Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB Manual Direct-Drive Turntable (Analogue & USB)

Product Information

Includes: USB cable, detachable RCA output cable (dual RCA male to dual RCA male), AC adapter, 45 RPM adapter, counterweight, felt mat, and removable hinged dust cover Think of the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB as something of a gateway product. If you want to get into vinyl, or you want to get into DJing, this model will get you under way, right until you’re ready to spend bigger money doing it properly.

When streaming Boards of Canada’s Music Has the Right to Children via aptX, the Audio Technica loses just a touch of low-end positivity, and the previously explicit soundstage becomes just a touch hazy. Timing is still satisfying, though – almost as satisfying as the sight of a record player connected only to the mains yet doing its thing regardless.The Audio-Technica can seem to drag just very slightly at tempos during bottom-heavy recordings, as the entry into and departure from individual bass notes can be just slightly blurry. But if it’s worthwhile punch you’re after then you can get it here. The DC servo direct-drive motor no doubt contributes to the weight too. Start-up is instantaneous, and all the manual controls – start/stop, speed selection and so on – feel well-damped and sturdy. In the approved Technics manner, the 120 plays at 33.3 or 45rpm – or, if you press both speed selector buttons at the same time, 78rpm too. Of course, one record player looks pretty much like the next in the same way that one car looks broadly like another. So as far as the S-shaped tonearm, stroboscope, stop/start button and pitch control are concerned, at first (and second) glance they’re pretty familiar. The same goes for the die-cast aluminium anti-resonance platter.

Audio Technica have made it easy to link up the LP120XUSB to your existing system. A built-in phono stage means you don't have to have a hi-fi or speaker with a phono pre-amp built-in - any AUX input will work fine. This is quite an extensive list, so let’s move on from Technics for a minute and just reel them off.

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The latest turntable to take inspiration from the SL1200 is the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB. Despite this, the Audio Technica – as befits a company with more than a bit of experience where turntables are concerned, of course – has enough going on to make a distinct case for itself, not least of which is its full suite of functionality. As per the AT-LP120USB, there's an internal phono preamp inside this turntable, enabling you to hook it up to an external sound system. This time around, though, it's been upgraded so that it now delivers a better frequency response. If you'd prefer to use your own pre-amp, you can do so by using the turntable's line-out connection.

In any event, though, the sound of a hard-wired 120 is almost entirely gratifying. With the lavish 30th anniversary reissue of Pixies’ Bossanova spinning, many of the traditional vinyl virtues are to the fore. Disconnecting the cables and putting the 120 on a shelf far from the system it’s linked to is almost satisfying enough to make up for the step down in sound quality that comes with a wireless connection. Presumably the LP120XUSB is different enough to the Technics to prevent Audio-Technica getting sued, but quite where the significant visual differences lie is beyond me. Speaking of connections, the power cord and dual RCA output cable are removable on this model, which not only serves to protect them from wear and tear if the turntable is constantly being moved about, but also reduces the level of vibration inside the unit, making for a slightly more satisfying listening experience.A/D, D/A – 16-bit/44.1 kHz or 48 kHz USB selectable; Computer interface – USB 2.0 Compliant Windows 7 or above, or MAC OS X or above