Magix Rescue Your Vinyl & Tapes

Whether you’re an audio nut and love the sound of vinyl recordings, or a long-time fan with music stuck on awkward formats, there’s a good reason to check out Rescue Your Vinyl & Tapes (RYV&T) – it can bring your record and cassette collections into the digital age.

Features:
There’s a two-fold benefit to this. People who want to go through space-hogging record collections can put them in storage while still having access to their music. Also, anyone who just wants to listen to a favourite album on their iPod or make a copy for their car can do it with RYV&T. It comes with a pre-amp (below left), so you don’t need amplifying hardware and can simply record from a headphone socket. It also contains software specifically designed for processing your recordings, separating them into tracks and taking out the pops and crackles.

Performance:
The pre-amp box does add a layer of hardware to your set-up but it’s still a simple process, using standard plugs and sockets to carry out its work. As a result, low output levels are not a problem and you can achieve the optimum sound for your recordings. Tracks may still suffer from whatever imperfections are present on the originals, but you can at least minimise their effect.

Ease of use:
The software that comes with the package is called Audio Cleaning Lab 15 Deluxe. It sounds rather complex but, while it’s capable of some impressively expert audio cleaning, it’s also very easy to use. Magix has built in a lot of automated features so beginners needn’t be put off. For instance, the software will ensure that your sound levels are correct before you start and can automatically remove unwanted noises from your recordings.

Value for money:
This package doesn’t come cheap but it’s a comprehensive all-in-one solution. If you don’t want the pre-amp, you can buy Audio Cleaning Lab 15 Deluxe for £29.99, saving yourself £20. Alternatively, if you don’t even have a stereo any more, get it with a USB turntable for £139.99.