Q: Earlier this year you highlighted the TEAC AD-850-SE Cassette Deck CD Player, which also has a USB port for recording to flash drives. I am considering buying one, but do you know if it possible to use it with a turntable and record to the USB port, like you can record to USB from the integrated cassette deck and CD player? I would like to record my vinyl records to digital without using a computer.

A: Yes, you can record from the TEAC AD-850-SE audio input to a USB drive. If you do not have a receiver or amplifier with recording outputs, you can connect the turntable directly to the rear input as long as the turntable has a phono preamp built in. This will record your records as MP3 files on a USB flash drive. You also can play back from the USB port.

The AD-850-SE also records from a CD player to cassettes or a USB drive, or from a cassette to a USB drive. There is also a microphone input, an interesting added feature. But I think most owners will use it to copy their records and CDs to cassettes and USB so they can listen in their cars and on computers, and to make mixtapes using the cassette deck.

I was able to test the AD-850-SE recently, and it really is a great component with a lot of capability and flexibility, well-suited to anyone who has cassettes and CDs or wants to be able to record across multiple formats. I discovered how easy it is to get lost in all the recording capabilities and forget that it also makes an excellent playback component for any stereo, given it comes from high-end audio specialist TEAC.

If you have a component system, need a CD player and own some cassettes as well, it will put them back in play for you. (Pun intended.) Vintage car owners with cassette players in their vehicles will find it very useful, as well, as will anyone frustrated with their new car's lack of a CD player. The AD-850-SE sells for $549, and you can visit teacusa.com to learn more.

Dumb it down

Q: It makes me furious that now almost all products, from cars to TVs to appliances to smoke detectors to toothbrushes, are programmable. Do they still make thermostats that are not "smart"? I don't want to have to get out the instructions every time the power goes out or it's daylight saving time. I just want a simple, reliable thermostat that I can adjust easily up and down. Can you recommend one?

A: I understand your frustration with smart thermostats. Even though I am very technically adept, my smart thermostat gets on my nerves sometimes, and I find myself longing for a simple, manual model. I suggest you check out the Emerson Electronic Non-Programmable Thermostat model NP110, which is under $30 at Lowe's.

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.