Mono vinyl transfers with "Y" connector

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Jeff T.
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Mono vinyl transfers with "Y" connector

Postby Jeff T. » Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:08 am

I thought I would post this question here since Luke might know the answer this one one.

For Mono LPs being captured to digital for server and CD output I have a question. Generally I have been recording in stereo and then selecting the best channel, and copying that to the other channel. I mean if one channel is much quieter than this was the way I'd always go.

I had read that summing the L & R signals from a stereo cart will lower the noise floor. And if both channels are good and quiet, or both the same in surface noise, I have been doing just that. In fact, I have been trying to always use the Y connector and summing for mono LPs. I would think older vintage LPs would not have a phase difference L to R, and there is little risk of a bad drop done with a Y connector. I would think a mono cart would have the same issue with that record if there were any phase differences to speak of.

My question is, do you think it matters where you sum the channels? At the end cables before preamp? or after preamp but before going to A-D capture card? I used the Y connector at end of the TT RCA cables and before preamp. It just seemed a pure way to get the cartridge signal in mono before anything else comes into play.

Do you think it makes any difference where the signals get combined? I damn sure do not want to do it digitally. I may be crazy but I don't like to ever resamble a digital signal, especially not 16/44. It just goes against what I try and do. I do no post EQ, no normalizing, no (post) filtering of any type. I find my drops are very transparent and dynamic this way. They sound more like vinyl imo. Of course if I were doing 24/96 or higher, some post touch ups would not be so awful imo.

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lukpac
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Re: Mono vinyl transfers with "Y" connector

Postby lukpac » Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:09 am

I do it digitally, and it sounds fine. The big advantage is if there are some pops in one channel you can remove those first and then combine.
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