Digitize your records with a USB turntable

The greatest challenge in choosing the best USB turntable seems to be finding consensus among reviewers and the many models that exist. One of the most useful reviews we found is at CNET. Editors there look at four USB turntables, posting written and video reviews for the Newmark TTi Turntable (*Est. $200), the Stanton T.90 USB Turntable (*Est. $300), the Ion iPTUSB USB Turntable (*Est. $100) and the Ion TTUSB10 USB Turntable (*Est. $110). Also worth a read is ComputerWorld.com's five-player comparison of the Audio-Technica AT-LP2D-USB (*Est. $85), Ion TT USB Turntable (*Est. $80), Numark TT USB Turntable (*Est. $80), Pro-Ject Debut III/Phono USB (*Est. $400) and Stanton T.92 USB (*Est. $280)

USB turntables for $100 or less

Buying a USB turntable doesn't have to cost a lot; we found two well-reviewed models for $100 or less. Perhaps the niftiest of these is the Ion iPTUSB turntable. It's portable -- it runs on 6 D-size batteries or an electrical adaptor -- and it's got a built-in mono speaker that "gets pretty loud," CNET editor Donald Bell says. It's also compact (just 12 inches by 12 inches by 4 inches) and has tone and pitch controls to fine-tune output. In fact, the only complaint Bell has is that the tone arm (the thing you put on the record so it can play), is cheap and plasticky. Users at Amazon.com are fairly upbeat about the Ion as well, giving it an average score of four out of five stars, although a handful of the 30 or so owners complain about the sound quality.

At ComputerWorld.com, Daniel P. Dern names the Audio-Technica AT-LP2D-USB his top pick. It's also the best-selling USB record player at Amazon.com. Dern loves the fully automatic Audio-Technica; unlike other USB turntables that require you to set the tone arm on the record to begin and end recording, the Audio-Technica works with the touch of a button. That's handy if you want to leave the turntable unattended. It's also got a dust cover, which the Ion lacks. Users at Amazon.com are also generally upbeat about the Audio-Technica; about 180 owners give it an average rating of four stars out of five. A handful of users complain about broken units or computer incompatibility, while others say the turntable's speed was inconsistent. But most say it's a solid, easy-to-use unit that produces good sound.

A USB turntable for your iPod

The more expensive Numark TTi Turntable also earns attention from ComputerWorld.com, as well as from About.com, iLounge.com and TechRadar.com. What distinguishes the Numark from other USB turntables is its ability to rip records directly to an iPod (as long as it has voice-recording functionality), in addition to connecting directly to a computer. You can also use the Numark's dock to play your iPod through your stereo.

But this convenience comes with trade-offs, reviewers say. For one, the Numark records each side of an album as a single WAV file; if you want to divide songs into separate tracks, you'll either have to start and stop the record after each song, or transfer the files into your computer and use the included software to create tracks. Like the Ion, the Numark is criticized for it's plastic tone arm and mediocre sound quality (which TechRadar.com editors improved by replacing the cartridge with a more substantial one). Jesse David Hollington, writing for iLounge.com, probably sums it up best, writing, "Numark's TTi turntable should definitely not be considered as a replacement for most exiting home stereo turntables--unless direct-to-iPod recording is a serious priority." Users at Amazon.com seem a little more forgiving; a handful of owners give the Numark an average score of just under five stars.

Our verdict on USB turntables

It's worth pointing out that none of the aforementioned turntables -- or others that get decent reviews, like the Sony PSLX330USB Output Turntable (*Est. $115) -- are the ideal choice if you're a serious audiophile. Although many models have RCA outputs (so you can plug them into an amplifier) in addition to USB connections, all of the units we looked at earned some criticism for less-than-stellar sound quality or inconsistent speed controls. We also read complaints about the user-friendliness of the software that these turntables use to import albums and polish the sound quality.

If you want the best audio quality when converting records to digital files (and you already own a high-end turntable), you might want to consider a sound card for your computer that will allow you to plug your record player directly into your PC. But if you simply want to breathe new life into records that are otherwise gathering dust on a shelf, the Ion iPTUSB is a reasonably inexpensive investment.