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For those of you with vinyl music collections, making the transition to digital music can be frustrating and expensive. You could purchase digital versions of your albums from online music retailers such as iTunes, eMusic, or Amazon--but who likes paying for music they already own? Another option would be to transfer your analog recordings to your computer using a turntable, phono preamp, audio card, and editing software. The gear required for digitizing your own records can be expensive and cumbersome, however, making all-in-one USB turntable solutions such as the Ion TTUSB10 ($199) seem very attractive.
As a company, Ion (a division of Numark) makes several all-in-one USB turntables, including the entry-level TTUSB05, and their original, the TTUSB. Generally, Ion's turntables are aimed at an audience concerned more with price than performance. That said, Ion's products offer a great value and borrow heavily from Numark's reliable, high-end designs.
Design
The Ion TTUSB10 is a full-size turntable with a hinged, clear-plastic lid and four shock-resistant rubber feet. With the lid closed, the entire turntable measures 6 inches tall, 17 inches wide, and 15 inches deep. Aside from the TTUSB10's metal tone-arm mechanism, the majority of the turntable is constructed from a lightweight metallic plastic (including the platter).
The top of Ion TTUSB10 features a power switch, an oversize start/stop control, a 3.5mm auxiliary input jack, and two buttons for switching between 33rpm and 45rpm modes. If you do find yourself recording 45s, Ion includes a black-plastic 45 record adapter with the turntable. Noticeably absent from the top of the TTUSB10 is a fine pitch adjustment control, common on professional DJ turntables.
On the back of the Ion TTUSB10, you'll find the attached RCA and power cables, as well as a USB jack, a line/phono switch, and a knob for gain control. We wish that the TTUSB10's power and audio cables were swappable instead of attached, but we understand that the audience for this turntable will probably appreciate ease of use over ease of repair. On the upside, all of the tone-arm components (cartridge, needle, headshell, and counterbalance) are seemingly standard and easily replaceable.
