Looking to buy my brother something to record his old vinyl collection onto a computer. A local store has a closeout sale on Ion USB turntables for $75 each. As a technical weakling, I'm consulting y'all to see if anyone's tried this unit or has any ideas regarding what I should be looking for. It seems like an easy to use unit, but I don't want to buy the wrong thing. Thanks for any advice.
On 6/29/2009 8:37 PM Pdk Pdk spake thus:
I'd be skeptical. Sounds like it might be a real POS.
Why not just get a *real* turntable (there are still shitloads of them out there for sale) and run it through any inexpensive receiver? You'll get much better results that way.
(But no, I haven't actually tried these devices.)
It appears to be a pretty slick unit. It sells for $150.00 straight from the manufacturer. I wouldn't mind having one.
I agree I found a Dual on Ebay for $20 and it looked brand new. All I had to do was hook the cartridge output to the MIC IN on the sound card with an RCA to 1/8" phono adapter and I was ripping vinyl.
On 6/29/2009 10:17 PM snipped-for-privacy@aol.com spake thus:
Can't see how that could work well at all; microphone inputs aren't made for magnetic cartridges. RIAA equalization and all that, you know.
Normally, the output from a turntable has to be amplified to record from it via computer. If not built in (rarely) the amp can be obtained by piping from turntable to a stereo then from stereo to computer. See my dandies in sig for more info.
Not quite. You really need equalization. That's why you must run it through an RCIA preamp, or as another said, through a receiver (which has the RCIA equalizer). I'm sure there may be software with built in equalization to make it work directly, but I haven't seen it. I briefly checked Adobe Audition and didn't see it there.
Art Todesco wrote: (stuff omitted)
Oops, I meant RIAA. RCIA is from different life.
Adult convert to Catholicism, are you?
Can't imagine how that would work. The signal is very low level so it needs to be amplified and RIAA equalization needs to be performed.
Hi, Phono input and line level mic. input is not equal! Maybe tht TB had El Cheapo piezo cartridge?
I guess nobody told my PC. Once ripped into an MP3 and played in my car it sounded OK to my tin ear but I don't have those $200 oxygen free speaker cables and solid gold receptacles.
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I'm just guessing that for $75 you're not going to get a really high quality turntable. He'd probably be better served by spending his money on a really good sound card for his computer and using whatever turntable he already has, unless it's a real POS.
nate
"Sounds like it might be a real POS"
Great words of wisdom from someone who states he hasn't tries either of the devices!!
I have the ION and got it for Christmas three yr. ago from my children. They have been around for a long time and the price hasn't changed much in that time ($150.00 range). The ION works well, but consider the fact that after you have copied all your vinyl you have a very expensive dust collector of the shelf. Mine is !!
Bill in Plano
On 6/30/2009 8:47 AM Bill Hall spake thus:
I admitted as much; what's your problem?
Well, then, if not a POS (I'll have to take your word for that), then still needlessly expen$ive, as real turntables can be had for less than $20 in many cases. (Especially if it becomes a dust collector as you say.)
On 6/30/2009 3:24 AM dadiOH spake thus:
The Ion obviously has a built-in preamp; they're not just going to be able to run the magnetic cartridge directly into the USB connector ...
Actually, a Catholic Church organist.
There should be lots of turntable on ebay and CraigsList. I sold, actually, gave away, a nice turntable for $10. I acquired a linear tracking Technics for free, but had to invest about $20 for a new cartridge/needle. I also acquired a very consumer mike mixer, which has an RIAA input for phone cartridge. I could also use my stereo receiver, however, I wanted something that I could use at the computer station for capture.
On 6/30/2009 10:16 AM David Nebenzahl spake thus:
Not to mention that the Ion also contains its own A-D converter, of unknown quality ...
That won't get the music onto CD or MP3. However, there are software packages that allow you to pluf a standard turntable into a standard sound card to do the deed.
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