Numark Portable/Serato Question

hogginthefogg

hogginthefogg

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Jun 9, 2004
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Basic question: I'm considering recording vinyl from my Numark PT01 skraight into my laptop (SoundForge) then converting to MP3 for Serato purposes. Would the sound quality be "passable" for club gigs? I usually encode at 256, but I'll play 192kbps stuff. And yes, I know that it's preferable to record from a Technics 1200 with better needles, but I'm considering doing this because I could do it from work. Thanks.
 
nagl.gif


I'd strongly suggest no, even at the bitrate. Stick to using a good turntable, it makes a big difference.
 
nagl.gif


I'd strongly suggest no, even at the bitrate. Stick to using a good turntable, it makes a big difference.
Click to expand...
especially if you're considering going in through the standard 1/8" input. donnadoit.
 
Hoggy,

All I know is that I record from my Vestax portable using the stereo out lines into a microphone jack but it's all in mono. I can't tell if it's the portable, the y-line adapter or the mic input. I suspect it's the portable though.




Basic question: I'm considering recording vinyl from my Numark PT01 skraight into my laptop (SoundForge) then converting to MP3 for Serato purposes. Would the sound quality be "passable" for club gigs? I usually encode at 256, but I'll play 192kbps stuff.

And yes, I know that it's preferable to record from a Technics 1200 with better needles, but I'm considering doing this because I could do it from work.



Thanks. [/quote
]
 
All I know is that I record from my Vestax portable using the stereo out lines into a microphone jack but it's all in mono. I can't tell if it's the portable, the y-line adapter or the mic input. I suspect it's the portable though.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I understand your technique, but my money is on the Y-adapter. The purpose of a "normal" Y adapter is to sum two (stereo) signals into a singular (mono) signal. You would need a balanced/stereo adapter to keep a true signal.

If the single end of your adapter is balanced/stereo (you can tell because it's Tip-Ring-Sleeve), then it would convert in stereo, if it's only Tip-Sleeve, then it's summing to mono.

PStereo.jpg
 
Never mind the connections. Numarks sound quality is shit. If you play one of those frequency record, or have one of those stroboscopic discs you can see/hear how imperfect those things really are. I use mine strictly for digging purposes.

Cheap belt drive = Not a good sound
 
Hoggy,

All I know is that I record from my Vestax portable using the stereo out lines into a microphone jack but it's all in mono. I can't tell if it's the portable, the y-line adapter or the mic input. I suspect it's the portable though.
Click to expand...
it's most likely the mic input. i had the same problem with my old laptop (it only recorded in mono) .. when i got a new soundcard with a line-in it recorded in stereo.
 
It's not the y-line or line-in. I've used the same adapter to record from my mixer to my laptop and it records in stereo. I'm pretty sure the Vestax doesn't output in true stereo. It does output separate left/right channels but the fidelity sounds like mono crap.

 
on a similiar note, i just saw this USB turntable in a catalog the other day for $140. it lets you convert vinyl directly into mp3. is this a waste of money?

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--IONITTUSB

iTT_MED_side_RGB-0adde5304942c98cec2f3731454bf342.jpg
Click to expand...

By the looks of the tonearm and cart, yes. But a digital out is not a bad thing. Probalby more useful on a mixer - is that possible?
i saw this the other day as well and was wondering the real shcoop on it.


as for a mixer, yes
 
on a similiar note, i just saw this USB turntable in a catalog the other day for $140. it lets you convert vinyl directly into mp3. is this a waste of money?

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--IONITTUSB

iTT_MED_side_RGB-0adde5304942c98cec2f3731454bf342.jpg
Click to expand...
Has anyone used anything from this brand? I believe this is the brand that (T)urban Outfitters sells.
oof.gif


If so, a few months back they had buy-one-get-one-free portables of this brand for $99, to the best of my recollection. I would be wary of the quality.
 
on a similiar note, i just saw this USB turntable in a catalog the other day for $140. it lets you convert vinyl directly into mp3. is this a waste of money?

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--IONITTUSB
Click to expand...
Has anyone used anything from this brand? I believe this is the brand that (T)urban Outfitters sells.
oof.gif


If so, a few months back they had buy-one-get-one-free portables of this brand for $99, to the best of my recollection. I would be wary of the quality.
Someone told me that Urban Outfitters had stacks of cheap turntables to get rid of because they thought that the number of record bags sold meant people would need turntables. Not sure if it was a crappy quality issue or not.
 
yeah i don't know what is wrong with my computer now, but when i try to record sound from the 1/8 input jack, it records it all tinny. i had this problem when i tried to remaster old mixtapes by recording them through cooledit.

but if i have the tapedeck play through the mixer into my computer through the usb, do you guys think i will still have this problem? i think the problem is my input jack.
 
Probalby more useful on a mixer - is that possible?
Click to expand...
They make the Mackie Onyx series with an optional firewire card for interfacing with computer audio software now. Those look like hot little mixers in fact, I'm thinking of picking up a 1220 for the studio.

Not to stray too far, but does anybody know anything about the Mackie Onyx series? Is the 1220 worth $500? These are line mixers BTW, not DJ. Sorry If I'm way off topic.




To hop back on topic, I would agree that if you have any regard for the quality of your recording, I would not record from any portable turntable. You're better off using a sturdy, full sized turntable with a quality tone arm (preferably curved if I remember correctly) and cartridge.
 
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