This page has MP3 samples of the transfer of Vinyl to CD. Digital samples of the transfer and conversion of LPs', EPs' and 45 rpm are included.
The best way of digitising and converting Vinyl to CD or MP3 is to use the OLDIES made GOODIES specialised Audio Restoration Service.

Don't require this level of restoration?
Have a look at the "Low Cost Transfer" page.

Vinyl Records.

Vinyl Records can have an excellent visual appearance but invariably it's a different story when they are played.
It would be difficult to grade the majority of Records available as more than "Very Good" or "Good" - and this includes the ones optimistically being sold as "Excellent".
Thirty to fifty years' on, it is possible to bring it back to a truly excellent condition by the use of high quality Audio Restoration.
For a more in depth insight into what's involved - see the "Audio Restoration" page.

To hear what to expect from a typical restoration, have a listen to this sample of a 1944 Jazz recording, released in the UK on a mid-50's mono LP.
The track changes from the initial transfer to the restoration about every 36 seconds.


Some Vinyl is in pretty poor shape nowadays but much of it can still be restored.
Cleaning this particular LP had little effect. The dirt is ingrained and there are noticeable scratches on the surface of the Record.
Full Audio Restoration is the only way to save it!!!
Here's the Before and After tracks. If the lyrics make little sense it's because I've taken about a minute out of the track, to protect it.



This next clip appears reasonably straight forward apart from the light crackle, which doesn't seem much but is quite difficult to deal with. Everything changes at about 59 seconds when the stylus jumps out of the groove.
Can be corrected, many times. Have a listen to the Before and After clips.



There are many other faults on Vinyl Records apart from the usual clicks, pops and crackle. This early 1950's Jazz LP has suffered sidewall damage over the years., probably caused by incorrect stylus pressure or a worn stylus?
Sidewall damage is one of the more difficult artefacts to remove - but not impossible.
Ther's still lot's of detail left in there, despite this and you will hear the soft touches on the snare, together with fingers on frets and valves.
I've used the intro and outro for these Before and After examples, so they may sound a little bit disjointed.



Solo Piano is one of the more difficult restorations and this sample illustrates it quite well.
The track is taken from a Decca LXT ffrr LP made in 1954 Liszt Recital #2 played by Peter Katin. I've used the full track to illustrate all the problems within it.
A full description of the restoration can be found on the "Audio Restoration" page.
To give a better idea of whats going on I 've also upped the bit rate to 160kbps  - so it may take a few seconds to download.



Is it worth restoring these old recordings?
Many EP/45 rpm recordings are in a pretty sad state nowadays and can take a lot of work to give a decent result - so the prices reflect the time required.
This 45 rpm record released in the UK around 1956 is in pretty good nick, after cleaning, but there are faults in the vinyl and some quite low level brushstrokes on the snare that made it less straightforward to restore.
I've removed about 26 seconds just to protect it.



Distortion is probably one of the most difficult artefacts to deal with. Many of the used Vinyl Records available nowadays seem to have some degree of distortion. EPs/45 rpm seem to be more prone to it than LPs'?
There are a variety of techniques that can be used to either alleviate or remove it - all are time-consuming, which has to be reflected in the pricing of the restoration.
The main culprits are dust and wear, usually a combination of both. Cleaning will take care of the dust but can do little for the wear. The following sample taken from a UK 1957 Teresa Brewer track illustrates the effect quite nicely. I've deliberately cut about 36secs. out of it, so if the lyrics get a bit confusing - that's why. The content left in is more than sufficient to hear the differences.