--- product_id: 1342365 title: "USB Phono Plus" brand: "art" price: "NZ$255" currency: NZD in_stock: true reviews_count: 3 url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/1342365-usb-phono-plus store_origin: NZ region: New Zealand --- # USB 2.0 adaptive & async modes Low-noise RIAA preamp Front gain control + Signal/Clip LED USB Phono Plus **Brand:** art **Price:** NZ$255 **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > 🎡 Elevate your vinyl gameβ€”digitize, control, and own your sound! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** USB Phono Plus by art - **How much does it cost?** NZ$255 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/1342365-usb-phono-plus) ## Best For - art enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted art brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Real-Time Monitoring:** Front-mounted gain control and Signal/Clip LED keep your sound levels perfectly dialed in. - β€’ **Plug & Play USB Power:** Powered directly via USB or external supplyβ€”no extra hassle, just pure audio magic. - β€’ **All-Aluminum Sleek Design:** Durable black anodized case that looks as professional as it sounds. - β€’ **Pro-Level Audio Interface:** Acts as a versatile bridge between analog and digital sources for flawless playback and recording. - β€’ **Vinyl to Digital in a Snap:** Seamlessly convert your vinyl collection to pristine digital audio with built-in RIAA preamp and low cut filters. ## Overview The Art USB Phono Plus is a high-performance USB 2.0 phono preamp and audio interface designed to convert vinyl records into digital files effortlessly. Featuring a low-noise RIAA preamp with low cut filters, front gain control, and signal/clip LED, it ensures pristine audio capture and real-time monitoring. Compatible with a wide range of Windows and Mac OS systems, it offers versatile connectivity powered via USB or external supply, all housed in a sleek aluminum case. ## Description The USB Phono Plus is the perfect solution for converting treasured vinyl collections to digital formats. It also serves as a high-performance audio interface between analog and digital sources. Its built-in low-noise RIAA phono preamp circuit, equipped with low cut filters, ensures pristine audio capture. The USB PhonoPlusPS can also function as an audio playback source for any USB-enabled computer or laptop. The integrated low noise Phono Preamp circuit adheres precisely to the RIAA standard. The Line Out jacks are always connected to the input preamp signal, allowing for source monitoring or use as a standalone phono preamp. Encased in an all-aluminum black anodized case, the USB PhonoPlusPS can be powered via an external power supply or directly through the USB port. To maximize versatility, it is fully compliant with the USB 2.0 specification, using USB adaptive mode for playback and USB asynchronous mode for recording. It is compatible with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7 USB audio device drivers, as well as Apple OS9.1/OS-X computers with native USB support. ## Features - Easily transfer audio from your vinyl records to your laptop or computerAlso functions as an audio interface between analog and digital sourcesFront mounted gain control and Signal/Clip LEDUSB Phono Plus ships with Sound Saver Express software ## Product Details - **Brand:** ART - **Maximum Rotational Speed:** 45 RPM - **Included Components:** ["RCA Input", "USB Port"] - **Special Feature:** Flexible phono preamp with USB interface, digital connections, headphones output, gain control, monitor level adjustment controls, line/phono input switch, and low-cut filter switch - **Material:** Plastic - **Item Weight:** 0.61 Kilograms - **Style:** Modern - **Color:** Black - **Model Name:** USBPHONOPLUSPS - **Compatible Devices:** Laptop, Personal Computer ## Images ![USB Phono Plus - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/7104dKZPs9L.jpg) ## Questions & Answers **Q: Can this be used as an improved DAC over laptop's to send music to my receiver from my hard drive.** A: For this device, the direction of signal flow is from the low signal level analogue domain (vinyl/LP/phono) to the digital domain (USB/Optical). Thus, this ART unit is not a Digital-to-Analog(ue) Converter (the "DAC" sort of unit which you specify) but its "opposite" an "ADC" (Analogue-to-Digital Converter). This unit is also a phono preamplifier which boosts the low voltage signal from the moving magnet or moving coil phonograph pickup to higher "line level" in order to drive a subsequent (in the signal path) separate amplifier--or to supplement a hi-fi receiver or preamp lacking (as is often the case) a phono input. In other words, this ART is primarily a phono preamplifier--something to supply gain (amplification) to drive headphones or the just mentioned follow-on analog(ue) audio switching, processing, or amplifying units. You might think of this ART USB Phono Plus as a tidy little combination of two functions: (1) Phono Preamp/Headphone Monitoring Amplifier and (2) ADC (Analog to Digital USB or Optical). By the way, this unit is at least the equal of anything else in its price range with respect to preserving the audio signal quality. It is capable of passing the usable dynamic range of which LPs are capable without the compression mentioned by another person answering your question... and without adding distortion you are likely to be able to hear considering the masking effects of the much larger combined distortions which are inherent to the recording and playback medium that is vinyl (e.g., the "LP" phonograph record). (There are many who disagree with this last point, however.)Finally, the quality or fidelity of the music or other sound which you play "off" your computer's hard drive can be no better than the quality of the original signal encoded in digital format to your hard drive. If you have high bit-rate, high definition source material (CD quality or better) on your hard drive, the sound processor chip on your laptop's motherboard is almost certainly going to degrade that signal by contaminating it with noise and compromising its dynamic range (or degrade other aspects of the signal as well). If high quality sound output from high quality source material is your goal, then you'd do better to use a high quality "soundcard" (installed in desktop computer OR use an "outboard" soundcard (i.e., a so-called "audio interface"). ASUS makes a fine soundcard for the consumer market (http://www.amazon.com/PCI-Express-XONAR-ESSENCE-STX-90-YAA0C0-0UAN00Z/dp/B001OV789U/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1422964422&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+sound+card+xonar) but be sure to read the review comments to get the installation right from the get-go on Windows machines. If you are an audiophile, you can find computer soundcards costing almost 10 times what the ASUS does... but not sounding appreciably better. As far as the external audio interfaces go, there are many excellent, quite affordable (from $100-$500... or more, of course) devices aimed at musicians and recordists for use in their semi-pro (or pro) home studios. These days, in a given price range, the digital signal processing chips used in these devices are either the same or very close cousins of one another (sourcing from just a few chip makers). You can see that in how close the specs are between brands and models in a given range. Thus, the differences in price often have more to do with features and flexibility (e.g., numbers and types of inputs and outputs), build quality and best engineering practices, and, of course, "brand reputation"--than the fundamental parameters. **Q: is this the ART USB 2.0 Phono Plus Project Series (which is the current model)??** A: Mine is Project series and manual clearly says it is BOTH USB 1.1 and 2. However, no A/C power came with it (one reviewer said his did). Mine also came with USB cable (one reviewer said his didn't). Mine does have a volume on the Monitor Output, so (according to one reviewer) that makes it the v2 (new) version. Order mine late May, 2014. **Q: Recently SoundSaver Express app started to hang with the (Not Responding) window pop up. Removed/reinstalled and same thing happened. Any advice?** A: I wasn't able to install Soundsaver on my iMac, plus there is no support available anywhere. Get Audacity, it's free and works just fine. **Q: Will this accommodate moving coil or moving magnet phone inputs?** A: No. Typically, a moving coil cartridge puts out a much lower level signal (albeit a more accurate one), and usually requires a preamp with some switching capability between a standard level and the MMC level. This unit does not have that feature ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Works Perfectly and Easy Set Up *by G***L on January 25, 2010* I purchased and received the ARTcssories USB Phono Plus in the past 2 weeks and used it today. It was easy to set up and I will not go into detail about specs as others have covered it well. I will instead use simple and plain lingo on my experience in using this product.I unpacked the unit, plugged in my Technics SL-1200M3D RCA plugs and the ground wire (yes, there is a place on this unit for a ground wire) to the back of the unit. I then plugged in an extra set of RCA wires to my mixer so I could hear LP's as I played them. I flicked the switch on the front so I could hear what was playing and then connected the USB plug to a USB port on my desktop. I downloaded Audacity from the internet for the newest version and opened it. This unit is powered by USB which is nice and does also have AC Adapter bundled. My computer recognized the unit and my computer automatically switched my audio to 'USB Audio Codec' and I was set to go.I put on an album and started to record the song in the middle in order to get sound level correct in the Audacity program. This Phono Plus also has a volume/gain knob so you can adjust volume input to your computer program that you choose to use. I set my input level very low on the Audacity software program so I can use the phono Plus's volume knob. Once I got the volume level I wanted, I erased what was recorded in Audacity and reset the stylus to beginning of track and hit record in Audacity again to record the song. (The Audacity program is one of many that you can use, but since I have Nero for editing my WAV files, I use Audacity only for just going from vinyl to digital. Audacity will also allow you to edit what you recorded).I exported my newly recorded song to a file on one of my hard drives as a WAV file. I then edit in Nero and cut out the silence and maybe adjust volume levels more. I leave in the abnormalities from my albums like small clicks or pops that happen here and there as my albums are in good condition and I enjoy the natural sound and do not want to edit this out. I then encode the WAV files to MP3-320 and MP3 Pro so I can play them on different portable devices. I save the WAV files too for making cd's.I am very happy with this unit and works as intended. Hell, I may even take out my 8-track player and record 8-tracks with this thing and record the tapes as they are but have them on cd. This unit will allow you to hook up about anything with RCA plugs. I also have an ION USB turntable that actually works very well, but it feels like a toy compared to my Technics. By the way, this Phono Plus unit does not feel cheap and seems quite solid. It is made with aluminum and rubburized sides, not plastic. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is THE preamp for any serious vinyl collector. *by L***A on April 10, 2009* This little preamp is in itself a sound marvel. It has a superb phono preamp built in, which can be disabled if you like to use the preamp as a transfer device for a cassette player, or a Reel To Reel, for instance. It has an USB port to connect the preamp to the computer, so you can transfer any sound source to your computer without using the computer sound card.It has a output for headphones, with an integrated volume control for the output. You can even hear the sounds of your computer with it if you like, and it also has a switch which allows you to compare what you are recording in real time vs. the source. As you can see, this preamp is more like an external USB sound card, with a built in RIAA phono input.The gain of the preamp is fully adjustable via a gain pot and the help of a led indicator. If in some passages of the track the led turns red, that means that the gain is set up too high, so you can decrease the gain a little to avoid distortion.It has also a ground post to connect the ground wire of the turntable, in order to decrease any unwanted hum. It also comes with a free recording software, but I personally preferred to use Nero Wave Editor to do my transfers.All in all, you can't go wrong by buying this preamp. Even if you don't plan to do any LP to CD transfer, this amp is worth buying because it's superb RIAA phono input. It is really better than the other preamp I had previously, a Pyle Pro one, with better gain and better sound too. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good Features - Good Value *by J***C on December 19, 2010* After years of looking at my collection of LPs waiting on the shelf to be heard again, I finally researched USB turntables and USB preamps. I quickly realized that the Technics turntable sitting on the shelf all these years only neeeded a good USB preamp to come back to life. I narrowed my search to this Art V2 Phono preamp because it gave me the ability to connect to my PC for digitizing my album collection as well as provided a preamp I could use with my home theater setup that doesn't have a phono preamp input.After a couple of weeks of recording albums to my MP3 collection with this preamp I'm completely satisfied with its function and performance. It does everything I expected and needed from a preamp and analog to digital conversion device. The headphone monitor feature is a nice addition (not found on other preamps I researched)which I've found useful when searching for track breaks on albums while I work with splitting songs on the recording software (more on that below).The one blemish I do have to comment on with this product is that I had to return the first one delivered due to a malfunction. The left channel didn't work on that unit. That's the only reason I rated this four stars rather than five. Hopefully this is untypical of their overall product quality. Thankfully, Amazon's return process is very easy and I had the defective unit processed for return the same day and another one on order. Two days later I was busy recording LPs with a new unit that worked flawlessly.This preamp does come with a CD containing Audacity recording software. I never even loaded that on my PC. After some research on recording software I decided to purchase VinylStudio by Alpinesoft. I strongly recommend this recording software. It is extremely easy to use and does everything I could imagine someone would need for transfering their LPs to MP3.Overall, very satisifed with this product and very happy with the value for about $69. ## Frequently Bought Together - ART USB Phono Plus - Vinyl Buddy Ultimate 5-Piece Vinyl Record Cleaning Kit | with Real Hardwood Brushes – Includes: Record Cleaner, Pro Velvet Brush, Microfiber Brush & Stylus Cleaner – Clean, Protect & Restore Your LPs --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.nz/products/1342365-usb-phono-plus](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/1342365-usb-phono-plus) --- *Product available on Desertcart New Zealand* *Store origin: NZ* *Last updated: 2026-05-03*