posted
My dad has really helped us out the past couple of years and I want to get him something really nice for his birthday. He has mentioned wanting to convert his vinyl to CD and digital form more easily several times (currently he runs the turntable to a pre-amp that runs to a computer and then he burns files from the computer to cd.) I know it's something he doesn't have yet and I want to get him a digital turntable that can either input to his computer, burn to CD, or both (both would be best.)
Here's my problem-- I know next to nothing about audio brands, especially turntables. My dad is like an audio guru, the pre-amp he uses currently is part of his in-home recording studio. (He's also a semi-pro songwriter/musician. In his spare time, when he's not being a doctor.) I want to get him a really good one, a brand that's going to have really good quality and not crap out and have good support if something does go wrong. Of these sound quality in the digital recording is the most important because he's a total audiophile. He can go on for hours about the benefits of his guitar amp over a standard guitar amp, etc.
So here's my plea: help me choose the best choice!
I have only found one turntable that has both direct-to-cd recording and a USB output for use with a computer. It's the ION on this page. I am thinking that would be good because he could put the sound on his computer and clean it up but if he just needed a quick rip and didn't care as much about quality he could burn right to CD. But, I don't know ANYTHING about ION turntables. Is it a decent brand? Also, I want something three-speed, and I'm not sure if this is. I know my dad has lots of LPs but also some other formats.
The other options involve choosing one or the other, USB or CD recording. I'm thinking if I have to choose one I would choose USB because that allows for cleaning up the sound (pops and static and such) before recording to CD, and he's already set up to burn from mp3 to CD on a high-quality CD burner. If I got a CD only option he would have to then rip from CD to mp3, clean up the sound, and re-burn if he wanted to do that. Of course, if the best sound quality is found in a CD only model, I might choose that.
So that's my dilemma. My problem with online reviews is that everyone is reviewing their turntable with nothing to compare it to. No one seems to have done a comparison of several USB or CD-burning turntables. And I don't know enough about brands to choose.
I am relatively sure my dad thinks highly of Crosley. They do make some USB turntables, as well as some CD recorder turntables, but none of those seems to be able to do both.
And, other brands seem to have more features and/or better software that comes with it (although that's not a deal-breaker because if necessary I'll buy him better recording software, too, if that makes up the difference.) But I'm not sure about sound quality and such.
So what do you all think? Anyone done this, know about it, got some insight to give me?
His birthday is Sept. 19, so I'm hoping to make a decision in the next week and get it by then.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
If he has a computer system and a little knowlege with computers, I would push for the USB version over the cd version. One can always use the computer to burn the cds but if you go with the cd recorder you can not always get the cd to load into a mp3 on a computer for your ipod.
Posts: 176 | Registered: Jun 2008
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quote:I'm thinking if I have to choose one I would choose USB
He gets around okay on the computer and already has a setup for high-quality recording from audio file to CD. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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You might direct Bob to this thread. He started converting his LPs to mp3 a few years ago. I don't remember what he ended up buying, but he's definitely the guy to ask.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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The Crosley CD-burning model you linked to has audio output that could be plugged into a computer with the right sound card setup (in other words, USB is not the only way to connect these devices to a computer). From the setup you described, it sounds like your dad already has the setup to route an line-level signal into the computer (i.e. the preamp is just boosting the low level turntable output to line level).
If you can find amplified turntables with line-level output and CD burning capabilities you probably don't need to worry about USB capability.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Yeah, but as much as he CAN do that he doesn't WANT to.
He's been saying he wants an easier (less space-taking-up) way to do it, one that connects directly to the computer via USB or burns cds directly. So he WANTS a USB or cd-burner turntable.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Bob did what your dad is doing now -- turntable to preamp to computer. I'm not sure that a digital turntable would actually be any easier -- once you get the thing hooked up you still have to play each record in realtime. Or is it the software he's using that is slowing things down?
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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After thinking about it, as much as I would prefer a USB turntable FOR ME, since he does actually have a way to do it already (as people have pointed out), maybe I should go with the CD burner one for when he wants convenience? That would allow him the high-quality option for when he wants actual digital files (not being that saavy, that's not that often, he doesn't burn mixes or email files or anything) and yet give him convenience for when he wants to just do it quickly.
I'm still interested in whether anyone has input on brands, or if I should just go with the Crosley as a tried-and-true respectable brand. Cost is really not an option here; if you know a good brand suggest it even if it's premium!
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I hear you kq, but my point is that USB isn't necessarily simpler or smaller. If your dad already has a line level input on his computer (he'd have to, I think, to connect the preamp to the computer), then connecting via USB or via direct line-level output are equivalent in terms of space, cable connections, and physical complexity. The software aspect might be different and that's an area I don't know much about - I haven't done any recording from either a digital USB audio input or an analog input (I doubt it's much different though).
CNET had a review of one of the ION models (TTUSB10) and said it was adequate but entry-level . Ion seems to be another label for Numark; you can find some options on numark.com
The crosley stuff looks nicer but I don't know much about it. Anyway I'll bump the thread one more time. Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Right. His doesn't. It's very old (but good sound quality.) And he uses a pre-amp that connects to an adapter that has a connection to another adaptor that connects to the computer. His computer does not have line in that I know of.
This gets so space-consuming that he often just puts records on tape instead even though it's not as convenient and the quality isn't as good. He also has a lot of tapes he wants to convert, but again, that's a whole "thing..."
So he's very interested in something that takes up the least space possible and has a USB rather than line output.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I know this is off your track a little. But, I have started listening to my records more the last couple of years. The sound just seems warmer and more musical than the CD sound. More realistic.
Posts: 1167 | Registered: Oct 2005
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*nods* That's why he has a really good turntable and has held onto vinyl editions even of stuff he also has on cd. He babies them and takes really good care of them.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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(I'm thinking I really don't even know what I'm looking for here, specs-wise. I think maybe I'll have to go into an actual audio store and ask an expert. Does anyone know how to find someplace that would be familiar with high-end recording equipment in L.A. (preferably Glendale or Pasadena or thereabouts but I'll travel if I have to?)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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