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Looking for my first system (USB turntables)

gfgoalie28

gfgoalie28

New Member
I've been buying vinyl here and there for a while if I find something cheap, and now I'm looking to get my first turntable system so I can actually enjoy my albums. I'm trying to stay under $300-400, and I realize that it won't buy me the nicest system, but I just want something small for personal use in my dorm room. I'm really interested in these USB turntables (I have a number of LPs I would like to turn digital), but my concern is none of them have headphone jacks listed under features. Is it safe to assume they have one? Here are the models I'm looking at:
Numark TTUSB- http://www.amazon.com/Numark-TTUSB-Turnt...8662&sr=1-1
Ion ITTUSB- http://www.amazon.com/Ion-iTTUSB-Turntab...8662&sr=1-2
Gem Sound GT USB- http://www.amazon.com/Gem-Sound-GT-USB-B...8770&sr=1-6

Now, since these all have integrated pre-amps, would any pair of powered monitors work with it? I'm very tight on space in a dorm room, so I'm trying to have as few components as possible. These are the speakers I was looking at:
Edirol MA-7A Powered Monitors- http://www.musiciansfriend.com/prod...tors?sku=603677

I don't really know much about this stuff, so I'm open to any suggestions as long as they fall in my budget, not too big, and I can easily convert LPs to mp3s. Thanks for your help.
 
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There isn't a whole lot of difference in the size of turntables. Those USB turntables look pretty flimsy to me. I've heard the Numark and was unimpressed. The setup you're describing would work, the question is how well. Decent SS Stereo receivers can be had for $20 - $50. If extremely small is the goal, the Insignia speakers at Best Buy are a steal for $75 http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7705307&type=product&id=1138085354138

Turntables are a little thornier, as the're difficuly to pack and ship. Numark markets primarily to the DJ market, so ruggedness is a prime factor. I'd try the local paper, Craigslist, etc for a while - maybe a local AKer wants to thin out their collection - where are you located?
 
Well size is important, but so is ripping my vinyl into mp3s. I'm using a MacBook, so I have GarageBand and a 3.5mm Audio line input, so I don't technically need a USB turntable to do that do I?
 
The USB TTs aren't very nice. Here is a much better solution for ripping your records and playing them too:

http://hagtech.com/ripper.html


Now go to some garage/estate sales and look for a decent vintage TT. Craigslist, penney saver, goodwill, etc are also good places to look. If you get lucky, you might find a nice one for $50.
 
Patience and research here about brands/models to watch for will net you a nice set-up for less $$ than the Numark. Maybe even the speakers, too. :D
 
Unfortunately, most USB turntables sound bad, are flimsy and cheap, and might not survive move in/out in a dorm. (Yes, I know - I live in one.)

If you're really on a slim budget, buy a Technics SL-DB20D and toss in a Grado Black. Total cost should come to around $150. If you want to you can go on eBay and get a far nicer Technics direct-drive for about the same money - you just have to make sure you're buying from a seller that's going to pack it well. You'll usually be able to tell by what they tend to sell the most of. If your seller deals mostly in dolls and collectible figurines, find another auction to bid on.

The Hagtech looks nice but is really kind of pricey IMO. I'd just get a decent stereo receiver and use the line in/outs on the computer. Check the thrift stores around you and see if you can find a receiver/speakers (and a turntable). You can find some good stuff for very little money, if you exercise a bit of patience. (In my experience speakers tend to be the most common item at thrift stores.)

If you're living at school this can be a problem, however. Many college students don't have cars - I don't.

I'd like to recommend a good powered studio monitor for your budget, but it seems prices have gone up since I last checked. You will probably find the Edirols disappointing, however.
 
I agree.. those USB turntables are very plasticy and no real weight to them.. i have not heard any.. but I an only imagine how so so they must sound.

here is a picture of my Pioneer TT i picked up early this year for just $15 just needed some cleaning and of course a new cart and needle. pretty huh? :)
 

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I would strongly advise against the USB turntable. I think with a little patience and some searching you would be better served by an older system found at a Thrift Store, Yard Sale or an Estate Sale. As far as receivers go, the sky is really the limit if you are just looking for something to serve as a preamp between the computer and turntable. I would usually recommend sticking with a brand you know like Sony, Pioneer, Technics or the like. I've picked them up use for dirt cheap and often have not had to do anything to them. Now with the turntable, you are going to have to be a little more discriminating. Go for build quality. If it feels pretty robust, more than likely it is. Also anything direct drive with an adjustable counter weight and anti-skating is going to serve you well, especially when putting your LPs onto compact disc. I have nothing against belt driven tables, it's just that used they are usually going to need a belt and since you are more than likely going to have to buy a cartridge and stylus, a new belt is just another thing to worry about. Hope this was of some help.
 
You really should say were you are located, you'd be surprised how many of us have extra stuff and are willing to help!
 
himm37 said:
You really should say were you are located, you'd be surprised how many of us have extra stuff and are willing to help!
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That is true. I believe I have an extra Technics turntable. It's P-Mount, but it does have adjustable tracking and anti-skate with quartz-lock. It just needs it's automatic start adjusting as it lands on track two. I will try to fix that before it gets out of my hands.
 
To convert vinyl to WAV/MP3/CDR all you need is a good turntable (thrift shop, garage sale if you want it cheap), a preamp, and a "Y" adaptor. The Y adaptor allows you to connect the two standard RCA cables to a RCA mini jack, which you plug into the computer soundcard's input. The Y adaptor you can find at Radio Shack. You're not likely to find preamps in thrift shops but you can buy decent new ones in the $50.00 or less range. Then get audio editing software. I use Goldwave on my PC and recommend it. The cost for Goldwave was about $45.00 IIRC. You can use the computer speakers to monitor the sound, so you really don't need a receiver or larger stereo speakers, unless you want to listen to LPs that way. With some persistence and smart shopping, you'll spend less than $200.00 and have a set-up that's far superior to those cheapie USB turntables.
 
gfgoalie28 said:
I don't really know much about this stuff, so I'm open to any suggestions as long as they fall in my budget, not too big, and I can easily convert LPs to mp3s. Thanks for your help.
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All of the comments about the low quality of cheap USB TTs is valid (TT, cartridge and preamp for $150 or less, how good can any of them be?) OTOH, considering your budget, that you're planning on ripping to MP3 and the fact that you live in a dorm, how "good" a set of components you need now is questionable. A cheap, plastic TT that you won't sob over if one of your fellow students spills a beer (or worse) on might be good enough; if the sound is feeding into a computer, ripped to a compressed format or played through $99 powered speakers you probably don't need really great sound anyway (the average computer's sound has audio quality and interference resistance on a par with a 1970's tabletop system with "Electrophonic" printed on the front). I would just go with the cheapest USB TT that lets you replace the cartridge. As long as the TT has analog outputs (RCA or 1.8"), you can probably feed the output directly into any set of powered speakers. Then invest $70 or so in a better cartridge and a stylus force gauge; what's important is that the LPs you acquire during your college years are preserved. You can re-record them in a few years when you're out of school and can afford to replace the dispensible dorm system with a better one.
 
The AT is okay, but the non-replaceable cartridge is a bit worrisome. IMO this is a better deal for roughly twenty dollars more: Technics.
I really feel like you'd just be unhappy with a plastic USB turntable. A waste of money IMO. I feel like P-mount is a better choice for your needs, since you won't have to worry about tracking angles, weight and all that other crap. It's less trouble for you at this stage. Later on, if you want to upgrade, standard mounts are the way to go - but for now, stick with P-mount. You just plug the damn thing in, tighten the screw, and away you go.

This, of course, is null and void if you find something very nice with a standard-mount arm at a thrift/via eBay, etc. Then you'll really be going places, assuming everything works as it should.

if the sound is feeding into a computer, ripped to a compressed format or played through $99 powered speakers you probably don't need really great sound anyway (the average computer's sound has audio quality and interference resistance on a par with a 1970's tabletop system with "Electrophonic" printed on the front).
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As for computer audio, it can sound good or bad depending on the machine you're using. If you're running a $350 blue light special from Dell, don't expect much. I have an Apple Macbook Pro; a friend of mine has a high-end HP. Both of them sound very, very good - better than any CD player I've heard when running lossless compression - but they both run north of two grand. You get what you pay for with computer audio - just like anything else.

Powered speakers tend to sound a lot better once you get north of $200. That's a big chunk of your budget, though.

If you need audio editing software, just use Audacity. It's free and more than full-featured for ripping vinyl; I use it all the time.
 
Well, I've used Garage Band with relative success for ripping cassettes, but if Audacity is free, I'll check that out. Since you have an MacBook Pro, I assume it works for Mac.
 
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