Phono Preamp Reviews

Pure Vinyl LP recording & editing software

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 19, 2010

As long as you're spinning an LP for your listening pleasure, and if digitizing it at a resolution of 24-bit/192kHz is transparent to the analog source, why not record and store the LP on your computer at that high sampling rate for future convenient playback via iTunes or for iPod use, or for burning to CD-R? And, while you're at it, why not record the LP unequalized and apply the RIAA curve in the digital domain, where you're not dependent on capacitors and resistors that are imprecise to begin with, and can drift over time? With no drift of phase or value, the virtual filter's results should be better than with any analog filter. And in the digital domain, you can program in any curve known, and select it at the click of a mouse. Aside from the sweat equity invested in programming it in the first place, it wouldn't add a penny to the program's cost.

These are the questions that Rob Robinson—musician, audiophile, software programmer, and former Bell Communications Research Scientist (he was responsible for designing their first scanning tunneling microscope)—asked himself in 2002. Robinson has answered them all with Channel D's Pure Vinyl recording and editing software for Apple Macintosh computers, and has continually revised, updated, and tweaked the program since its launch in June 2006.

For instance, because hard-drive storage was still relatively expensive when Robinson first envisioned Pure Vinyl, he built the program around burning to CD-R and DVD-R discs. This meant that the editing functions (track starts, stops, splits, etc.) occurred only in less-than-full resolution. Today, with each terabyte of storage costing around $100, Pure Vinyl edits, stores, and plays in up to full 24-bit/192kHz resolution directly to and from a computer's hard drive. The Pure Vinyl software will only run on Macs with OS10.5 or later and is available at an introductory price of $229, which will rise to $299 at some point in the near future.

Necessary Hardware
The minuscule electrical output of an analog signal from a moving-coil cartridge needs to be boosted before it can be converted to digital and equalized in the digital domain. Of course, you could use your current phono preamplifier and record an equalized signal to hard disk, but then you wouldn't get to experience Pure Vinyl's digital RIAA correction—nor would you be able to avail yourself of all the equalization curves provide by Pure Vinyl, of which there are almost too many to count.

When I first wrote about Pure Vinyl in the March 2009 "Analog Corner," Robinson recommended using a good microphone preamplifier to provide the appropriate amount of flat amplification. But even without RIAA compensation, the cartridge still requires the optimal resistive loading, so he supplied his customers with pre-loaded RCA-to-XLR adapters. While that's still a viable if limited option, Robinson has now designed and manufactured, in America, four standalone Channel D phono preamplifiers, two of which I auditioned for this review: the AC-powered Seta Nano ($1599) and the battery-powered Seta Model L ($3799, or $4798 with internal RIAA compensation module).

Whether you use your own phono preamplifier or one of the Setas to rip LPs, you're also going to need a good 24-bit/192kHz-capable soundcard—or, if you're using a laptop, a good outboard A/D converter. When I first wrote about Pure Vinyl, Robinson suggested I buy for my Mac G5 tower an L22 PCI soundcard ($675) from Lynx Studio Technology. I did. Unfortunately, should I upgrade to a new Mac, that card will be unusable—Apple has changed the internal interface. Love those computers! Given how little used computers fetch, I've decided that when the time comes, I'll just keep the old one and use it as a music server and D/A converter.

So to jump with both feet into the Pure Vinyl world, you're looking at an investment of around $5000 for the Seta L preamp, the software, and a suitable soundcard. Or, using your own phono preamp and an inexpensive converter, you can get started for a few hundred bucks.

Open Channel D
The final version of Pure Vinyl v.3.0, which performs hi-rez 24/192 recording and editing, should be available by the time you read this. Once you've downloaded and installed it in your computer's applications folder, and either added an internal soundcard or connected an outboard USB one (Channel D has a list of devices it has tried with Pure Vinyl here), you'll need to configure the computer's AudioMIDI Setup and the soundcard's supporting software.

If you're not friendly with computers, the task can be daunting, in part because it just is, and in part because Robinson has written the instructions almost exclusively in the passive voice.

Double-click the Pure Vinyl icon that you've placed in your dock and, unlike other powerful programs—you can make and eat a sandwich while waiting for Photoshop to open—Pure Vinyl quickly opens on the desktop. You'll see a virtual LP with a blank label, above which scroll the three available functions: "Click LP spindle to record," "Click iTunes icon for music server" (more about that later), and "Drag and drop Pure Vinyl recording to play."

NEXT: Page 2 »
COMPANY INFO
Channel D
Trenton, NJ.
(609) 393-3600
www.channld.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
Stoneholme's picture
Submitted by Stoneholme on Sun, 2012-08-19 23:41

I read this article with interest as this has been a passion of mine for several years now.  I have no issues with anything said as it's essentially what I've been doing.

I would like to share a couple of alternatives, however:

The Graham Slee Project "Jazz Club" pre-amp (www.gspaudio.co.uk) allows you to select from a variety of different equalisation curves or just pass the signal through without equalisation.  It's got pretty good performance specs as well.

Sound Studio from Felt Tip Software is a pretty versatile but easy to use program. Support is excellent and the product has never failed to perform to my expectations.  I do high-res transcription at 24-bit, 192kHz and this works a treat.

For post-processing I use wonderful suite of products from Brian Davies called ClickRepair and DeNoise.  The beauty of this product is that it is NOT a set of filters but a sophisticated yet easy-to-use digital signal processing program.  It also has built-in equalisation capability if you wish to use it.  It's also very very affordable.

For storage of the raw files I use the DroboPro.  I mention this simply because I have terabytes of raw files and although I've had some serious HDD problems, this system has not lost a "bit" of any of my recordings.

BTW, really enjoying the site although suffering from technology envy when I read about some of the systems.

Oh, although I haven't done any work in this space, I've heard great things about the OPPO BDP-95 universal optical disc player.  If you have the capability of producing DVD-Audio discs at 24-bit 192kHz, and your mates have an OPPO, it's a great way to share new music.

rl1856's picture
Submitted by rl1856 on Wed, 2012-09-26 12:52

Not everyone owns a Mac computer....indeed approximately 90% of the computing world is non Mac and I suspect the majority of those reading this blog or Stereophile in general are PC users.  So what are the viable NON MAC alternatives for converting vinyl to digital?  For many, the use of Audacity software (free download) and ones's own internal sound card or inexpensive secondary card provides a good starting point, but what are better alternatives?

Joe Crowe's picture
Submitted by Joe Crowe on Sat, 2014-11-15 08:55

I noticed that the nifty Lynx soundcard mentioned (rally interested in that) requires an adapter to be used in a Mac.

audiot's picture
Submitted by audiot on Wed, 2012-09-26 14:34

I'd love to use the Pure Music software but first I have some serious hardware upgrades to consider, mainly a new turntable and cartridge. Mine is just too old and has spent too many thousands of miles in moving vans to be viable for such a huge undertaking. But someday . . . yes!

southroad3's picture
Submitted by southroad3 on Mon, 2014-09-15 06:02

I'm a PC user so the Pure Vinyl is of no use to me. I have been digitising analog sources for a few years now using a Denon DN F650R digital recorder which transfers onto an SD card. I then plug the card into my PC. Using Nero software I chop up the files into the individual tracks, I can also edit any unwanted noise at this stage. The process is somewhat laborious but once you get used to it you can create a digital version of your vinyl/tape etc fairly quickly. The Denon records at 24/96 so SQ is acceptable. During this time I have been upgrading my vinyl playback so I suppose I would need to go back and re-record the early transfers, but I think life is too short !

See Why Audio's picture
Submitted by See Why Audio on Thu, 2015-04-09 19:05

...not all of them are equal.

Recording from vinyl is what I do for a living so forgive me if I feel I know more about it than others... but I have also found that I know less and less when it comes to the bewildering selection of software available.
I can't enjoy the 'Pure Vinyl' experience because I am a PC user... but I have been for many years using a venerable and now quite free version of Adobe Audition 3.01

The strengths of this program are difficult to nail down but amount to a great flexibility in choice. Automation of tasks is achieved through scripting and the interface is relatively easy to learn. Frankly I don't know what I'll do if it ever becomes unusable on modern computers!

Irrespective of software, I should stress that you are always going to get better results from a better turntable/arm/cart/pre/sound card than from any software. You can get a decent rip - if that's all you need, from free software such as Audacity.
As always, there is no easy way to make a bad rip sound good in software.

gbougard's picture
Submitted by gbougard on Fri, 2017-12-15 11:23

I've used this gentleman's services and he is one of the best in the world
I sometimes release content that's often restored from vinyl and See Why Audio is my go to guy. What he did on Bunny Wailer's "Struggle" album is simply stellar

pessoist's picture
Submitted by pessoist on Tue, 2017-03-21 03:29

I shared the thought of a digital high-resolution rip.
On a very second thought:
- I waste a lot of time to create a copy, that I could use to read a book, ride a motorcycle, or bicycle, meet family and friends, travel. Recording what I listen to, while I listen to? Ok, doable.
- I record what actually has been digital information before? To save some bucks or what? To listen in a compromised environment (mobile)?
- Can I really capture all of it? All information, all emotion?
Result:
I decided to buy a second turntable instead for my second location I frequently stay and chose to listen to records I buy there, or move over. I had a good second chain of equipment already (not high high end, but good classic) that I moved there.
I listen to music and feel the emotion.

What do I rip?
CDs, because they're crap, don't age well, less well than my digital files.
Do I listen to them? Yes, in the car and on the train. (.wav)
I'll be deleting all MP3 files, soon, even the ones without a .wav copy.

Nothing against the software approach above, it's really a great idea, just not one that I consider using.

thank you.
Carlos.

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chatgptfrancais's picture
Submitted by chatgptfrancais on Wed, 2024-03-27 23:46

The ability to record directly to hard drive at high resolution is intriguing. Would love to see how ChatGPT could imagine different ways to use this software beyond just archiving vinyl.

joshua's picture
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joshua's picture
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