks for the info. One of the guys at the studio has that plugin on his computer so I was able to check it out.

ttauri:

No benefit, especially since I have a really nice phono preamp. I was getting a really "fun" sound (not to mention enough level) out of my API 512s and all it was lacking was the RIAA curve.

[NeoVXR]

the question is
is a de-RIAA expected to be non-linear phase?
the analog curcuit diagram looks rather simple.

If I had the problem, I would get the original curve (with a good scale), and then draw it with a curve-eq. (voxengo, ...)
then feed with a wobbled test signal and tune, until it is within narrow specs.

[Bob Olhsson]

In theory, the best overall phase response would come from the exact inverse of the circuit that was used in the cutting system. This obviously wouldn't be likely to be a linear phase network.

[matucha]

...RIAA, I thought about it many times, because I have bad phono pre (in the cheap technics amp) and nice Manley Dual Mono Mic Pre. I tried to compensate manualy by EQ, but there were to way much boosting... so I quit (it didn't sound good).

Waves Q10 > not the best EQ around.

Maybe some plugin manufacturer could research about that and give us plugin with several curves, options... perhaps Voxengo???

[NeoVXR]

one thing is for sure.
there are different types of pickups, and they need to be plugged each in a particular preamp that gives them a load WITHIN SPECS. also signal voltage is for most types SO VERY low, that you can get a nice S/N ratio only with a specialized preamp.
for professional purpose, there are delicate laser sensor systems, that draw a digital map of the vinyl surface, and then compute the sound that underlies the curves. so they can care for dust and scratched surfaces also.

[max cooper]

If you mean laser turntables, I've seen that new one (The ELP) and for 13,500, I'll pass.

I do use a Moving Coil cartridge on my "nice" turntable, and that means those cheap little phono pres won't work anyway.

And yes, there are different gain requirements for different phono pickups.

[Bob Olhsson]

Originally posted by matucha

Waves Q10 > not the best EQ around.

Depends on "best" for what purpose. RIAA is not where you want to add character.

[matucha]

agree... but I always thought Q10 sounds metalic... not the best character ;-). Well, I left Q10 behind a long time ago, so maybe I should retry...

Technicaly... there is no way of obtaining PRO results from MIC/LINE preamp and using digital filter in computer for recording from vinyl?

[NeoVXR]

from a "national semiconductor" catalogue book, I took an application example for a low noise chip for RIAA preamps, soldered and glued together this 15 buck thingy, and built it directly into the record player. there is very little hum and less noise, than comes from the vinyl itself.
this plugs well into any sound card. let the rest be done by waves denoiser and decrackler...
anything better would be _much_ more expensive.
(ask me for sound examples...)

just look at the signal voltage specs (cartridge and preamp), and imagine, that there is an enormous bass boost in the RIAA.
I don't say it can't work...
anyway, pro is pro.

[Bob Olhsson]

Depends on what you mean by "pro" results.

The first thing you have to do is load the pickup cartridge properly no matter if you are using analog or digital eq. The times I tried it, the Q-10 handily beat out a $3000 audiophile phono preamp! This was probably because it was more accurate. I tried some other eqs but was never able to pull the response in as accurately. Getting the frequency response accurate makes a much bigger difference in transparency than the particular colors of any somewhat transparent equalizer.

The Q-10 can seem "tinny" if you are boosting the top-end but often the "tinniness" turns out to be fragile 16 bit recordings made with early, cheap A to D converters.

[matucha]

interesting... ;-), thanks

[max cooper]

A little FYI thingy is that LP surface noise is greatly magnified by poor precision in the tonearm's bearings. Any resonances in the tonearm to plinth system can cause a small crackle or pop to increase many times. A couple of guys who I work with often bring vinyl over to transfer stuff to digital on my system, and they can't believe how much quieter their records sound on my LP12.

Not good for scratching, though, as they're belt drive