[MPA] Studio vinyl sampling the right way?

[Scott Jacob Loehr]

When I transfer vinyl over to my Mac, I just plug the outputs of my 
turntable into a Phono Preamp and go directly into my MOTU 2408 mkII 
at -10dB.  I'd recommend avoiding a mixer altogether, especially if 
you're transferring a wide variety of musical styles.  If you don't 
have a preamp, make sure you get one with a ground.

>I am in the process of setting up my little home music studio piece 
>by piece. I've got a couple of thousand records some I am planning 
>to convert to CD but my main focus is sampling off of them. We all 
>know that with music equipment it's the sum of all the parts 
>involved which determine the end result. I want to sample or 
>transfer off of these records right the first time, since I will 
>sell many of them after I have done this and can't go back if I 
>figure out another way to do this better. I want the highest 
>possible quality to make professional music with. I am new to the 
>computer side of things, I have cubase and am hopefully soon going 
>to go to SX soon.
>I need to know how to do this the right way.
>
>Do I straight record into Cubase? Bias Peak? another program? and how.
>
>I  am using a very high quality Ortofon Nightclub Gold Eliptical 
>needle, with Technics SL1200s. Right now my (DJ) mixer is a Stanton 
>SK Two with 1/4" TRS outputs. I am looking to upgrade the mixer to a 
>Allen and Heath Xone:02 (which has XLR outputs) because that company 
>makes legendary sound boards and mixing consoles so the sound has 
>got to be better. All this is going into a M-Audio Delta 44 
>soundcard into my 2002 (noisy) Dual 867 MDD Mac. I am monitoring on 
>AKG 270 headphones.
>
>If  I get the Allen and Heath mixer should I just use a cable with 
>XLR on one end and TRS on the other? Does this defeat the use of the 
>higher quality of the XLR?
>
>Which software should I use which will give the best sound quality? 
>SPL de-Esser and declicker? Steinburg has the now X series of vinyl 
>clean up software. Another vinyl cleaning program? What about a 
>program that catalouges the samples?etc.etc..
>
>As well as any other related topics I didn't mention. Thanks 
>everyone you can probably tell by my tone that I am nervous about 
>making the wrong/right steps. Thanks.