Cassette and LP to Digital
Recording music from a tape cassette or vinyl LPs to your computer is a relatively simple process, but the better your equipment, the better the results. Cassette decks generally have a high enough output level, and you can hook your deck directly to your PC's sound inputs. However, you will need to hook up a turntable to your stereo/tuner or a dedicated preamp. Pinnacle's $100 Clean Plus, for example, includes a USB preamp. Rule of thumb for audio connections: The less wire between the sound and the computer the better--digital connections are best.
Once you're hooked up, you'll need recording software, which runs from the simple and free Windows Media Recorder to a full-on professional package like Steinberg's $800 Cubase SX. Make sure to record at the highest sample rate available for better signal-to-noise ratios and more accurate post-recording processing. In other words, the higher the sample rate, the more accurate your music files will be. Some sound cards allow 96-KHz/24-bit recording, though 44.1-KHz/16-bit is fine for most users.
If you want to remove tape hiss or clicks and scratch noises, you'll need an audio-restoration program. Both Roxio's Easy CD & DVD Creator and Ahead Software's Nero provide decent restoration capabilities, but for best results, a dedicated audio-restoration program such as Pinnacle System's $50 Clean or Waves' super high-end $1200 Restoration is in order.
You can keep your higher sample rate files, but you'll need to save your music as 44.1-KHz/16-bit files for burning to CD.
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