usb turntables

[sandy j]

Hi,
Does anyone have an opinion as to which inexpensive usb turntable is the
best? I've read a couple of reviews, and all I got was confused. Also, do
you have a suggestion for software that will remove most of the noise?

Thanks for your help

 

[R. McCarty]

They ( USB turntables ) are a fairly expensive item. Do you intend to
simply convert your Vinyl recordings to digital or actually play albums
with it ? Most of the USB turntables include a version of Audacity that
can be used to remove "Pops-&-Clicks" and other noise.

Personally, I have a standard turntable and a RIAA Pre-amp setup to
convert vinyl to digital. Both items together cost less than $70. I guess
the convenience of USB with a built-in pre amplifier for ~$160 might
be worth it - but not if you're simply converting a small collection of
vinyl records.

 

[sandy j]

Thanks for your speedy response. I want to convert my vinyl to cd. I've
read several articles about using RIAA preamp and felt I was a fish out of
the water (a few years ago I read another article stating you could blow your
sound card if not done exactly right). I think I have about 100 to 150 lp's
to convert, and I've seen usb turntables on line for lowest $8?.?? for a low
end ION and STANTON for about $149.??. I like the idea of using the preamp
(do you also need to have speakers plugged into the amp?) , but I'm not as
technical as I use to be.

Thanks for any additional help you can provide

 

[nick]

I have an older JVC table plugged into the phono
inputs of an older low end receiver. The tape out
of the receiver plugs into the Line In of the sound
card. All rca plugs.

I then use Audio Grabber to record the Line In and
store as WAV files on the PC. Nero burns them
as audio CDs.

Currently recording some really old Miles and Sonny Rollins.

 

[R. McCarty]

An RIAA Pre-amp is used to correct the mastering of Vinyl recording.
Generally, an album is mastered with a reduced Bass level. The Pre-Amp
restores a Flat response curve to the recording. Without a Preamp any
vinyl recording will have a "Tinny" sound to it.

I'd check around for a used turntable and amplifier. You can probably
get one for far less than a USB unit. The only questionable thing might be
the quality of the Cartridge/Needle in the turntable.

Conversion is a time consuming process. You have to capture audio,
clean it up, save to proper output format and then add Metadata to the
individual tracks. Unless the albums are "Rare", it might be simpler to
get them as downloads from services such as Rhapsody or iTunes but
with those you have to deal with the dreaded DRM.

 

[sandy j]

Hi Nick,
Thanks for replying to my query. I have an old turntable, but I think it
may need a new belt, and I don't have an extra amp. The one I have is wired
and stapled in place and I would need a blue print to undo it. Do you know
anything about preamp R. McCarthy spoke of? Oh! Do you need to have extra
speakers, or will the sound come from the computer speakers while
recording/burning?
I didn't think anyone was still listening to Sonny Rollins or Miles. I
don't have much if any jazz, most of my collection if you want to call it
that, is 60's 70's & 80's, some of which hasn't been put on cd, and in the
end it will be cheaper to make my own.

 

[chuck]

Hi Nick,
Thanks for replying to my query. I have an old turntable, but I think it
may need a new belt, and I don't have an extra amp. The one I have is wired
and stapled in place and I would need a blue print to undo it. Do you know
anything about preamp R. McCarthy spoke of? Oh! Do you need to have extra
speakers, or will the sound come from the computer speakers while
recording/burning?

I just use the computer speakers to monitor the process.

As for a receiver, I have picked up a few at local thrift
shops for $5 and $10 per. As I am just using the pre-amp
section to go out thru tape out, quality seems unimportant.
Right this minute I am recording an OLD dave brubeck thru
a Vector Research stereo receiver (with an old slide-rule
radio dial). The receiver replaces the pre-amp that
R. McCarthy spoke of.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

Does anyone have an opinion as to which inexpensive usb turntable is the

best? I've read a couple of reviews, and all I got was confused. Also, do
you have a suggestion for software that will remove most of the noise?

Thanks for your help

Hi,

My own personal set up is a Rek-o-kut CVS-14 to my receiver's Phono
In's and outputed to my Turtle Beach Santa Cruz. I've been using Adobe
Audition to remove noise and for granular editing. I used to use Cool
Edit since WAY back and it's now become Audition. Diamond Cut also has
a piece of software that is supposed to really blow away the features
in Audition. Check it out here: http://www.diamondcut.com

Have you seen reviews of the Audio Technica unit? I am a subscriber to
Sound and Vision magazine and saw a blurb on it, there's one online
here:
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/co...technica-at-lp2d-usb-lp-to-mp3-converter.html

I did once see a couple other USB turntable models but it's all about
your needs I guess. DO you only need 33 1/3 and 45 RPM? 16 RPM? 78RPM?

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Thee Chicago Wolf" <.@.>

< snip >

|
| I did once see a couple other USB turntable models but it's all about
| your needs I guess. DO you only need 33 1/3 and 45 RPM? 16 RPM? 78RPM?
|
| - Thee Chicago Wolf

16rpm ?

That's one standard I never heard of and I had plenty of "old" 78's.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

You get on low battery.

 

[Tony Meloche]

From: "Thee Chicago Wolf" <.@.>

< snip >

|
| I did once see a couple other USB turntable models but it's all about
| your needs I guess. DO you only need 33 1/3 and 45 RPM? 16 RPM? 78RPM?
|
| - Thee Chicago Wolf

16rpm ?

That's one standard I never heard of and I had plenty of "old" 78's.

Was used many years ago for "spoken word" recordings.

Tony

 

[David H. Lipman]

|
| Was used many years ago for "spoken word" recordings.
|
| Tony

That makes sense as the fidelity at such a low speed could not be good.

OT:
I have a recording of my mother from WWII. It is in the form of a recording made on a
special mailer for US troops in WWII. The recording was made on some kind of semi-soft
material laid on the cardboard mailer and once the audio recording was made you could fold
it up, place a stamp on the outside and mail it like a post card to the serviceman.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

16rpm ?

That's one standard I never heard of and I had plenty of "old" 78's.

There were old 14" and 16" transcription records at that speed.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

That makes sense as the fidelity at such a low speed could not be good.

OT:
I have a recording of my mother from WWII. It is in the form of a recording made on a
special mailer for US troops in WWII. The recording was made on some kind of semi-soft
material laid on the cardboard mailer and once the audio recording was made you could fold
it up, place a stamp on the outside and mail it like a post card to the serviceman.

My folks had a bunch of these from Europe but they were kind of
plastic or something. I think their grandparents gave them to my
parents. It was crazy old-school.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[David H. Lipman]

|
| There were old 14" and 16" transcription records at that speed.
|
| - Thee Chicago Wolf

Then they for business and not for commercial use ?

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

That's one standard I never heard of and I had plenty of "old" 78's.

|
| There were old 14" and 16" transcription records at that speed.
|
| - Thee Chicago Wolf

Then they for business and not for commercial use ?

I don't think for commercial. Mainly just used for things like spoken
radio broadcast type show things and mainly vocal interviews.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Allen]

I don't think for commercial. Mainly just used for things like spoken
radio broadcast type show things and mainly vocal interviews.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

I recall that those old large turntables in radio stations in the 1930s
were much slower than 78, 33.33 or perhaps even 16.67 rpm. The discs
would hold a 15 minute program on one side. This was before microgroove,
so the stylus radius was the same as for 78rpm commercial records. Back
in those days, most of the afternoon programs were only 15 minutes long,
and some were actually distributed to the stations on disc, rather than
by phone lines, so that they could be aired to match local conditions.
Strangely, some programs were sent as manuscripts, with local people
reading the parts; at one time my father in law was Jack Armstrong, the
All-American Boy in his home town. That is my ancient history for the day.
Allen

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was 2/3/2008 8:00 AM, and on a whim, sandy j pounded
out on the keyboard:

Hi,
Does anyone have an opinion as to which inexpensive usb turntable is the
best? I've read a couple of reviews, and all I got was confused. Also, do
you have a suggestion for software that will remove most of the noise?

Thanks for your help

Hi Sandy,

I heard the Stanton T.90 was a pretty good one. There is some concern
over ones that have a plastic platter. But then again once you transfer
your records, you may never use it again, and plastic may be fine for
that length of time.

--
Terry R.

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

 

[Bill in Co.]

I recall that those old large turntables in radio stations in the 1930s
were much slower than 78, 33.33 or perhaps even 16.67 rpm.

Are you sure of that, Allen? I thought some of the old broadcast
transcription disks ran at near 78 rpm, but had to be so large (like perhaps
16 inches in diameter) to be able to go for 15 minutes on one side. (I'm
thinking of some of the material that was also shortwave broadcasted and/or
delivered overseas to our troops during WWII, like Command Performance, or
GI Jive).

This is not to be confused with some of the 16 rpm records used for speech
that came a bit later, I think (but I'm not sure about this)

 

[M.I.5¾]

From: "Thee Chicago Wolf" <.@.>

< snip >

|
| I did once see a couple other USB turntable models but it's all about
| your needs I guess. DO you only need 33 1/3 and 45 RPM? 16 RPM? 78RPM?
|
| - Thee Chicago Wolf

16rpm ?

That's one standard I never heard of and I had plenty of "old" 78's.

It's actually 16 2/3 RPM, but it was rarely used except for some voice only
recordings. Now I do have a couple of boxed sets of Columbia 80 RPM records
(circa 1927) and a set of pre electric recording His Master's Voice label
records that don't specify what speed they play at. 78 didn't become a
standard until around 1930, and even then 78 was actually 78.26 RPM in the
USA and 77.92 RPM in Europe.