Editor’s Note: This product has been removed from our side-by-side comparison because it is no longer available. You can still read our original review below, but Top Ten Reviews is no longer updating this product’s information.
The Numark TTUSB is an LP to digital converter that comes with the program EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter that walks you through the process of turning your LPs into digital audio files. We especially enjoyed this software because it takes all the guesswork out of converting LPs. You plug your turntable into your computer via USB and the program takes you step by step through the process. This allows first-time users to successfully convert LPs to digital formats without a hitch.
During our conversion tests, we had mixed results. One of our LP conversions was unlistenable, with static and scratches that got increasingly louder toward the end of the song. The conversion of a brand new Jack White LP didn't have any abrasive scratching, but it did lack volume and definition compared to a digital download of the same song. The panning was also off, where the guitar solo in the song was far less prominent than in the digital download.
We also converted a 45 by The Beatles. We chose this particular album because it was not in good shape. It has its share of scratches and is slightly warped. This didn't do the vinyl converter turntable any favors. The turntable picked up plenty of static as well as some distortion when the entire band accompanies the piano. There were also some panning issues where the guitar solo was much further in the background than it was in the digital download. There were other turntables we tested that sounded overall worse than the Numark, but many others, including the Audio-Technica LP120, had more successful conversions.
The Numark TTUSB has all the makings of a quality converter turntable. It features a belt drive motor to reduce noise during conversion, anti-skate control that keeps the needle from skipping, and a counterweight to help put the right amount of pressure from the stylus on the vinyl. It also has a pitch adjust slider on the tabletop in case you need to make minor adjustments to the sound of your record.
This USB turntable does not have built-in speakers or an automatic start/stop feature that stops the platter from spinning once the record is done playing. It comes with all the cables you'll need for digital transfer, including a USB cable and RCAs, but unlike most other turntables we reviewed, it lacks a dust cover for the tabletop.
One of the most convenient things about using EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter to convert the LPs to digital file formats is the automatic track detection. This feature detects the silences between songs and automatically separates them for you. We converted one whole side of two records to determine if the auto detection actually worked. There have been complaints that sometimes it won't split up the tracks in the correct spots because of scratches or static between songs, but we experienced no issues with that.
This Numark turntable is covered by a one-year warranty. If you have any questions or concerns about your turntable, you can reach Numark via email and phone. When we contacted Numark via telephone, a representative was helpful and answered our inquiry completely and promptly.
The Numark TTUSB has many of the features you'd want from a converter turntable, but it still didn't produce the best conversions in our testing. It made a decent conversion of the brand new LP we used, but the two older ones had issues. The software it comes with makes it easy to get right to converting even for first timers. The ease of operation boosts this USB turntable's appeal, especially for beginning users.
