Customer Reviews
Excellent Turntable For Your PC 
2008-08-18
This is an excellent turntable to connect to your PC to rip the old LPs to a digital format. The turntable works flawlessly. I originally planned to connect it to a USB port, but it has so many connection options, that I was able to connect it directly to my sound card's line-in. All connectors and adapters are included in the box. The software is OK. I immediately used Audacity as I was familiar with it.(it is available on line for free) It does an excellent job of recording from the turntable. Cakewalk software (PC only) is also included, but I haven't used it yet. I nearly purchased another brand, but I am very happy that I chose Audio Technica.
Great unit for the price 
2008-08-12
I selected this unit over the others because of the mostly favorable reviews and the price value. You do get what you pay for; many of the parts are plastic. This should be fine as long as you handle the unit accordingly or something is apt to break.
I've been quite happy with it. The instructions for getting started are pretty easy to follow. But, there is a learning curve on how to most efficiently create CDs. You get faster at it after your first few CDs. Once done digitizing the CD it now takes me only a few minutes to burn the files onto a CD.
There are a few "bugs". I learned that when burning the CD (at least with my laptop), you should not insert the CD into the driver until the software requests that it be done. The other minor problem I have is that I'm unable to shorten tracks (songs). For example, a custom album I created was a bit over 80 minutes (the max length that fits on a CD). So, I tried to shorten a few tracks using the tabs that allow you do do so when you are in the edit mode. Except, after "shortening" the tracks I ended up with the same length tracks, but with silence in the segments that I thought I had edited out. To fit w/in the 80 minute length I ended up eliminating one of the songs.
The unit does not have the ability to record tapes (there is no input) like other units do. One nice feature is I can fade in/out songs in the edit mode.
The only (relatively minor) frustration I have is I haven't been able to figure out the software for eliminating pops/hiss/crackles. I figure if I dig deep enough in the help tab I'll be able to figure this out, but they sure don't make it easy. Luckily, most of my albums are in good shape so I don't much need to use the pop/hiss/crackle removing software.
Great USB Turntable 2008-08-05
This is a great turntable for turning vinyl albums into digital music for play as wav, mp3 and ITunes quality. I have a couple hundred albums that I have not listened to for years - and am now getting the chance (great to listen to them on the turntable as I record). I travel a lot - and have lived overseas for much of the past 14 years - hopefully now I'll be able to include these great albums in my IPOD selections.
The turntable itself is good and solid and includes a dust cover (one reason I chose the Audio Technica over the ION). I haven't experienced any problems with it at all - the music is clear and tracks well.
It took me a bit of time to get used to the included software, Cakewalk,(make sure never to use characters when naming a track that should not be used (',*)), but since it has worked fine. I am able to record a full album, then go through and tag the individual songs for download. Tagging only takes a few minutes (depending on the album), but gives me the option now of playing them individually or playing the full album (or side).
Great unit for a great price 2008-08-03
I bought this mainly to transfer some of my albums over to digital media. I found the turntable to be easy to set up and operate. Plus, the sound quality of the turntable and my stereo system is great!
Even better than advertised 2008-08-02
This turntable has been everything that I hoped it would be. I have connected it to my stereo system - a Sony from '92 w/ the BIG amp - and was incredibly amazed at the sound coming out of the tower speakers. It is big, yet nuanced in a way that only vinyl can convey. I was instantly taken back in time! I have not used the software and don't know if I will. I was looking for an affordable turntable in order to break back into vinyl after a 25 year hiatus from the medium. I must say, after this, I doubt if I'll buy another CD. It's vinyl or nothing now. Buy this and you will not be sorry!
Good turntable / Buen tocadisco. 2008-07-28
fully automatic, belt drive turntable * built-in phono preamp with bypass switch * playback at 33-1/3 or 45 rpm (45 rpm adapter included) * includes USB cable * Cakewalk PYRO MP3 creation software for PCs; Audacity software for Macs and PCs *
Great Deal For Vinyl Junkies 2008-07-26
This is a great turntable for converting your vinyl to MP3's. I downloaded the latest version of Audacity (BETA) and used that instead of the included software. It will automatically add MP3 tags after you label each song. The sound quality is much better than expected. I am encoding with a high variable bit rate and I belive the sound is better than that of MP3's ripped from CD's. Of course LP's Still sound better than CD's if you ask me. Don't hesitate on this one. It is a great setup for small money.
Oh Yeah: Mac OSX Friendly Vinyl to Digital Solution 2008-07-26
Why did I wait so long to get this?? Less than forty five minutes out of the box and I had my first MP3 track transferred from an LP record that will assuredly never find it's way onto CD. I use Mac OSX and setting it up couldn't have been easier, quite literally plug & play ready. It took me longer to clear a space off on a nearby printer stand so I could have it within arms reach than it did to assemble the parts.
Heck I'm not even using the software that came with the unit because I was already familiar with Belkin's Final Vinyl freeware (look for it in the Mac/OSX section of CNet's http://www.download.com) from doing cassette to digital transfers. This works even better than transferring from a cassette deck because there's a little pre-amp built into the unit, and using Final Vynil's "auto" sound level setting I made my first 32bit AIFF file format recording in less than an hour out of the box. Drop it onto iTunes, select "Convert to MP3" at the KPS rate you prefer (160kps is fine for my needs) and BINGO!! I'm grooving to a song from my LP collection that I literally haven't heard in over 20 years. Nice.
That may sound a little techie and those just getting into analog to digital audio transfers should probably stick with the included software which comes with a very easy to understand manual -- I just gambled that the sound quality with Final Vinyl would be at least comparable and am quite pleased with the results. I had been thinking about getting a USB turntable for a couple years now and am kicking myself for not having done it sooner: Like many others who have suddenly found themselves in their 40's I have quite a substantial vinyl collection and am looking forward to pawing through it all looking for stuff that warrants resurrection.
People may scoff at the idea if reverting to LP records in the age of the iTunes store but dude, those old King Crimson LPs who's cuts were remixed for CD are next on the stack, can't wait to hear them again and compare them to the more modern versions. And I am going back to mom's house tomorrow to dig out my stash of 7" 45rpms with B-side tracks by Queen and such that have never had authorized CD releases, because sure enough the turntable will work with both 7 and 12 inch, even has a 45rpm spindle adapter & a variable speed control.
So the long and short of it is that if you've been considering investing in a turntable system specifically to convert your stash of vinyl for the iPod age this one will do the trick. You can even use iTunes to make CD burns of the selected tracks if you want. The turntable's plugin works great with Mac OSX with no additional installations, and may indeed open up a new horizon for younger music fans who have always wondered why certain snooty music purists still say vinyl is the only way to hear certain older recordings.
5/5
audio-technica AT-LP2D USB stereo turntable 2008-07-18
This USB turntable is everything it was claimed to be and for a reasonable price. However, the Cakewalk Audio Creator LE disk creating software that comes with it did not work. Cakewalk's e-mail help was no help at all. The help that comes on the disk is very minimal. It also comes with Audacity, a free shareware program which works fine, but does not burn disks. I cannot resolve the problem with Cakewalk, so I use only Audacity, and another program to burn disks.
Very Good Digital Recording Turntable 2008-06-27
The product is designed to perform as advertised. I purchased the turntable about four months ago. The first album I ever digitized was out of print. The software, Cakewalk, came with easy instructions for operating with Vista. I hooked the turntable up to my lap top and I had no problems. Everything sounded beautifully. I never thought it would be so easy. I am not a DJ, so if the pitch is slightly off, I wouldn't know. Everything sounds fine to me. I have recorded several albums now and everything is so simple, that I can multi-task recording in one room while cooking in another. Also, if you are digiziting old records, you will probably needed the volume boosted. The Cakewalk Software has such a tool. However, if you have 78s that you would like to record, this is not the turntable for you. It only plays 33 and 45s. I will not count that against this turntable because it was not designed to do that. Anyway, I now have my digiziting music on my MP3 player. Great product.
