Photos: Cracking open the Ion USB turntable

The innards of a USB turntable

(Credit: TechRepublic)

Are you the kind of person who delicately dismantles expensive electronics? I know, sorta scary--you don't want to risk not being able to put it back together, and once you crack the case, your warranty's all over. TechRepublic understands. They're impatient hardware types who can't stand not knowing how stuff works. You can check their site for the "Cracking Open" series, where folks go to get their circuitry-related jollies.

Computer guts make for great photography, too. Watch and learn as TechRepublic dives into the innards of the Ion USB vinyl-to-MP3 turntable over on our sister site CNET News.com.

[mtcarini]

why would you buy this?

what a worthless product, why would anyone want to butcher the full tone and texture of vinyl music by converting it to mp3? if you want your music to sound dead just download it of itunes....thats probably easier cheaper and more time efficient than buying this thing anyway.

[saabgeorge]

Can't imagine why?

You couldn't have put too much thought into your review. Maybe they don't want to drag a turntable along with them when they're jogging or driving a car - new cars only have CD players - no cassette. Many old LP are not always avaiable on CD or for download plus iTunes could start to add up to more than the price of the turntable. Granted, the quality will be reduced but for a lot of uses where you're not in your livingroom listening to a high end system, a mp3 from one of these turntables will be more than adequate.

I believe these reviews are supposed to rate the particular product listed, not provide an editorial outlet for the vinyl purists of the world.