From Erin Apple
I wonder why you considered it news that there was a USB turntable being released that will enable you to turn records into MP3 files (4 August, p 23). I already own one, the Numark TT USB. According to Amazon.com, it has been available since 2001. There are at least three other makes that I know of.
Music enthusiasts have been doing this for many years, using the analogue audio input sockets in sound cards built into nearly all PCs since the early 1990s. High fidelity is easily achievable with a good quality card, and this method doesn’t cost £75.
• These options are possible, but when the input is analogue the gain levels have to be manually set or left to AGC (automatic gain control), which changes the dynamic range. Furthermore, hi-fi buffs who have spent £1000 on a turntable – such as a Linn – do not want to pipe the signal through a comparatively lo-fi computer microphone input and sound card or a budget pre-amplifier. The new conversion box should do the signal much better justice while being more user friendly.
Chesapeake, Virginia, US
