Vinyl has been making something of a comeback, as garage sale and used record store junkies discover obscure content that never made it to the digital era.

Besides having to live with surface noise, ticks and pops, analog has its limitations when it comes to track access, not to mention compatibility with today's digital music players.

Audio-Technica's AT-LP240-USB Direct-Drive Turntable System addresses these issues with a USB output that allows direct connection to a computer without any special drivers. Once digitized, LP tracks can be ported to the likes of Apple's iPod or any MP3 player.

The AT-LP240-USB includes PC- and Mac-compatible Audacity software that converts the audio on a record to MP3, WAV or other format digital audio files. The Audacity software also includes audio editing features, including EQ, and click/noise removal.

The AT-LP240-USB plays back 33-1/3, 45 and 78 RPM records, and has a built-in phono preamp so the turntable can be connected to a wide variety of music and home entertainment systems, powered speakers, and to A/V receivers that do not include a dedicated phono input.

As a turntable, the AT-LP240-USB is fairly sophisticated: there's a direct-drive high-torque multi-port motor for speed stability, and an S-shaped tone arm with adjustable tracking force, anti-skate adjustment and removable cartridge mount (cartridge available separately). The damped cast-aluminum platter comes with a felt slip mat. The AT-LP240-USB even offers adjustable arm height to dial in the vertical tracking angle (VTA) for the most accurate-possible record playback.

The AT-LP240-USB will be available from Erikson Consumer, Audio-Technica's Canadian distributor later this year.

It becomes the flagship of a USB-equipped turntable line that includes the model AT-LP120-USB Professional USB Turntable (that also has a high-torque direct-drive motor, but with both forward and reverse "back-cueing" play capability); the more affordable AT-LP60-USB LP-to-Digital Turntable System (that also offers PC- and Mac-compatible software, and a built-in phono preamp).

For further information, visit: www.eriksonconsumer.com

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