Category Archives: Audio

Ion Audio Profile Flash LP to SD Card Conversion DJ Turntable

gear, , ,

Ion Profile Flash LP to SD TurntableTo begin–not sure why the Ion Profile Flash LP to SD turntable is billed as a “DJ turntable”. It DOES have a preamp in it so it can be used in a variety of settings, and it also has a line in (1/8 inch jack) so you can dump exterior audio sources to SD or USB flash or external drives. What this turntable DOES have going for it is the simplicity of the operation–record your vinyl direct to MP3 (at 192kbs at 44khz). That’s pretty sweet for most home use. Want to hear those great old Slow Children or Hazel O’Connor albums in the car? Now you can.

But for a DJ, this might not be the red hot tool you need, especially if you’re picky about conversion to MP3. I personally prefer a higher rate than what you can get here but would be very tempted to buy this for home use if I didn’t already have a USB turntable.

My advice is to do some SERIOUS comparison shopping on this one if you’re interested. For example, you can get this turntable at Zzounds.com listed at $149 and $7 shipping (at press time–prices may change), but over at Amazon it sells for $112 at press time with free shipping (at press time). Shop around!

–Joe Wallace

Stanton STR8150 DJ Turntable

gear, , , ,

Stanton str8150 DJ turntable

This is the one–the drool-worthy Stanton STR8150 DJ turntable, complete with a straight, made-for-scratching tone arm, a high-torque motor, and some amazing features turntablists will find irreplaceable.

We don’t have one in-house to review on video for your pleasure…yet. But we are moving some cash around to afford the just-under-$500 price tag for the Stanton STR8150. You get key correction, a reverse function, and up to 50% tone alteration. How do you like THAT versatility? This three-speed DJ turntable has our full attention. We did manage to dig up this VERY helpful YouTube video below–a demo with a pair of Stanton STR8150s, have a look at this and ask yourself…are you tempted NOW?

This Stanton DJ turntable gets rave reviews in many places. One thing many reviewers like is the fact that out of the box, you get the Stanton 680HP Cartridge to spin that vinyl with…no need to shell out for a needle until you’re well into your experience with the turntable. Nice touch, Stanton.


[ad#Google Adsense]

Shure Whitelabel Integrated Phono Cartridge

gear, , , , , , ,

Shure Whitelabel D2 Phono Cartridge record needleA hundred dollar record needle? Well, the DJ in me wants to correct that line to read phono cartridge, but yes, this Shure Whitelabel integrated phono cartridge DOES sell for $100+. Since it’s aimed at party DJs and club DJs, it’s built for heavy-duty use rather than casual record spins–there’s something to be said for a record needle built to withstand an evening of abuse in the club.

And since a DJ can write off the expense of high-end record needles as a legitimate business expense, why not?

Replacement needles are essential for any vinyl junkie, but even more so for the people who spin for a living. What some like about this one, aside from the gold plated connectors or the forward mass design made for better center-of-gravity conditions for playing and scratching, is the color scheme. It’s kinda hard to see a black phono cartridge against the black vinyl in the dim light of a club.

Some record lovers thing a record needle is a record needle. Others are quite picky. We fall somewhere in the middle. It’s enough to be able to spin the LPs at home with decent sound quality from a typical, well-designed phono cartridge…but anybody who wants to play for hours on end three or four nights a week? A rugged design plus the Shure Whitelabel cartridge’s adjustable overhang (50mm – 54mm to help maintain the forward and backward adjustment of a standard-mount headshell, letting you tweak the adjustment whether you’ve got an S-arm or a straight-arm turntable) means you should probably take a look at a couple of these.

Stanton T92 USB Turntable

gear, , , , ,

Stanton-T92-USB-turntable

After you’ve purchased a couple of Goblin LPs and the Escape From New York soundtrack on vinyl, if you’re put the cart before the horse and need a turntable to play them on, you should give serious thought to a USB turntable like the Stanton T92. Yes, you can purchase turntables made in the old school mode, with just a couple of RCA outs, but why when you can get the Stanton T92 USB turntable with its USB plus SPDIF outputs.

Yes, the Stanton T92 has RCA outs, and they’re switchable between line and phono. Add to that the pitch control and direct-drive motor and you’ve got yourself a sweet little deck you can use for converting the vinyl to MP3 (including those dusty old 78 RPM vinyl records), doing a DJ battle or just chilling out to the Deep Red soundtrack.

The Stanton T92 USB turntable is not yet a part of the Turntabling gear rack, but the price is right and the high-torque direct-drive and SPDIF out is making not getting one a bit difficult. We’re just waiting to hear from a user or two to throw a review our way and cinch the deal. If you’re in the know, drop a comment and give a review–we’d love to know what you think.