TEAC's New Multi-Format LP-R500 Plays Analog, Converts to Digital

by Steve Levenstein

Burn Vinyl & Cassettes to CDs with the TEAC LP-R500 Multi-Format Player
The TEAC LP-R500 may not look like much, but it makes up in function what it falls short of in form. Vinyl records, cassette tapes and even FM radio can be played for a listen and burned onto CDs for perpetuity.

TEAC has always been a leading manufacturer of high quality sound and audio equipment. This writer fondly recalls taping records and the radio onto TEAC brand cassette tapes on a TEAC tape deck back in the early 80s. Those tapes are still with me, and now thanks to the new TEAC LP-R500 they can be burned onto CDs.

The LP-R500 isn't going to win any Good Design contests, but that's not its main selling point anyway. It's versatile, performing many functions using a variety of media. The vinyl LP player alone takes up a LOT of space but then TEAC adds in cassette tape and CD players.

In fact, this somewhat clunky unit is a throwback to those big ol' radio / record player cabinets that took pride of place in Grandma's living room way back when.

What's really appealing about the TEAC LP-R500 is that it packs a CD burner that lets you transfer any and all of your old vinyl and tape cassettes to longer lasting - or at least, more convenient - audio CDs. Get out those old mix tapes and transfer them before they crumble into ferric rust & dust!

The LP-R500 is rather pricey at approximately $700 and it has a few shortcomings. According to Yersys Technology Blog, "Of course, if you look hard enough you can find much cheaper USB dual- or single-cassette decks and USB record players, which could be a much better choice if you want to literally digitize your songs without sound degradation, as they connect directly to your computer."

Steve Levenstein
J A P A N O R A M A
InventorSpot.com

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Comments

This thing doesn't do it all

Submitted on December 3rd, 2008 by Anonymous

There's more to digitizing records than a straight-thru dub to CD.

o What about cleaning the record before play to remove all the dust and dirt that causes the vinyl "crackle" sound?

o What about filtering for clicks and pops that result from scratches and damage?

o What about album art?

o What about the artist, album and track title metadata?

o What about labeling the CD beyond what one can manage by hand with a Sharpie marker?

These are the bases that can only be covered by going with an outside audio digitizing service (like mine, www.ReclaimMedia.com). Furthermore, once you account for the time it takes to cover just some of these bases at home, the whole prospect becomes a bad deal economically assuming your free time is worth at least minimum wage!

I've written an article about the many gotcha's that await the home audio digitizer, and why it's usually cheaper to send the work out.

Before sinking much of your money and life into trying this at home, you owe it to yourself to give it a look and decide whether its arguments apply to you.

Thank you,
--Craig Meyer
Founder
Reclaim Media

One of many alternatives

Submitted on December 3rd, 2008 by Steve Levenstein

Thanks Craig, you make some good points. By all means visit Reclaim and see what they have to offer, as well as exploring other analog-to-digital alternatives, before spending a significant amount of change.