Wherein I sing the praises of my new USB turntable.

[asthmaticeog]

Fuck yeah. Just fuck yeah.

Direct USB interface with my 'puter. No hum or whine from some assy old stereo preamp to muck up my rips. The digital files sound as good as the records.

I'm making CDs of my vinyl collection just as fast as I can play the records and split 'em up into tracks.

And it's bundled with software that cleans up the scratches and pops. I leave that stuff at a low threshold, just to get the really nasty ones. The little scratches and pops, I kind of like.

It only has 33 & 45 settings, but the software has speed & pitch interpolation for the 78s.

And it was only $169, including the needle, cartridge and slipmat. $169 I didn't quite have, so I'll be eating pretty much nothing but pasta until my next paycheck, but who cares? I'm in heaven!

Did I happen to mention fuck yeah?

:bounce:

[mainegreen]

1. I was thinking of getting something like that.

Ideally one of the dualdeck ones w/software as well.

But everytime I save up some cash I spend it on more vinyl.

[asthmaticeog]

3. Boy, do I ever know how THAT works. n/t

[Sugar Smack]

2. Listen, that's GREAT.

I wonder if you know how I could go about getting needles for my father. He has about 3,000 albums on vinyl, and the needle's done for. His collection is one of the best I've ever seen. Is there some place online I can get needles for him?

Congrats, by the way. I'm excited for you!:D :bounce: :toast:

[mainegreen]

4. Radioshack can get any needle you need.

Seriously. They're good at that.

[Sugar Smack]

6. Thank you so much.

He's been a little desperate about it. :-)

[asthmaticeog]

10. Really? Still?

That's awesome. I didn't know they still had all that stuff.

[asthmaticeog]

8. What kind of turntable?

It can be hard to find good, new needles for older record players. The reason I bought the Numark is that DJs use Numarks (or Stantons, or Technics...) so I can be relatively sure of being able to find cartidges & needles for a good long time.

There's a place near me, actually, that sells older stuff, and they have a website: http://www.playitagainsam.com/

There's also this site, with a good guide to finding needles for older players: http://www.turntableneedles.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=10

If you don't have any luck with finding the right needle, maybe try to talk to your family and see if you can't get everyone to kick in on a decent new turntable for him for Christmas? My housemate got an amazing Stanton direct-drive table secondhand for under $300.

[Sugar Smack]

38. THANK you for the info.

It's a turntable from the early Eighties, but I don't know what kind.
I'm going to check it out!!!!!

[asthmaticeog]

46. I dunno, it seems like TMI compared to "go to Radio Shack."

I'm floored to learn that they still have a full array of needles. If I were you I'd try that first and potentially save a lot of leg-work.

[seemunkee]

45. Needle doctor

http://www.needledoctor.com/

[Fenris]

5. We really need one of those.

Lots of obscure 60's garage band records from places other than Murika.

[asthmaticeog]

11. Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it.

Then, after you've done it, start an MP3 blog and share all that obscure trash-rock goodness with the world!

[GoneOffShore]

7. Is it only a Windows interface

Or does the software work with Macs?

My turntable just died and I was about to start on my vinyl collection. I've got some good classical and old folk stuff that I want to put on iTunes and CD.

[asthmaticeog]

9. I have a Mac, it works great.

It apparently works with Linux, too.

[guyton]

12. ttUSB Turntable - way cool

and it has both PC and MAC software, thanks for the post!

[asthmaticeog]

13. No prob. And welcome to DU.

:hi:

[swag]

14. Great fucking post.

I order one November 1.

[swag]

15. Oh, hey.

What's the model number?

[asthmaticeog]

16. Numark TTUSB.

[johnnie]

17. Oh, how cool is that!

I want one. I have 7 crates full I could start transferring.

I can do it with my old turntable, but it is probably easier with that.

I'm jealous now.

[asthmaticeog]

19. If you have a *really* clean-sounding stereo preamp, it's not necessary.

Mine has a quiet but high pitched whine in the phono channel that I can't friggin' get rid of since it competes with cymbals & saxes, so I lose a lot of actual music if I pull the frequencies. One I borrowed had a low hum that competed with basses and kick drums. :banghead: I needed to get a new table anyway, so I figured the USB thing would be the best way to go to bypass those kinds of problems.

[johnnie]

26. I see it has rca outs too

That's pretty cool.

[Katina]

18. that is awesome!

now I know what to get my husband for christmas. We have records that will NEVER be made into CDs. Great Post!

[asthmaticeog]

22. Your husband is a lucky fellow.

I hope he doesn't read DU - it'd be a shame to spoil the surprise. :hi:

[Generic Brad]

20. Where did you find that?

I must get one for myself so I can convert my old vinyl to CD.

[asthmaticeog]

21. Guitar Center and Sam Ash both stock them in the DJ & Lighting sections.

I don't know about other stereo retailers, but I imagine such places might have them, assuming they even still have turntables. I dunno, haven't gone stereo shopping in a looong time.

[lildreamer316]

29. PROSOUND.

pssl.com

We get all of husband's dj stuff from them if ordering a lot,because they usually give us a deal on a big order. Their prices are very competitive. You have a personal salesperson you establish a relationship with, and you can negotiate a price a bit-they have some leeway.

[asthmaticeog]

40. Holy shit - it's even cheaper there!

I wish I knew that before. But still, thanks for the link, I'm going to bookmark it for future reference.

[Blue-Jay]

23. Can you record some Herman's Hermits for me?

[asthmaticeog]

24. Oh, you're into something GOOD!

[Lautremont]

25. Fuck yeah is right! I'm getting one of those suckers.

I have tons of records to rip. Thanks!

[hunter]

27. I want one.

I don't know where I'd put it, I have two turntables already, but I do want one.

[lildreamer316]

28. Technics dosen't make one that has a USB?

'Cause that sucks, considering we bought husband the Grand Masters.
Oh well.......they're still awesome.
Have fun!!

[CanuckAmok]

30. Fuck, yeah!

What a great invention. Typical that someone would come out with this now that I've laboured over the very same obstacles you described in the process of ripping all but 20% of my vinyl.

I'm in need of a new TT. I might just go with this, as I'm probably going to replace my living room hi-fi with a multimedia PC soon. Does it also have analog connections, ie RCA connectors?

[asthmaticeog]

44. It does have RCAs.

It's a pretty light-duty box though - I assume that's how they keep the price down. But if you're not lugging it to clubs or anything suchlike, it doesn't really need to be a tank.

[speedoo]

31. Check Amazon. $130 there, with free shipping!

Looks like a great product. Looks slightly different from yours.

http://www.amazon.com/Ion-iTTUSB-Turntable-USB-Record/dp/B000BUEMOO

[enigmatic]

32. I want this

Oh oh yes, I want this:)

[u4ic]

33. Hi enigmatic!

:hug:

Are you snowed in? :D

[enigmatic]

34. ha!

:hug:

Mrs. E thinks I'm insane, but I love this time of year, especially up here. Winter too, especially. Taking some road trips last winter really brought that home how beautiful Alberta is...

[u4ic]

35. I almost screamed this am

till I realized it was melting as it hit the ground. <insert whew! smilie>

I don't mind the snow; often it looks quite beautiful. Just when it gets down to -30...that's...a bit much. However, it hasn't done that in a few years, has it?

What trips did you take in the winter?

What's your schedule like for November? Since I'm finally moved and settled, I like to see if I could arrange a DU meetup (MsE would be most welcome). You can PM me the info if you'd like... :hi:

[enigmatic]

36. pretty insane

At the hotel, but Mrs. E and I would love to be there if we can:)

We mostly wandered North and East of here; St. Paul, Cold Lake, Athabasca. I love winter landscapes, especially the prairie/badlands, so I'm in heaven up here....

[u4ic]

37. When you know your schedule,

can you tell me what nights/days you have off, and we'll see if we can co-ordinate the very few of us. :D

October is nuts for me, no time at all between now and a week next Sunday.

The winter landscapes are beautiful, aren't they? :-) That's what I love the first snowfall to be - real snow, not the stuff today.

Time for bed - take care, m'friend! :hug: I will be in touch soon.

[Squeech]

39. Cool

Something else I could certainly use.

Except I just moved the computer to a place with no usable flat surfaces anywhere nearby :shrug:

Also there's a problem in that the cat uses it as a gym, which could potentially affect tracking :-)

[asthmaticeog]

47. Ah, the cat.

Yeah, if I had a cat, I'd sure wish they'd made these with lids.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

41. WAY cool!

[buddhamama]

42. i would love to have one

i too, like the scratches and pops. imo, it adds warmth to most songs. it is cool though, that the big issues can be fixed.

Hurray for You. :bounce:

[terrya]

43. That's one fine looking turntable

Wherein terrya displays his complete ignorance of audio products and solely concentrates on the design of said turntable.

Well done, sir.

[tigereye]

48. hmmm, very interesting!

I was feeling guilty about all the records we have sitting around that we never play.