Ion Quick Play LP review

You have to stop the recording manually – we’d have preferred it if the software could auto-detect an extended length of silence as a prompt to stop recording. However, this is still a major improvement on previous conversion software we’ve seen, which required the user to sit in front of the computer hitting the space bar every time a track ended.

Once you stop recording, the software prompts you to name each track before opening iTunes to import and process the recorded files as 160kbps MP3s. The converter prompts you to add ID3 tags to each track – we would have liked the option to search for the album online and for the track names to be added automatically. For users who want greater control over their output formats or who would rather not be bound to iTunes, the Quick Play LP appears as a completely standard USB audio device that can be used as an input for any recording software, including free programs such as Audacity.

At just £50, the Quick Play LP is the ideal budget option for playing and ripping your favourite vinyl. It’s easy to use, produces accurate recordings and doesn’t bind you to using one particular piece of software. It’s our Best Buy.