Digital turntables???

[7/4]

STR8-80+520SK Direct Drive Turntable with Digital Out

Advanced features including digital output!

Features Stanton high-torque direct-drive motor, as well as many features favored by today's professional DJs: reverse function, 3.5mm line input, S/PDIF digital output, master tempo adjustment, quartz lock, 3 speeds, selectable (+/-8% or 12%) pitch adjustment, skip-proof tone arm, blue LEDs, remote start, target light, blue strobe, and more. Comes with Stanton 520SK cartridge pre-mounted on silver headshell. Includes dust cover and slipmat.

Features:

    * High torque direct drive motor

    * Reverse function

    * S/PDIF digital out

    * Master tempo adjustment

    * Quartz lock

    * Three speeds

    * Pitch adjustment

    * Skip-proof tone arm

    * Remote start

    * And much more

Includes:

    * Stanton 520SK cartridge pre-mounted on silver headshell, dust cover, slipmat

S/PDIF digital out?

Hmm...I need a turntable, there's a lot of vinyl in my collection I haven't heard in years....I could move my laser printer down to the lower level of the little table it's on now and put the turntable on the top, plug the S/PDIF into the M-Audio Firewirer 410. The table would sit directly to my right, give my life new direction, purpose and when I'm not using it, I can pile crap on top of it.

There's also the Technics SL-1200MK2 Turntable with digital out, but almost double the price.

Edited March 14, 2004 by 7/4

[Brandon Burke]

I've never been very impressed with Stanton, personally. Everything they make is very light and very platic. Especially their mixers.

[7/4]

I've never been very impressed with Stanton, personally. Everything they make is very light and very platic. Especially their mixers.

Maybe I should check one out locally. I think this one 19 lbs. while the Dennon and Technics weigh and cost more.

You get what you pay for. I'm getting the impression that Stanton has a cheap plastic body (shell?).

[Claude]

What is the purrpose of the built in A/D converter? There is already a A/D chip in every PC soundcard, so there is duplication of that part.

I would also stay away from DJ turntables unless you really need it for that specific use. Hifi turntables offer better sound at a lower price.

[Brandon Burke]

You get what you pay for. I'm getting the impression that Stanton has a cheap plastic body (shell?).

The ones I'm thinking of did indeed feel light.

You might want to check out the turntables offered at Turntable Lab. They're a hip hop store (and their reviews are not exactly "audiophile") but they do offer very practical advice; the likes of which you don't usually get from sites that simply provide specs and assume you know what to do with them. These guys have used everything they sell--often while playing out at clubs--and even tell you the downsides of products they're trying to sell. For example, they'll tell you if something feels too light, seems easily breakable, isn't compatible with certain functions/intentions, or if the output seems too quiet, etc. If nothing else, they'e honest.

BTW: That link may or may not take you to the "Equipment" section. If I remember right, they have one of those URLs that doesn't change from page to page. So it might just take you to their home page. Look around for "Equipment Home". I believe it's on the right hand side and near the top of the page.

If you've got the time (and have an appreciation for the absurd), I also suggest checking out their record reviews. Particularly in the "Heavyweight Crate" (i.e. hip hop) section. Very very funny. Truth be told, I read their reviews every week just like I read The Onion.

Edited March 14, 2004 by Brandon Burke

[7/4]

Verdict: Minuses

The hardware is all plastic, this table won't last as long as a Technics. Limited tone-arm adjustment (it doesn't have anti-skate or height adjustments). Does not come with a digital cable to enable recording.

Plastic: it ain't leaving my living room!

Cable: it couldn't cost that much!

Maybe I'll get on next week......maybe not.....we'll see.

I'm still amazed that a turntable exists with a a/c converter!

[Brandon Burke]

I've been giving this some thought.....

Why would you want to go directly into your computer? If the signal coming from the LP (or from the turntable) is low then you'd have no analog recourse. Ideally, in these situations you'd want to have a pre-amp so you could boost the sound before it makes it into your computer. As a general rule, boosting the incoming signal with a software application, rather than an external pre-amp, is something to avoid.

Edited March 15, 2004 by Brandon Burke

[Jim Alfredson]

I'm assuming the digital output is akin to line level. It would be silly if they gave you a digital equivalent of a direct phono out. That would be worthless.

So who knows what kind of preamplification they are using in that turntable. Probably a one-chip deal... analog preamplification and digital conversion all on the same piece of silicon.

[Brandon Burke]

I'm assuming the digital output is akin to line level. It would be silly if they gave you a digital equivalent of a direct phono out. That would be worthless.

So who knows what kind of preamplification they are using in that turntable. Probably a one-chip deal... analog preamplification and digital conversion all on the same piece of silicon.

I see where you're coming from but I prefer my initial raw captures to be the right level in the first place. One should use as little Pro Tools/Peak/etc tweaking as possible when digitizing, assuming you want to the capture of the incoming feed as "true" as possible. ("True" is in quotes, of course.)

[7/4]

So who knows what kind of preamplification they are using in that turntable. Probably a one-chip deal... analog preamplification and digital conversion all on the same piece of silicon.

Hmm....good point. I'm going to do a bit more research on this one. But I do need a turntable, but I don't want to spend a lot. If the digital doesn't work out, I'll get some kind of tube preamp together.