One recent reader question came in asking about USB turntables. As in, “Should I buy a USB turntable?”

Transparency alert–I own nothing but USB turntables except for one or two consumer models like the one you see here to the left.

My current turntable of choice based on price, purpose, and performance is the Audio Technica AT-LP-120-USB. It’s got a pre-amp for DJing (which adds to the overall weight and heft of the damn thing), switchable output, variable tone control and other things I like.

Is it the BEST turntable out there? No, but it’s the one I currently own three of and I have no complaints. But back to the question. Why a USB turntable?

Well, for no other reason than that’s the way the industry is going. Yes, you certainly could avoid going USB if you reallllly wanted to, but most people seem ready and willing to digitize at least some portion of the vinyl collection and USB is the way to go for that, unless you really want to use those RCA plugs into an analog-in interface to your Mac or PC. Some desktops do have such interfaces built into the sound card…

I’m naturally biased in favor of the USB-in because let’s face it, if you’re going to MP3 anyway there’s a certain amount of audio loss you’re going to live with and if you’re really into audio fidelity, perhaps you should stick with listening to the vinyl records themselves.

There’s a lot to be said in favor of music portability.

SHOULD you buy a USB turntable? It depends, really. Is your old gear on its last legs? Or is your current gear functioning well? Are you happy with your current setup? If so, you could simply purchase a USB interface like the ones Numark makes to run RCA cable into a converter box with a USB out. These start at about $35-$50 and would be more cost effective than buying a new USB turntable in many cases.

Here’s one such Numark product

There’s a stereo line in plus a dedicated phono line in. You can also use this as a line OUT from your computer into a mixing board to run audio into a mix.

So if you are happy with your current setup, consider adding the converter box instead–there’s no need to shell out for another turntable unless you simply want one that will plug into a laptop or desktop PC apart from your stereo setup.

That’s my preferred method of converting–if I didn’t already own six turntables I’d purchase a separate one strictly for converting vinyl to MP3.

–Joe Wallace

PS. Ask YOUR question by leaving a comment or by e-mail: editor (at) turntabling (dot) net

I had blown through Bloomington, Indiana fairly quickly with a mind to making Nashville in the same night (day one of Vinyl Road Rage is always super-ambitious for some reason). Along the way I phoned home to get some map support from my girlfriend, Jen and together we found this record store in Owensboro, Kentucky.

It’s good to see people buying and selling vinyl in out-of-the-way places, and Owensboro, Kentucky was a bit off the beaten path. But a quest to find weirdness on vinyl and rare titles means taking the side journeys when you can.

Moneytree (which is an odd name for a book and record vendor, I have to say) has a strange way of displaying a great deal of its vinyl titles–the best albums are mounted on the wall.

That’s not so unusual for the rare ones and hard-to-find records, but they’re usually not quite so high up! It was definitely a challenge to look at them in some cases, and every section of the shop had vinyl along the walls.

And yes, you’re seeing that correctly, those records are right near the ceiling.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of weird, rare or hard to find vinyl there. If you like classic rock, funk, singer-songwriter LPs or other 70s and early 80s-era vinyl this shop would be worth a stop, but for a prog, new wave, or obscurities collector, chances are good you’ve already got what you need, no surprises here.

A new collector might do well at Moneytree as long as they are looking for the previously mentioned titles. The store was friendly, well-lit, but a challenge to browse for all those near-the-ceiling albums. Naturally they did have a regular record bin, but the really good looking copies seemed to be reserved for the wall space.

I can’t say it was bad to stop here, as you’re just about ready to pull over on a trek from Chicago to Nashville…but my vinyl finds on Day Two of Vinyl Road Rage Four would prove to be much more exciting.

There’s much more Vinyl Road Rage record store reviewing to come..this is only the beginning! Up next, record stores and flea markets in the Nashville area…and some outrageously cool shops in Memphis, Tennessee that cannot be missed.

–Joe Wallace

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One of the highlights of the trip is a two-night double feature at the Riverside Drive-In on Route 66, N. Vandergrift, PA. Monster-Rama features both Dr. Phibes movies, the Bava classic Black Sabbath (with Boris Karloff in color) and the Vincent Price end-of-the-world vampire doom-fest Last Man On Earth. Me and the crew from Kitley’s Krypt are camping out at the drive-in, literally, for both nights. Plenty of beer and insanity awaits.

Rest assured, there will be updates from the road! Images from record shops and drive-in movie madness abound, but most of the instant-gratification updates will be via the Turntabling Facebook page, which is actually my personal page but also where I do most of the Turntabling FB stuff at, too. If you haven’t connected with me there, feel free–I love hooking up with Turntabling friends there.

Also, if you’re placing orders for vinyl or CDs from Turntabling, know that your orders will be shipped on my return next Tuesday. Thanks for your support-it means a great deal.

If you’re curious to know what I’ve got in the way of rare, obscure, hard-to-find and just plain cool vinyl records and CDs, have a look at my current list of titles for sale from the Turntabling Collection. I have plenty in the way of soundtracks, goth/industrial, obscure and really weird vinyl/CDs…over 200 at present and MUCH more to be added when I return. The Turntabling Collection is ever-growing and coming to a convention near you. Stay tuned for the latest appearance dates for shows like Horrorhound Weekend, Days of the Dead, Capricon and many others.

–Joe Wallace

A vinyl stamper isn’t the machine that cranks out the LPs, it’s the “mold” for an individual record–the recorded music etched into the metal surface, ready for a load of melted vinyl to be poured into it and pressed. Since theoretically any liquidy substance that dries into a hardened form could be used, why not try making a 12-inch LP with wood glue? The results? Edisonian, but interesting nonetheless.

By popular demand, here’s an ever-growing list of the Dario Argento related titles currently available for sale here. This list is all the vinyl, we’ll post the compact disc collection very soon. Please note that in most cases this vinyl is either out of print or going to be so very soon.

All titles for sale here are sealed and unopened unless otherwise indicated. We actually don’t have any used Argento vinyl for sale here–can’t find any and the people who own these titles hang on to them for dear life–but we have to let you know it’s sealed, regardless.

Goblin Dawn Of The Dead Soundtrack Vinyl LP

Dario Argento acted as a producer on the ground-breaking George Romero undead opus, so it gets included here.

Argento was also responsible for bringing Goblin to the table for the soundtrack so he gets double kudos for this. The bad news is that this Dagored vinyl LP is out of print now and when supplies are gone, they’re gone for good unless the Italian distributor decides to print another run someday. This is now extremely collectible.

This is a new, sealed import vinyl LP. Buy the Dawn of the Dead soundtrack by Goblin from Turntabling for $28.00. These are going fast–when they’re gone, they’re gone for good.

Tenebre Soundtrack Vinyl LP by Goblin

The vinyl LP soundtrack for Tenebre on Dagored Records is even more collectible than Dawn of the Dead. This title is out of print and likely not to return, which means that sealed, unopened copies are worth far more today than ever.

This soundtrack is one Argento’s most famous, thanks in part to Claudio Simonetti’s Italo disco stylings on the best-known cuts. Technically speaking this is not a Goblin record–the band wasn’t able to use the name for contractual reasons at the time–but this is classic Goblin nonetheless, if not a completely different sound for the group. Completist collectors should definitely try to get their hands on one of these while it’s still available. Tenebre is a sealed, import vinyl LP pressed on 180 gram vinyl

Buy Tenebre from Turntabling for $30.00 plus shipping.

Four Flies On Grey Velvet Soundtrack Vinyl LP Ennio Morricone

You won’t get Morricone’s haunting score for this early giallo by Argento out of your head for weeks. The whispers, moans and experimental percussion are a lower-volume precursor to the high-octane shrieks and clangs in Suspiria. Some might call that a stretch, but listen to the two soundtracks back to back and you might be surprised.

This too is a highly endangered species on vinyl–when supplies are gone, they’re gone! Just TRY to find this in any used record shop or on eBay for a reasonable price. We have a limited supply of Four Flies On Grey Velvet, they are sealed, 180 gram vinyl LPs on the excellent Dagored label. Get them while they last!

Buy the Four Flies On Grey Velvet vinyl record from Turntabling for $29.00 plus shipping.

Suspiria Vinyl LP by Goblin

The king of the Argento soundtracks, Suspiria features Goblin at the hieght of their creativity and spookiness. This album completely transcends the film its in, standing alone as a sonic accomplishment that demands to be recognized with or without the film.

Suspiria is also out of print and getting more scarce in this form than ever. It will soon be listed as ultra-rare and as with Tenebre, we challenge crate diggers to find one of these in the used bins–we’ve never seen it happen!

We have extremely limited stock of this awesome vinyl record, sealed and unsullied by human hands. Suspiria is a sealed, imported vinyl record on 180-gram vinyl.

Buy Suspiria now from Turntabling for $39.00 plus shipping.

Deep Red AKA Profondo Rosso by Goblin

Goblin’s soundtrack for Deep Red, also known as Profondo Rosso, is a driving prog-filled album that really enhances the film. There are a couple of cheesy moments with analog synth flourishes thrown in for no apparent reason, but these are quickly forgotten when the prog attack kicks in again.

Goblin was in fine form on this soundtrack in spite of being intimidated by the job–they were brought onto the film after Argento fired the original composer…but Simonetti and company stepped up to the task quite nicely. As with so many (all?) of the other titles in the Dario Argento soundtrack catalog, this particular release on Dagored Records is going out of print and is more of a rarity than ever for vinyl junkies.

The Goblin Profondo Rosso soundtrack is a new, sealed vinyl LP on 180-gram vinyl. Buy it now while supplies last from Turntabling for $28.00 plus shipping.

That’s all the Argento vinyl we have in stock currently. Stay tuned for the list of Argento-related CD titles!

At a recent Paisley Babylon gig at the Horror Society’s two-day film festival in Chicago, I did an all-horror related live mashup and turntablist multimedia set using a pair of Audio-Technica ATLP 120 USB turntables. I am pleased to say these Audio-Technica turntables worked quite well and give me good, consistent performance.

I took delivery of three of these AT USB turntables back in the middle of summer, but hadn’t had a chance to put them through their paces in a live setting until October when I started doing DJ Paisley Babylon gigs and performing Paisley Babylon Beautiful Chaos shows.

I am a big believer in these turntables after having used them in my October gigs here in Chicago. In spite of the weight–the AT120LP USB turntables have a built-in pre-amp so you can select line-level output or phono output–these were wonderful.

Perfectly suited for my needs as I was feeding line-level out from the turntable into an echo unit for life dub and mashup effects I could hold in my hand and make a big goofy show out of using. It’s a hell of a lot of fun to manipulate vinyl in this way!

My only gripe with these turntables has to do with the switch for selecting line out or phono out. Beware when transporting them as the switch is in the rear of the unit and is susceptible to breaking off if it gets jammed up against other gear as you’re transporting to short distance gigs. I threw mine in the back of the vehicle too close to my vinyl crates and one pothole and a jostle took out the switch on turntable #3. My fault for not packing more carefully, but something to keep in mind.

At the end of the day I can highly recommend the Audio-Technica ATLP120 USB turntable. It has much going for it and I’ll be getting good use of these for a long time to come.