Turntable recommendation?

So, just got some cash back from the insurance company and am in the market for a new turntable. I have 300$ and what I've found up to now makes me think either the Stanton T92B USB or Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB would be good. Does anyone have experience with either/both? Would others be best suited? I probably have about 1000 records, but am not DJ-ing much anymore, so my main goal is to digitize everything and then only listen to the actual records once in a while... Direct drive would be nice, as would be a hard cover, and the software needs to allow me to rip at 320kbps, but otherwise I am not too picky. Thanks!

 

you can use audacity for recording raw sound files and exporting them to .mp3 at 320 kbps.

no experience with either turntable, but i do own a pair of technic SL1200 mk2s

 

Petite I had the same predicament (stopped dj'ing but wanted to digitize all my records) and got a Audio Technica AT-LP120 USB. Works like a charm. Only thing that annoys me is that it won't let me use my Peak LE 4.0 to record to. It makes me use Audacity which won't let me save to mp3, so I then have to open the file in Peak (normalize it- because Audacity makes very tinny sound wav files) then save it as a mp3 in Peak and import to itunes.

 

Belt driven machines are much better for sound than direct drive so if you are not DJ'ing and this is for home use I would go that route. Dust covers actually increase the amount of dust that ends up on your table and are not even offered on most high end turtables anymore. Something like the Rega RP-1 is around 450.00 but they sound much more expensive. I haven't heard the two you are referencing so I can't comment on them.
edit: I am dumb, if you need a turntable with USB I don't think the one I suggested will work for you. No substitute for listening to vinyl on the platter though imo.

 

I had the Audio Technica as well and I had the same feelings as Lixx. Using Audacity and not being able to easily rip records was a pain. But it definitely cleared up alot of space, not having to have a receiver and extra speakers.

 

You might want to concider, a half automatic TT, that way you wount have to get up and take the needle (cartridge) back on it's place, everytime the record ends.
Good used TT, can be found cheap, you might want concider a new cardridge.
Google around, and you find lots' of info, on cheap solutions, on how to get started!

Peace out

 

This might sound lame, but Target sells a line of turntables, called Crosley that sell for 150-200, it comes with all the software to digitize your albums, and it's contains an all inclusive speaker system as well. That's what I bought and used to do the same exact thing. The one I used was called "The Archiver" The built in speakers sounded great, and mine had stereo ports for external speakers, as well...

 

Audacity can output directly to .mp3 using the LAME encoder.

You just have to drop a file in a folder and "export to mp3" appears with the rest of your output options.

 

The problem with most usb turntables are that their needles are crap. I think your better off getting a nice turn table and then getting some free software to rip them. I use a program that I got for free its called vinyl Studio. I works great and it will save as MP3. It is also awesome because you can look up the track names in different data bases and it will auto sense all your track breaks. Very easy to use. I have techniques 1200 and a shitty little usb to audio converter. works well

hope this helps

 

If you can just get a converter then I would check out the table I mentioned above, much better sound than a cheap one and won't damage your records as much.

what I really want: http://www.needledoctor.com/Clearaudio- ... tegory=347

 

WTF......$170,000 of a turntable! and $1200 of the needle! I dont see why this is so expensive. I dont even think your ears would hear the difference between a $500 TT with a $200 needle. But I could be wrong. Just seems crazy ill tell ...CRAZY

 

I haven't heard the one I linked but I have listened to a 60k turntable with a 12K arm and an 8k needle hooked into a 500k system. I listened to "Sketches of Spain" on a 200g vinyl with no compression or alterations and I almost cried. It was like I had never even heard it before and was the closest to hearing Miles live I will ever get. The subtlety and texture in the music was unbelievable and the recording was so accurate it blew my mind. Hard to say if that justifies the price but if I could come home every day to that experience it would greatly increase my happiness in life. We are so used to the idea that recorded music is inferior to live performance that it is quite shocking when you hear something like that. There is no question you can hear the difference if the recording is a good one.

Edit: People often mistake the difficulty or sound reproduction. The 360 degree reverberating waves created by a symphony orchestra are not easy to reproduce with a small paper cone pushing in and out. The guy that started Infinity speakers used to head nuclear physics for MIT. He left for a more challenging career in speaker design.

 

Thats awesome! I have a couple of 6 inch event monitors that I love. but I have them hooked up to a crappy 12 channel Mackie so Im not hearing everything. When I had them hooked up to my 828 they sounded soooooo nice.


Side funny note... Here we are talking about getting the highest of quality when petitetoilonrouge just wants to convert them to mp3. Sorry for the thread hijack petitetoilonrouge

 

For Mac and not that cheapest option but but well worth it for sound quality (phat analog files) I would recommend the Apogee Duet for a pre-amp/external sound card.

http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet2.php

That way you could go a cheapish Stanton/Numark deck (not a portable deck) with a good needle and get excellent recordings. All up you would be looking around a grand for deck, needle and duet + you would need to download some free capture/editing/converting software.

 

I've heard that your computer audio input is going to handle the analog to digital conversion much better than any USB turntable. At least you get the option to go into Peak or the audio software of your choice. I picked up a direct drive Technics for $30 on craigslist and bought a $90 AT needle, and it sounded pretty good. Added a pair of heavy wooden Klipsch speakers that I picked up for $6 at Goodwill and now it sounds REALLY good! Got my eye on a used receiver now, hope it is still there on payday...

I've had good luck recording in to Audacity and coverting to AAC in iTunes. I'll be sure to check out Apogee Duet.

Looking forward to the day I can listen to records on a ridiculouly expensive Hi-Fi system... not mine of course.

 

I love the Needle Doctor. I used to walk by it every day. I even applied for a job there. Such cool stuff in there.

 

Thanks all. I got 300$ from the insurance company because they busted my tt in the move, so they're going to expect the receipt to show I've bought a 300$ tt, which is why getting an audio card, external usb/audio converter or 170,000$ tt won't cut it.

Anyway, the other parts of my stereo, the racket around the house and the fact I listen to lo-fi indie rock, punk and noise don't make it worth investing more. I'm actually dubious as to whether it is for anyone...

As for the superior quality of live shows, speaking as someone who did go to multiple shows a week for years, it makes me laugh. People are loud and disrespectful, sound technician quality varies tremendously, and acoustics generally suck.

Oh, and bets are open as to how long the new needle will last before one of the kids breaks it...

 

You can always use an insurance companies payment to buy something more expensive but I hear yah. Even if I had a crazy expensive system (if had the money I most likely still wouldn't) I would have to have a crappy one for all the music that doesn't sound right without some good ole surface noise! The bad thing about truly high end stereos is that they expose every flaw in a half ass recording and some of my favorite music was recorded on a 4 track. For me having a decent record player is all about extending the life of my vinyl.

 

Just to follow up on this: got the AT-LP120-USB and it sounds great! Was easy to set up and Audacity feels ok up to now. I'm having amp issues now though, so I can't really know how the ripped files sound.

Oh, and one part was broken within 12 hours. The kids are innocent though: my wife did it. I think I'm doomed to never have anything in a pristine state in the house...