XP SOUND XP201 Phono / Microphone Pre-Amp for Windows PC

XP SOUND XP201 Phono / Microphone Pre-Amp for Windows PC

Product Description
Product Description
A combination phonograph and microphone preamp with sophisticated software for digitizing your record collection

Product Description:
The "XP201" Phono/Mic pre-amp provides a combination of hard and software to achieve high quality transfer of old records and cassettes to your home desktop PC or laptop in addition to offering a handy high quality microphone pre-amp and headphone amplifier. Because record players, tape recorders, microphones, and many other devices operate at differing audio levels, a phono/mic pre-amp like the "XP201" is required to match levels. The built in RIAA equalizer guaranties perfect processing of the incoming pick-up signals from your turn-table and provides users an unmatched listening experience. An adjustable microphone pre-amp allows users to connect and record high quality dynamic microphone signals directly to their PC. As an added bonus, a stereo headphone power-amp is accessible from the front panel.Being housed in a compact shielded chassis, the XPsound "XP201" phono/mic pre-amp is completely protected against distortion and interference from your PC. The unit powers from either 9V battery, HDD connector cable (provided), or 9-12V power adaptor (optional accessory). Audio connection to the computer is simple. Just connect the audio ins and out on the rear of the "XP201" to the ins and outs of your current soundcard!

XP SOUND XP201 Phono / Microphone Pre-Amp for Windows PC
Average customer rating:

Check your turntable before you buy this

XP SOUND XP201 Phono / Microphone Pre-Amp for Windows PC

Manufacturer: Xp Sound
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Sound Cards | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics | External | Internal
Component Amplifiers | Receivers & Amplifiers | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Product Features:

Included Diamond Cut 32 V4.0 for Windows performs crackle and click removal, EQ, compression, hiss removal, dynamic FFT noise reduction, reverb, echo, frequency spectrum, oscilloscope & more

Built-in RIAA equalizer matches signals from record players, tape recorders, microphones, and other devices operating at different audio levels

Adjustable microphone preamp allows connection and recording from dynamic microphone signals

As an added bonus, a stereo headphone power-amp is accessible from the front panel

Housed in a compact shielded chassis to protect circuitry from distortion and interference introduced by your PC

ASIN: B00006XY1T

Product Description

The "XP201" Phono/Mic pre-amp provides a combination of hard and software to achieve high quality transfer of old records and cassettes to your home desktop PC or laptop in addition to offering a handy high quality microphone pre-amp and headphone amplifier. Because record players, tape recorders, microphones, and many other devices operate at differing audio levels, a phono/mic pre-amp like the "XP201" is required to match levels. The built in RIAA equalizer guaranties perfect processing of the incoming pick-up signals from your turn-table and provides users an unmatched listening experience. An adjustable microphone pre-amp allows users to connect and record high quality dynamic microphone signals directly to their PC. As an added bonus, a stereo headphone power-amp is accessible from the front panel.Being housed in a compact shielded chassis, the XPsound "XP201" phono/mic pre-amp is completely protected against distortion and interference from your PC. The unit powers from either 9V battery, HDD connector cable (provided), or 9-12V power adaptor (optional accessory). Audio connection to the computer is simple. Just connect the audio ins and out on the rear of the "XP201" to the ins and outs of your current soundcard!

Customer Reviews:

Check your turntable before you buy this.......2004-11-25

I bought the XP201 to use as a preamp for converting my vinyl records to CDs. Initially this requires connecting the turntable to the XP201. However, the unit WILL NOT WORK if your TT already has a pre amp built in and you cannot turn the pre amp in the TT off. I learned this the hard way.

When I first hooked the XP201 to my TT, the second that the needle contacted the record I wanted to play, the peak warning light on the XP201 immediately came on. This light is a nice feature that warns you if your audio input is too strong, in which case your audio will be totally garbled and useless for recording. You can also blow out your speakers (which is why I use an old set of computer speakers to monitor the sound.)

After doing some research on the Internet I discovered the problem. Even some old TTs (the one I was using was over 20 years old) have a pre amp built in, which I didn't know since there is no marking on the outside of the TT. In order to find out if my TT had a pre amp, I removed the TT mat and slowly spun the TT around by hand to see if I saw "amp" through any of the openings. When I found this marking on my TT, I saw that there was also a marking for an on/off switch. But since my TT was so old, it did not function. At that point I would have been out of luck unless I had another TT in the house.

Fortunately I had a second TT in the house, and this one did not have a pre amp built in. The XP201 worked fine with it.

The moral of the story is to check your TT before you order the XP201 to see if it has a pre amp built in. Do this by removing the TT mat, slowly spinning the TT, and looking through the openings to check for a pre amp. If the TT has one, you theoretically do not need the XP201 and can connect your TT directly to your soundcard--but I did not get acceptable sound when I tried this, and believe you will get a far better sound using the XP201. However, unless you are positive that you can turn off the built in pre amp if your TT has one, do not order the XP201 because it will not work properly since it is not meant to amplify audio that is already being amplified by another source (i.e. the built in pre amp in the TT).

Once I solved my TT problem, I found the unit was very easy to use and performed well. I connected the unit to a USB external sound card called the Maya EX5 (I think this works better than using my PC sound card, and also avoids the possibility of frying a computer component if something goes wrong) and my old records sounded great. I suggest listening to your records first before you convert to mp3s so you have an idea of what kind of condition they are in.

Go to Radio Shack and buy an AC adaptor for the unit, which does not come with one. You will then be able to use the AC/battery switch on the back of the unit as an on/off switch instead of having to unplug the unit. Although you can use a 9V battery, for heavy usage the cost of batteries will soon exceed the cost of an AC adaptor. Also the battery compartment is very narrow, and it not easy to insert and remove the battery (I had to use a needle nose pliers to get it out).

Although this unit comes with software for converting your records, I personally did not find the software as easy to use as other software that I tried from Blaze Audio called RipEditBurn.

I really like this unit and gave it four stars rather than five because neither the manufacturer's website nor instruction book mentions the TT issue, which I think is quite serious for anyone planning to buy this unit.

XP SOUND XP201 Phono / Microphone Pre-Amp for Windows PC

Average customer rating:

XP SOUND XP201 Phono / Microphone Pre-Amp for Windows PC

Manufacturer: XP SOUND
ProductGroup: CE

Component Amplifiers | Receivers & Amplifiers | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
Product Features:

Included Diamond Cut 32 V4.0 for Windows performs crackle and click removal, EQ, compression, hiss removal, dynamic FFT noise reduction, reverb, echo, frequency spectrum, oscilloscope & more
Built-in RIAA equalizer matches signals from record players, tape recorders, microphones, and other devices operating at different audio levels
Adjustable microphone preamp allows connection and recording from dynamic microphone signals
As an added bonus, a stereo headphone power-amp is accessible from the front panel
Housed in a compact shielded chassis to protect circuitry from distortion and interference introduced by your PC

ASIN: B000BBYYA0

Product Description

The XPsound XP201 Phono / Mic Pre-Amp serves up a potent combination of hardware and software, enabling high quality transfer of old records and cassettes to your home PC. And, it serves as a handy, high quality microphone pre-amp! Unit derives power from either 9V battery (optional), joystick connector cable or 9V power adapter Connects easily to sound card Ins and Outs Also includes full versions of Dart CD Recorder & Dart Karaoke Studio

Electronics:

Electronics

electronics

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