Record restoration is a form of audio restoration that is concerned with 1), using computers and other hardware to convert analog audio waveforms from shellac or vinyl gramophone records into digital sound files; and, 2) the processing of those digital files with software in order to filter noise and repair transient damage (such as clicks and pops). One may also want to adjust the volume of the recording, or increase or reduce the treble or bass output of the waveform. This site first of all concerns itself with the hardware mechanics of connections between turntable, preamplifier (or amplifier), and computer sound card. Then, it devotes itself to software tutorials and reviews of various record restoration applications. Finally, there are pages of links to record restoration software vendors and to other sites related to restoring music from old records.
INTRODUCTION: The good and the bad of record restoration. General considerations.
THE HOOK UP: Hardware. Connecting your equipment together for recording a record on your computer. The Sound Card. Connecting to an amplifier or preamplifier. Cables. The importance of grounding your system together. Connecting directly from a preamplifier to the line-in sound card jack. Connecting from an amplifier's cassette "record jack" to the sound card's line-in jack. Connecting from the amplifier's headphone jack to line-in. The importance of an acceptable volume level coming into the sound card.
RECORDING: Recording software. VU meters to monitor input volume. Software with a waveform display. The importance of recording at the proper volume. Computer system resources and the danger of drop-outs. The importance of proper volume settings and the danger of digital clipping distortion.
RECORD RESTORATION WITH COOL-EDIT AND ADOBE AUDITION--A TUTORIAL Relationship between Cool-Edit Pro and Adobe Audition. Overview of Cool-Edit Pro GUI (interface). Waveform view and spectral view.
01-Procedure One-Get Rid of Noise Using Cool-Edit or Adobe Audition. Remove 60-cycle hum (or 50-cycle hum) and its harmonics with a notch filter. Filter broadband noise by taking a noiseprint (noise profile).
02-Procedure Two-Divide and Trim Individual Tracks Using Cool-Edit or Adobe Audition. Separate the LP waveform into individual tracks. Add silence at the beginning and trim the ends of each track.
03-Procedure Three-Auto-filter Clicks and Pops Using Cool-Edit or Adobe Audition. Setting and using the "Click-Pop Eliminator."
04-Procedure Four-Remove Clicks and Pops Manually Using Cool-Edit or Adobe Audition. Using the spectral view to locate and repair clicks and pops. Creating a special key combination to fix single clicks. Using channel substitution to repair anomalies. Making special key-combinations to make channel substitution easy.
05-Procedure Five-Adjusting the Amplitude Using Cool-Edit or Adobe Audition. Different types of volume adjustment: simple amplification, normalizing, and hard-limiting.
THE POOR-MAN'S ALTERNATIVE: RECORD RESTORATION WITH AUDACITY AND DE-POPPER VERSION 2--A TUTORIAL The introduction includes download links and suggestions for download options.
01-Procedure One-Recording Music and Filtering Noise with Audacity. The Audacity interface (GUI) and controls. Taking a noiseprint and filtering broadband noise with Audacity.
02-Procedure Two-Divide and Trim; Separate Individual Tracks from the LP Waveform using Audacity.
03-Procedure Three-Filtering Clicks and Pops with De-Popper Version 2. Settings and controls for automatic filtering of clicks and pops using the inexpensive shareware application De-Popper.
04-Procedure Four-Removing Residual Clicks and Pops with Audacity; Adjust (Normalize) the Volume
ACOUSTICA'S SPIN-IT-AGAIN. A review of the easy-to-use and user friendly record restoration application.
SOFTWARE FEATURES. What to look for when shopping for record restoration software.
SOFTWARE LINKS. Here you will find links to all of the record restoration applications that I can find.
SELECTED LINKS. The links on this page are limited to topics closely related to record restoration.
MISCELLANEOUS PERSPECTIVES. This page contains diverse opinions on record restoration from wherever I can find them. Please contribute!
PERFECTIONISM: THE BIRTHMARK. This page is my seriocomic commentary on the "Zen of Record Restoration" and a tribute to Nathaniel Hawthorne's great symbolic fable.
ABOUT ME. If I ever feel like I'm taking myself too seriously, I only have to read this brief history of my own life.
WRITE TO ME. A link to my e-mail.