Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB Direct-Drive Professional Turntable (USB & Analog), Silver (ATLP120 USB)

I read some things about this that I don't agree with. I almost didn't buy this unit because of what I read, so I am writing this review to clear it up! Some people said the volume was too low and recording LP's from it were affected. Others said the pre-amp was junk and that you should remove it (even if you turned off the pre-amp switch). But I found all of these to be false. This turntable is a very good turntable. Its the best new turntable you can buy I think. The newer cartridge this now comes with (AT95E) is really nice for the price (tracks between 1.5 and 2.5 gms! It is good on some records that are scratch/dusty to not pick up too great highs to pick up the noise. But I also tried 1 Gm which worked on some good records), even though I also bought the better Audio Technica AT440MLA cartridge for it. It plays warped records: small warps well or nearly and some medium warps OK. This cartridge it came with sounds better than the PFANSTIEHL 4208-DE ELLIPTICAL DIAMOND REPLACEMENT STYLUS FOR AUDIO TECHNICA CARTRIDGES I bought for another turntable that had the Audio Technica AT125 (great cartridge) with a bad stylus. Some of the problems other people had with low volume were probably caused with a mismatch of impedance between the LP120 and their Phono-Preamp. Different cartridges have different impedance requirements. The AT440MLA has 10,000 Ohm impedance! Much higher than standard phono preamps. I am using a PC with a semi-professional EMU 1820 audio / recording system (sampler I/O outside of computer), which samples at 24 bit and 44.1khz or 96 khz, and has a built in phono preamp with 10,000 Ohm impedance - I do not use the LP120USB USB Port, because my sampler is much better & quieter (I haven't evaluated the LP120 USB - USB Port, because I don't need it - So I don't know how good or bad it is for sure). MY EMU 1820 also has a trimmer plugin that can be put on the input chain to turn down a signal that is too high. I noticed absolutely no volume problems at all with my setup and the LP120 USB! Very low noise when playing good records! It sounds great! I am using a nice pair of Sony Headphones which easily picks up defects and artifacts present. I played some albums that were causing me issues with my other Record Player and they played correctly on this LP120, with minimal noize/crackles. If you are an audiophile/recording/musician person get a great phono preamp at 10,000 Ohms and invest in good amp and speakers and cables. Use a great Sampler with Low Noise (external - outside your computer) with 24 bit or better 44.1khz or 96Khz or better. Also do not use the built in phono preamp, and don't use the USB sampling capability of the LP120 USB, its sampling cannot equal a great sampler like the EMU 1820 or better! I also use DCArt Digital Audio Restoration tools, when needed, to remove impulses (crackles) and continuous noise filter and other filters in it - works great on records. If you are on a budget, this unit is still great (you can use the built in preamp or USB sampler on it); the cartridge (AT95E) it now comes with is adequate and better than what it originally came with, but if you can afford it, buy the AT120, AT125 (better) or best AT440Mla! It greatly improves the sound! If you can afford it, it pays to have more than one cartridge mounted on separate headshells, so you can record a record several different ways, to see which sound the best. Some cartridges are able to play defective records better than others - some let you set the tracking force greater so the record won't skip. You can't always tell, some people prefer one needle over another. Some people say AT440Mla makes records sound better than CD in clearness (excepting possible record sounds). This unit is the best Record Player I have ever owned! It is well built and solid. I recommend putting some felt or other sound damping material under the feet of this unit, to stop your walking, tapping or other vibrations from being picked up by the needle while playing. The Cons: Some people may not like that this is not an automatic record player. You have to turn the on switch, then push Start button, then lift up the tonearm and place it on the record player. You also must stop the record player, or it will stay at the end of the record forever (possibly wearing out needle and groove at the end). But this is a DJ Turntable and is designed mainly for this purpose. You can stop the record while playing and it slows down to a stop in about 1/2 second and will start back up in about 1/2 second, you can be playing forward and push reverse, and it immediately plays it backwards! It tracks the LP very good! Adjusts to imperfections in the LP, including where it is not flat (small warp). You may need a Record Clamp /Weight to help with some records.

Do you remember the good 'ol days (I'm 46) when we actively listened to music? Sitting around the turntable and excitedly waiting your turn for the next song pick, or putting on that brand new LP you just purchased of one of your fav's? Ever wonder why that has changed so much? I'll tell you why,....digital CD sound quality is not nearly as dynamic as what we grew up listening to. The result is that CD's do not elicit the same passion from the listener. CD's are cheap to produce and iPods like devices are amazing for portability, but if you desire the ultimate sound at home a TT is the only way to go. As soon as I assembled my new AT-LP120 turntable (TT) this week and listened to King Crimson, Miss. John Hurt, Bob Dylan, T-Rex, Beatles, Lou Reed, Woody Guthrie, Bach, Paganini, Grateful Dead, Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Will Ackerman,etc., etc., it hit me like a sledgehammer; "what a fool I have been for not having a turntable for the last 25+ years!". Thankfully I still have all my LP's and all of my brothers LP's too! - about 500 +/- total. Anyone who's only point of reference musically is digital CD quality music has NO IDEA what a screwing they have gotten. It's no wonder why the kids today are not as passionate about music and have coddled digital synth dance or attitude (hip hop) tunes that in general, containing little to no originality or passion. They don't even know what real instruments truly sound like because the dynamic range of a CD is FAR Less than a good quality turntable, stylus and clean LP. Vinyl sounds very warm with lower lows and higher highs and everything in-between! There is no comparison to the too bright, brittle, digital sound of a CD. Vinyl is also non-fatiguing to the ear in comparison and wraps you in dynamic sound better than anything short of great live music. I was also thrilled to re-learn something I had forgotten: there is something really great about touching the LP, putting it on the platter, starting it in motion, and gently laying down the stylus. I think that ritual helps connect/invest you to the music much more than hitting a button for the next track on a CD player. Do yourself a HUGE favor and buy this turntable and start enjoying music like you should be. Better yet,....WIFES...if you want one happy husband, this is the best $200 you could ever spend on him for a gift. BTW: This turntable sounds better than any that I had years ago. Maybe that's why we went along with the CD switch so easily in the early 1980's, CD's were more convenient and we mostly had crappy turntable systems and didn't fully realize what we were losing. What an upgrade this is! and a super duper price point for the quality. You could spend more, but don't need to. The AT-LP120 is the most bang for your buck. Now I'm super excited about buying LP's cheap at flea markets and yard sales at $.50-$1.00 each - oh yeah!!! BTW, the new Wilco LP "The Whole Love" was issued in vinyl for about $30. Jeff Tweedy must also know that vinyl still rules! - yeah, I'll be buying it...(in good conscience, I have strongly recommended to my brother to get a turntable and have offered him his LP's back,....I'm only offering once though! lol - note: My Bro's box set Beatles collection, 13 LP's, is selling for $500 on eBay - cha! ching! - but for the ears they are priceless...& not for sale!!!) May 3, 2012 update: I purchased the Shure M97xE High-Performance Magnetic Phono Cartridge to replace the AT95E cart that came with the TT. I did this solely based on reviewers saying what an improvement it was. Initially I wasn't sure that I like the Shure as much so after a couple days switched back to the AT95E. Aftre 2 days I switched back to the Sure. It is a much better cart! However, both carts do have their pros & cons and I am buying a new headshell ($27 on Amazon - cheapest anywhere)so I can switch between carts quickly depending on what I am playing, or rather how loud I am playing it. The AT95E is better for loud rock at high volumes as it does not distort of feedback hum at all. The Shure M97xE is best for intricate music or anything at lower volumes as it is a little brighter and much more detailed, but tends to hum and distort a little on my system at very high volumes. With more research I also learned that most comments about needing to switch carts were from people that did not get the AT95E with their TT. Supposedly the AT95E is an upgrade with the newer units now so purchasing a new cart is not as essential unless you just wanna go nuts in search of the ultimate sound. The AT95E is a $45 cart. The M97xE is $70. Some carts are $1000.....that's just Crazy!! One more comment regarding complaints that the tone arm does not auto return at the end of a side; keep in mind that this TT is simple quality and as such will last decades. If you expect all those extra features for $215 you will get a piece of crap unit overall that will not last. So either pay the $1000-$2000 for all the features you want on a quality unit that will last, or understand the simple efficiency of this stellar deal of a unit, and enjoy it for what it is rather than what it is not.

This Audio-Technica LP120 turntable comes with a very long tail of negative and very negative reviews. But the positive reviews suggested this was what would satisfy my particular needs. -- I read every single Amazon review, including all the Q&As; everything about the LP120 on YouTube; and every "independent" review I could find on line. Given all the negative reviews this was a hedged-bet to buy. If the positives were right I'd get what I wanted at my price point. If the negatives were right, then at least I could rely on A-T's good customer service and Amazon's return policy. Turns out it was a good bet and I am well pleased with this turntable. I ran it through a range of sonic inputs (solo voice, chamber ensemble, piano, Baroque organ, symphonic orchestral and an old, much abused and original Rolling Stones mono from the 60's) Some vinyl is in good condition: Some not so much. And I ran some recordings up to the maximum amp power output. No distortion I could hear. The rest of this review tries to summarize everything I learned from reading all those reviews and my own experience with this turntable. But first, let's deal with the two huge gorillas sitting here with me as I write this review. (1) Yes, sure, this can be described as a "cheap, plastic, Chinese knock-off" of the much venerated and beloved original Japanese Technics turntable. But from what I can see the plastic is not so cheap and perfectly functional. I assume the 6 lb chunk of sheet steel in the base serves as a damper. Though I have mine sitting on 30+lbs of solid baked clay. The direct drive motor has a quartz lock as well as pitch control. Another more technical reviewer tested for durability, satisfactorily. A-T has upgraded the cartridge/stylus to one that is well established and generally very highly regarded. The set up is easy. I won't need the pre amp as my amp has a phono input. Don't know about the usb port and circuitry. But this is a common, inexpensive component. The plastic looks good. The unit is heavy and feels solid. The arm is probably not up to the original Japanese standard. But seems solid to me. Aesthetically it is retro (70s -80's) styling rather than the attractively sleek and minimalist higher priced ($450-$850 and above) tables. (2) This is a review for people much like me who want decent quality at a reasonable cost. Not looking for a turntable aimed at professional DJ's, audio engineers or audiophiles, (high testosterone or obsessive compulsive - whatever). I have a very decent a/v system - including the top end Oppo D for digital audio and video service, top end Yamaha for driving the speakers and JBL studio speakers for output. And Sennheiser 600s for listening in private. No, not audiophile level, but meets my idea of "decent". No distractions, just good sound. So I needed to complete the picture with a turntable that was solid, reliable, with a cartridge/stylus that would produce sufficient quality to fit with the digital audio sources I have but be forgiving of the poor quality of some of my vinyl. The LP 120 does this well. So: A summary Review - The set up is straight forward especially if you watch the Audio-Technica set up video on You Tube. (If you are not familiar with this type of set up.) I found this arm and weight/balance/ anti skate the easiest I've used in three previous tables. - There have been many complaints about the platter being warped. So, out of the box I checked mine VERY carefully. Perfect! I'm using my own rubber mat from a previous turntable. Do not like the slip mat AD packed with the table. - I doubt I'll use the pitch-slider or the reverse motor switch. But sometimes there are issues with old vinyl recordings and a small pitch adjustment availability is welcome. -This is direct drive with a quartz clock/lock. There have been complaints about feedback through the motor. (I've had belt drives in the past and the rubber belt mitigates this possibility.) But, even through the Sennheisers which are sensitive, I can hear no feedback, hiss, rumble or anything. I have knocked the arm a couple times and got a crackle that then faded. I think the table was telling me to be gentler with it (in electro-Mandarin?). - The other big issue is tracking. Not an expert but I think one way to solve tracking problems is to put a crude, gouging stylus (ceramic or similar) with a big weight on it and hope it stays in the groove - tearing up your record and wearing it out as it does so. Otherwise the stylus/head shell alignment, anti skate and arm geometry do matter a lot. Fortunately Audio-Technica include a very decent stylus in a tried and true mid range quality cartridge, already aligned and set up. Treat it as the manual directs and a quick turn of the locking ring sets the cartridge in place. And properly aligned. If you set the counter balance correctly and the anti skate according to their directions (1.5-2 on their scales works for me.) - well I have found no distortion in either track from the beginning of the tracking in either channel from the outside of the record to the inside near the center spindle. - The cartridge is described by audiophiles as "warm" and "musical". No experience to judge. But to my ear I'm listening to a performance and not being distracted by a too sharp or fuzzy sound field. I feel the sibilants are just right and the base response is not bad. The mid range has a bit of a glow to it. Will have to try the digital (CD) versions I have of some of my records to check into this more. But I have to say that I was well please with the feel of the sound coming from the old vinyl, through the LP120 and out into the room via the JBL speakers. Actually rather good. --There are some pops and rattles from time to time. This just means I have to clean the vinyl more thoroughly. Otherwise this stylus (AT95e) seems both responsive and forgiving. "Better", more expensive cartridges, the audiophiles say, are not so forgiving. -I do plan to use the usb port into my computer to transfer some of my more precious vinyl. I doubt I'll use the included software. There are better, easier to use, software options on line. So, there we are. I could have spent $200 on a good cartridge, and $600-1200 on a low end audiophile quality table. But then have to live with such a superfine system showing me every blip and dip in my vinyl. No point. I've tried the entire dynamic range from vocals to chamber music to organ to mono orchestra to Rocknroll. Pristine vinyl, and very, very worn. -Last issue is the fact that this is a totally non automatic table. You put the stylus over the record and release the lever. At the end you lift the stylus and return it to its rest. The LP60 costs a significant amount less and includes auto. I doubt the two models are very comparable. I like it. Time to go clean those vinyls with warm, gentle soap and filtered water and some care.

I bought this TT from Amazon for $219, and paid $83 for freight, so it come to around $300/=, I envy people living in US, as you are able to purhcase from Amazon and pay less freight than people like me who like in Asia. I have bought Plye Pro PLTTB 1 turntable from Amazon last year for $70 plus $35 freight, and this TT is still a very good and reliable TT. I have received the ATLP 120 TT last month and after using it for one month now, I have always wanted to own a direct drive TT in my teenage, but I can't afford it in the 70s, after playing with my Plye Pro PLttb 1 for about a year, I am curious to know how a Audio Technica Direct Drive perform, The ATLP 120 is a pieces of precision equipment compare to the Plye Pro, but you have to know that the ATLP 120 cost 3 times the Plye Pro. The ATLP 120 tonearm is precise, very smooth, good quality bearing, very well calibrated, it does not get stuck in those poor conditions vinyls, as it do got stuck in Plye Pro TT, The ATLP 120 platter spin exactly as your chosen speed 33 or 45, the scroboscope just didnt run, it is that accurate. The ATLP 120 finish is like all Branded Japanese Product made in China, It comes with a AT 95 E cartridge, I have this cartridge alreday, therefore, i know about the sound quality even before i play a record on this ATLP 120, the AT95E is a low output voltage cartridge, but it is a good sounding cartridge, if you want brighter/louder sound then you can use Shure cartridge, I have a M70EJ and two M44-7, I also use AT 3400, CN 5625 AL, and Ion ICT 04 which is the cartridge come in the Plye Pro. Sound quality wise it is the cartridge that is doing the job and not the TT, so if you are not particular about the finish, precision tonearm and speed, and dont want to spend $219 on a TT, the Plye Pro PLTTB 1 is enough, but if you want something which look solid like the Technics SL 1200, and dont want to spend $1000 on the Technics, this is the TT for you, as I have played with a Technics SL 1200 in a record shop for testing record, I dont find any different externally and the sound as what I have said earlier it is the cartridge which is most important, If you are one like me who like to play with different cartridges and dont want to spend $1000 on a Technics, this one is for you, as the saving in the money you can use to buy headshells and cartridges and have fun with it. The Vinyls are the most important in records playing, I have some records which I own from day one back in 70 they sounds the best, as they are well kept not like those which i bought from second hand records shop and scrap yards, they are not as quiet even i have washed it many times, unfortunately, new records are no more in productions so for vinlys lover you have to bear with the slight sound of dust/scratch. Overall vinyls are more live like, wherelse, CD sound technical/stiff/harsh, especially when the music is of Heavy Rock, but not so with vinyls. As for the HUM level it is the same as the Plye Pro, even though it do not have a ground cable, the HUM is not noticeable at enjoyable listening level, it will only be notice when you crank the volume to insane level. I give a 4 stars rating same as What HI FI magazines reviewer give, if this equipment got a 4 stars from What Hi Fi, it is really very good already, because What Hi Fi sometimes dont give 4 stars to equipments costing a few thousands dollars.

When I was a little kid in the late 70s/early 80s, I had a portable record player. By the time I was old enough to by my own music, records were pretty much out. I bought cassettes, and dubbed friends' music. CDs were a revelation, and I never looked back after the CD revolution. Until now. I'm afraid you'll just have to add me to the long list of people who like the sound of vinyl, but can't necessarily quantify why. A record in decent condition, played on this turntable through a decent set of speakers just sounds wonderful. Clean as CD, but warmer somehow. Also, a lot of recordings made in the analog era were never transferred to CD, so records are the only hi-fi media for them. Modern digital recordings sound great on digital gear, but not as good as analog recordings on quality analog gear, IMO. (Klipsch speakers, this turntable, and any decent receiver) Update Dec. 26, 2015: I still love this turntable. I received the AT-LP60 turntable for Christmas yesterday, so now I can compare these two. The 120 has heavier duty construction. Controls are all electronic, rather than electro-mechanical, as on the 60. (will be more reliable, long-term) It weighs probably 5x as much as the 60, due to having a steel plate built into the bottom of it. It's also about 50% bigger than the 60, which is nice and compact. The 60 is much more convenient to use, on account of it having fully automatic operation. The extra features of the 120 are mostly gimmicks. (pitch control, reverse, etc.) However, the quartz-lock is nice to have, as is the 78 RPM option. In short, if you want an affordable, compact, lightweight HiFi turntable, the 60 is very good. If you want something that looks a lot fancier is built for heavier duty, and is known as "DJ-grade" the 120 is the way to go. Neither of these really qualify as "audiophile grade". The ones that are tend to be really stark, with no features at all. Those must have no options except a queueing lever and should be as plain-looking as possible. Those turntables' poop doesn't stink, and they rarely include dust covers. Because audiophiles don't have dust or static to contend with, in their crystal towers. Real audiophile grade 'tables must have a tonearm mechanism that includes the mechanics from a Terminator's arm. There should also be visible wiring, and some accompanying ad copy that sounds good, but doesn't really have any substance. It has to come from a certain person's workbench rather than a factory, like us commoners have to settle for. Having a visible belt adds at least $200 to the price. Having a platter that is more than 3/4" thick likewise adds $200 to the price. Gotta damp those pesky vibrations! All joking aside, I'm sure those turntables sound better. Maybe 5% better, for 1000% more money. But let's be honest, shall we? If we're after the best sound quality, we'd put the money into CDs or Super Audio CDs and quit messing around with this technology that requires so much maintenance. There are those who say vinyl sounds better. After having tried them both, and spent several hundred bucks on each, I can attest that vinyl DOESN'T sound better. It sounds amazingly good, notably better than cassettes or 128 kpbs MP3s, but to me, vinyl is mostly about the charm. The ability to buy interesting music for $0.50 that never made it to CD. Seeing the record turn round and having to get up every 20 minutes or so to flip them is kinda fun. That extra hassle tends to make us listen to whole albums, rather than just picking our favorite tracks, and as a result, we're exposed to more music. But CDs do sound better, and with a lot less hassle.

My name is Alfonso Faustino, and I am a casual listener of music. Last night, 24-April-2014, I ordered the Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB DD PT; and, UPS dropped it off, and I just finished putting it all together. Before purchasing, I canceled my first order because I read all the issues of the warped platter and the plastic components on the main console. Then, I did more research on it via YouTube and other sources, and I made a purchase; and, this time, I did not cancel it; and, I'm so glad that I kept my order; because, this TT is awesome! My platter is not warped; I haven't noticed any turntable distortion mentioned by owners using direct drive TTs; I don't hear any humming noises while the TT is in idle mode or while the platter is rotating in between my record-changes; and, the console, from my interaction, has metal parts and not riddled with plastic pieces -- sure, there are some plastic pieces, but it isn't riddled with plastic. It is a high-quality built and cool-looking TT. The tone-arm is easy to calibrate, and the whole TT is easy to assemble. AT has a link that demonstrates the installation and calibration of the TT. Execute a search on the Internet: "calibrating the audio-technica lp 120 usb direct drive professional turntable," and the AT video will pop up. Also, I have the AT video link on my BLOG...just search "Alfonso Faustino BLOG," and my BLOG for the AT LP120 will pop up. After assembling and calibrating the Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable, I spent most of the day and evening testing it out by playing all types of LPs: Rock, Jazz, Vocals, Symphony, and Big Band Orchestra. All the rich and full notes and sounds from my records were cleanly picked up by the Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable's needle, creating a crystal clear musical delight that brought me back to my past when I first heard each of these songs and their pops and scratches on my old turntable stereo system -- of course, my LPs never sounded as good, clear, robust, and rich as they do now, spinning on the platter of my new Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable. I haven't tried the USB feature, yet. I will do that, soon; and, once I do, I will update this review. Yes, I would recommend this TT to my acquaintances and friends that are in the market for a TT. That's my review for the Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable. If you want to read, below, my music-listening level description, continue, below. It gives you an idea of my music-listening level in relation to this review, and the financial parameters I used to make my purchase of this TT, as well as other stereo equipment. Thank you, all, for your reviews -- they helped me make an educated purchase. For those consumers that experienced problems with this product, I hope AT resolved your problems; and, if not, I hope you moved on to a product that better fits your music-listening needs. /s/ Alfonso Faustino ------------------------------------ What is my music-listening level? I feel that it is important for you, the reader, to understand the type of music-listener I am; so, you can have a better understanding of my review, as it relates to my personal music tastes and this product: Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable. I consider myself a casually listener of my music. I am not an audiophile or an aficionado of music who demands a high-end precision stereo system, like a McIntosh and the MT5 turntable, which, by the way, the MT5 turntable is the most amazing work-of-art turntable I've ever seen and heard -- I'm not that type of musical listener; but, I'm also not a grade-school-listener that is happy with a lunch-box record-player that has a fat plastic tone arm with a nail as a stylus; hence, if I had to categorize my personal music-listening grade, I'm more like a sophomore-listener, and the senior-listeners are the aficionados and audiophiles owning stereo systems like the McIntosh stereo system with the MT5 turntable. So, below, is a general dollar-scale I created and used to define my music-listening-grade, which, in this case, is the grade of sophomore, and to help me make my stereo equipment purchases. I know higher prices don't always equal better quality; hence, the converse of this statement is also true: lower prices don't always equal lower quality; however, for the sake of argument, lets go on the premise that the former is true instead of the latter; hence, this is my stereo-system break-down based on my music-listening-grade, regarding turntables, receivers, integrated amplifiers, speakers, and other hi-fi stereo equipment's price-points: Grade-school Listeners: Price-point: $100 or less. Freshmen Listeners: $100-$200 Sophomore Listeners: $200-$500 Junior Listeners: $500-$1000 Senior Listeners: $1000 and up Applying my scale to my own personal stereo equipment needs, my dollar-range budget amount is between $1000 - $1500, which effectuates my personal stereo system: - Cambridge Audio Topaz AM 10 Integrated Amplifier, - Audio Engine P4N speakers, and the - Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable. My total approximate cost for my stereo system is $1400. I hope this give you a better perspective regarding my review of the The Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable. /s/ Alfonso Faustino

I love my new turntable. She worked flawlessly right out of the box (after setup of course). Setup was fairly simple. There are instructions to help you as well as videos on youtube. I bought the black version, and I'm very glad that I did, minus the fact that it shows dust and fingerprints easier. But it looks very good. I bought a black ttl edition headshell for it as well, and it looks better to me than the stock silver AT headshell. I can't comment on the AT95E cartridge that came with the unit, as I bought an Ortofon Omega cartridge and installed it right away. I would recommend the Omega cartridge though, as a budget-friendly upgrade along with the headshell I mentioned earlier. My platter came in perfect condition, not warped as some reviewers have stated. Maybe they've improved their casting process or climate control in the factory. Or maybe it is a crap shoot and I got lucky. I'm glad I took the risk, which even if yours does come warped there is a warranty that covers those things. The mat is OK, it's a nice thick felt and the Audio-Technica logo on it actually looks really nice, but it's still a felt mat. Right now I'm using the Marilyn Monroe mat from California Slipmats. It's kind of a novelty item, but it works well. I have some leather on the way that I'll be making my own leather mats out of, though. Either way, you don't NEED to change the mat, but you may want to. Having three playback speed options is going to be useful, as I have a record that consists of three play speeds (Jack White's "Lazaretto") and it's also just nice to have the options for future records in my collection. There's also the option to play records backwards, which I feel is unnecessary but is still a neat feature, as well as the quartz-lock pitch shift. The built-in stroboscope is a nice feature to tell if anything is wrong or if you're on the correct speed at a glance. The target light is thoughtful, I just don't find myself using it very often as I have a lamp near my setup so I can check records for dust before I play them anyways. The USB output is another good consideration by Audio-Technica. I've recorded a few records already and they sound great. The RCA outputs could be longer, or you could buy an extension if your turntable and receiver/amp/whatever aren't close together. for me it's not an issue and definitely not a dealbreaker. The table also comes with a couple extra cables to help accommodate your setup so you should be able to make it work with what's in the box. My ONLY real complaint is really nothing to do with the quality or functionality of the turntable, or even the appearance. But this thing certainly has an odor. I don't know if they're all like that, but I imagine it'll go away with use. It's not really a plastic smell, it just smells more like a hot motherboard, just an "electronic" smell. Nothing is wrong, there's no smoke or heat anywhere. I'm guessing it's just something to do with what kind of circuit boards they use or something. I don't notice it unless I'm standing right by it. It doesn't matter if the turntable is on or if it has been off for days, either. Still not a dealbreaker. If you need an upgrade for your vinyl hobby or somewhat more serious listening (I went from a JCPenney MCS 1961 to this) and don't want to drop a bunch of money, I highly recommend this turntable. I'm very happy I got it and I know I'll keep it and use it for a long long time.

So, first off, I'm new to vinyl. I've always wanted to get into it, and I finally arrived on this beautiful Audio-Technica turntable based on my price-range and what reviewers have said. I've had it a little over a week now, and it is simply fantastic. Vinyl is certainly worth the extra investment for everybody who truly appreciates sound quality and wants to experience every little detail that the artists intended, and this turntable doesn't disappoint. It's easy to put together, very easy to run (easy even for a total newbie like myself), and the sound quality with the stock cartridge/stylus (again, for somebody who's NEVER owned a turntable before) is spectacular! If you're like me, someone who doesn't want to spend an arm and a leg for great sound quality and who desperately wants to begin collecting and listening to vinyl, then BUY THIS while you still can! It's very well put-together, and it's a very attractive unit too. It looks far more expensive than $200. Also, I should note that I primarily listen to metal music and some progressive rock on my turntable, and I use my Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones to listen to it all (BUY those headphones asap too for just a little over $100). TRUST in Audio-Technica if you're new to the audiophile game and don't want to go bankrupt for very high quality listening experiences. I don't see myself upgrading anytime soon, if ever. I'm extremely pleased with this product. The ONE downside that I initially have to force some of my LPs (NOT many) onto the turntable because the metal rod that you place your LP on seems just a tad large. I was afraid I may snap my record while removing it the first couple times! If you're careful, this shouldn't happen at all, and the hole in your LP gradually gets large enough to fit the metal rod perfectly. It's my only gripe. It may sound major, but it's VERY minor in actuality. UPDATE 5/18/2013 I am still loving this turntable. I should note that my turntable came with the AT95E cart (the green, not the white one). This one is supposed to be much better than the other 'white' cart that comes with some of them. So, I got lucky? Either way, it tracks wonderfully. I do notice some inner groove distortion on a significant number of my records. It's not HORRIBLE, but it is annoying at times. I'm still trying to puzzle out if it's the records or the cart setup that is doing it... I've considered upgrading the cart, but for somebody who is new to vinyl, like myself, this current cart sounds damn good. I'm only tracking at 1.5 grams, which is the very lower limit of what the AT95E is rated at. I wanted to do this to help preserve the stylus and my records. If anything, it sounds better than before! Turntable is as silent as ever in its operation too. I just love this unit. BUY IT! UPDATE 5/24/2013 I've been tracking at 1.5 grams with my AT95E cart with all my records, and it works great. I just got a pretty badly warped LP in the mail (debating on returning it or not) that plays just FINE. This cart tracks beautifully, even with this warped record. I'm debating on buying the Shure cart that everybody keeps talking about or just sticking with the AT95E and merely replacing the stylus when the time comes. UPDATE 6/1/2013 TT still working spectacularly. However, I've been noticing harshness on 's' sounds and high frequency parts from my records, on numerous records. I believe this is what is called sibilants. Also, I have noted obvious inner groove distortion towards the end of records, both old and new. This seems to be a common issue with many people, and could be caused by poor setup. I can only hope that Audio Technica set up the cart correctly, since it came pre-assembled. I also changed my tracking force to 2.0 grams after reading that I should be aiming toward the higher end of the stylus's tracking rating. I went out and purchased the Shure cart that everybody is talking about, and I can't wait to get it in. I will provide another update once I get it set up. Shure MX97E cart installed. Oh boy is it incredible! The AT95E is a GREAT budget cart, but the Shure MX97E outperforms it. I am in love with my new Shure cart! The sibilants are either gone or much less noticeable. UPDATE 7/3/2013 This turntable is still performing beautifully. I finally got around to playing with the Audacity software that came with it and began recording my vinyl records into very large computer .wav files. The Audacity software takes a bit of a learning curve, but after you figure it out, the recording process works and SOUNDS beautifully! I'm very surprised at how well my records are translated to digital files. I purposefully chose very high sampling rates to try to capture absolutely as much uncompressed sound as possible, and thus my files are quite large. That's why they make huge external hard drives... Anyway, again, this turntable is blowing me away with its capabilities. I bought mine for a little over $200. The price of this beauty keeps going up from what I can see. BUY ONE NOW!

Excellent product. I recommend this all Turntable enthusiast. Good value for money

Antes de comprar la tornamesa estuve viendo opiniones en diferentes sitios en internet, y había quienes la comparaban desfavorablemente contra la Technics 1200, hablaban sobre su peso y su calidad inferior, y pienso que es absurdo ese tipo de comparaciones, es obvio que una tornamesa que cuesta 6 veces o más que ésta, tenga mejores materiales, más peso, y mejores componentes, y también había quienes decían que el antiskating no funcionaba y que la palanca de elevación del brazo se descomponía. Aun así me di la oportunidad de adquirir esta Audiotechnica y debo decir que estoy muy contento con ella, la calidad de los materiales por el precio pagado me parece muy buena, y no he tenido el más mínimo problema ni con el antiskating ni con la palanca de elevación ni con nada. El sonido es muy bueno, la conecté a un receptor audio video de onkyo y suena muy bien. Lo cierto es que no pienso que sea una tornamesa para uso rudo ni para usarla para dj, creo que eso es lo que hace que en algunos casos la palanca o el antiskating pudieran no funcionar apropiadamente, pero para un uso casero es un equipo excelente. Yo la trato con mucho cuidado siempre, y se encuentra impecable y funcionando perfectamente. Me siento muy contento con el producto y lo recomiendo ampliamente a todos aquellos que se inician en el mundo de los discos de vinil o que como en mi caso quieren retomar la afición y volver a tocar sus discos de antaño.

結構、どっしりしていて、高級感があります。 アームも本格的で昇降装置もついていて、ダイレクトドライブに加え、出力信号が２種類あり、プリアンプがなくてもフォノ出力があるので、 通常のアンプに簡単につながります。 一方、音質の方ですが、付属のカートリッジは柔らかく素直な音がでました。 この価格なら、十分でしょう。 その他の音質を楽しむなら、このプレーヤはプラグインカートリッジ式なので、他のカートリッジに差し替え、簡単に違った音質を楽しむことができるので機能面でも十分です。 早速、私は従来持っていた４種類のカートリッジを差し替え、聞き比べを楽しみました。 また、並行輸入品なので電源電圧の問題が気になりましたが、１１５V（２２０Vとの）切り替え対応になっていて、動作は全くもんだいありませんでした。 ところで、余談になりますが、私は若い頃、自分でMM型カートリッジやアームを自作し、糸ドライブで音楽を楽しんでいた時期があり、相当なオーディオマニアでしたが、現在ではそんな気力はなく、この完成品プレーヤーで、十分に楽しませていただいています。 この商品は買い得です。

Equipamento bem robusto e preciso. Qualidade dos materiais é muito boa, resistente e com peso ideal, evitando vibrações, fazendo com que a reprodução dos discos seja excelente. Os ajustes são de alta precisão, inclusive anti-skating. O pre-amp instalado no equipamento também é bom e elimina a necessidade de comprar um, podendo conectar direto nas caixas de som (não inclusos). Mesmo assim possui função para dar um bypass caso tenha preferência em utilizar um amplificador externo. Enfim, estou satisfeito com este toca-discos.

Probably the one item on amazon that blew me away the most! I am the owner of an online radio station, playing 78 RPMs from 1920s to 1950s. This turntable simply BLEW me away, as it is basically my old Technics SL-1200 turntable that i loved so much but upgraded with USB! You can use it two ways: RCA output for sound systems etc or USB direct for PC using the included Audacity software. Now this is a heavy, near 30 pounds, all metal turntable, just like the old Technics from back then. It is a direct drive, with elevation control, balance control, and pitch control on the arm. You can set it +- 20% pitch and also 80 lvls of anti-skating. The arm has the Technics curve which is very important for professional alignment of your head and it comes with universal cartridge you can remove to make your own or simply replace it with other pre-built heads with cartridges of your choice. Stylus is a diamond one for 33rpms and 45rpms. Quartz button "one-tap" to set your pitch dead-on perfect lets say if you have 80rpms or 33 and 1/3 records. Id say this turntable is at least 90% durable high quality Japanese die-cast & steel except for the lid cover which hard plastic but i mean even the 45rpm record adapter included is 100% stainless steel and heavy sooo can't go wrong there. It has 3 speeds, 33-45 and 78rpms, also comes dual function to play all your heavy metal records in "reverse". ;P It also has a manual start-stop tap pad and even at 78rpm speed it stops on a dime almost instantly.. They removed bad gadgets like auto-return for the arm etc, as let's be honest those gadgets are NOT for pro turntables at all, so all functions on this one are manual functions only to keep it real and not adding more parts that can break easily anyway. It stands on 4 sturdy metal pads with grip so it will literally act as suction cups on mostly any surfaces and not moving at all. It also has a head slot so you can fit another one if you have or planning on getting more heads and cartridges as you can switch them on the fly very easily. The sound on this one is simply out of this world and to date, the best sound quality since my beloved Technics. It is crystal clean, pure, beautiful loud and perfect. I would suggest a very good sound system to go with it. It also has two mode button on the back. LINE and AUDIO with a pre-amp built-in and also comes with a "pop-up light to use day or night which illuminates your records for you to see where to drop the stylus with ease. WARNING!! : Although it can play 78rpms the specific needle AND cartrige to play them are NOT included so you will need to get one yourself if you want to enjoy your very old records as usually they were made of SHELLAC not vinyl and has very deep groove so do NOT try to play your 78rpms with the regular stylus provided for 33s and 45s or you will literally destroy your elliptical stylus after 30 seconds and the sound will be distorted as 78rpms cartridges need to be MONO to play them and not stereo ones and also a spherical stylus which is bigger than elliptical and with a round shape. I will personally recommend the Audio-Technica VM670SP cartridge/stylus combo specially made to play 78rpms. Its the BEST one period. Just try to get one on amazon or even ebay as it can be installed on the audio-technica universal head easily. All and all.... THE very best turntable i ever had since the Technics SL-1200. A must have! .