Two New USB Turntables

A recent Gizmag survey found that everyone in the world has at least two large boxes of old records in the garage that they can’t play but also can’t bear to throw away (it was a small sampling). Two new USB turntables from Ion Audio will go some way to unleashing all that music, as they represent the latest generation of vinyl-to-MP3 devices. The US$150 iTTUSB05 and US$250 iTTUSB10 turntables are the next generation of the iTTUSB first released in 2006, and come with EZ Vinyl Converter software, a new program by MixMeister that quickly converts vinyl tracks directly to iTunes. Other new features include a dust cover to protect the record; built-in pre-amps eliminating the need for an audio receiver with phono-in jack; integrated RCA cables; and 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM playback speeds.

The slim chassis and front-facing controls allow the iTTUSB05 to fit easily into existing stereo set-ups, and an integrated USB port makes it simple to hook up the device to a PC or Mac for quick vinyl conversion to MP3 digital audio.

The iTTUSB10 features the plug-and-play technology of the iTTUSB05 and incorporates an evolved round-edge design and additional mechanical features such as an S-shaped tone arm and tone arm lift lever. The iTTUSB10 also has enhanced output, allowing the user to easily switch between phono and line output. As with all ION Audio turntables, the iTTUSB10 includes a USB port for easy, single-cable connection to a Mac or PC.