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The Veho VTT-001 Record Deck measures 29x27x8cm, which include the overhang at the rear for a USB lead. However as soon as you put a 12inch LP on the turntable the space required is 30x32x8cm.

Unlike most solutions this unit also claims to work for 10inch, EP’s, 45’s and even 78’s. I have my doubts about the last mentioned as a diamond stylus on 78’s would soon lead to problems but it does have the speed setting for 78’s. There is also the required fitting to go into the centre of punched 45’s.

The colour is described as Piano Black. The rear has input for power, RCA output connection and USB socket. My tests were done using the USB connection to a PC. The software supplied on the mini CD is Audacity and this allows you to turn the digital signal into a range of types including MP3 and WAV.

There is a 20 page manual and this covers most things. Basic setup should take only a couple of minutes and once the software is installed you are ready to start transferring your LP’s etc to a PC. The software only requires a USB port on the PC or notebook. The one item I failed to do successfully is to change the stylus as the instructions provided did not work for me but as the unit was brand new this was not required during my tests.

See also: MP3 players

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I did have some other problems following the illustrations as what I got varied. For example the interface has a Window that should say Microphone, for me this Window was blank. I tried the installation on two other PC’s and got exactly the same thing. Maybe this was why I found the output somewhat low, it worked but most transfers needed work in the Audacity software to get volume high enough to burn a CD.

The version of Audacity seems more comprehensive than that supplied with some other units not only in the editing arena but also in the range of save options allowed. My tests were conducted saving as .WAV 44.1 but other rates are available. This is the normal standard for CD’s.

The last 14 pages of the manual cover the Audacity software and if you can get a reasonable transfer into this then the manipulated copy should be excellent. The best I got was okay to try to explain the input metres go from -48 to 0 the highest level I got was around -15 and this low. If I could have got -6 I would have been delighted even something like -10 would have been adequate.

All editing tends to corrupt the purity of the original recording and unless the LP for are copying has hiss and scratch you should not need to do anything to it, here I always had to ramp the output level a little and this on it’s own will reduce quality.

There are just to controls on the unit, speed 33, 45 or 78 and on/off both are located under the tone arm. I would have liked a slightly longer finger to pick the arm up with so as to avoid the chance of touching the playing surface.

For anyone who has long since disposed of their record deck this gives them a chance at a reasonable price to transcribe LP’s to CD. The Audacity software works well and providing my surmise about the reason I could not get adequate volume transfer should be reasonably easy. The Audacity software would then be normally used only as a transfer method except in the case of poor quality CD’s where some hours of work could improve the quality removing the hiss, click etc.

If you look around at the price of other such units this is bargain providing that the level problems I faced were one offs.

Doing my Internet searches found the Veho Music Lab VTT-001 USB Turntable at a best price of £48.85 including free delivery from the first link below.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001H30RDE?ie=UTF8&tag=gadge0a-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634

http://www.veho-uk.com/productdetail.aspx?id=48