turntables

Back in the day a hi-fi was simply a pair of speakers, an amplifier, a turntable, and maybe a radio or tape deck. Nowadays even the speakers are optional, and the rest of the system is an open question.

With "regular" speakers you have to think about getting an amplifier or maybe a receiver, and this is where it can get a little complicated. And what sources are you planning to play through the system: a turntable, CD player, iPod, radio, TV, games, or Internet radio?

You can eliminate the amp/receiver if you buy self-powered speakers (with … Read more

Lay down some beats for your next party with Numark's latest iOS device-compatible turntable.

Numark touts its iDJ Pro as a professional DJ controller that lets you dock your iPad with the standard 30-pin Apple dock connector. Like the company's previous iDJ products, which allowed mix masters to dock various Apple portables such as the iPod Classic and iPod Touch, the iDJ Pro has a typical dual-turntable layout with various sound-altering buttons, levels, and knobs scattered around the device.

One key feature of this new DJ controller is its AirPlay support, which really makes use of the iPad's Wi-Fi connectivity to show off your awesome digital beats through compatible speakers.… Read more

This week, we have a giant NES controller perfect for Donald's purely hypothetical furry party. Plus, the creepiest robot baby yet, a turntable that plays trees, and a uncut "Star Wars" along with a cut-worthy Stormtrooper cake. In Geek news, Eric confesses that Star Wars: The Old Republic may be his new World of Warcraft.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video … Read more

The CD format is fast approaching its 30th birthday, so if you're under 40, there's a good chance you didn't grow up playing LPs.

I'm over 40 and still play and buy new records, but I'm curious about why younger people are getting into vinyl. Is it the sound, the feel, or the satisfaction of holding a nice hunk of vinyl in your hands? Here in NYC there are lots of places selling new LPs. I can't help but notice the vast majority of the titles are from young bands, and are bought by … Read more

You've probably already read about the latest and greatest in smartphones, tablets, and OLED displays shown at CES, so let's take a look at the coolest high-end audio goodies. We've assembled some of the most promising candidates for your approval.

For anyone searching for wild looking audiophile speakers that stand out from the crowd of rectangular boxes, the new Vivid Audio G3 would be a good place to start. Vivid is coming on strong in the no-holds-barred audiophile market. The G3 stands a little under four feet tall, a good deal smaller than the company's flagship … Read more

CNET Audiophiliac and general audio diva Steve "Sphere" Guttenberg is back on The 404 Podcast for his last appearance this year, and as usual he brings a list of talking points, like a kooky theory on how to curb population control, and when the iPad will eventually overtake the big screen TV.

Jeff and the official 404 graphic designer Blake Stevenson have also partnered together for Crave's first weekly comic strip "Low Latency,"and a big congratulations goes out to our video voice mail contest winners! Check out the videos below:… Read more

High-end audio doesn't always mean the most ridiculously expensive gear, just gear designed with sound quality as the top priority.

Mainstream audio products aren't designed that way; they're sold mostly on the basis of features like Bluetooth or AirPlay that consume an ever larger part of the design engineer's focus and budget. No, high-end audio in its purest form is all about superlative sound. Jolida's JD-9 tube phono preamplifier is such a design.

The selection of newly released LPs is growing day by day, and I loved Nick Lowe's "The Old Magic" … Read more

Playing LPs usually requires a complete hi-fi system, but Music Hall's slick USB-1 turntable and AktiMate Mini speakers make beautiful music together.

I associate desktop speakers with computers and iPods, so when Ken, one of my audiophile pals, raved about this slick little Music Hall system, he had my full attention. It's just a pair of desktop speakers and a turntable--there's your system. The little rig dispenses with the usual receiver or preamplifier required to play LPs; you just hook up the USB-1 turntable via its stereo analog outputs directly to the AktiMate Mini speakers, and you'll be grooving to your tunes. You can also dock your iPod to the AktiMate Mini, and digitally dig your music.… Read more

Are you sitting on a stack of LP and/or 45 records? Or maybe you've gotten swept up in vinyl's resurgence, and you're looking for a way to convert some new platters to a more mobile format. Whatever the case, you need a USB turntable.

In other words, a record player that feeds audio not just to your stereo, but also to your PC. In the past (and, in some cases, the present), these gizmos sold for around $100, but Geeks.com has the Vibe Sound VS-2002-SPK USB turntable for $32.99. Shipping adds around $8.… Read more