ion's iTTUSB USB turntable
posted Dec 5th 2005 5:15PM
Now we don't think that this product will appeal to hardcore DJs due to its, um, rather plasticy nature, but for an
easy way to transfer grandma and grandpa's old Big Band records over to the digital format of their choice (and most
likely cheaper than the Phono CD Recorder), ion's iTTUSB
turntable might just be the way to go. With no annoying drivers necessary, the plug-and-play iTTUSB is just as happy
hanging with Windows as with Mac, and includes Audacity recording software for presumably pain-free content transfer.
Non-techies can also use this 'table sans PC with the built-in RCA outputs, but the real draw here seems to be the
high-speed USB recording feature. The ion site lists numerous retailers who stock their products, although there is no
mention yet of the iTTUSB on any of the sites that we checked.
[Thanks, John W.]
Eugene, thanks for standing up for the turntable, I also bought mine from Costco. Let me pass a question by you perhaps you can tell me were I,m going wrong? I start my recording, ether from vinyl or cassette and for a time things go fine with my recording until I get this "garbuled nasty sound". I,ve tried just about everything in my bag of tricks to figure out whats making it. Oh by the way I have only been able to record one recored.
Help,
Gene
Cool
first post
An excelent product, after purchasing one through costco.com for $99 no shipping charges, we transfered over 120 vinyl records to CD. The quality was much better on the CD's than on the vinyl and there were acouple of badly scratched vinyls that I was able to preserve using the instructions. Takes a little studying to learn how to do it, but was not too hard for a couple of old codgers like us (66 and 69)!!
It's belt driven too
Like you said, not for a pro DJ. That thing will wear out before anyone can convert their massive collection of vinyl :)
It is actually listed on the target.com website linked off of the Ion site. Price: $139.99 - but it is unfortunately out of stock.
Of course, I won't worry about it too much until they drop the price to about half that.
It was listed in the Urban Outfitter's catalog recently. They're stocked at the Westwood Village store by UCLA. It looks and feels cheap. I think At $150, there has to be a better way to get your Vinyl on. Oh wait, I can do an internet search. http://www.soundtekmusic.com/product.php?productid=16317
Numark USB mixer, $99, will let you do something.
i've seen this (and a ion branded portable turntable at urban outfitters.) they seem to be the exact design of numark gear (though undoubtedly much more cheaply made.) i assume its some numark 3rd party manufacturer who realized that they could use the tooling for the numarks to make their own merchandise.
i don't believe numark has a USB deck, so good for them there, but the portable turntable goes for the same price as the numark one ((http://www.digitallyunique.com/pt-01.html?src=247) though having never held the numark version in my hands, i can't vouch for the quality difference.
Belt drive is actually better for recording (less flutter & table noise) but obviously useless for DJing. I wonder why they bother with things like the pitch control and corner start/stops - if they just built a simple, good quality turntable with built in recorder for digitizing vinyl they might have a market.
all of numark and ions products look exactly the same
Yeah, in stock at Urban Outfitters in San Francisco (off the Powell BART stop), $150. Like all ION DJ equipment, it has a Numark shell, but otherwise it feels cheap.
I believe it's belt driven too, so it's not really worth anything other than having the USB recording functionality. But then again, Numark does have a Mixer with USB ports that retails for around $100
I'm not gonna be able to transfer ANY of grandma and grampa's records without 78.
they come with 78 adapters.. dur..
What's wrong with belt drive unless you are a DJ? The best sounding decks on the planet have belt drive - it isololaes the motor from the platter.
Not that I am saying I expect much in terms of sound wuality from a 140 dollar deck....
If they would ship it with some good drivers and the option to control the device via an interface on your screen, than it would be something. But hand operation pitching is sooooo.... ahum DJ-ish. On the otherhand, the hand is probably more stable than doing it with a mouseclick. Scratches on vinyl are still a real threat for someone's collection.
It only would be cool.... turntables with an interface. Taking it apart and using the controlled servo-motor for something else.... Except the price doesn't lie.
- Unomi -
Stewie.. I think you mean 45 adapters, as 78's have the same hole as a 12" but it needs to spin at 78rpm which this doesn't do.
I've had bad experiences with numark decks, only turntable to have a software crash on me.
Why would you want belt drive for anything? Even for recording... the speed of those things are inconsistent.
Direct drives have flutter and table noise? I've never noticed anything on ANY of the tables I've used (mainly tech 12's).
I do not think there is market for that. Except for frustrated kids that have no clue what to get their dad or grandpa for Xmas;)
True: ppl want to digitize vinyls but to do that they do not new yet another turntable.
We have turntables. Plenty of them,you know...
All you need is a soundcard that can handle high impedence outputs from the turntable and takes care of proper analog to digital conversion. I have my doubts whether this has built in anyting but the cheapest, noisy analog to digital converters ..
For Vinyls-to-CD job my pick is Emu 1820 or laptop version: 1616 that both have turntable inputs and warrant superb quality.
Alas, no 78 rpm ......
so no solution for transferring MY grandparents records to the digital domain ....
Alas, no 78 rpm ......
so no solution for transferring MY grandparents records to the digital domain ....
Think of the ease to set up a total multimedia computer. Why would I want to transfer my old records to cd? Takes away the fun of playing old jazz tunes. For most people that don't believe in spending the money on a sound card with rca inputs; this is the cats meow.
I've tried to buy one of these (I'm in the UK) and find that nobody will ship outside of the US, why?
i bought one of these as a surprise christmas present for my boyfriend. he's NOT a d.j. or anything similar. he does have a lot of records, but isn't fanatical about them. i mostly thought it would be fun to transfer some of our favorite tracks into an iPod for work/car trips/etc - without having to invest in a bunch of other stuff. everyone's comments are freaking me out! is this really such a crappy product? or is everyone evaluating this from a professional p.o.v.?
YES< you can record 78 RPMs using the Audacity software. record at 45 RPM and let the software pitch it up to 78... you even pick from drop down menu's to convert from 45 to 78. with the slower recording of the 78, it actually picks up more information. this is not a DJ product. it is for recording right into your computer.
this is a GREAT product for the consumer. if you are a professional, go out and buy a direct drive turntable ($200-$400), a professional phono preamp ($100-$500), and professional recording software ($200+), and audio cleaning software ($100+). all of that adds up to more money and a professional recording. I think this is a great value.
Note to girlfriend (Post N° 20): Is your boyfriend still your boyfriend and if so, does he like the turntable?
You seem to be the only one on this board who seems to be in a position to comment on its sound!