Ion TTUSB Turntable with USB Record | List Price: $199.00
Discount Price: Too low to display
|
Brand: Ion
Binding: Electronics
Features: - USB 1.1 turntable that makes it a snap to convert vinyl collection to CD or MP3 formats
- Includes Audacity PC/Mac recording software and trial version of Bias Soundsoap 2
- Adjustable anti-skating control for increased stereo balancing
- Support for high-speed vinyl recording; works with both 33-1/3 and 45 rpm speeds
- Line-level outputs for easy stereo connection; 1/8-inch line-level input; weighs 7.7 pounds
confusing [Posted on 2008-07-05]
Hello, this seemed like a good idea, but we've spent so much time fiddling with the thing trying to get the program right in the computer for it actually to record. I'm sure it works, but it's been so much hastle trying to do so that I've had it sitting under the plastic for 6 months collecting dust.
turntable with USB record [Posted on 2008-07-17]
I had so much hope for this turntable, which would have enabled me to listen and convert my beloved lps to cds. What a disappointment when I hooked it up and found out that it doesn't work. I had to return it for a refund. The one good thing about this purchase/return experience is the amazing speed that Amazon processed my order. The product arrived within a day of ordering, and I received notification of my refund days after I returned the product. Oh well.
So-So Product [Posted on 2008-08-01]
To me a good product is 4 star, something exceptional to make it 5, one off for each significant drawback. The two with ION TTUSB:
-the EZ Vinyl Software generates frequent 'cannot convert file' messages when converting to itunes, whereupon it must start over converting the LP, even if it successfully converted several tracks. Eventually it gets through all the tracks in an LP, then you have to sort through and get rid of the tracks it successfully converted on the failed tries, to avoid clutter in your itunes: workable but annoying. I've heard suggestions this is caused when itunes was already installed before you got EZV, but it's just poor design not to have thought somebody would already have itunes installed and not want to mess with it.
-faint ground loop hum noise on the recordings. Again possible extraordinary measures would fix it, but it just shouldn't be there.
Otherwise the EZ Vinyl software is also clunky to use in more minor ways (for example inevitable long pause in your MP3 file at end of an LP side while you quickly flip the LP), but workable. The turntable basically works. My old LP's have wear and occasional damage, a super quality turntable wouldn't help that much. Besides the two specific problems mentioned it would be a 'get what you pay for' situation in a fairly cheap product. But I'd check out competing products which might not have those problems.
ION gets the job done [Posted on 2008-08-13]
I've got a huge vinyl library that dates back to my life in the 60s. We've moved a few times and always carried our collection with, damp basements, hot barns, the records have been everywhere. We've added music over the years because some things are just not available on CD. Well, recently we changed our audio setup and we no longer had room for our turntable. I use a Mac so I picked up an iMic but was never happy with the quality or the software.
I decided to go with the the Ion because it looked like a simple setup and it worked with Macs. It is a little larger than I expected, but I got over that. It came partially disassembled, but the directions were clear and the setup was easy for me. The adjustment of the tone arm took the longest, but I wanted to make sure it was right.
The Audacity software loaded and works fine on my MacBook Pro running Leopard 10.5.4. It was intuitive and easy to learn although I have not used it to it's full capacity yet. What I like about listening to records is to hear the faint pops and cracks and the full deep tones. Audacity lets you clean all of that up, but I chose not to.
Once you rip the album to your hard drive, you can do the cleaning, add track numbers and names or add some of the many filters available. The ease of importing to iTunes was important for me, too, and it works great with Audacity.
I should mention that the ripping is done in real time, but the software allows you to speed it up is you wish. Again, I chose not to because I wanted to listen to the music as it was transferring.
I'm very happy with the purchase and find myself just listening to music that I haven't heard in years, even if I decide not to transfer it to my Mac. The turntable also has regular RCA connections if you'd want to add it to your stereo system.
Mac users: Not for the faint-of-heart [Posted on 2008-08-15]
The Ion USB Turntable was a gift that held much promise to convert vinyl recordings to MP3 files to add to my iPod. The unit looks and sounds great as the records play through the Apple G-5's sound card. Unfortunately the recordings are in wav format and you have to download additional software (LAME MP3 Encoder) to convert the wav file to mp3. The link they provided is a dead end, and the forums are full of comments by other users who have exactly the same problem. There may be a solution somewhere for Mac users (a number of work-arounds are suggested in the forums), but after several hours I have been unable to find anything that works. Note that the authors of several positive reviews used different software to make this product work.
Click here for more details and discount information...
|
){kind=link}