Post #511381 by quickiki on Tue, Feb 16, 2010 8:25 AM

I can vouch for Audacity. It's a freeware that really is very deep as far as filters go, but has a bit of a learning curve. You really have to experiment with it in order to achieve the results you want. If you're looking to remove pops and hisses, it does a decent job, but is extremely tedious. If you really want to save yourself some work, purchase a decent phono cartridge (not the ones typically found on the USB turntables) and try to clean your records thoroughly. Some of the better cartridges actually have needles which sit further down in the groove, thus eliminating a lot of surface noise that you would find with cheaper cartridges where the needle seats higher up in the track. I was skeptical of this claim, but have done side by side tests and found the difference quite startling. I currently use this Audio Technica cartridge and have had nothing less than astounding results:

http://www.garage-a-records.com/proddetail.php?prod=AT440mla

I have to disagree with the advise regarding the use of Dawn dishwashing soap. Many audiophiles would cringe at the suggestion, not only because it may damage the vinyl, but if there is any residue, it will actually attract more dirt. I've used Todd's enzyme solution (see link) with good results. You can buy the extra strength version and dillute it with some distilled water for a more cost effective solution:

http://www.ttvjaudio.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_51&products_id=283

[ Edited by: quickiki 2010-02-16 08:26 ]