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  • From: grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>
  • To: RTP-area local music and culture <ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: USB turntable at Costco
  • Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:36:36 -0500

Assuming you already own a turntable, all you need is some kind of USB audio interface, either between your turntable and your computer (like this: http://www.amazon.com/ART-USB-Phono-Plus-Preamp/dp/B000BBGCCI -- ~ $100) or between the line-level output of your stereo, and your computer, like this: http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOTRANSIT (~$70 --- I have one of these, and while I don't use Windows or OSX, I can tell you that it works well under Linux)

Your computer might even already have a line-level analog input on its normal sound-card, or have a "mic input" that's really basically just a line-level input.

Then you can concentrate on finding the software, which is where the magic happens, assuming any magic actually happens. The hook for those USB turntables is that they're bundled with some cut-rate software that will take a 22-minute-long wav file (what you wind up with when you record a whole album side) and semi-automatically look for the gaps between songs, and probably do some rudimentary pop/click reduction, and spit out MP3s.

They seem to be bundled generally with Cakewalk Pyro, which you can buy separately for $40: http://www.zzounds.com/item--CAKPYRO

Or you can explore the wide world of other options, many of which are outlined in this dense page of text: http://magicref.tripod.com/digitalaudio/darmp3.htm

I suppose it's possible that the all-in-one USB turntables actually have some software integration such that you can drop the needle & have the software on the computer start automagically (and/or click "rec" on the computer and have the tonearm lift & drop into position at the start of the record) but that's about as far as that's going to go, so how much would you pay for that?

xo

Ross

James Hepler wrote:
I saw it at costco as well! I've head horible things
though. Word on the street is don't buy the USB
turntable.
It looks cheaply made, and I'm sure the guts of it are
less reliable than if you were to buy a regular
technics or pioneer or whatever device. But hell, I
say buy it and let me know! I'm tired of digitizing
records the slow way!



--- DJ Golf <djgolf AT mindspring.com> wrote:

So. Costco has, for $120, a USB plug-and-play
turntable that you use
to convert your records to digital audio files. Comes with software.
Plays at 33 or 45, and the box says it "supports"
playing 78's (I
assume this means you play them at a lower speed and
the software
makes the conversion.) Also has regular RCA-plug
type output that you
can switch to, and use it as a regular turntable. I
don't remember
the brand, but it wasn't a name I've ever heard of. Anybody have
experience with this sort of gadget?




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