ADS Technologies RDX-150-EF Instant Music for Mac and PC

by ADS Tech

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 7 x 2.4 inches ; 15.5 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00067TMGA
• Item model number: RDX-150-EF
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #42 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Computer Components > Internal Sound Cards
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 22, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

With ADS Technologies RDX-150 Instant Music, you can easily begin recording from any analog audio source into the most popular digital audio formats available such as MP3, WAV and WMA (Windows Media 9 Audio) and AAC. Simply plug the RDX-150 into a USB port on your computer and you are ready to begin. Once in a digital format, you can create Audio CDs, MP3 CDs or have the audio ready to be played for your personal music enjoyment on a variety of MP3 player devices.

The ADS Technologies RDX-150 allows you to convert your old collection of cassettes and LPs into crisp, clear digital audio and then create audio CDs and MP3 CDs so you can keep a personal archive of your collection that will not degrade or deteriorate over time. Use the LP or cassette to audio CD Wizards in the included Nero SoundTrax software to go from LP to CD audio in 4 simple steps. Please note: ADS Technologies respects the rights of copyright owners and asks that you do the same.

What's in the Box
RDX-150 converter and software CD-ROM.

Product Description

INSTANT MUSIC USB RECORD ANALOG INTO MP3 WAV WMA AAC FOR PC/MAC

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea.....But it just Doesn't Work!, April 29, 2005

By 

Graboidz (Westminster, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: ADS Technologies RDX-150-EF Instant Music for Mac and PC (Personal Computers)

Instant Music is a great idea, by simply connecting the RDX150 to your PC with a USB cable, you should be able to convert your old LP's and cassettes into wav, MP3 or other digital files which you can then burn on CD or download to an MP3 player. Even someone as lo-tech as me can figure it out, I mean I don't know the first thing about computers, but the RDX150 was easy to install. The Nero software that came with the RDX150 is also pretty east to operate. Simply by clicking on the "Wizards" tab, all I had to do was basically push "play" on my stereo and click on "record" on the software, again very easy to use. The problem came when I actually began to record some of my cassettes. I have read other reviews that spoke of a "hum" that was audible during the recoreding, I wasn't even that lucky....at times I was getting such a loud static sound as feedback, that I wasn't able to hear the original audio! I tried replacing the USB cable that hooked up Instant Music to my PC, and that didn't work. I even used a different stereo hoping to solve the problem. I moved the Instant Music box away from all electronic devices in hopes that by getting it away from the monitor, PC etc. I would cut down on the interference...nothing worked. I e-mailed ADS three days ago with the problem....put it this, I ain't holding my breath for a response now. And just to put it in perspective, I am not trying to get optimum sound for recording, I am not trying to transfer hi-definition, I am simply trying to convert my collection of old radio shows from the 30's, 40's & 50's. Most of which contain enough static on their own, and all of which are mono recordings. So I don't need pristine sound. I finally gave up yesterday, and bought a product called "INport" by Xitel. Basically, it's the same thing, but I found out the "INport" is grounded....I have no clue what that means, but it works! Unfortunately, I don't care for the software that came with the INport, so I am using the Nero software that came with the RDX150. The INport is about $20 more, but it's well worth it, and will get the job done!

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally works, horribly outdate software, poor instructions, February 15, 2006

By 

Stanley Piekarski "exchemist" (Marietta, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ADS Technologies RDX-150-EF Instant Music for Mac and PC (Personal Computers)

On 2/16/06 I posted a negative review. After working all day on making it work I wrote this detailed edited review and procedure which Amazon has chosen not to post for some reason. At least one negative review as been posted since my review was rejected. A strange way to do business. Here is the 2/17/06 review:

With the help of reviews of by Farell at Cnet and John Long here at Amazon I have been able to make a beautiful (no hum) copy of Placido Domingo singing "che gelida manina" from La Boheme from an old LP to CD-RW or CD-R. The CD-RW plays on my DVD player, DVD-ROM drive, CD-RW drive, an Audiovox boombox and my 2005 Camry. CD-RW doesn't play on my old JVC CD player or in my 1998 Subaru but CD-R plays in everything. Both the ADS (http://www.adstech.com/support/downloads/downloads.asp?product_id=RDX-150) and Nero websites (http://www.nero.com/nero6/enu/nero6_3.html) are now more useful than when most of the reviews were written. The ADS website now has FAQs which answer many of the questions raised in the reviews (no volume control, OK = Stop, microphone as input, settings in Soundtrax as well as Windows audio). I downloaded all the pertinent programs and PDFs (many corrections to the manuals received from Amazon this week). I think all the programs you'll need are at APS. 1. I installed the upgrade from ADS (Nero Major Update Version 6.6.0.16) plus a couple others from the Nero website). This got me from Nero version 6.3.1.28 (shame on you Mr. Amazon/ADS/ Nero for selling me old software) to 6.6.0.16.
2. I used an old Technics receiver as my preamp.
3. I couldn't control the recording level from my "out" RCA plugs on the back of the receiver so I used a Radio Shack 42-2546 (1/4" stereo phone plug to two female RCA phono jacks)Y-adapter with the headphone output from the receiver to the "In" inputs of the ADS RX 150.
4. Set Windows Audio as directed in the new "settings and hints" PDF. And the newly downloaded Instant Music Manual PDF p 6. (Select input: UBS Audio Codec and leave output device: as your computer speakers (soundcard.) (http://www.adstech.com/support/ManualsAndDocuments/ManualsAndDocuments.asp?productId=RDX-150&productName=Instant%20Music).
5. Open Nero Soundtrax and (important) "options" to "device settings." Select input UBS Audio Codec and leave output device as your computer speakers (soundcard).
6. Under "Tools" choose "wizards" chose "LP to CD."
7. Choose "microphone" as Audio input line" (yes microphone), Check "digital monitoring" so that you can hear out of your computer speakers"
8. Choose and name the target file. I used "all files."
9. Adjust recording level using the volume control on the receiver and the audio level meters in Soundtrax.
10. Go back to the beginning of the LP then click (or perhaps vice versa) red (left) navigate button to start recording. Do not click "next" since that will stop the recording. When you are done recording hit blue "stop" button. Now click "next." I haven't messed with the next two noise reduction screens. Then to screen "4".
10. If I click "burn now" or "finish" the program locks up.
11. Open Windows Media Player or equivalent. Click "burn."
12. Look in "burn list" and in "All music"
13. Select the files you want to burn. Click "start burn." Then you have a choice of burning onto CD-R or CD-RW.

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Neither Software nor Hardware was acceptable., February 7, 2005

By 

NY Reader (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ADS Technologies RDX-150-EF Instant Music for Mac and PC (Personal Computers)

The transfers that I made from my turntable to the hard disk using this device were terrible. After a little investigation, I tracked the problem to the USB connection between the RDX150 and the computer. The connection at the RDX150 end did not seat properly - I could wiggle it around and change the quality of the sound. I'm not sure whether the problem was with the design of the device or with the particular unit that I purchased.

I finally decided to direct the output of the pre-amp directly to the soundcard in the PC to see how the Nero software worked. The software had some good features - after a little practice I could record music, break it into tracks and remove noise. It was particulary good at removing clicks and crackles.

However, when I tried to burn a CD, all a got was a terrible hum - the sort of noise that will damage speakers. I was able to burn an acceptable CD from the files created by Nero using Windows Media Player. It is possible that I was not using the software correctly, but the help available for Nero, either included on the CD or available from their website, is virtually useless.

All-in-all, there must be a better way to do this.