[ARSCLIST] A decent compromise to get your LPs into your iPod

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/business/yourmoney/21novel.html

I would recommend the Audio-Technica model. Two main reasons:

1. given Audio-Technica's history and present state of affairs, I would count on them to deliver as 
high sound quality as possible at their price point. They will also deliver a cartridge and 
turntable not likely to damage your records. That Ion player is made by Chinese computer engineers 
and probably the USB interface is more a part of the price than the phono cartridge or preamp.

2. because the AT unit plugs into your LINE inputs, you can control the A-D quality by controlling 
the quality of your soundcard. I would argue that something at the Ion unit's price point is more a 
gadget than a good-quality music player (ie high quality analog stage, A-D converter and reliable 
USB interface). This device has gotten a lot of press, mainly because they made it look vaguely 
Apple-like and seem to have a good PR agency that plays on the audio-ignorance of most "technical" 
reporters.

For most home users, especially people who enjoyed and heavily played their records back in the day, 
the AT would be fine to get it into the digital realm. I would not say this is anywhere near 
archival quality, but for instance a library wishing to retire heavily-used vinyl might find a 
lower-cost solution like this handy.

The reviewer is wrong. The AT will work with a Mac. I am pretty sure most Macs have a line in jack.

I recommend against the cheapo freebie software mentioned in the article but some people swear by it 
instead of at it. If I were doing this, even on a low budget, I'd spring for $50 for Sony's new 
"lite" version of Soundforge.

What I always tell clients who inquire about LPs is, if your records are not in excellent condition, 
first see if any or all of the music has made it to CD. Even if it's out of print, you can find a 
used copy cheap somewhere in almost all cases. If it really was never released in CD format, then I 
warn them that a scratched up record just won't sound very good, especially over earbuds. Digital 
"restoration" can help, if used very conservatively (ie not to the point where it creates 
noise-pumping or sucks the air and space out of the recording). However, I had one older gentleman 
tell me he MISSED the surface noise and ticks and pops, that music didn't sound "right" to him from 
a CD. OK, fair enough. Different tastes for different folks and all money is green.

Caveat: I have had very good experience over the years with Audio-Technica stuff, so I'm banking 
that they're living up to their reputation with this product. I don't have one nor have I used one. 
But I will say that I have and very much like some lower-priced AT stuff including their low-end 
electret mic and their $50 headphones which blow more expensive Sony far out of the water.

-- Tom Fine