Buying these will take you to a separate secure site.

Turntable with Universal iPod Dock A vinyl collector’s dream come true, our Turntable with Universal iPod Dock converts your vinyl records into digital, portable music. This USB turntable records directly to a fifth-generation iPod, a second generation iPod Nano, or to your home computer. A great gift for any music lover – including yourself. Built-in sync dock lets you transfer recordings to other iPod models through your computer. Recording software is included for archiving record to other MP3 players or CDs. Supports 33-1/3, 45, and 78 RPM. Professional features clean up tracks for the best possible sound. Adjustable anti-skate control for increased stereo balancing. Software analyzes your vinyl and automatically retrieves album, artist and song information (PC only). Connect to any home stereo with an AUX input for everyday use as a great turntable. Mac and PC compatible. iPod not included. Requires Windows XP or Vista to run on a PC; OS X 10.3.9 or higher to run on a Mac. Read more technical specifications.

I know that there are vinyl purists out there who will say that these turntable are a sacrilege; that if you claim to be an audiophile, you should never use the digital format. Although I think that there are less of the absolute purists than ever. The fact is, I can’t carry my album with me, whether on trips, or to a friends house. Also, when I am working, I don’t like to be bothered, (which is why I don’t use Twitter) so I end up using my iTunes for my MP3′s rather than getting up every so often to change sides or albums. Not that I don’t like to do that, but not when I’m working. (Yes, I work from home, haha suckers).

ION ION USB Turntable (Sold Individually) CASE PACK: Sold Individually DETAILS: li Ion USB turntable *Ideal for archiving your records to MP3 (and play them on any digital media player!) *Also features a line level output for connecting to your home stereo system (line-level RCA output with built-in preamp) *Revolutionary USB turntable allows you to convert your old vinyl collection directly to CD or MP3 with included recording software *Plug and play USB *no drivers needed *Supports the recording of 78 RPM records through the included software *Computer requirements: PC running Windows 98SE, 2000, ME, XP, Mac running OS9 or higher, one available USB1.1 port or higher, *Compatible with most standard operating system drivers *Includes dustcover (ADD) *Compatible with Windows Vista software *Silver UPC: 855960000573

Also I have included the Stanton T.90. I haven’t actually used the Ion turntables, so I can’t guarantee their quality. However, Stanton is pretty good, so you would be safe with it, although it is a lot more money.

Stanton T.90 USB Turntable With Cartridge & Software Professional-Quality Turntable; High-Torque Direct Drive Motor; USB & PDIF Digital Outputs; Built-In Key Lock; Includes Cakewalk Pyro 5 Software

The Montegiro Lusso record player (calling it a record player sounds almost derogatory) is separated into three pieces to minimize any vibrations or motor noise. It is belt driven, and, get this, also has a second tonearm! Why? I don’t know. I guess it is for different sound depending on what you want or what you are listening to.

The price for this starts at $47,000. Yes, you read that right, 47 with 3 zeros after it. I don’t know about you, I love good sound but $47K seems a little bit much to me.

It reminded me what Steve Martin said about his record player;

I guess it was time for a new needle. I had been looking for them before, and I tell you what. The internet is full of really crappy sites where you can spend three hours looking for a stylus for your turntable, and still not find it.

Finally I found a site called LP Gear. Still not the greatest looking site, but it sure was easier to navigate than most of the others I found. I did find the one I needed too, even though it’s a cheap Pioneer, non-audiophile record player.

The cool thing was, that not only did it give me the needle I needed, it gave two upgraded ones that would still fit my turntable. So, being the pseudo audiophile that I am, I upgraded.

I am really looking forward to hearing my records sound good again, but since I am moving, I had to have the needle sent to my parents house so I don’t miss it at my old house, or the new house, and because I have to pack up the stereo. So I probably won’t be able to soak in the warm drippy analog sounds of the vinyl magic that we call records for another few weeks.

Where do you get your parts? Do you go online, or do you have a store near you?

Josh Bizar, the Marketing Director for Music Direct, says that the hardware used for analog and vinyl listening is a lot different than standard stereo equipment. It can be a daunting task for someone just starting to buy equipment to decide where to start. So, Bizar has come up with five tips to help get newbies going in the right direction.

FIND THE RIGHT TURNTABLE — Used record players are a dime a dozen at garage sales and thrift stores, but a 30 year old record player could have many problems. Make sure you get a really good service tech to get it up and playing properly. There are also countless new turntables on the market today. For an investment of $300, you can buy an amazing new turntable with 21st century technology that will be perfect right out of the box.

SET UP YOUR SYSTEM WITH CARE — Any turntable will need to be properly set-up to get the maximum amount of music out of your record. That means finding someone who knows how to install the phono cartridge (needle) properly to get the most music out of the grooves. Also, make sure you place your turntable on a rock-solid shelf to keep vibrations away.

LOOK FOR QUALITY VINYL — Thrift shops, garage sales, used record stores and even your uncle’s basement are great places to start your vinyl collection. There are also more new LPs pressed today than anytime since the mid-80s. Specialty stores can advise you on all the great music that’s available on the best quality new vinyl.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR RECORD COLLECTION — Avoid all those ticks and pops by removing the decades of grunge from the grooves with a really good record brush and record cleaning fluids. There are even special record cleaning machines that do all the work for you and will vacuum dry the LP so you can play it immediately. They can be pricey, however. Still, clean records not only sound better, they’re much more valuable.

BRING YOUR RECORDS INTO THE 21st CENTURY — The biggest trend in vinyl right now is taking your records and making them digital. Many newer turntables can connect directly to your computer via USB, and even older, standard turntables can run through a special USB Converter and achieve the same effect. Download some free “ripping” software, like Audacity, and you’re ready to put your record collection right onto your iPod.

Unfortunately, although I’d like to consider myself an audiophile, I really am not. I can’t afford to be. Have you ever looked at the price of audiophile grade turntables? MusicDirect (yes, you might have heard the name in the American Express Plum Card commercial) has everything for the audiophile. Amps, turntables, records, speakers, everything. But there are turntables that are over $20,000! Who can afford that? I guess if you were a millionaire.

But I digress. The question is, do you have to have the greatest and most expensive equipment to be a true audiophile? According to Webster, an audiophile is “a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction.” Well, does that say anything about owning a $20,000 turntable? It says enthusiastic about high fidelity. I’m enthusiastic. I just can’t afford it. I personally think that an audiophile is someone who can appreciate good quality recordings, and strives to get a better sound, even when they can’t afford high end equipment.

For instance, I have a great sound system I bought when I was in the Corps a few years ago. It’s a Kenwood system. Matched set of surround speakers with the receiver. It has a great clear sound. Nothing really high end, but I feel it’s a great quality for it’s price range. I even had a friend who always was upgrading his stereo to the latest and greatest equipment, but when he came and heard mine, he said it had a much better, clearer and fuller sound than anything he had. Proper setup helps too. This is all using records through a cheaper Pioneer turntable I got for Christmas one year. It’s not bad, but it’s not great. Now I need a new needle, and do you think I can find one? I’d love to upgrade to a Grado cartridge, but even the cheaper ones start at about $60. Not a lot, but when you are married, buying a house, and the price of gas being what it is, $60 is a lot.

So what’s my point you may be asking yourself, and I don’t blame you, because I think I lost track as well, you don’t need top quality, high end equipment to enjoy vinyl records. You don’t need to pay 20,000 dollars to listen to your favorite album. You can listen and enjoy your lp’s on a turntable that you bought for 20 bucks on CraigsList.

Does that mean you’re not an audiophile?

You decide.

And let me know what you come up with.

Thats just crazy. Why I would ever want to play that on most of my records is beyond me, but it is pretty cool.

Apparently, it only comes as a Volkswagen Bus. But it comes in many different colors, and even with flames.I really can’t tell what music that it is playing, it sounds pretty bad, but it almost sounds like Rick Dees with Disco Duck. There isn’t any singing though.

The only place that I can find that sells this is Juno. Just click the VW Bus.

The ELP Laser Turntable uses five lasers, two to track along the grooves, one to stay the same distance from the record, and two to play the stereo sound from either side of the groove. Because of this, it can play records that have been scratched, warped, and even broken.

I asked for a demo CD from the company, and it came with some sound samples. Now, trying to show sound samples from vinyl on a CD is hard. It inherently has sound degradation. But it does show how records that are normally considered ruined, can be played again.

It also reads the information on the vinyl record, and can skip tracks just as on a CD. that is pretty cool.

What about quality of music? Well, like I said earlier, it is hard to hear a difference since it was transferred to CD, but I really did notice a difference in sound. Was it enough difference to pay the full $10,000? I don’t think so. But there were definite differences in the sound. You can also buy a declicker that will take out much of the hissing, clicking, and popping that most people associate with playing vinyl records.

This record player would be perfect and really is a must have for audio historians, and audio restoration. Libraries could use this. If you have a business where you need to get audio from records that are in horrible shape, then you need this. If you are an audiophile, and want the best sound you can, then go ahead; if money is no object.

For the rest of us, I believe that the price is too much. You can get good turntables, and cartridges and get just as good of sound.

Having said that, the biggest point for the laser turntable is the fact that since it uses lasers and not needles, It doesn’t wear on your record. Wow! That is kind of important. But again, worth $10,000? Not to me, but you make your own decision.