Laptop microphone jack?

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I'm trying to figure out how to rip my vinyl from my non-USB turntable. I want to connect my TT or phono preamp directly to my laptop (I guess)
My HP laptop only has a microphone jack. In reading, it sounds like it wouldn't work as a line-in.

Yes, I can buy a Y style cable (2 stereo RCA plugs on one end, and a single small microphone style plug on the other) and see if it works. Guess I'm not a big fan of buying stuff only to find out it won't work.
 
I'm trying to figure out how to rip my vinyl from my non-USB turntable. I want to connect my TT or phono preamp directly to my laptop (I guess)
My HP laptop only has a microphone jack. In reading, it sounds like it wouldn't work as a line-in.

Yes, I can buy a Y style cable (2 stereo RCA plugs on one end, and a single small microphone style plug on the other) and see if it works. Guess I'm not a big fan of buying stuff only to find out it won't work.
Is the microphone jack a stereo jack? If not, then no it wont work (it will only record mono). If it can be configured as a line in jack (which you say it cant) then a stereo RCA to stereo mini jack will work.

What have you read that has convinced you it cant be configured as line in?
 
Sometimes those Y cables aren’t great because if the other end isn’t seated perfectly one or more channels will go in and out. I know that my iPhone has stereo playback because sometimes I will be watching a video or something and the sound will be so good that it throws me. Even without headphones.

But, I wouldn’t do any serious recording into a laptop or iPhone. You are at risk of getting all kinds of interference and buzzing along with your music. I am pretty sure that they make stereo mp3 recorders for this and you could probably pick one up cheap on EBay since they have been around so long.
 
Is the microphone jack a stereo jack? If not, then no it wont work (it will only record mono). If it can be configured as a line in jack (which you say it cant) then a stereo RCA to stereo mini jack will work.

What have you read that has convinced you it cant be configured as line in?
I've been reading posts on an HP site. That said, my exact model is an exlusive to Best Buy. So I suppose it could be different. I can't tell by reading the specs whether it can or can't.
 
I'm trying to figure out how to rip my vinyl from my non-USB turntable. I want to connect my TT or phono preamp directly to my laptop (I guess)
My HP laptop only has a microphone jack. In reading, it sounds like it wouldn't work as a line-in.

There are USB adaptors that might work for you and would probably be better at avoiding potential noise issues.
 
Sometimes those Y cables aren’t great because if the other end isn’t seated perfectly one or more channels will go in and out. I know that my iPhone has stereo playback because sometimes I will be watching a video or something and the sound will be so good that it throws me. Even without headphones.

But, I wouldn’t do any serious recording into a laptop or iPhone. You are at risk of getting all kinds of interference and buzzing along with your music. I am pretty sure that they make stereo mp3 recorders for this and you could probably pick one up cheap on EBay since they have been around so long.
Huh, well I don't know. MP3? I don't want MP3, I would want Flac or wav files.
 
Like this?
1614278181020.png
 
I've never seen anything like that! It looks so straightforward and easy that I wonder what it's really doing. I just read a reference to analog audio actually being a possibility over USB, though that discussion was about USB-C and cell phones, so it may not be relevant.

Th gadgets I've seen in the past are little boxes that convert analog RCA to digital USB, but maybe that's built into that cable and I'm just once again behind the technology curve.

There is a warning at the listing about it possibly not working with some laptops...that makes me suspect that it really is all-analog and possibly not ideal for your situation.
 
Huh, well I don't know. MP3? I don't want MP3, I would want Flac or wav files.

Well that shows how much I am up to date (not) with digital audio. I have always been a analog person even though I do own some CD’s. So take pity on me, for I have been left behind the times as I sit here trapped underneath yards of unspooled tape.
 
If you're digitizing vinyl, I'd pay attention to the ADCs, and at that price they're probably pretty mediocre. Something like this costs a bit more, but you won't wonder later if you should redo them with better gear to the same degree: Amazon.com

(Link is to the Behringer U-Control UCA222 for $45 - it's widely available and recommended).
 
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I too suspect you will get much more satisfying results if you buy an USB audio interface (most often meant for musicians/DJ's), as long as it has a line level stereo input. Don't know about your budget but this would work (cheaper units can certainly be found).
 
I'm trying to figure out how to rip my vinyl from my non-USB turntable. I want to connect my TT or phono preamp directly to my laptop (I guess)
My HP laptop only has a microphone jack. In reading, it sounds like it wouldn't work as a line-in.

Yes, I can buy a Y style cable (2 stereo RCA plugs on one end, and a single small microphone style plug on the other) and see if it works. Guess I'm not a big fan of buying stuff only to find out it won't work.
How serious are you being with this? Is this something historical to preserve where you want to cross all the t's and dot all the i's or is this just a fun experiment?

If you're at all serious, get a little audio interface with proper line ins. And get something like an Apogee or RME. They each have little 2 or 4 channel units. It's a way to get a pair of very high end ADC and DAC. You could snipe up a 1st gen Apogee Duet for $100 on Ebay if you're on a budget.

The time it takes to transfer vinyl and then the futzing around after... Start with a good transfer. The USB turntables and laptop line inputs are very crude. Yes, line level is easy and yes, a lot of sound is coming through. There's also a lot left on the cutting room floor and distortion. And if you have an input with lower levels or anything challenging, the fidelity is a steep bell curve with this stuff. The cute brochure on those USB turntables talking about software to clean stuff up,,, You can't clean up what didn't even come through with the transfer and you can't un-distort the rest!

my 2c

Even if this is a "fun project" you might just want to get a proper little audio interface if recording stuff is the game. The laptop line inputs and other consumer stuff will make you think doing this and having it turn out well is magnitudes harder than it should be!

PS. USB turntables are more toy kind of products. Stay away from that crap! It sounds funny but a laptop input is probably no worse!
 
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Well, I certainly don't want to waste my time making average vinyl rips, if I can make higher quality. No, I don't think I would want to spend "hundreds". I would spend $100 on a used product that is quality. I see so many on ebay, I wouldn't know where to start.
 
How serious are you being with this? Is this something historical to preserve where you want to cross all the t's and dot all the i's or is this just a fun experiment?

If you're at all serious, get a little audio interface with proper line ins. And get something like an Apogee or RME. They each have little 2 or 4 channel units. It's a way to get a pair of very high and ADC and DAC. You could snipe up a 1st gen Apogee Duet for $100 on Ebay if you're on a budget.

The time it takes to transfer vinyl and then the futzing around after... Start with a good transfer. The USB turntables and laptop line inputs are very crude. Yes, line level is easy and yes, a lot of sound is coming through. There's also a lot left on the cutting room floor and distortion. And if you have an input with lower levels or anything challenging, the fidelity is a steep bell curve with this stuff. The cute brochure on those USB turntables talking about software to clean stuff up,,, You can't clean up what didn't even come through with the transfer and you can't un-distort the rest!

my 2c

Even if this is a "fun project" you might just want to get a proper little audio interface if recording stuff is the game. The laptop line inputs and other consumer stuff will make you think doing this and having it turn out well is magnitudes harder than it should be!

PS. USB turntables are more toy kind of products. Stay away from that crap! It sounds funny but a laptop input is probably no worse!
Don't those apogees require a firewire interface? I doubt his laptop can accommodate that.
 
Best to go from your phono pre-amp output to a USB converter, or get something like the Behringer UCA222 mentioned which has a phono preamp (I've done a few vinyl & tape rips using one). Otherwise you'll have to implement the RIAA equalisation curve digitally, the eq flattens the frequency response to get round the vinyl/cartridge response. If you don't, at high frequencies your signal is high compared to the Bass, so your 'dynamic range/resolution' is poor for low frequencies, you can also overload the ADC at the high freq end.
1614288444763.png
 
Best to go from your phono pre-amp output to a USB converter, or get something like the Behringer UCA222 mentioned which has a phono preamp (I've done a few vinyl & tape rips using one). Otherwise you'll have to implement the RIAA equalisation curve digitally,

Good point. forgot about the EQ.
 
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