USB Turntable Comparison

Standalone Systems

Copy direct. No computer required.

Standalone systems record albums directly to CD (or iPod or flash memory, depending on the system). This is the easiest way to digitize your LPs and 45's. It's also the crudest.

If you prefer ease-of-use to pursuing perfection in archiving your record collection, a standalone system is a good choice.

If you want to create an organized collection of MP3s from your record collection, a USB turntable is likely the better choice. With few exceptions, standalone vinyl rippers don't connect to your computer, a requirement for naming and categorizing your music files.

Only four standalones meet the "sound quality" requirements for decent turntable fidelity. Look to DJ and analog turntables if sound quality is your top priority.

Vinyl ripping process on a standalone system

Recording vinyl to a CD using a standalone system is akin to recording to a cassette tape in days past:

1. Set the recording volume level
2. Hit record on the CD burner
3. Drop the needle on your LP
4. Press pause when the record ends

• Optional Press "Split Track" button between songs to create separate tracks on CD.

If your plans don't go beyond turning your LPs into CDs, this scenario is ideal.

However, without some extra effort, your iPod shows the LP as "Unknown Album" by "Unknown Artist" with tracks named "Track 1," "Track 2," etc.

If you're going to put in that extra effort, a USB turntable likely makes more sense. It gives you more control over the recording process and can save some steps.

Some standalones rip to flash memory, not CD

Many models in the standalone category don't burn discs at all. Instead, they write out to USB flash drives and/or SD and MMC memory cards.

The former are the little memory sticks with a USB connection at the end. The latter are the types of cards you might find in your digital camera.

A few things to watch out for:

1. Many cannot handle a USB flash drive or memory card larger than 2GB.
2. No flash memory systems feature a CD burner, though some have a CD player.
3. Don't be misled by the term "USB" on these systems: Most do not connect to your computer. In this context, USB means you can connect a USB storage device (such as a thumb drive) to the turntable.

Compact stereo systems with vinyl ripping capabilities

Many systems in this class aren't designed primarily for ripping. Often, they are compact, all-in-one stereo systems that include, among its components, a turntable and a cd recorder.

If you're looking for a stereo system for your office, garage or bedroom, one of these compact stereos may be your machine.

If you are looking for a turntable to rip vinyl and you don't need an AM/FM radio, cassette deck and speakers, keep looking. You'll overpay and get fewer vinyl ripping features in these all-in-one systems.

A standout standalone system

The LP 2 CD model offered by Numark and Ion Audio (same parent company) is a shining example of what other standalone LP/CD systems should strive for: Built-in memory allows you to get the recording just right before you burn it to disc.

All other standalone models burn to disc as the record plays. If something goes wrong, you've just wasted a disc!

Hybrid standalone/USB vinyl rippers cross categories

Numark and Ion Audio offer hybrid standalone/USB turntables, giving you the best of both worlds. With these units, you can choose between recording directly to CD, iPod or flash memory and connecting to your computer via the USB port.

Read more about USB turntables in the next category.

USB Turntables

Built for vinyl ripping to your computer.

USB turntables depend on your computer to convert your analog records to digital computer files. While it's a more tedious process than ripping with a standalone system, the result is more satisfying and useful.

USB Turntable vs. Standalone

Getting your computer involved has several advantages over standalone systems:

• "Tagging" audio files

  Tagging is the process of embedding the artist name, song titles and even the album cover artwork in your audio files. This step is crucial for an organized MP3 collection and enjoying music on your iPod, computer or other digital music player. The software bundled with USB turntables assists you in tagging your MP3s.

• Removing clicks and pops

  Software such as Audacity (a free download included with most USB turntables) can clean up your recordings, removing those crackles, clicks, pops and hissing.

• Achieving perfect track splits

  On a standalone system, creating a new track requires pressing a button at the end of each song while the record plays. As you can imagine, this is an error-prone process. Your computer can split your album into tracks automatically or you can do it by hand. If you mess up on your computer, you get a second chance. On most standalones, you don't.

• Convert music to various formats

  Your computer can encode your music in nearly any format you need. Create a CD for your CD player. MP3s for you iPod. The "lossless" FLAC format for the ultimate in sound quality.

• Normalizing

  Today's popular music on CD is loud. Unnaturally loud. Using a process called "compression," sound engineers clip the loudest sounds, making the softest parts of the music even louder. One reason behind the resurgence of vinyl among music lovers is the lack of compression on LPs. "Normalizing" your recording helps you compete with your louder digital music by raising the volume to the maximum level without clipping it. Your computer provides this opportunity. A standalone does not.

• Better value/lower cost

  You're only paying for what you need when buying a USB turntable. Your computer has a CD burner. You don't need a cassette deck, a radio or speakers. Why pay for them by buying a standalone unit? USB turntables start at $80. If you pay more, the money is going toward enhancing your primary goal: Vinyl ripping.

Software: Find the Best Tools for the Job

Nearly all USB turntables come bundled with software to assist you in ripping your records. Some packages do a better job than others. You can purchase your own vinyl ripping software if your USB turntable software is inadequate.

Comparison chart #1 shows what software comes with a particular turntable. Find more information about the software in our Vinyl Ripping Software section.

When connected to your computer, a USB turntable simply looks like a new sound card. This leaves you free to use nearly any audio processing software. All programs in the software section are compatible with USB turntables.

Some USB turntables only include a program called Audacity. The manufacturer isn't doing you any favors. Audacity is difficult to learn and is missing several key features that make vinyl ripping easier, such as CD burning and including looking up album information on the Internet. And anyone can download Audacity for free.

If you're a Mac user, look carefully at the "PC / Mac" column in the first chart. Often the user-friendly program is only for the PC. Mac users are often stuck with the not particularly user-friendly Audacity software.

Line-In Jack: Digitize Cassettes, 8-Tracks and Reel-to-Reels

A number of USB turntables include RCA inputs. This lets you record other analog sources on your computer. Most desktop computers have this ability already. Most laptops do not.

Do you have other analog recordings to digitize? Maybe a cassette or 8-track tape collection? Some old reels? The "line-in" column in chart #2 shows whether the USB turntable allows you to record from tape players.

Most desktop computers allow you to plug in an analog player. Unless you find your sound card is particularly bad, you are not likely to see an improvement in sound quality by connecting your tape player to your USB turntable.

Laptop computers, on the other hand, might benefit from this line-level input jack: Most only feature a mono microphone input.

Ion also makes a USB cassette player* and USB VHS VCR* to easily digitize these formats.

The "Best" USB Turntable

Judging it by its specs, the Pro-Ject Debut III is the best USB turntable. However, it's not for everyone.

Pro-Ject's turntable line-up squarely targets the audiophile market. The Debut III USB is their entry-level model at $499 ($350 for the non-USB version*). Their top-end turntable, the RPM 10, sells for $3,000.

Some of the very things that make the Debut appealing to audiophiles may well be turnoffs to the average record listener.

Turntable aficionados are purists. They despise things like tonearm return at the end of play- the parts that move the tonearm may rattle their way into the record play. Some don't like knobs for anti-skate adjustment because it requires springs that may bleed minute vibrations into the playback.

In the case of the Debut III USB, you need to move the drive belt to a different spindle to play a 45 RPM record.

It comes down to this: You will find few conveniences in an audiophile turntable. In addition, you must acquire skills you wouldn't need on a friendlier turntable. And that might make the Pro-Ject Debut III USB more turntable than you're willing to deal with.

If you do decide to take on the Debut USB, congratulations- You have taken your first step into an exclusive, expensive and time-consuming club: The turntable audiophile club.

And, while you're there, you really should upgrade your Debut's 5E stylus to a 10 or a 20...

DJ Turntables

Scratch and shift!

You may not be a DJ but there's a good chance you care about sound quality. You'll find the best built and best sounding turntables with a digital output in the DJ category. Only the Pro-Ject Debut III USB audiophile turntable sounds better than a DJ USB turntable.

Keep this in mind: A DJ turntable is a musical instrument first and a record player second. Unless properly outfitted, a DJ turntable will be hard on your records and you won't get the best sound.

Many analog turntables in the same price range have better specs. However, they won't "plug and play" into your computer the way a DJ USB turntable will.

There are several things to know when buying a DJ turntable for vinyl archiving:

1. Get the right type of cartridge. Many DJ USB turntables don't come with a cartridge. Even if the one you're considering does, you probably want a more suitable cartridge for better sound and decreased record wear.
2. Make sure you get an "offset" tonearm. Straight tonearms, found on some DJ turntables, are very hard on your records and do not sound as good.
3. You may need software. Only three DJ USB turntables are bundled with software. Check the "Software" column in chart #1 to see if you need to supply your own.
4. You're paying for "fun" features that you may not need. DJ turntables play records backwards, change pitch, speed and more. Part of your turntable dollars go toward these features, whether you want them or not.

Better than "consumer" USB turntables

In terms of sound quality, DJ turntables rank above "consumer" USB turntables and below good analog turntables.

DJ USB turntables are better than ordinary USB turntables primarily because they are more expensive. This allows the manufacturer to use better parts and sturdier construction, which lead to better sound.

Most consumer USB and standalone turntables have at least one of the following deficiencies: Lightweight, plastic platter and body; cheap ceramic cartridge; no anti-skate adjustment. As you can see in the comparison charts, no DJ turntables suffer from these deficiencies.

The "audiophile" Pro-Ject Debut III USB turntable stands out as a big exception to low-cost USB record players with inferior sound. Like a DJ turntable, it is also expensive. Unlike a DJ turntable, the Debut's primary design goal is excellent fidelity through delicate and sensitive equipment.

Many analog turntables in the same price range beat the Pro-Ject Debut in terms of their specs. These superior analog turntables are also more user-friendly. As you might have guessed, though, you must find the right hardware and software to turn an analog turntable digital.

Some DJ USB turntables don't include software

Only three DJ USB turntables come with software to assist you in vinyl ripping: Numark's TTXUSB and Stanton's T90.USB and T.92 USB. It's up to you to get hold of vinyl ripping software if you choose one of the other DJ turntables.

The free Audacity software has several important record digitizing features. It records your LPs, automatically splits songs into tracks at silent moments and creates MP3s, among other things.

It doesn't burn CDs and it won't look up album information on the Internet to save you from typing in the track information.

The worst thing about Audacity is how difficult it is to learn.

There are much more user-friendly and feature-filled vinyl ripping software packages in the $30 - $50 price range. Just consider software part of the cost of the DJ turntable, if it's not included.

You'll need a "hi-fi" cartridge

For many DJ turntables, the cartridge (the needle and the unit that holds it) is not included. This means two things: You need to pick an appropriate cartridge and adjust your turntable to its specifications.

Stanton and Gem Sound turntables are the exception: They do come with a cartridge.

However, they include a "DJ" cartridge, which isn't the best choice for vinyl archiving or listening to records at home.

Stanton's T.92 USB turntable, for example, comes with their 500.V3 cartridge. It specs say it requires 2 – 5 grams of tracking force.

Experts say record wear begins at 1 – 2 grams. Experts also say you should set your tracking force near the higher end of the cartridge's tracking force range, or around 4 grams for the 500.V3. This is a perfect recipe for record wear.

Straight Tonearms are for DJ's, Not Vinyl Archivists

Another thing that sets some DJ turntables apart from traditional turntables is the "straight" tonearm. Only consider these turntables if you're a DJ first and a vinyl digitizer second.

Straight tonearms are great at keeping the needle in the record groove while scratching the record back and forth. The tradeoff for this stability is increased distortion and record wear.

Avoid straight tonearms by referring to the "Offset" column in comparison chart #3.

Traditional and even most DJ turntables use an "offset" tonearm defined by a headshell angled toward the center of the record. You can see this angled headshell yourself on various turntables by browsing through the turntable photos: All but three DJ turntables feature tonearms angled at the end.

Angling the headshell keeps what's called "tracking error" to a minimum. As the tonearm follows the grooves to the center of the record, it arcs to varying degrees along the way.

Like the skating force, the tracking error affects the positioning of the needle in the record groove. The more the needle rides the groove wall, the more distortion it creates.

The tracking error in straight tonearms is drastically worse than offset tonearms. Up to 8.5 times worse, according to Kab Electro Acoustics, who says a typical offset tonearm has a maximum tracking error of 2 degrees, whereas a straight tonearm's tracking error is up to 17 degrees.

On many models, the length of the tonearm is straight but that doesn't necessarily make it a straight tonearm in the sense we're discussing here. The lack of an angled stylus/cartridge assembly at the end makes it straight. For example, the Ion TTUSB05's tonearm is straight all the way up to the headshell, where it makes an inward turn.

DJ-Only Features

Like standalone systems, vinyl digitizing capabilities aren't the only features you're paying for when you buy a DJ turntable.

A DJ turntable is a musical instrument and the following features let you make new music from old:

• "Scratching" allowed!

  In the 80's, many fathers blew a fuse when he caught his children moving the record player platter back and forth on the family home stereo system. A DJ turntable doesn't spoil the fun: It's designed for scratching. Remember, though, your irreplaceable vinyl LPs are not! Scratching also quickly wears down the needle in your delicate hi-fi cartridge.

• Pitch shifting

  This audio effect adjusts the pitch or tone of the sound without adjusting the speed or tempo. Make Barry White sound like the Chipmunks without changing the length of the song. Pitch control is not the exclusive domain of DJ turntables- several regular USB turntables feature it as well.

• Key locking

  This effect is the opposite of pitch shifting: Hold the same pitch while speeding up or slowing down the record. Keep Barry White's deep voice but finish "Can't Get Enough of Your Love" a minute sooner.

• Electronic brakes

  Braking systems are not uncommon on direct drive turntables. However, DJ turntables offer adjustable stop times- smoothly slowing and stopping the record for effect. The motor brings the record back up to speed for the opposite effect. Brakes are also used to quickly slow from a faster speed (78 to 33, for example).

• Play records backwards

  Finally, decipher those backwards messages in Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles without destroying your turntable. DJ turntables play in forward and reverse. Of course, these days software can reverse your songs as well.

• Direct Drive

  DJ turntables are the only models featuring direct drive motors. All other vinyl ripping turntables in the comparison use a belt drive. A well-built direct drive turntable offers superior speed stability compared to similarly priced belt drive turntables. However, poorly built direct drive turntables can introduce motor noise into the playback, a phenomena to which belt driven turntables are naturally more immune. There's a healthy debate over which is better in turntables under $2,000. Above that price, there is no debate: Belt-drives win hands down.

S/PDIF Turntables

A modern digital audio output.

An alternative to USB output. Think of an S/PDIF connection as the modern, digital version of left and right RCA cables. They both transmit audio from one component to another. They both allow for surround sound. The S/PDIF interface does it digitally with no loss of data. Analog audio transmissions through RCA cables suffer from signal degradation.

S/PDIF (which stands for Sony/Phillips Digital Interface, in case you're wondering) became popular with DVD players and the Dolby Digital surround sound receivers they plug into.

These interfaces have found their way to a handful of DJ turntables from Stanton and one from Gemini.

Many newer sound cards have S/PDIF connections but look closely: Most are outputs. Very few sound cards feature a S/PDIF input. Further, the sound cards with digital inputs are typically on the expensive side. Knowzy only found two under $100.

S/PDIF connections come in two types: Coaxial (which, despite its name, looks like an RCA cable, not a cable you connect to a TV) and optical (also called Toslink). The turntables with S/PDIF outputs are all coaxial. Adapters are available to convert between coax and optical if needed.

Several standalone CD recorders accept S/PDIF inputs. In effect, you can build your own standalone system by combining a S/PDIF turntable and a CD recorder*.

Analog Turntables

For the best in sound quality, turn to analog.

Analog turntables may seem out of place in a buying guide to turntables with digital outputs. However, analog turntables play a vital role in the world of vinyl digitizing.

First, any self-respecting audiophile would be embarrassed to admit using a USB turntable, as there are no high-end models. The specs of the one "introductory-level" audiophile turntable- the Pro-Ject Debut III USB- are no comparison to the similarly priced, analog Technics SL-1200 series turntables.

Second, if you already own a record player, buying a USB turntable may be unnecessary. A simple box turns your analog turntable digital. You may even be able to run it directly into your sound card.

To sum up, consider using an analog turntable for digitizing your records in two situations:

• Own a cherished turntable: Unlike so many technologies, hi-fi turntables haven't advanced much since the 80's. As long as you replace the needle or even the entire cartridge, the turntable that's been collecting dust all of these years is probably suitable for digitizing those similarly dusty LPs.

  The only hurdle is how to turn that turntable digital. We can help.

• Only the best sound quality will do: In the digital world, there's little difference between a $50 CD player and a $500 CD player from a sound quality standpoint. In the analog world of turntables, the difference is night and day. Analog turntables that outperform USB turntables start at around $250.

  If you can afford to spend that kind of money (or can't afford not to), turn a good analog turntable digital. Three analog turntables featured here perform much better than comparably priced USB turntables.

Our upcoming section goes into more detail on using an analog turntable to digitize your records, including:

• A simple box that turns any turntable into a USB turntable
• Superior analog turntables
• Using your computer's sound card to digitize vinyl

Avoid Ceramic Cartridges

Little difference in cost, huge difference in sound quality

"Portable grinding wheel"

Wikipedia on portable record players with ceramic cartridges

"I can't understand why the damn things are still being manufactured!"

Member Axon, Hydrogen Audio

"Low cost and popular 40 – 50 years ago"

Member RonS, SMR Forums

USB turntable makers use ceramic cartridges for one reason only: To avoid including a pre-amp unit, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost slightly.

The savings comes at a price: Lower sound quality and possibly shortening the life of the records you play on the turntable.

The savings might be passed on to you. The Rosewill RME-ULP01R sometimes sells for $30 at NewEgg. The Rosewill is cheapest USB turntable on the market (in every sense of the word).

Then again, you could pay more for a turntable with a ceramic cartridge.

The firstStreet LP Saver USB sells for $99. It has a ceramic cartridge.

Ion Audio and Audio-Technica sell similar models for as little as $75 featuring a better moving magnet cartridge and built-in pre-amp.

Avoiding a ceramic cartridge is the most important decision you can make in choosing a USB turntable in terms of sound quality.

Any USB turntable in this guide with a ceramic cartridge has a warning. If you see it, think twice about buying the turntable.

What is a ceramic cartridge?

A cartridge is the part that holds the stylus (needle) on one end and mounts to the tonearm's headshell on the other end. The cartridge's job is to convert the movement of the stylus into an electrical signal.

A ceramic cartridge accomplishes this using a "piezo-electric pickup." The pressure created by the vibration of the stylus against the ceramic crystal creates an electrical signal.

The ceramic cartridge is very effective at creating electricity. Its output is so strong that it doesn't need amplification to play through your stereo or connect to your computer.

Moving magnet mecahnics compared to ceramic cartridge mechanics

The better "moving magnet" cartridge generates electricity in a more indirect fashion.

The inside of a moving magnet cartridge contains two wire coils. As the stylus tip passes through the record grooves, a magnet attached to the back end of the stylus vibrates between the coils. This movement creates a small electrical signal.

This signal is weak enough that it requires a separate phono pre-amplifier unit to raise the output to the standard "line-level."

Despite its lack of strength, the audio signal created by the moving magnet cartridge is more accurate than a ceramic cartridge's signal.

The stylus in a ceramic cartridge is stiffer because it needs to create physical pressure against the cartridge. A stiffer stylus is less able to trace record grooves accurately.

Inside a moving magnet cartridge, the stylus floats freely between two electrical coils. The vibrations generate an electrical signal without the stylus physically touching the cartridge.

This allows for a lighter and more flexible stylus that is better able to move in concert with the constantly changing course of the record grooves.

What is wrong with ceramic cartridges?

Cheap ceramic cartridges, like those found in some USB turntables, have three basic problems: Increased distortion, poor equalization and accelerated record wear.

• Muffled low and high frequency response  There are serious disadvantages to the high mass of the cartridge and the stiff coupling of the needle to the cartridge.

  Bass record grooves require the needle to make relatively large back and forth swings. The momentum built up tracing the groove in one direction must be overcome and reversed to trace the groove in the other direction. Lighter cartridges are better at "overcoming inertia" than heavier, ceramic cartridge designs.

  On the other end of the spectrum higher frequencies are encoded in smaller, more subtle record grooves. The stiffness of the stylus-to-cartridge coupling makes it difficult to react to such nuance. In the highest frequencies, the stylus may not wiggle at all in response to the minute variations in the record groove.

• Wears out records quicker  Ceramic cartridges press the needle against the vinyl with greater force, eating away at your records faster than their gentler magnetic counterparts.

  "Vertical tracking force" (VTF) is the term used to describe the amount of pressure the stylus places on the record. The consensus is that measurable record wear starts around 1 to 2 grams of VTF.

  Good hi-fi moving magnet cartridges are in the 1 to 2 gram range. The Ion Audio TTUSB05, a USB turntable under $100 with a moving magnet cartridge, comes in at 3.08 grams. The Crosley CR249 USB turntable with a ceramic cartridge has 4.62 grams of VTF.

  Improperly set anti-skate compensation compounds the damage done by a cartridge with high VTF. It's unlikely to find an anti-skate adjustment on a turntable with a ceramic cartridge, leaving you with no control over how much damage your cartridge can do.

  High VTF is inescapable in ceramic cartridges. However, even some moving magnet cartridges press down hard on your vinyl.

  DJ cartridges have a high vertical tracking force by design- it helps keep the needle in the groove despite extreme back and forth movements. DJ turntables almost always feature adjustable anti-skate, which can mitigate the record wear problem significantly.

  Cheaper turntables with moving magnet cartridges can also have high VTF. The Audio-Technica AT-LP2D-USB's cartridge has 4.54 grams.

  It's difficult to know what VTF you are getting in a turntable $150 or less. Manufacturers rarely publish this figure, whether the cartridge is ceramic or moving magnet.

• 

  Ceramic Cartridges Crudely Decode the Curve

  A moving magnet cartridge and pre-amp equalizes more accurately than a ceramic cartridge alone.

  Equalization problems  In 1954, US record companies agreed to produce records according to the "RIAA Equalization Curve" thereby allowing longer record play and better fidelity.

  Essentially, the RIAA standard is this: Record makers reduce the volume of the lowest frequencies and progressively add more amplification all the way up the frequency scale. The record player does the opposite: It amplifies the low frequencies and lowers the high frequencies, as seen in the graph.

  Moving magnet cartridges rely on a pre-amplifier unit designed to shape the audio signal in accordance to the RIAA curve. In decades past, phonograph pre-amplifiers were relatively expensive components.

  Ceramic cartridges do not require a pre-amplifier for RIAA equalization because they respond to record grooves differently. Ceramic cartridges are less sensitive to higher frequencies and progressively reduce their amplitude. The result is a rather imperfect approximation of the RIAA curve.

  The graph of the RIAA curve reveals perhaps the most serious flaw with how ceramic cartridges implement it: A bend in the mid-range. This bend starts roughly in the 5th octave and extends to C in the 7th octave (500hz to 2100hz). Ceramic cartridges can't account for this bend and your music suffers.

  In the ceramic's heyday, the 1960's, there were ceramic cartridges with decent performance because not everyone could afford a pre-amplifier. A market existed for a high fidelity ceramic cartridge.

  Transistor technology eventually changed that and, in today's integrated circuit word, a reasonable pre-amp sells for $20 or less as a standalone unit. This leaves little reason to use inferior ceramic cartridge technology over moving magnet in the 21st century.

  Today USB turntable manufacturers that use ceramic cartridges are only trying to save literally a few bucks by not including a pre-amplifier. Your sound quality pays a big price for this penny-pinching.

Insist on Adjustable Anti-skate

Records sound best with the needle centered in the groove

Among the many benefits of anti-skate adjustment, two stand out: Reducing distortion while playing your records and keeping record wear to a minimum. However, anti-skate is something you must understand to use properly.

If you're serious about good sound quality, you need a turntable with anti-skate compensation.

What is anti-skate adjustment?

The inward angle at the end of the tonearm disturbs the natural flow of the needle gliding through the spinning record groove. This "skating" force pushes the needle up against the inside of the record groove, increasing distortion and wear.

Anti-skate compensation pushes back- forcing the needle to the center of the record groove where it belongs.

Some turntables lack an adjustable anti-skate. Such record players may compensate for the skating force. Then again, they may not.

"A deck without this adjustment is either pre-set correctly (or otherwise)," says Hydrogen Audio member 2Bdecided, "or [is] so bad that this little detail is the least of its worries."

Getting the stylus in the absolute center of the record groove is the goal and proper anti-skate compensation is your only hope of achieving it.

Anti-skate adjustment requires some skill: You need to know how to balance your tonearm. It's not difficult to learn but do it incorrectly and your turntable will likely sound worse than one without anti-skate adjustment. The Turntable Factory offers a useful tutorial on balancing your tonearm.

What are the benefits of anti-skate adjustment?

You'll find that most of the following benefits come from one thing: Anti-skate compensation keeps needle firmly in the center of the record groove.

The middle of the groove is where music sounds the best. It is also where the stylus does the least damage to the record and itself.

Here's what you can expect from a record player with anti-skating adjustment:

• Minimize distortion  When the needle rides one side of the record groove, distortion occurs.
• Resistance to skipping  If the needle is pushing up against the wall of the record groove, scratches and debris more easily push it over the edge of the groove wall, causing a skip.
• Upgradable cartridges  No USB turntable, with the exception of the Pro-Ject Debut III USB, comes with a better-than-average cartridge. If your turntable has adjustable anti-skate, you can replace the cartridge with something better. If it doesn't, you are forever stuck with whatever cartridge your USB turntable comes with.
• Decreased record wear  The more pressure the stylus puts on a record groove's wall, the quicker the record wears out. Should the needle cross over the record groove all together, the damage is many times worse.
• Longer stylus life  Excessive pressure on the groove wall is not just bad for the record, it's bad for the needle. Relieving pressure on the stylus makes it last longer.
• Perfect left/right balance  On stereo records, the inside of the groove is the left channel and the outside the right channel. If your needle slightly rides one groove wall, one speaker will sound louder. Excessive groove wall pressure leads to distortion in one speaker.
• Work through stubborn skips  Axon, a Hydrogen Audio member and proprietor of Audiamorous, offers some unique, though slightly unorthodox advice on using anti-skate to overcome stubborn, repetitive record skips: "Slowly lower the antiskate until the skipping stops [and] then quickly raise it back up again to reduce the risk of skipping forward."

ARTcessories USBPhonoPlus v2: This third generation device does what you need at an affordable price. This feature-packed box offers some surprising bonuses:

• Monitor input and output in your headphones
• Adjustable gain
• Clipping indicator light
• Switch between phono and line level inputs
• S/PDIF input (coax or optical Toslink) lets you convert digital output to USB
• S/PDIF optical output- connect your computer digitally to your home stereo (doesn't convert line-in to S/PDIF output)
• Analog RCA pre-amp line out- connect your turntable to your home stereo or computer
• Powered by USB port or AC adapter
• Rumble filter
• USB cable not included. Belkin's $5, 10 foot USB cable* works well.
• Mac, Windows and Linux compatible

Ion Audio U Record: Ion Audio is the leader in USB turntables. They also make an inexpensive phono pre-amp/USB sound card combo.

Compared to the other two units, the U Record is pretty bare. On the plus side, it is the only unit to include software, includes a USB cable and is the cheapest.

The U Record has RCA inputs, USB output, adjustable gain and that's it. Unlike the ART PhonoPlus v2, there are no S/PDIF connections, no input monitoring, no rumble filter, no line out and no clipping indicator.

It does include the same Ion software for Mac and PC that ships with their turntables: Easy Vinyl Converter and EZ Audio Converter, along with the free Audacity software.

If you are budget-minded or really appreciate the software, the Ion U Record may be your USB sound card/phono pre-amp. Be sure to consider what $30 more buys you in the ARTcessories PhonoPlus v2 before making a decision.

• Adjustable gain
• Switch between phono and line level inputs
• USB cable included
• Powered by USB port
• Mac, Windows and Linux compatible (no special Linux software)

Rolls/Bellari VP530: This unit is three times more expensive and has fewer features and connections than ART's USBPhonoPlus v2. So why even consider this unit?

Bellari is a respected audiophile equipment maker specializing in vacuum tube technology. Many ears prefer the sound of tube amplifiers to modern, solid-state amplifiers.

With the VP530, you can digitally capture the warmth of music amplified through vacuum tube circuitry, if that's what you prefer.

• Upgradeable vacuum tube
• Burr-Brown Analog to Digital converter- a respected ADC
• Switch between RIAA equalization and flat
• Rumble filter
• Mute button
• Adjustable gain
• Monitor output via headphones or line-out
• USB cable not included. Belkin's $5, 10 foot USB cable* works well.
• Mac, Windows and Linux compatible

Line-in only, never microphone (Listen up laptop owners!)

Desktop computers typically feature a "Line-in" or "Auxiliary" input jack. Laptops typically do not. If you computer does not have a line-in, you need a separate sound card.

Never hook your analog turntable to your microphone jack! It doesn't have the right sensitivity and is typically mono.

Pre-amp: Bring your audio signal up to "line level"

Most turntables do not have a strong enough signal to power your line-level auxiliary input. Usually, you need a "pre-amplifier" to raise the signal up to the level your sound card expects.

Some newer turntables feature a built-in pre-amp. Turntables with a ceramic cartridge don't require a pre-amp (in fact, they may be over amplified). Expensive turntables (over $1,000) never include a pre-amp.

Make sure you know whether your turntable requires it. Read your manual if in doubt. If you've lost your manual, the Vinyl Engine may have a copy.

If you need pre-amplification, here are a few ways to get it:

• Home stereo systems often feature a "phono" input that leads to a pre-amplifier. In this scenario, hook the turntable to the stereo. Then connect the stereo to your sound card via the "Tape Out."
• Separate pre-amp units are available for a reasonable price. Just pass your turntables's output through one of these on the way to the sound card.
• External sound cards featuring a pre-amp kill two birds with one stone: If your sound card is inadequate and you need a pre-amp, a few units offer both in one. See three such units in the previous section: "Turn Any Analog Turntable into a USB Turntable."

Is your sound card noisy?

Sometimes your computer picks up unwanted noise, hum and buzzing when recording analog sound. The following two scenarios increase this likelihood of unacceptable background noise.

Don't get discouraged if your computer fits into one or both of these categories, it's not a guarantee that it will suffer from noise and hum. It just means it's more susceptible. You'll never know for sure until your try recording something yourself.

• Older computers: The earliest PCs gave little-to-no consideration to isolating the electrical signals might bleed into a sound card's analog to digital conversion process. Since then, computer component makers have worked together to help alleviate the problem. Just be aware that the longer your computer has been around, the more likely it might suffer from unwanted noise.
• Built-in sound cards: When the audio is built directly in to the motherboard, two factors working against it. First, the sound card is often inexpensive to help keep the overall cost of the motherboard down. Second, the sound card is more susceptible to interference since it's resides in the heart of the motherboard. "PCI" and USB sound cards typically offer better protection against unwanted noise.

Image courtesy of Asus

Categories

Sound Quality

Region

Brookstone

firstStreet

Memorex

Sony

Technics

Thorens

Benefits and Suitability

USB and other computer-connected vinyl ripping turntables couldn't do their job without software. Finding the right software can help you in many ways:

• Save time
  • Automatically split album sides into individual tracks
  • Look up song titles over Internet so you don't have to type them in
• Enhance your recordings
  • Clean up pops, crackles, scratches and eliminate hiss
  • Maximize volume level
  • Embed the album cover into your MP3s
• Do more with your collection
  • Make CDs
  • Transfer to iPod
  • Create ringtones

All USB turntables are compatible with the software below. In fact, USB turntables are compatible with virtually any audio software. To your PC or Mac, the turntable is simply an additional sound card on your system.

The checklist says nothing about how easy the software to use. Audacity is only three checks away from a perfect score. Novice computer users have a very difficult time using it, though.

Specialty Programs

Some programs do one thing very well. Often you'll only see one or two checks in the list for such programs. Don't consider it a low score; they may do those tasks very well.

Volume Balancer is a one-of-a-kind program that, with minimal effort, makes your vinyl recordings sound as loud as your highly compressed digital music. But that's all it does.

ClickRepair applies serious science to removing clicks and crackles from your recordings. "ClickRepair is not a noise filter; it searches for, and repairs, localized damage" its manual declares, leaving "99.5% or more of the audio" unchanged.

Both software packages do their job very well. However, neither will burn a CD, nor record your LP. Neither deal in MP3s.

These programs are an intermediary step in a larger process of recording vinyl.

Specialty programs are for the perfectionist, for the curious, for audio engineer, for those with a specific need that general software can't fill. No one else will see the value in all of the extra learning and effort that goes into using these tools.

Spin It Again

by

Acoustica

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3, WAV, OGG Vorbis, WMA

VinylStudio

by

AlpineSoft

Compatibility

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Mac OS

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG Vorbis, AAC (M4A)⁷

Sound Forge Audio Creator LE

by

Sony Creative Software

Compatibility

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3, WAV, OGG Vorbis, AIFF, AU, Real Audio (RM), WMA

Sound Forge Audio Creator

by

Sony Creative Software

Compatibility

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3, WAV, OGG Vorbis, AIFF, AU, Real Audio (RM), WMA

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3¹, WAV, FLAC, OGG Vorbis, RAW, AIFF, AU

pyro Audio Creator

by

Cakewalk

Compatibility

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AU, WMA

pyro Audio Creator LE

by

Cakewalk

Compatibility

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3⁶, WAV, WMA

Review

Cakewalk software is a fixture in home and small music studios across the world. Their pyro Audio Creator is chock full of advanced features to keep the demanding vinyl ripper busy and productive. However, Cakewalk didn't design it specifically for vinyl ripping and several crucial tasks are awkward to perform as a result. Perhaps its biggest fault: Creating MP3s will cost you an extra $10.

The LE in pyro Audio Creator LE stands for "Limited Edition." The name is a bit modest. As you can see by the checklist, it almost does it all: Recording, editing, removing clicks and burning CDs. It even does a number of things unrelated to digitizing LPs, such as CD ripping and creating fun audio effects.

Moreover, the LE version includes most of the features found in the full-blown retail version. The only things missing are: File type conversion, web publishing, possibly some audio effects and a few audio file formats.

MP3s? That'll Cost You.

One of the features missing in the Limited Edition is a big deal: It doesn't create MP3s.

That's right, if you want to create MP3 files, you need to cough up $10 for the "Encoder" module or buy the full version of pyro. They are kind enough to let you encode MP3s for the first 30 days.

Without MP3 capabilities, the tagging feature is useless, as it only works on MP3 files. This means you cannot add song titles and album art to your music files, even if you save them in WMA, which also supports tags.

The Audio-Technica manual suggests that you can get around this limitation by downloading the free LAME encoder. This is simply not the case. pyro does use LAME but replacing it with the free one causes the pyro to crash on startup.

No Album Lookup (But So Close!)

Another key vinyl ripping feature pyro lacks is the ability to look up album information on the Internet (song titles, album art, etc). You must type all of this information by hand, track-by-track.

What's unfortunate is the CD ripping module does do Internet album lookups but Cakewalk didn't make it available to vinyl rippers. This is just one more indication that Cakewalk wasn't targeting LP recording specifically when designing this software.

Almost Automatic Track Splitting

Knowzy agonized for some time about whether to put a check or an X next to "Automatically Split Tracks." pyro can do this, though only in an indirect and destructive way.

The "Insert Silence" feature seeks out nearly silent parts of your recording and replaces them with absolute silence. Part of this feature allows for splitting the recording at these silent points. There are a couple of problems with this.

First, when your source is an LP, you must upwardly adjust the volume level it considers silence to compensate for the background click and pops. At that level, it cuts off song fadeouts prematurely.

Second, pyro saves tracks only at "markers." A split is not a marker. You can convert split points into markers with a single operation, though.

Ultimate Knowzy decided this isn't a true auto-track split feature since it actually alters the recording rather than just chopping it up.

Conclusion

pyro Audio Creator LE does have many redeeming qualities, especially if you plan on tweaking and processing your recordings.

It features a denoiser, declicker and DC offset removal with many adjustments. The Pro-Q feature takes an interesting approach to equalization. The tagging module is efficient and easy-to-use (provided you buy the MP3 capability).

It has many advanced features but is easier to learn than Audacity. It gives you a great deal more control and flexibility than Ion Audio's EZ Vinyl Converter.

With the MP3 upgrade, pyro Audio Creator LE has nearly everything you need in your vinyl ripping software from a feature standpoint. However, it could be a great deal more useful to vinyl rippers if Cakewalk spent more time considering their needs.

pyro 5

by

Cakewalk

Compatibility

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3⁶, WAV, WMA

Goldwave Digital Audio Editor

by

Goldwave

Compatibility

• Windows ME
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3¹, WAV, FLAC, APE², OGG Vorbis, AIFF, AU, WMA², AAC (M4A)

Golden Records

by

NCH Software

Compatibility

• Windows 98
• Windows ME
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3⁴, WAV⁴

Wave Repair

by

Clive Backham

Supported Encoding Formats

WAV

EZ Vinyl Converter (PC), EZ Audio Converter (Mac)

by

Ion Audio

Compatibility

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Mac OS

Supported Encoding Formats

Review

Ion Audio's EZ Vinyl Converter is extremely easy to use. Really, really easy. The downside: It just doesn't do very much and is inflexible in what it does do. It is also not very forgiving when you mess up.

Simple LP Recording Process

The wizard-style interface walks you through the vinyl ripping process, step-by-step, until you end up with MP3 files.

It tells you when to drop the needle on the record. It gives you the opportunity to create a new track as the song ends. When the record ends, EZ Vinyl identifies it over the Internet and fills in the song titles, album name and more. Finally, it imports the songs into iTunes where you can put them on your iPod or burn CDs.

When the process is complete, it asks you, "Would you like to record something else?" You say, "Yes" confidently and without hesitation.

Sloppy Track Splitting

The biggest problem with EZ Vinyl Converter is how it expects you to create new tracks: Press the "New Track" button while the LP is playing. As you can imagine, this is very error prone and the software doesn't let you go back and fix your mistakes.

Even if you're paying attention, you often mark a new track too late or too early. This means your MP3s either miss the beginning of the song or begin with the end of the last song.

Moreover, it's easy to get distracted from your "New Track" duty. Maybe you're enjoying the music too much. Maybe you're multitasking between songs. Whatever the case, it's easy to forget to press New Track at the end of the song or stop recording at the end of the album.

When you botch track splitting in EZ Vinyl, the only practical recourse is to start over. In most other software, you chop your LP side into songs at your own pace, after recording is finished.

Song Identification: Innovative but Inefficient

EZ Vinyl Converter has a feature not found in any other vinyl ripping software. It "listens" to your music and automatically fills in the song titles, artist name and other album information using Gracenote's MusicID service.

Music identification is something people copying CDs take for granted- pop in a music CD and the album information appears in seconds. Identifying a song from an analog source is much more challenging. Unlike a CD, each LP recording of the same song looks dramatically different from a "one's and zero's" standpoint.

EZ Vinyl is remarkably accurate, correctly identifying the album about 90% of the time. It is often confused about the exact song on the album but it offers several alternative songs.

While the MusicID service saves you from typing and making spelling errors, the process is a bit tedious. It takes around 10 seconds to identify each song. The reason: EZ Vinyl uploads a chunk of your song to Gracenote to identify it.

This is 10 seconds on a fairly fast cable Internet connection: 2.5 Mbps download and 450 Kbps upload according to Speakeasy's Speed Test. You may find it more efficient to type in the information yourself, especially if your Internet connection isn't quite as fast.

If you have a dial-up connection, forget about using this feature. Knowzy tested on a 2G cell phone Internet connection (somewhat faster than dial-up at 89 Kbps download and 17 Kbps upload). It took an average of 2 minutes to retrieve a song title. The first song took four minutes and 15 seconds.

By disconnecting your computer from the Internet, you can type in the album info yourself. However, EZ Vinyl doesn't offer a setting to disable the Internet look up.

iTunes Dependent; Doesn't Work Without It

In addition to EZ Vinyl Converter, you must install iTunes. Don't worry, it's free, included on the CD-ROM and doesn't require an iPod.

The last part of the recording process uses iTunes to create MP3s and then imports the songs into your iTunes library. From there, you can use iTunes to listen to your music, burn a CD, download album covers, transfer the music to your iPod and more.

Technically, two of the check marks in the checklist belong to iTunes, since EZ Vinyl itself doesn't burn CDs or download album art. And downloading cover art requires an iTunes Store account with a credit card on file.

Here's an iTunes trick not found in the EZ Vinyl manual. You can increase the sound quality of your MP3 files. Just select "Preferences" from the "Edit" menu. Then click the "Import Settings" button next to the "When you insert a CD" label. Now choose "MP3" from "Import Using." The iTunes default is 160 kbps. Select 192 kbps. You can go higher through the "Custom Settings" but for an LP, anything higher than 192 kbps is overkill.

No Noise Removal, Volume Adjustment, Editing

EZ Vinyl Converter lives up to its name: It is very easy to use and walks you through the process. This handholding is great for people who are not computer savvy. However, EZ Vinyl leaves a lot to be desired for the serious vinyl ripper. Ion Audio freely acknowledges this in their manual.

You can't remove clicks, pops and hiss from your recordings. You can't adjust the volume level so that it doesn't sound soft in comparison to your digital music. Your only choice in audio format is MP3. You have little control over splitting tracks. You can't even trim the silence from the beginning of the album during the needle drop and play-in.

If you want to do more than EZ Vinyl offers, Ion Audio recommends you use Audacity, a free program also included on the CD-ROM.

Audacity is the polar opposite of EZ Vinyl Converter: It performs a great number of vinyl ripping tasks and allows you to make mistakes and experiment. It is difficult to learn, even for experienced computer users; don't expect to fire it up and record. And you're on your own for creating CDs- Audacity doesn't do it.

Conclusion

EZ Vinyl Converter is perfect for people who value a simple, easy-to-use program. It is very straightforward and guides you through every step of digitizing your LPs. It will disappoint you if you are a perfectionist or need one of the many vinyl ripping features that EZ Vinyl doesn't offer.

LP Sound Recorder and Editor

by

PolderbitS Software

Compatibility

• Windows 98
• Windows ME
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3, WAV

Groove Mechanic

by

Coyote Electronics

Compatibility

• Windows 95
• Windows 98
• Windows ME
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

WAV

Compatibility

• Windows 95
• Windows 98
• Windows ME
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Supported Encoding Formats

MP3³, WAV