Audio Technica AT-LP120 in the house.

[Starquest]

No doubt it's a good starter table, and its torque really is great, but you DO get what you pay for. The few of them I've played around with had slightly wobbly platters -- not a huge deal for sound. But the tonearm . . . ehh . . . it's not particularly solid. Built and assembled rather cheaply. It just feels cheap. Even the very cheapest Technics from the 80s was better built.

But they do sound fine I suppose, and plenty of folks are happy with them. Supposedly the sound improves if you ditch the onboard phono amp. It does look pretty sweet in black (better than the silver one?). And at least for beginners, if you go for the LP120 and decide down the road that vinyl isn't your thing, you can probably sell it fairly easily.

The more puzzling model to me is the LP5. It's almost double the price, though it does feel slightly more solid. Nice looking too.

 

[gary7]

Well, I was never dissatisfied with the one I had. I did sell it thought as I came into a actual Technics SL-1200 MK I. Though not as advanced as the MK2 and later tables, A very fine performer indeed.

 

[jrtrent]

No doubt it's a good starter table, and its torque really is great, but you DO get what you pay for. The few of them I've played around with had slightly wobbly platters -- not a huge deal for sound. But the tonearm . . . ehh . . . it's not particularly solid. Built and assembled rather cheaply. It just feels cheap. Even the very cheapest Technics from the 80s was better built.

Strange how different people's perceptions can be. My only recent experience with the LP120 is at a local dealer's showroom, when I was with a friend who was auditioning turntables. I thought the LP120 was solidly put together, and the arm felt fine. When Fremer's review mentioned playing Brubeck's Time Out album, he said, "I certainly did not fear for the record grooves because the arm is clearly well-made and low in friction." Comparing models from Pro-Ject and U-Turn, he thought those had better sound but that they "can’t begin to compete with the Audio Technica’s build quality, feature set and ease of use." Based on what I've seen and heard from it, if I needed some of its features, such as 78 rpm playback and a built-in phono stage, I wouldn't hesitate to pick one up.

http://www.analogplanet.com/content...hames-plastic-competition#AVWL1iyP7wEj26k8.97

 

[RobRoy]

No doubt it's a good starter table, and its torque really is great, but you DO get what you pay for. The few of them I've played around with had slightly wobbly platters -- not a huge deal for sound. But the tonearm . . . ehh . . . it's not particularly solid. Built and assembled rather cheaply. It just feels cheap. Even the very cheapest Technics from the 80s was better built.

But they do sound fine I suppose, and plenty of folks are happy with them. Supposedly the sound improves if you ditch the onboard phono amp. It does look pretty sweet in black (better than the silver one?). And at least for beginners, if you go for the LP120 and decide down the road that vinyl isn't your thing, you can probably sell it fairly easily.

The more puzzling model to me is the LP5. It's almost double the price, though it does feel slightly more solid. Nice looking too.

They must have improved them since the original models. Mine's pretty solid and very quiet. I did read some old reviews and mine had none of the problems discussed in those reviews. Regarding getting what you pay for, The headphones I'm wearing in my avatar cost $18. They are the best sounding headphones under $200 I've ever heard. I've recommended them on other sites and members have bought them and come back and said I was right. So I own five pair.

Sometimes you get more than you pay for and sometimes you get less. Though the "you get what you pay for" axiom is generally true, I think those headphones violated it. I think this turntable does as well, though not quite as handily.

 

[gary7]

AT did send me a replacement cover, very nice of them. I would not hesitate to own one again.

 

[RobRoy]

Strange how different people's perceptions can be. My only recent experience with the LP120 is at a local dealer's showroom, when I was with a friend who was auditioning turntables. I thought the LP120 was solidly put together, and the arm felt fine. When Fremer's review mentioned playing Brubeck's Time Out album, he said, "I certainly did not fear for the record grooves because the arm is clearly well-made and low in friction." Comparing models from Pro-Ject and U-Turn, he thought those had better sound but that they "can’t begin to compete with the Audio Technica’s build quality, feature set and ease of use." Based on what I've seen and heard from it, if I needed some of its features, such as 78 rpm playback and a built-in phono stage, I wouldn't hesitate to pick one up.

http://www.analogplanet.com/content...hames-plastic-competition#AVWL1iyP7wEj26k8.97

One of the challenges I think we have with these threads in general (and it's something I noticed since I became a member) is that if this was a car enthusiast site, we'd have members with modified old hondas posting in threads with guys with diesel pickups as well as guys with million dollar exotic sports cars. What one guy loves, another guy sees as not worth taking up space in his carriage house. Neither is wrong, but there really is a bit of a cultural divide sometimes.

I have four cars, each for a different purpose. Three scions (xB, FR-S and iA) and a 4x4 Silverado Z71. Each is for a different purpose. No, the Z71 can not handle as well as the FR-S, but the FR-S can't get around my hilly 32 acres very well or haul a load of lumber or feed.

This turntable is the Z71 in my stable. And it is a perfect choice for what I bought it for.