Recording Vinyl onto CD

Now looking at the options of recording straight into my MacBook, I think I have fallen into a rabbit hole now!
I said you'll need external sound card but with Mac chances are the onboard one is pretty decent, so just plug your tape out to your Mac, dl Audacity and hit record.
 
Now looking at the options of recording straight into my MacBook, I think I have fallen into a rabbit hole now!

Everyone has provided fine suggestions so I want to say that up front in hopes my post doesn't come across as snarky or rude towards any other suggestion!

Yes, you can record to your MacBook and with a good audio interface get stunningly good results. If you want to get your feet wet (sounds like your ready to jump all the way!), keep it simple, have a total utilitarian workflow and audio CD player to play those mix CDs on at home, here's my 2 cents, though it probably reads like a dollar :)

A Tascam CD-RW900mkII

I record all my analog tapes, DAT, and LPs to CD-RW onto a Tascam CD-RW700. It was made in November 2000 and I'm recording an LP right now. 17 years of service. Rare for that? Not really, all my gear works this way, including all mechanical equipment. I just got done listening to a cassette on my Nakamichi CR-2. I have two of those, as one is put away in case this one decides to have issues. Since 1989 the damn thing won't fail. Yes, I have equipment that fails, but don't buy a flash card recorder for fear of a CD recorder "breaking". I bought a Tascam 24-bit 96kHz flash recorder at what seemed a great price thinking it would be a bit easier than rotating 2-3 re-recordable CD -RWs AND sound better but I sent it back the next day because the audio was inferior. Even at 24-96, my CD recorder was superior. You have to decide how sensitive you want to be between convenience, features and performance. Everyone chooses that which suits their own needs and desires and that is a wonderful thing. I'm just here to add that I've had a JVC CD recorder I replaced with the Tascam and that was only because I wanted to upgrade. The JVC is here and works fine. In two days I'll receive a new Tascam CD-RW900mkII. The only reason is because I got a great price and after 17 years my current Tascam "should" breakdown! I've recorded over 1200 LPs and it's still working. I may kick it down the stairs accidentally next week. Plus I can use it as a CD player for those mix CDs you want to make anyway. I paid $289 including shipping.

You can edit on the CD recorder (track split, index, title, etc.) or take a CD-RW to a computer to save the files and use again, or yet do all the above! The choice is yours, but you said you wanted to make mix CD's of LP's. This is a well-proven way and you can get elaborate by taking the files to the computer for editing and/or saving (good idea, it's free to save the hard work!) or do it all right in the deck and voila, you have a CD (or again why not both!). Did I say 17 years already? No, it's not rare luck. I can offer plenty other testimonies. Good luck on your choice and enjoy :)

And I'm not kicking my 700 down the stairs. That or the trusty JVC may save me when my new one fails in 2 weeks, lol :)
 
Now looking at the options of recording straight into my MacBook, I think I have fallen into a rabbit hole now!

If you're considering using a MacBook, you might look into a Schiit JIL for the ADC. I'm using one with Audacity on Win10 and the results are better than the sound card I was using.

Jon
 
Now looking at the options of recording straight into my MacBook, I think I have fallen into a rabbit hole now!

That will work fine, but you will need to buy an audio interface for your MacBook and audio editing software or Download Audacity for it. A little more involved, but also more flexible.
 
Wow, can't believe this thread got revived, thanks everyone and thank you for your thoughtful input. I am likely going to go with the TASCAM CDRW. I think it will be the easiest as far as work flow and logically makes the most sense to me with how I interact with my media.
 
I have a Korg MR-1 that I use for digitizing vinyl. Its an older unit...but does PCM up to 192khz and 2.8mhz DSD just fine. Internal 20gb hard drive.

I also rip my LPs to SACD.

I wouldn't trust a standalone CDR recorder at this point. Most are approaching 15 to 20 years old and the lasers might have issues.

I've always recorded each side of an LP as one track then split it in my editor. Or more specifically...I create a CUE sheet that I can then later tell my editor to split "along CD boundaries".
 
I have used a sony rcd w500c 5ive disc changer and burner for years noooooo problems with the
quality of recordings, cassette or vinly,only issue for me is it uses digital audio cds.you have to used these to burn
but the unit can play back any type of cds and also plays mp3,cheers
 
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