Gadgetell Review: ADS Tech’s Instant Music digital audio device
Product: Instant Music (RDX-150)
Price: $59.95 ($34.95 after mail-in and instant rebates)
Rating: Very Good 8.5/10
Pros: Easy to set up and use. Very light and relatively small.
Cons: No inline volume controls or dedicated headphone port.
Overall: A low-frills but good quality audio capture device. Great for collecting analog or digital audio from various electronics.
Many years ago, people recorded straight to LP. My father-in-law even has some reel-to-reel tapes lying around and I know I have a collection of cassettes cataloging some, like, totally ‘80s broadcasts. Of course, now things are a bit more high tech, with digital audio players, cameras and even phones grabbing and delivering MP3s to just about anything that can be plugged in. To help bridge the electronic evolutionary gap, all that old media - LPs, 8-tracks, cassettes, etc. - needs to get digital, baby. Most PCs and laptops may come with some type of audio input port, but they often can’t retain the quality of a professional mixer, cluttering the sound with an electronically induced hum or buzz. Professional audio capture devices, however, can cost hundreds of dollars or be a pain to setup.
ADS Tech’s Instant Music is relatively inexpensive, low frills and easy-to-use audio capture device that is plug-and-play, er, plug-and-listen ready to use with just about any computer.
Design – 7 - The Instant Music device is a small, simple white box with only two lights on the front: Power and S/PDIF Signal. It’s very light and a lot easier to lug around than a larger, professional mixer in a metal case or audio capture device. You might mistake it for an older dialup modem save the silver ADS Tech logo on the top. The IM connects and transfer music to a computer using a USB cable and is instantly recognized by Windows XP. It is also Mac compatible though mac users will need to download and use GarageBand instead of the Nero suite provided.
Features – 8 - On the back is set of stereo RCA (Left/Right) input and output ports, S/PDIF input and output ports and a single USB port. It is USB (2.0) powered, so no need to fuss with another power brick or outlet. It ships with a 6 ft. USB 2.0 cable, 6 ft. RCA audio (L/R) cable, 3.5 mm stereo-to-RCA adapter and Nero Audio Suite CD. With the provided Nero software suite (Nero Mix, Nero SoundTrax and Nero Wave Editor 2) you can save the audio as MP3, WAV, WMA and AAC (iPod) or convert directly to CD format for burning. The output ports (RCA and S/PDIF) are available for playing the PC through other devices and will not pass sounds directly from the input ports.
Performance – 9 - The audio quality is very good for the price. It allows 16-bit audio capturing with typical sampling rates: 8, 11, 16, 22.05, 32 and 44.1 KHz. Nero is a pretty straightforward interface for grabbing and saving audio. I did not hear any humming or buzzing often associated with digital audio capturing straight to a PC port.
Overall – 8.5 - Professional audio capture devices will cost at least twice as much as the Instant Music but might also offer a separate microphone output port for live monitoring and input/output volume controls. Since I occasionally record game reviews for on-air broadcast, I especially appreciate the box’s size, weight and durability. I hate dragging my more expensive mixing board around the house to plug into my game systems, TVs, DVD players and other electronics just to grab a few seconds of sound.
The manual’s crazy folds were more confusing than the actual installation of the Instant Music device. It literally took 3-5 minutes and didn’t require the Nero software to be installed to work. It should work equally well with other audio capture software, though the included Nero CD was pretty simple. Just remember to click the “Digital Monitoring” checkbox with each recording or you’ll not be able to hear the audio through the PC. Also, since there is not an inline volume (or gain) control, you’ll need to adjust it from the output source.
Even though ADS Tech promotes the IM as a way to capture LPs and cassettes, you can really use it with anything that makes noise and has RCA or S/PDIF outputs. I would recommend this for anyone who doesn’t already have more pricey professional devices or want to bother installing a specialized computer card. It’s perfect for capturing analog audio on older electronics, quickly moving between distant devices and, thanks to the S/PDIF ports not found on most audio/video capture units, inexpensive high-quality digital audio transfers to and from the PC.
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Here’s a problem I can’t find any help with: My screen, where I’m to start recording, doesn’t HAVE a “Digital Monitoring” checkbox--so there is no way I can hear what I’m trying to record. Any idea what’s different about my “Instant Music”? My kids gave it to me for Xmas--of 2004! I just now got it out and installed it, and now this. Help?
on December 17, 2006 at 04:27 AM - LINKThe Instant Music appliance looks great, but can’t get it to work on a Mac with included Roxio Spin Doctor software. The online documentation includes almost nothing on troubleshooting. I guess it’s really plug ‘n play...except when it isn’t. Good luck.
on January 21, 2007 at 03:13 AM - LINKMy ADS device stopped working with Windows Media Player to deliver music to external speakers on my TV. The connections have not been moved but the sounds only plays on the laptop and is not being delivered to the external speakers on my TV.
I am assuming it is a softward command that has been turned off then.
Please advise
on April 23, 2008 at 11:41 AM - LINKI have the PC version of this. It works great, even with Vista, and lets me move songs I capture on web radio into my itunes Library. I would like to get the kids a similar device for their Mac. Does this also capture songs off web radio stations?
on July 4, 2008 at 11:57 AM - LINKIs this device still available and where would I be able to order it .I am learning to use my new laptop and was really interested in transferring all of the old LP’s we have in the cabinet onto CD and maybe onto my 4Gb Ipod.
Thanks
on July 11, 2008 at 02:57 AM - LINKRic Howard
Go look up www,adstech music on google. Look under their site, and you will see how to order one on line. I got mine at Frys electronics. If you buy direct, they even give cupons that will cut the price, so be sure and check it out.
on July 11, 2008 at 06:18 PM - LINK