Magix - Rescue Your Vinyl & Tapes review
bring your records and tapes into the digital age
Review date: 19 January, 2009. Review by: IT Reviews Staff
And you're proven right in little time. For skip a few pages into the fairly slim manual and you'll find an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to getting started with the package. A fuller PDF file is included on the supplied disc, but credit to Magix for realising that this is just the kind of product where a little hand-holding never hurt.
Its aim is to help you digitise your old analogue music, be it on vinyl or tape, and while it assumes you have the relevant connections on your hi-fi player, it does provide a useful tool in the box to get you started. That's a special external phono pre-amp, which allows you to connect, via phono connectors (and leads are, commendably, supplied), your turntable or tape deck to it.
Then you connect the other side up to your PC's sound card, and you have an easy-to-use solution for connecting one to the other, without having to scrabble around the back of your machine should you wish to switch analogue sources.
The hardware then works in conjunction with the strong Audio Cleaning Lab 15 software, a capable and easy-to-use Magix application which is provided in the box (the installation also offers Muffin MusicFinder, that puts together a collection of MP3s for you to listen to, and the self-explanatory Magix Photo Manager 8). It looks a little overwhelming when it first starts up, but even then, when you run it for the first time, you have the option to play a pair of tutorial videos to get you into the swing of things.
From there, the box claims a three step approach to converting your media, and it's pretty much on the money. You hook up and start your analogue media and press record on the PC. Then you can take advantage of the strong editing facilities offered by Audio Cleaning Lab or let it do the necessary clean-up work itself (which it does very well, it should be noted). And finally, you can output your media and burn it to disc. File support is extensive - even OGG makes the list - but again, the automatic route will make these decisions for you.
Given that the product is sold for a specific purpose, it's refreshing to report that not only does it match its claims, but it also includes, in Audio Cleaning Lab, an application that would easily warrant further exploration. There are plenty of features awaiting investigation - which, for a £50 asking price, you really should take a look at - but in true Ronseal fashion, this is a product that does what it says on the tin.
Verdict
If your audio equipment outputs the appropriate connections, then this is a fine way to get your old analogue recordings over into the digital age. A very good package and an easy recommendation.
Company: Magix
