THE Godsend for Vinyl-Loving Computer Novices!

[Frau_Blucher]

http://www.numark.com/index.html?http:/ ... view&n=144

A direct USB turntable, presumably with a built-in pre. Yeah, it's pretty easy to hook up a card or break-out box, but at $199 and complete plug-n-play compatibility, this has got to make vinyl ripping available to the most tentative novice. I think it's a great idea! [:p]

[edit - replaced outdated link]

[coop41]

Happy Birthday to me!!!!! This is awesome!!! My birthday is in a few weeks and my wife has been bugging me about what I want!!!!


Now I have something!!![:D][:D][:D]

Thanks Blir!

[coop41]

Target has it for $139.99 , $142.99 at Best Buy, out of stock at both places[:(] Probably not out yet, Froogle shows it from $108-$142

[Frau_Blucher]

LOL Coop. Glad to "help". Although I'm a little disappointed that the price is SO low. I'm hoping it's of decent quality but I wonder if it's no better than one of those Turntable-to-CDR things you see in those in-flight gadget magazines.

[coop41]

My thoughts too, I'll let you know but my turntables have been sitting collecting dust and I'm always going to hook them up and rip some vinyl but can never find the time.....maybe this is the answer!! Ha Ha [:D]

[obs]

This doesn't make sense to me because you'll still need to use software to cut the tracks, etc, and if you have to do that, how difficult is it to connect a receiver to a soundcard? It might be worthwhile if you don't have a turntable but I would still get a quality turntable than this.

[Frau_Blucher]

Tell a complete computer novice that he/she has to do one of two things:

A) find or buy a Turntable and
B) dig up an old receiver and hook it up to that turntable next to the computer and
C) buy either a USB audio i/o breakout box or buy and install a Soundcard

or

Buy a USB Turntable

[?][?][?]

[MARV]

Is this a trick question, Blir [:D] ?

<a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/cetaceans/index.cfm">I dig whales.</a>

[obs]

[i]Tell a complete computer novice that he/she has to do one of two things:

A) find or buy a Turntable and
B) dig up an old receiver and hook it up to that turntable next to the computer and
C) buy either a USB audio i/o breakout box or buy and install a Soundcard

or

Buy a USB Turntable[/i]


Sure, it may seem easier to just buy a USB turntable but how much easier is it? Hooking up a turntable to a receiver has NOTHING to do with a computer. As for C, what modern (and not so modern) home computer doesn't come with a soundcard? And if the computer doesn't have a soundcard already and you're planning on using this USB turntable, how are you going to hear what you're recording/editing? Hook it up to a receiver at the same time (rendering point B moot)?

A computer novice is still going to have the same issues with using the software (Audacity) regardless of where the source material is coming from. Don't get sucked in by a marketing gimmick.

Hmm, I guess you can get this USB turntable and hook it directly to the soundcard instead of via USB. Of course, you can probably get a better turntable with built-in preamp than this one for around the same amount of money.

[Ollie Stench]

Not having seen one of these my initial reaction is that forthe price it's going to be a piece of junk. HOWEVER, if it's possible to change out the cartrige and needle this may be worth looking into.

I bought a Soundblaster Live USB2 breakout box for about $70 and have had absolutely no problems at all.

[fritzb]

If I didn't already own a turntable, I might be interested in something like this. I expect that for that price, it is no audiophile quality turntable, but I doubt that most casual vinyl lovers would notice or care.

The packrat that I am, I have accumulated enough old stereo equipment to last 3 lifetimes. Half the members of my family gave me their old turntables they didn't want and I still have my own DJ standard SL-1200 MK2 from my DJ days. I use a little 4-channel DJ mixer as the pre-amp. It's 20+ years old, but has a surprisingly clean sound. [8D]

[obs]

[i]HOWEVER, if it's possible to change out the cartrige and needle this may be worth looking into.[/i]

It looks to have a counter-balance and says that it has anti-skate controls so I imagine you can. I wonder what this feature is: "High speed vinyl recording". Play the record at 90RPM and then use software to pitch it back to 1/2 time? [:D]



[i]The packrat that I am, I have accumulated enough old stereo equipment to last 3 lifetimes.[/i]

LOL, I know what you mean. I saw these Stanton DJ CD players that someone was selling on a local newsgroup, and since it looked to be a good deal, I picked it up. It's been a few years and I've hardly touched the thing.

[coop41]

I guess that's me too, a total packrat!
My thoughts were simplicity, it looked to me upon first glance that you could change the cartridge and needle and it is a major hassle for me to set everything up (I have 4 kids and 5 computers throughout the house so you never know where it will need to be set up). I thought this looked real easy to put a good stylus on, move it from computer to computer as needed and I could sell my 1200's that have been collecting dust. I'm guessing there won't be a noticeable difference (to me) in the quality but we'll see and I'll let you know!
Plus, that high speed vinyl recording I'll be able to rip all the records I have in 1/10 the time right????[;)][;)][;)][:D]

[obs]

[i]I thought this looked real easy to put a good stylus on, move it from computer to computer as needed and I could sell my 1200's that have been collecting dust.[/i]

HEY! what kind of packrat are you if you're even considering selling your vinyls. Even the stuff I don't like, I wouldn't get rid of. I've only traded in about three cassettes and that was 15 years ago. I had a Silly Phase when I bought pre-recorded cassettes when I first bought a Walkman.

BTW, I've seen some turntables with the built-in phono pre-amp that would suit your purposes also. I recall seeing a Sony one.

[Frau_Blucher]

He's referring to his classic Technics turntable. Sl-1200 Mk2s still go for $500, direct drive Mk5s for $650. I'm confident that Coop will be able to tell us if this USB thingy is crap or passable. Also jealous of him and Fritz for having the prescience to keep theirs around! [:p]