Recording from turntable to B2

[Andrew Denny]

I am planning to get a turntable.  Can I just connect it up to the B2 and can the B2 record its output?  

I have a feeling this is a simple question with a simple answer but I can't find it in the FAQs, sorry. 

[Daniel Taylor]

With a traditional turntable, you will need a phono pre-amp to go between the TT and B2.  But these days, many turntables are offered with a pre-amp built in.  So for those you can connect directly to the B2.  Without a phono pre-amp, the signal from the turntable will be too low for the B2 input.  The pre-amp also applies RIAA equalization to bring the encoded music back to the correct levels.

[Clan]

Do you play your turntable through your Hi Fi amplifier ?  This will have the turntable pre amplifer built in and you connect the B2 to the tape recorder or dvd recorder  output of the amplifier , then as you play the record it will be output to the Brennan B2 to record .

A better way is digital and use your laptop or PC to record  from the turntable which is what I do . I bought the Soundblaster X-Fi HD  which has a port to connect the turntable to including the earth terminal ..  this then converts the music to digital and passes it down the USB lead to the Computer for you to save , It comes with software which cleans up the recording if you wish and will also split an LP recording into separate track files if the gaps are long enough . they are then saved as high quality wav files ready for the B2 . The result you get is excellent . The soundblaster can  do other things too ..

https://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/pc-components/sound-cards/creative-sound-blaster-x-fi-hd-913944/review

[Andrew Denny]

I have a Brennan B2, a pair of speakers and an Internet connection - that's it. Oh, and a dozen old unusual LPs that I haven't played in 20 years. I'm wondering about just a cheap turntable with USB to start with (Sony 300 or 310?) but I wanted to record to the B2 if that's possible.

[Daniel Taylor]

It is possible to record directly to the B2.  If you're getting a TT with a USB output, I'd recommend doing the recording on your computer, as Clan does. 

If you don't already have recording software on your computer, Audacity is free but it is incredibly powerful and well thought out.  You don't have to learn how to do all of what Audacity can do, just the few things you are interested in.  There are probably folks here who can help, too.

I put off downloading Audacity for years.  Now that I have it, I can't remember what kept me from getting it earlier.  That program is so good, I'd pay a lot for it - but it's free.  Amazing.

[Thomas Birkland]

I would echo Daniel's comments. Since ripping all my CDs to the Brennan B2, I started thinking about all the tapes and records I own and how it would be nice to have them all in one place, on the Brennan. But I never did think to record the records directly to the Brennan, mainly because the records are a bit old and even with a new turntable I acquired for this purpose (a mid-range Audio Technica), I knew I'd want to do some "post-processing," as it were, before loading the music to the Brennan.

The turntable does have a USB output so I just ran that to the computer. [If I had a turntable with only regular RCA outputs, I'd connect it to a device I bought for converting tapes to FLAC files, a Behringer U-Phono UFO202 Audiophile USB/Audio Interface with Built-in Phono Preamp (I bought it from Amazon).] 

I then record the records into the computer using Audacity, and then apply various effects--noise reduction and click removal--and then split the recordings into tracks (this is not easily done automatically--it's best done manually). Once I split the tracks, it's fairly straightforward to export the audio as FLAC tracks. 

Once the files are ready, I copy them to the Brennan just like copying computer files--the Brennan is visible as NAS on my home network, although sometimes it seems easier to just copy the files onto a thumb drive and then load the files from the thumb drive into the Brennan. 

This is a fiddly process and involves several steps, but I am thrilled with the results. It's a lot of fun to "discover" one's old LP collection. While sometimes I like to just play the LP on the turntable, having the capacity to set up playlists and just play music all day is incredibly convenient. 

[PMB]

Hi Andrew,

If all you want is to play the turntable through the B2 you will need one with an analogue output to plug into the Aux In on the B2. As discussed some TTs have a built-in preamplifier otherwise you'll need an RIAA preamp between the TT and the B2.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Andrew Denny]

Paul, Thanks, but no, I was wondering if the B2 can actually record. I would be using a USB turntable or one with a built-in preamp.  (I haven't bought or decided on the turntable yet.) 

It would be a bit of a faff having to move the turntable to be at my computer every time I wanted to record. 

[Clan]

yes the B2 can record very well,  however it is a very clumsy process to master ... unlike the JB7 it seems to have auto level control .

[Andrew Denny]

Thanks. I wish I could find the FAQ on the Brennan website about how to record, but I can't. 

[Daniel Taylor]

See this page: Q&A - Aux In and Recording

[Andrew Denny]

Oh, thanks! How did I manage to miss that? Sorry. 

[pritch]

This very question is what brought me here today. I want to get my records onto my B2 and was wondering how to do it. Good answers, all.

So is there any consensus on a turn table? I probably need a new one as well. The one I have now was a top-of-the-line Technics, from the late '70s. It didn't really survive the kids thinking they were DJs as teenagers too well. I think it would be proper for them to get me one for Christmas!