recordrestoration.com
OKAY, so you've got some old records that you want to convert to CD form, or turn into mp3's, and you're not sure how to go about it. You only know that you would just as soon not import the surface noise, the scratches, the scuffs, the clicks, the pops, and the hum introduced by your audio equipment into the digital recording. In fact, you would like your new restored CD to sound as good as, well, a CD.
WELL, as the old expression goes, there's GOOD news and BAD news:
1--THE GOOD: There are lots (in fact, a bewildering plethora) of software products out there to help you do the job. THE BAD: Some of the best products are rather pricey, and operating them can be intimidating. This site provides links to all of the currently available record restoration software I can find, and will try to help you to make an informed decision as to which product to purchase. My intention is to eventually provide reviews covering all of the available applications devoted to record restoration.
2--THE GOOD: Record restoration is basically a simple and straightforward process. THE BAD: You will find lots of different opinions that will try to convince you otherwise. This is a subject that seems to awaken extreme passions in even the best of us, and many, particularly those "blessed" with "golden ears," can become somewhat crazed in their pursuit of tonal perfection We can become a little like surfers who will always be gazing wistfully at the horizon in exotic lands, searching for the PERFECT WAVE (though in this case, the PERFECT WAVEFORM is something that you strive to attain, rather than "search for). Because of this very human compulsion to perfectionism, I have addended a few comments on Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "The Birthmark."
3--THE GOOD: Really, unless you are a professional, working for others, you only have to please yourself with your results. THE BAD: You often can be hard to please, and the longer you pursue this activity, the more "picky" you will become. In respect to the rule please yourself: I have a very rare LP that is in such unspeakable condition that I considered it beyond all hope of recovery. However, partly by way of proving the procedures I outline on this website, I decided to "clean it up." Well, I worked long and hard at it, spending hours and hours chasing down clicks and pops and filtering noise. When I was finished, I was really happy with my results. In fact, I was so proud of myself, I decided to upload the rarity to one of the usenet binary mp3 groups in order to share it with others. I immediately got a response saying "I really enjoyed hearing this old record, but isn't there a version with less aggressive noise reduction?" I listened to my cleaned recording again, and to me it sounded great. I thought of the slab of totally trashed vinyl with which I had started. I said to myself, from deep within, "Oh Well . . . At least I pleased myself." This suggests a corollary truism: "No matter how good you think your restoration may be, there is someone out there who is not going to like it."
4--THE GOOD: There's an awful lot of information on the web to help you figure things out. THE BAD: There's an awful lot of information on the web to help you figure things out. Much of this information is written by very bright technicians with a full command of all the jargon of the field. First and foremost come the recording engineers and those who provide information about such technical fields as mastering audio for a recording studio. Now these folks really know what they are doing, and they use software that is even more complex than the higher-end products mentioned on this webpage. Just behind these professionals come the audiophiles and hobbyists who have become crazed in the pursuit of perfection. They will not only wash records, but they will sometimes play their records "wet," and not only with distilled water on the platter, but with exotic liquids designed especially for the purpose. I feel humbled by such efforts, and I am not being in the least sarcastic when I say that. In short, surfing the web for info on this topic can be very intimidating and off-putting. Okay, here I will slip in my own totally heretical and somewhat embarrassing record cleaning tip: I will wash my hands thoroughly, and then clean off the record with my bare hands. I find that this way I can feel the crapola on the vinyl and stuck in the grooves with my very sensitive little fingertips (plus, there is the sheer pleasure of intimate contact with virgin vinyl to consider). Okay, well usually I wash my hands. In a similar vein, I hope this website remains down-to-earth and straightforward, if nothing else.
5--THE GOOD: This activity is really a whole lot of fun. THE BAD: The pursuit of pleasure never got anybody into heaven, and your wife or significant other may not see the ultimate purpose behind a lifetime spent pursuing clicks and pops on old records with arguably little redeeming artistic or social value.
Like almost all webpages, this is an ongoing work-in-progress. I plan on working on it almost daily, and I welcome your comments, suggestions, and criticisms (but be gentle--I'm a broken-down old man). If you have something useful to add, I will incorporate it into the site (probably in "miscellaneous perspectives"). If you have any links that you consider helpful, please send them to me and I will add them. If you have any software that you would like me to review or mention in the software links, please let me know.
Return to Record Restoration Home (Table of Contents)