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Now, such a needle is available for this unit from third-party sellers for about twenty dollars. So, after a couple of hours of experimentation and doing just a bit of on-line research, I got the basics down pat. And this machine works admirably for this purpose. The retro styling (and retro sound) of this unit is perfectly acceptable if you're hosting a vintage 1950's style sock hop in your living room and using it to play records from that era.
There is also a feature which will automatically separate your recording into tracks, but I've found that this is iffy at best: for me it's much easier just to manually do the dividing. I've been able to clean up the sound much better than I thought I would in most cases; some of these records were almost painful to listen to when filled with clicks and pops. If you're looking for high-quality sound reproduction through the internal speakers, well---it's not going to happen. I haven't bought one yet, but plan to do so. And in fact I've been having a lot of fun messing with these audio files, to see how much I can improve the quality before saving them as WAV files on the computer.
There are quite a few other tools that will alter the original audio as well, but these are the two that have gotten the most use, and they work very well as long as you have the settings adjusted properly according to the shortcomings of the recording with which you are working. Again, if you're a real audiophile you'll probably want to purchase a much higher-quality (and more expensive) turntable, but I think for the average consumer this unit does a very acceptable job.(I should add that while this record player will play 33s, 45s, and 78s, a 78 rpm needle is not included. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES play 78s on this machine without changing the needle first. and store it away easily.
One's satisfaction with this turntable will depend on how exactly it will be used. The most useful tools are the noise reduction filter which will minimise rumble and hiss found throughout the recording, and the click and pop eliminator. (If you have a very stubborn click that the auto feature doesn't remove, you can actually zoom right in to the sound wave and manually re-draw the offending segment so that the pop is minimised). And while it takes a bit of time to type in each track name, that's just one of those things that have to be done if you want the titles displayed on-screen when playing back the finished files, whether you've just saved them onto your hard drive or have burned a CD from them.So, if I can figure out how to use Audacity I imagine anyone can do it; it provides very pleasing results for the average listener.So far I've transferred about forty LPs to the computer, with most of the records dating from the 1950's and 1960's. I'm not at all technically savvy, and quite honestly I was a bit intimidated at the thought of figuring out how to use the Audacity programme. Then when I'm ready to transfer a few records I just bring it out, take off the lid entirely, and set it on the computer desk and get to work.So, to sum up----no, this unit will not fit the needs of a true audiophile. But if want really high-quality audio, select a dedicated turntable that you can plug into your existing stereo system.However, what I'm using the player for is the transfer of old recordings to the computer (using the USB port) so that I can burn CDs of my old records.
But if you're like me and have many (hundreds). You'll get very poor results---and it's really bad for the records as well).The machine includes Audacity editing software to convert the recorded sound into files for your computer. The software comes with only the most basic user's manual, but complete technical instructions can easily be found on the web---there are even YouTube videos that show how to use the features found in Audacity. There have only been a few records that were worn beyond improvement for the capabilities of the software.One nice feature of this suitcase-like unit is that when not in use I'm able to pack it up (always make sure the tone-arm is clamped down when the machine is to be moved). of old records that you'd like to transfer to CD, this should do the trick for you.
Very easy set-up and transfers music relatively easy with Audacity software. The major drawback for me is the very poor sound quality on 78's which was my main reason for purchasing this specific unit. There is a needle specific for 78's , but not for use on the USB models.Seems to be some significant amplitude loss as well on transferring to MP3- not sure if that is due to the USB connection- I haven't tried using the line out.Too late for me to send the unit back- but I will be looking for something of a bit higher quality for 78's.
I bought this as a gift and was nervous after reading bad reviews about poor sound quality. However I found the sound quality to be exactly what I needed, very clear and the volume can be turned up quite loud without any effect. I highly recommend this record player.
If you want to play the LPs and 45s or even 78 RPM records you saved from days gone bye, the Crosley Keepsake is a good choice. The one disappointment is that the cover, when opened, does not support itself and has to be removed while playing record. The Crosley Keepsake also comes with usb capability and software that allows you to download your music to the computer and subsequently burn it to CDs. The player is easy to use and the sound quality is excellent. Although not really a nuisance issue, it detracts so much from enjoying the music that you will find yourself placing the Crosley Keepsake against the wall or leaning the cover against an other object to maintain the nostalgic value of an old time record player. In my rating of this product I deducted two stars because of the issues with the cover.I purchased the Crosley Keepsake as a gift for my wife and so far she has been willing to share the experience with me and hopefully it will keep both of us forever young.
The only positive thing I can say is that the Audacity software seemed to have a lot of potential. I received the Crosley CR249-TA Keepsake USB Turntable for Christmas. I couldn't get one of my albums, which I keep in impeccable condition to play without skipping. What a disappointment. The lid wouldn't stay hinged, the tone arm was not adjusted to prevent skating on even the best albums and the whole assemble that contains both the tone arm and platter shifted in the base far too much. I am looking for a converter/mixer now that I can hook directly from my Techniques turntable to my Mac. I would steer clear of this product.
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