Anyone got/used a USB turntable ??

Browntoa

read a few reviews online but wanted real answers (suspect some reviews are written by the makers or purely to eanr money on sites like ciao)

anyone got first hand experience of using one of these , want to know about sound quality , ease of use ( and one review mentioned Skipping on records as the arm was too light ) and the brands you have , seen Veho Ion and soundlab ones

I know I could buy a real deck but they cost the same and I know I can re-sell the USB on ebay once I've done my old Lp's for more or less what I got for it

Marty_J

Sound quality is likely to be "OK"; these sort of things are used for their convenience first and foremost.

Personally, I'd buy a decent deck used on eBay, transfer my vinyl, and then sell it for what I bought it for (maybe a little less, maybe a little more). I doubt the resale value on a used USB turntable is very high.

flashy

I have a Soundlab G056C USB Turntable, and i must say, its the best around from what ive seen/used in the USB range.

It is good built quality, not a maplin USB type plastic thing. The base is plastic, but comes with a nice perspex lid, propper soundlab needle/cart (which i must say is high quality). I have a few Technics 1210's, and to be honest, for playback and recording, theres no sound difference.

It also has a switch on the back, to output audio to phono/line, (line doesnt need an earth and can be connected straight to an analog mixer, surround kit at home or amp) (phonos need an earth and preamp)

Plug it into an XP machine, and it needs no drivers, one recoridng sound level, use a free tool, like audacity (it comes with one on a CD), and your away. Crisp recordings and hardly any crackles!

Got my vote ages ago! had it a few years now, and generally use it to play vinyls than record. Very happy.

flashy

p.s , heres one i made earlier, with no cleaning in the sound, just a raw recording from 10 year old vinyl.

http://rapidshare.com/files/195221369/TJ_Cases_-_You_bring_me_Joy_feat_Kat_Blu.mp3.html

Browntoa

crackles are no problem as I have Magix audio cleaning software , used it to do all my old tapes

must dig out speakers so I can listen ...

timbim_2

TBH, if you've still got a good quality deck, I'd send that straight into your sound card and record using Audacity. Worth a try, shouldn't cost anything to give it a go!

geekgirl

I have used the method timbim suggested and we have a USB deck (it was a pressie). Both methods work fine. Obviously if there are crackles on the record you get them but you said that isn't a problem for you.
I recorded loads of my really old dub reggae, there were a couple of jumps here and there, it made me laugh later when listening on my ipod!

As for the arm being too light, I have found that is the case with mine. I just stick a very small piece of blue tack or a penny on top of the head and it isn't a problem.

Audacity is great but you also get software with the deck. You press record, it plays you stop it at the end of that track and click next and so on. Then the software automatically sticks it into itunes. I use audacity to clip beginning and endings of tracks (if I forget I am recording and leave it a bit long).

But there is only so much recording I can do in one sitting. I envisioned myself doing some every evening but it is a bit like scanning loads of photos, it does get dull very quick cos you have to be on the ball to end the track.

It is great having all that old vinyl on ipod though. Enjoy.

steady__eddie

I bought the one that was on offer from Netto for about £40 before Crimbo last year and I'm well chuffed with it. (well my eyes have gone and my ears are on the way out). The software is Audacity which I can just about cope with techwise. Could anyone advise if it's worthwhile downloading the Beta version from Audacity ? (I'm a little short on my download limits).

geekgirl

I am not sure that the version you have is any different from the version of Audacity that you download, it is good though isn't it.

Marty_J

These are the new features in the Audacity 1.3 beta. Only you can say whether its worth downloading or not.

The current stable version for Windows is 1.2.6.