This keeps the needle and the record from being worn out too quickly. As a result, the motor has lower torque and reverse directional play is no longer possible. This is quite an extensive list, so let’s move on from Technics for a minute and just reel them off. As an Amazon Associate we earn affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases. I guess that all depends on how substantial a product the AT-LP120XUSB turns out to be. As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Improved in several areas, the AT-LP120X features the newer AT-VM95E cartridge, a better built-in phono stage and detachable (as opposed to hard-wired) RCA cables. It’s difficult to tell which is having the most significant effect on the sound, so we tested the two turntables using a separate preamp to better isolate the cartridges. Direct-drive motors feature higher torque (motor power) and require less maintenance than belt-driven motors. displaying reviews 1 to 3 of 3. It’s disappointing, but it would definitely explain the lower price tag. The higher frequencies have decent shine and bite, without getting splashy or wearing. Audio Technica have released a great turntable in the AT-LP120XUSB. USB output connects directl There are none of the accoutrements that the LP120XUSB is kitted out with, no phono stage, no USB output – and, most probably, Rega will tell you this is the reason its deck is superior. The AT-LP120XUSB is a direct-drive turntable, powered by a hefty DC servo motor. Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB Review The LP120XUSB is a refreshed version of the popular LP120USB turntable, but is it an improvement? Testing kicks off with a copy of Fat Boy Slim’s Better Living Through Chemistry – because how better to test a wannabe DJ deck than with a record by a wannabe DJ? Audio-Technica provides a USB B-to-A cable in the turntable’s packaging (along with stereo RCA and grounding connections), making it possible to connect the LP120XUSB to a computer. For a long time, the Audio Technica AT-LP120 has been one of the most highly praised entry-level turntables. Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. We never, ever accept money to review a product. New for 2019, the LP-120XUSB is the updated version of the AT-LP120. In tactile terms, it’s quite easy to distinguish between the two – while it feels perfectly well made, the LP120XUSB features far more plastic in its construction than the more expensive Technics. It makes reasonably faithful digital copies, too. The original LP120 was far from the best DJ turntable, but the option was there. Audio Technica have stated that the AT-LP120X was not designed with DJs in mind, unlike the AT-LP120. Think of the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB as something of a gateway product. The Audio-Technica LP120 has multiple features that ensure the best-sounding playback for you turntable. Thanks to the direct-drive arrangement, the Audio-Technica’s pitch stability is excellent. Related: Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT review. It would buy you a little more positivity in the bass, though. The latest turntable to take inspiration from the SL1200 is the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB. There’s certainly something to be said for concentrating the budget on the motor, tonearm and cartridge, as Rega has done. Audiophiles will especially welcome the new AT-VM95E cartridge. Here’s a quick summary of the changes that come with the newer model. We’ll always tell you what we find. Even more unusually for a record player of this type, the Audio-Technica is fitted with a switchable pre-amplifier. The tone arm has a counter weight to help keep the right amount of pressure on your record. So, if this really is the case then the Technics SL1200/SL1210 in all its variations must be one of the most flattered products in all of the consumer electronics world. The AT-LP120X sounded superior, but only slightly, so we can assume the upgraded built-in phono preamp plays a big part in the upgraded sound quality from the new model. The new AT-LP120X is the long awaited update to the AT-LP120 and it doesn’t disappoint. For a decade, the Audio-Technica LP120 has been among the world’s most popular entry-level turntables, enticing freshly-addicted vinyl users with its classic looks and appealing features.. The S-shaped t… Simon Lucas is a journalist of 15 years standing, with particular emphasis on the world of consumer electronics. by knotscott. Not exactly a revered high-end turntable in audiophile circles, but is capable of excellent sound. However, for those who have rare, or less-than pristine vinyl that they’d rather not keep taking out of its sleeve, the LP120XUSB is a useful and easy-to-operate method of analogue-to-digital transfer. If you're using an ad-blocker you might miss out on seeing the deals. Audio Technica have taken on the feedback and worked on this area. There is no denying the AT-LP120X looks a lot like the Technics SL1200. Audio-Technica LP120 review: Design and build. It simply wasn’t a great preamp and using the bypass switch to use a separate amp introduced its own problems. So are we meant to ignore the styling and concentrate on the substance? The feet also help reject vibration, which can only be a good thing. 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. Obvious design changes aside, the new model is both $50 cheaper and superior in some ways. Your chosen software should also allow you to divide a side of vinyl into individual tracks, to add some metadata and to remove the pregnant silences with which many LPs start. Compared with the older AT-LP120, the chassis is lighter and doesn’t feel as quite as well-built. Direct-drive motors forgo belts and are directly connected to the platter. But this doesn’t take away from the fact that there’s plenty here for the money, much of which will prove useful, no matter if you want to be a DJ or a vinyl archivist. Simon Lucas | August 29, … The integrated phono stage proves worthwhile, too – it may not be quite able to give Rega’s £90 Fono Mini A2D (which also includes a USB output) a run for its money, but it’s by no means disgraced. The LP120XUSB is a refreshed version of the popular LP120USB turntable, but is it an improvement? and his subsequent work as a freelance wri…. But if it’s worthwhile punch you’re after then you can get it here. As well as the pre-amp switch, there are stereo RCA outputs and a grounding post on the deck’s rear panel; there’s also a USB Type-B socket. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. It’s an attractive design, but there simply too many turntables that share this design to the point where it’s difficult to praise Audio Technica for their effort. The voice is integrated nicely into the rest of the frequency information, yet nevertheless exists in its own pocket of well-defined space. The AT-LP120 series has built its reputation on (4) key features: 1.1The LP120 series features a direct-drive motor which is unique in this price range. Although the LP120XUSB is fantastic, Audio Technica have found themselves in a strange spot as they also released the AT-LPW40WN this year. Learn More. Notably, an elliptical (vs spherical) stylus and the very nice AT95E cartridge, a giant killer known for beating out much more expensive cartridges. 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. 1.2 The LP-120 series features a higher quality tonearm than most entry level turntables. A little of the excitement, and more than a little of the timing precision, is lost during the translation from vinyl to hard drive. Ultimately, its sound is a little soft at the bottom of the frequency range, and it plays things a little too safe at the opposite end. It doesn’t display the outright solidity of bass that’s ideal – there’s a slightly deflated quality to bass-drum kicks during Everybody Needs A 303 – but the low frequencies are quite rich, and generally move along at a reasonable pace. Most DJ decks, of course, are intended to be routed into a pre-amplified mixer, so generally don’t bother with their own pre-amplification. The AT-LP120XUSB is an updated offering of the former AT-LP120. © 2020 Sound Manual | And it all sits on four big, extremely compliant, rubbery feet. This means it can be plugged straight into any old amplifier, whether or not the amp has a phono stage of its own. Audio-Technica has decades of experience where styluses and cartridges are concerned, and there’s no doubt the LP120XUSB is over-specified in this respect, especially in the context of its overall price. The new cartridge has a higher output (4.0 vs. 3.5), thread mounting holes and an improved body design that reduces resonance. 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. Audio Technica AT-LP120X-USB Reviews. In absolute terms – and “absolute” in this instance means “audio” – the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB is a little off the pace. For home listening though, almost every aspect of the AT-LP120 has been upgraded.