Sorry to point this out, but: you have reviewed the wrong 120. The 120 you have reviewed is the old model, which has been out of production for around 4 years now. While the original LP-120 has been known to be useful to DJs thanks to its relatively high torque & fast start/stop, a number of bizarre issues have been reported by users over the years, most notably: 1) non working anti-skate, apparently corrected on later production runs 2) noisy motor/platter, with some users complaining of a ringing sound being picked up by the cartridge during pauses/quiet passages 3) a supposed noise gate was included on the built in pre-amp, which was known to kick in earlier than it should have, causing audio to "click" in and out during pauses. 4) the preamp could not be fully bypassed; this added impedance to the phono output, making for a duller sound when used with an external preamp. The fix for this was to open up the turntable and desolder the preamp completely. The current version is the LP120 X, announced in 2019. Audio Technica have geared this model more towards sound quality than DJ use - the motor torque is reduced in this model; you will find yourself struggling to do any scratching with it. If you want a stronger torque, the LP140X is the turntable you need. The weaker motor is frankly not an issue; it is not only silent, but has low wow/flutter, which comes out at 0.06% as per my own tests, which is excellent. Audio Technica seem to quote all their tables as
Yes, thank you. The idea of the video is to show a beginner the main differences between the 60 and 120 models so I focused mostly on that here, rather than the difference between an older 120 and a brand new 120, which would really deserve it's own video. Your points are excellent, thank you, but this video is really just to help someone who is just getting started and might not know the differences between a 60 and 120 like belt vs direct drive etc. Thanks for watching!
Great review. We have the newer & improved LP120XUSB (picked up open box at a local auction for $180 total) as well as an LP60, and LP3 + some vintage players. The AT's are all great for their respective purposes/audience, but wow the LP120 with the out-of-the-box 'green' cartridge sounds incredible. It is tough, though, getting used to a fully manual turntable.
A few years ago, I found a LP120 for $80 at Bargain Hunt. It didn't sound great, I got a new stylus for it and looked up how to calibrate the tonearm, and it shows amazing to me.
@@brucetowell3432 right now I have it connected to the inputs of a VCR as I no other way to play it or room to setup a dedicated sound system. so I have the TV connected to a 2.1 computer speakers and everything is connected to my tv. so I have a preamp turned on.
I've recently bought a few vinyls mostly just because I really wanted to own them, but now I've been given the opportunity to also look for and get a turntable, and these two are the ones that pop up the most as 'good entry-level turntables.' I'm currently leaning towards the 60 because the smaller and lighter form factor is really attractive (also, slightly cheaper haha) - plus, being fully automatic would be perfect for me since I'd just occasionally pop a record in to listen to, but it's nice to see a pretty easy-to-understand comparison like this. Lovely video!
Can't really go wrong with either for a new budget beginner deck. For someone looking to see if vinyl is for them, I'd just recommend they get the LP60, stick with it for a year, and then upgrade to a nice vintage deck or something new in the $400-500 range that offers a lot of flexibility.
I have the ATLP60 hooked to an older Technics SA EX510 receiver and Klipsch rp-500M bookshelf speakers.I have a decent amount of static at higher volume, some distortion/too much bass at times and some cracking/popping occasionally. I've switched from the internal preamp to the receiver's preamp, I upgraded the stylus and belt from Long Play Gear and changed the felt mat to an acrylic mat, and nothing seemed to help. I ordered an Art DJ Pre II preamp. I am thinking of getting a new 2-channel receiver like the Yamaha R-N600A, but do you think I'm expecting too much from the LP60?
Do you clean your records? I don't mean to insult with that question, but if not, that may help the overall performance. I think I would upgrade the table before the receiver.
I upgraded my cartridge and pre amp. on the 120 usb..what a difference..Ortofon blue, fosi tube amp and iso accustics isolation base..rock solid no skipping..my records sound much better..If you can afford it..these upgrades will amaze You..
@@ForeverAnalog Yeah, but we're talking Crossley level quality here. May I suggest instead something like the Marley Stir It Up, which has a real counterweight, tracking, and a real AudioTechnica cartridge for an LP60 price.
Great video once again sir! Tell me, can one record music onto a pc (using the program recommend by Audio Technica ) via the Bluetooth application or must one actually connect the cable which comes with the AT-LP120XUSB-120 to a pc from the turntable in order to record vinyl records? I imagine many people will have to set up their Pc next to their turntable otherwise it will be difficult to rip music… Many thanks once again!
Hi my friend, please could you give me some advice about what turntable to buy having some equilibrium in quality, sound and price? Some people told me that vintage is better... but those turntable are really expensive. For example if I compare AudioTechnica's AT-LP60X vs some vintage technics is the sound difference so abysmal? Thank you!. Greets from Colombia!
Thanks for the video. I really wish the 120 had auto start and return. That’s a huge feature I’m looking for. Now I’m leaning more to the 60. Thanks again!
Yeah, the 60X is a very convenient turntable. If you want the bluetooth version, you're getting even more bang for the buck. You can also swap out the conical stylus with an elliptical and replace the felt mat with something more high end like acrylic.
Nice vid. Was bounced here from your Box Store vid. I have been using TTs for the last 40 years. I really liked the 20 when I had one. No complaints really. I also had a Lp60. Nah, not very good at all. The extra cost is really worth it for the 120.
I started out with a portable Crosley, so either of these would be an upgrade. Ultimately, I've decided to buy the LP120 because I've collected some 78 rpms along with my 45s, and I wanted to have only one machine. A 78 rpm cartridge is an easy add-on, so I look forward to a better listening experience for my entire collection~
Speaking of Analogue, the best looking reel to reals I ever saw were from Pioneer back around 77. There were 2 of them/can;t remember the models though. They both were jet black with mmmm, large reels and expensive. About $1700 and $2200 CAN. Seductive as it gets
i have the automatic lp60. i dont want the trouble of a manual turntable. the lp60 sound is great and i would never change it for an lp120 which cost double and is all manual. the needle also cost less on the lp60. i also read that a direct drive like the lp120 is more noisy which can affect the sound but i did not try it.
I've got an AT-LP120USB turntable that I've been using for the past two and a half years. And I have to admit, I've been really pleased with it and it sounds really good. I did get a vintage Dual turntable, and I can't remember the model number right now but it is belt driven, and it also sounds wonderful. The one thing I really like about the 120 is the various styli that I can use with it. Being legally blind, I have a hard time seeing a lot of the fine details. I've been using the AT-VM95EN stylus through the last two and a half years and I really like it. It's easy for me to replace it even if it does cost me an extra $30 to get the model with the head shell. It has really done well other than one problem I'm having now and I'm not sure what may be causing it. I started noticing a few months ago that I was having a low growling sound in my left channel speakers. After checking it out and trying to determine what it was, I'm pretty sure that it is coming from the turntable. I don't know if the drive motor might be causing it or just what it may be that is causing it. But it only occurs on the phono input on my receiver. Even if I'm not playing anything I can still hear this low growl, kind of staticky sound that periodically comes through the left speakers. I wish I could figure out for sure what is causing it but I still have about 6 months on the warranty I got with my 120 and I'm going to send it back in to AT and let them try to figure it out. It's not a real loud noise but if you have your music turned up and it's a quiet song you definitely can hear it. It almost sounds like some sort of interference on a radio frequency or how that would sound. Any ideas what might be causing that? It doesn't seem to be the RCA cable and I just can't help but wonder if the gears on the motor could be introducing that noise. I would definitely recommend the 120 and some of the good things I like about it include it does have a counterweight, you can control the tracking, you can control the anti skate, and you can even see if the speeds are running right and stable with the marks on the platter and the light from the power switch. I also like the LED light you can adjust and have it shine where you want it to. It helps me to see things that I wouldn't see without it. Things like dog hair or lint or whatever can be on the surface of the record can easily be seen and cleaned with the LED light prior to playing the album. Due to the wood floors I have on my pier and beam home,I did have some problems with vibrations making it back to the stylus however. But I wound up buying some insulating feet and also a Sound Deck platter mat that absorbs vibrations. And after getting that expensive platter mat from the UK, I realized there had been more vibrations making it back to the stylus than I had realized. The clarity of the music just became much better. I had not realized that I did have some distortion that wasn't really noticeable until I got rid of it. The clarity alone made it a good investment. I finally got my dad's McIntosh tuner, preamp, and amp from him recent and I'm going to be setting it up real soon in the extra bedroom which I'm turning into a music room. I'm looking to upgrade my turntable and keep the AT-LP120USB out in the living room. There are two phono inputs on the McIntosh preamp so I plan to also hook up the vintage Dual and do some comparisons. Brian in Fort Worth 🎶
@@Bootradr Because you said the TT is the problem I automatically assumed Pre-amp shielding problem on the TT. I hope the new set up with the other amp works to rule out the TT or not and send it in!
@@rogerlahaye1948 I completely understand and thanks again for trying to help. I didn't mention this in my last reply but about 2 weeks ago I realized I'm not even getting that noise anymore. It is completely gone now. It definitely has me scratching my head. I've been dealing with it for months and all of the sudden it isn't there anymore. Hopefully it'll stay that way 🤞
AT-LP3XBT is another good choice for a fully automatic turntable. Better cartridge and interchangeable chart ridges and head shells, and even upgradable stylus.
Does the lp60 have a USB output that I can just plug right into my computer? I would like to rip all my records so I can keep them for archival purposes
@@ForeverAnalog Just need a good turntable with a way to rip vinyls. Is it possible to do it with RCA output or should I get a model with a USB output?
@@ForeverAnalog yeah, I get it. If I'm spending like $50 to get a record from Europe, I want to have it in as many formats as possible just in case something happens to the physical record.
I've not found any major flaws with my lp120xbt, I do greatly enjoy it, but there are some quirks to keep in mind. -the preamp is OK, but the difference between it and the Schitt Mani 2 is pretty stark. I didn't really want a separate preamp at first but ended up getting one anyway. One of the major reasons I picked the 120 over something like a fluance is wasted. -Bluetooth/usb is handy if you want your turntable set up in another area where you can't run wires. Another use would be if you want to play records over the wireless headphones. Again, I thought I would use this way more than I do. I'm not sure i will ever rip records to computer. -the platter really should be damped. When the record is done, and you push the power button to stop it, there is a sound like tapping a microphone. This led me to tap on the heavy wood stand it is sitting on. Quieter, but very lightly tapping the furniture makes a sound through the player and into the speakers. So, I imagine that when playing, the sound waves are being transferred back into the system as well. I haven't really noticed adverse effect on the quality of the sound, but knowing it's there has me looking for ways to dampen and isolate the turntable because it could be better. -The cartridge sounds fantastic, but the elliptical stylus is only rated for 300 hours. This isn't really that long. Then you're either upgrading it or stuck replacing it a couple times a year if you play more than one or two records a day. Fine for starters if you only have a handful of records, but if you're going down the rabbit hole, you probably need something that will last longer. A microline is $199, 2/3 the cost of the whole turntable. If I did it over again, I would probably look harder at Fluance, Pro-ject, or Uturn. I am pretty sure all these quirks would be fixed or greatly mitigated. Or, maybe I just need to take it easy and enjoy it instead of nitpicking. 😅
I don't know if the new variation of the 120 still does this, but I know the old models were made in such a way that you can't truly bypass the built in phono stage without taking it apart and doing some minor surgery on it. Doesn't matter if you flip the switch or not, the signal would still pass through it and bottleneck the sound. They may have changed that though.
@@TheHammerofDissidence Before I got the AT, I was researching that very thing. I found a reddit post with a diagram that supposedly showed that the switch cut out the preamp completely. I don't know much about electronics diagrams but the commenters seemed to agree that the new X model did have a clean signal path. That seems to mesh with my experience plugging in the Mani 2, there was a clear improvement, but I have nothing to compare to as far as another turntable with no preamp at all.
@@frankplissken143 awesome, I'm glad AT fixed that. Rest assured your Mani 2 is way better than any built in phono pre that I can think of. Little thing is a beast.
AT needs to make a Direct drive fully automatic turntable
I don’t disagree!
Well it gives us users more exercise when we have to turn it off 😏
Sorry to point this out, but: you have reviewed the wrong 120.
The 120 you have reviewed is the old model, which has been out of production for around 4 years now. While the original LP-120 has been known to be useful to DJs thanks to its relatively high torque & fast start/stop, a number of bizarre issues have been reported by users over the years, most notably:
1) non working anti-skate, apparently corrected on later production runs
2) noisy motor/platter, with some users complaining of a ringing sound being picked up by the cartridge during pauses/quiet passages
3) a supposed noise gate was included on the built in pre-amp, which was known to kick in earlier than it should have, causing audio to "click" in and out during pauses.
4) the preamp could not be fully bypassed; this added impedance to the phono output, making for a duller sound when used with an external preamp. The fix for this was to open up the turntable and desolder the preamp completely.
The current version is the LP120 X, announced in 2019. Audio Technica have geared this model more towards sound quality than DJ use - the motor torque is reduced in this model; you will find yourself struggling to do any scratching with it. If you want a stronger torque, the LP140X is the turntable you need. The weaker motor is frankly not an issue; it is not only silent, but has low wow/flutter, which comes out at 0.06% as per my own tests, which is excellent. Audio Technica seem to quote all their tables as
Yes, thank you. The idea of the video is to show a beginner the main differences between the 60 and 120 models so I focused mostly on that here, rather than the difference between an older 120 and a brand new 120, which would really deserve it's own video. Your points are excellent, thank you, but this video is really just to help someone who is just getting started and might not know the differences between a 60 and 120 like belt vs direct drive etc. Thanks for watching!
Forget the LP60x, AT just released the LP70x!!! Definitely an upgrade from the 60 !
I agree - I want to get my hands on one ASAP!
Great review. We have the newer & improved LP120XUSB (picked up open box at a local auction for $180 total) as well as an LP60, and LP3 + some vintage players. The AT's are all great for their respective purposes/audience, but wow the LP120 with the out-of-the-box 'green' cartridge sounds incredible. It is tough, though, getting used to a fully manual turntable.
Thanks for watching and for sharing!
A few years ago, I found a LP120 for $80 at Bargain Hunt. It didn't sound great, I got a new stylus for it and looked up how to calibrate the tonearm, and it shows amazing to me.
Awesome!!!
Do you use really good speakers? Do you turn off the pre-amp and use an outside source?
@@brucetowell3432 right now I have it connected to the inputs of a VCR as I no other way to play it or room to setup a dedicated sound system. so I have the TV connected to a 2.1 computer speakers and everything is connected to my tv. so I have a preamp turned on.
I've recently bought a few vinyls mostly just because I really wanted to own them, but now I've been given the opportunity to also look for and get a turntable, and these two are the ones that pop up the most as 'good entry-level turntables.' I'm currently leaning towards the 60 because the smaller and lighter form factor is really attractive (also, slightly cheaper haha) - plus, being fully automatic would be perfect for me since I'd just occasionally pop a record in to listen to, but it's nice to see a pretty easy-to-understand comparison like this. Lovely video!
Thank you for watching!
Can't really go wrong with either for a new budget beginner deck. For someone looking to see if vinyl is for them, I'd just recommend they get the LP60, stick with it for a year, and then upgrade to a nice vintage deck or something new in the $400-500 range that offers a lot of flexibility.
Excellent advice, thank you!
Get the LP 120x usb , because you can upgrade the cartridge, this will make a massive improvement in the sound quality
Agreed!
Keep in mind that you need compatible stylus to play 78 RPM records. But who got this old stuff like 78 RPM..
Good point! I have some 78s I found while thrifting but they aren't played very often, lol
I have the ATLP60 hooked to an older Technics SA EX510 receiver and Klipsch rp-500M bookshelf speakers.I have a decent amount of static at higher volume, some distortion/too much bass at times and some cracking/popping occasionally. I've switched from the internal preamp to the receiver's preamp, I upgraded the stylus and belt from Long Play Gear and changed the felt mat to an acrylic mat, and nothing seemed to help. I ordered an Art DJ Pre II preamp. I am thinking of getting a new 2-channel receiver like the Yamaha R-N600A, but do you think I'm expecting too much from the LP60?
Do you clean your records? I don't mean to insult with that question, but if not, that may help the overall performance. I think I would upgrade the table before the receiver.
Do you recommend any particular turn table that offers very good sound / build quality but isn't terribly expensive? @@ForeverAnalog
Pay the extra $200 between the 2 if ya can afford it or look somewhere else for an automatic - I would
Massive Price difference, Belt Drive V Direct Drive. That's about it. 30 sec vid.😂
I look forward to seeing your 30 second post then lol. Thanks for the engagement! 😂
I upgraded my cartridge and pre amp. on the 120 usb..what a difference..Ortofon blue, fosi tube amp and iso accustics isolation base..rock solid no skipping..my records sound much better..If you can afford it..these upgrades will amaze You..
I’m working on a video with advice on how to easily upgrade sound on a turntable!
What's the main difference between the analogue & Bluetooth version of the 120?
Bluetooth will be "lossy" meaning you will lose some sound fidelity over a wired connection.
The LP60 has no counterweight and no tracking option right? Why would buy a turntable without these basic features?
I hear ya but some casual users have no desire for those features - they just want something easy to set up and use that's not a suitcase lol.
@@ForeverAnalog Yeah, but we're talking Crossley level quality here. May I suggest instead something like the Marley Stir It Up, which has a real counterweight, tracking, and a real AudioTechnica cartridge for an LP60 price.
Great video once again sir!
Tell me, can one record music onto a pc (using the program recommend by Audio Technica ) via the Bluetooth application or must one actually connect the cable which comes with the AT-LP120XUSB-120 to a pc from the turntable in order to record vinyl records?
I imagine many people will have to set up their Pc next to their turntable otherwise it will be difficult to rip music…
Many thanks once again!
Yeah you'll need to have a wired connection for recording, thanks!
I played Black Sabbath at 78 speed!
Amazing 👊🏻
Hi my friend, please could you give me some advice about what turntable to buy having some equilibrium in quality, sound and price?
Some people told me that vintage is better... but those turntable are really expensive.
For example if I compare AudioTechnica's AT-LP60X vs some vintage technics is the sound difference so abysmal?
Thank you!.
Greets from Colombia!
Great review 👏 thank you
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video. I really wish the 120 had auto start and return. That’s a huge feature I’m looking for. Now I’m leaning more to the 60. Thanks again!
It’s definitely convenient. Thanks for watching!
Yeah, the 60X is a very convenient turntable. If you want the bluetooth version, you're getting even more bang for the buck. You can also swap out the conical stylus with an elliptical and replace the felt mat with something more high end like acrylic.
Can I still connect these to my amp with the preamp feature? With phono cables?
You can connect these turntables to an amp with a phono input, just make sure the switch is set to phono on the rear of the turntable.
@@ForeverAnalog Thank you so much!
Nice vid. Was bounced here from your Box Store vid.
I have been using TTs for the last 40 years. I really liked the 20 when I had one. No complaints really. I also had a Lp60. Nah, not very good at all. The extra cost is really worth it for the 120.
Thanks for watching both videos!
I went with the lp140xp
Awesome. I need to check that model out!
I started out with a portable Crosley, so either of these would be an upgrade. Ultimately, I've decided to buy the LP120 because I've collected some 78 rpms along with my 45s, and I wanted to have only one machine. A 78 rpm cartridge is an easy add-on, so I look forward to a better listening experience for my entire collection~
Awesome. Thanks for watching and for sharing!
There is nothing sweeter than a spinning vinyl. Pure audio porn!
Speaking of Analogue, the best looking reel to reals I ever saw were from Pioneer back around 77. There were 2 of them/can;t remember the models though. They both were jet black with mmmm, large reels and expensive. About $1700 and $2200 CAN. Seductive as it gets
i have the automatic lp60. i dont want the trouble of a manual turntable. the lp60 sound is great and i would never change it for an lp120 which cost double and is all manual. the needle also cost less on the lp60. i also read that a direct drive like the lp120 is more noisy which can affect the sound but i did not try it.
Thanks for watching and for sharing. Thankfully I haven’t heard any noise from direct drive tables yet.
I've got an AT-LP120USB turntable that I've been using for the past two and a half years. And I have to admit, I've been really pleased with it and it sounds really good. I did get a vintage Dual turntable, and I can't remember the model number right now but it is belt driven, and it also sounds wonderful.
The one thing I really like about the 120 is the various styli that I can use with it. Being legally blind, I have a hard time seeing a lot of the fine details. I've been using the AT-VM95EN stylus through the last two and a half years and I really like it. It's easy for me to replace it even if it does cost me an extra $30 to get the model with the head shell. It has really done well other than one problem I'm having now and I'm not sure what may be causing it.
I started noticing a few months ago that I was having a low growling sound in my left channel speakers. After checking it out and trying to determine what it was, I'm pretty sure that it is coming from the turntable. I don't know if the drive motor might be causing it or just what it may be that is causing it. But it only occurs on the phono input on my receiver. Even if I'm not playing anything I can still hear this low growl, kind of staticky sound that periodically comes through the left speakers. I wish I could figure out for sure what is causing it but I still have about 6 months on the warranty I got with my 120 and I'm going to send it back in to AT and let them try to figure it out. It's not a real loud noise but if you have your music turned up and it's a quiet song you definitely can hear it. It almost sounds like some sort of interference on a radio frequency or how that would sound. Any ideas what might be causing that? It doesn't seem to be the RCA cable and I just can't help but wonder if the gears on the motor could be introducing that noise.
I would definitely recommend the 120 and some of the good things I like about it include it does have a counterweight, you can control the tracking, you can control the anti skate, and you can even see if the speeds are running right and stable with the marks on the platter and the light from the power switch. I also like the LED light you can adjust and have it shine where you want it to. It helps me to see things that I wouldn't see without it. Things like dog hair or lint or whatever can be on the surface of the record can easily be seen and cleaned with the LED light prior to playing the album.
Due to the wood floors I have on my pier and beam home,I did have some problems with vibrations making it back to the stylus however. But I wound up buying some insulating feet and also a Sound Deck platter mat that absorbs vibrations. And after getting that expensive platter mat from the UK, I realized there had been more vibrations making it back to the stylus than I had realized. The clarity of the music just became much better. I had not realized that I did have some distortion that wasn't really noticeable until I got rid of it. The clarity alone made it a good investment.
I finally got my dad's McIntosh tuner, preamp, and amp from him recent and I'm going to be setting it up real soon in the extra bedroom which I'm turning into a music room. I'm looking to upgrade my turntable and keep the AT-LP120USB out in the living room. There are two phono inputs on the McIntosh preamp so I plan to also hook up the vintage Dual and do some comparisons.
Brian in Fort Worth 🎶
Thanks for sharing!
I bet it is the pre-amp
@@rogerlahaye1948 I have the preamp turned off on the turntable but I guess it could be the preamp in the Denon receiver? Thanks for the reply 👍
@@Bootradr Because you said the TT is the problem I automatically assumed Pre-amp shielding problem on the TT. I hope the new set up with the other amp works to rule out the TT or not and send it in!
@@rogerlahaye1948 I completely understand and thanks again for trying to help. I didn't mention this in my last reply but about 2 weeks ago I realized I'm not even getting that noise anymore. It is completely gone now. It definitely has me scratching my head. I've been dealing with it for months and all of the sudden it isn't there anymore. Hopefully it'll stay that way 🤞
AT-LP3XBT is another good choice for a fully automatic turntable. Better cartridge and interchangeable chart ridges and head shells, and even upgradable stylus.
Great advice, thank you!
Good review.
Thank you!
Great video my friend. Thank you
Thank you for watching and the kind words!
Does the lp60 have a USB output that I can just plug right into my computer? I would like to rip all my records so I can keep them for archival purposes
Some models do, but I can't guarantee they put that feature on every single iteration of the 60, so just double check before buying!
@@ForeverAnalog Just need a good turntable with a way to rip vinyls. Is it possible to do it with RCA output or should I get a model with a USB output?
@@GoaEnjoyer unfortunately, I've never ripped vinyl before - I'm the sick type of person who owns CD and vinyl copies of the same album lol!
@@ForeverAnalog yeah, I get it. If I'm spending like $50 to get a record from Europe, I want to have it in as many formats as possible just in case something happens to the physical record.
Sound advice!
Another reviewer stated the antiskate did not work on his 120. Have you noticed this?
Interesting. I’ve owned several 120s and never had that issue.
There was a problem with the anti skate system on the LP 120 turntable , but this issue has been resolved in the newer model, the LP 120 X usb .
I've not found any major flaws with my lp120xbt, I do greatly enjoy it, but there are some quirks to keep in mind.
-the preamp is OK, but the difference between it and the Schitt Mani 2 is pretty stark. I didn't really want a separate preamp at first but ended up getting one anyway. One of the major reasons I picked the 120 over something like a fluance is wasted.
-Bluetooth/usb is handy if you want your turntable set up in another area where you can't run wires. Another use would be if you want to play records over the wireless headphones. Again, I thought I would use this way more than I do. I'm not sure i will ever rip records to computer.
-the platter really should be damped. When the record is done, and you push the power button to stop it, there is a sound like tapping a microphone. This led me to tap on the heavy wood stand it is sitting on. Quieter, but very lightly tapping the furniture makes a sound through the player and into the speakers. So, I imagine that when playing, the sound waves are being transferred back into the system as well. I haven't really noticed adverse effect on the quality of the sound, but knowing it's there has me looking for ways to dampen and isolate the turntable because it could be better.
-The cartridge sounds fantastic, but the elliptical stylus is only rated for 300 hours. This isn't really that long. Then you're either upgrading it or stuck replacing it a couple times a year if you play more than one or two records a day. Fine for starters if you only have a handful of records, but if you're going down the rabbit hole, you probably need something that will last longer. A microline is $199, 2/3 the cost of the whole turntable.
If I did it over again, I would probably look harder at Fluance, Pro-ject, or Uturn. I am pretty sure all these quirks would be fixed or greatly mitigated.
Or, maybe I just need to take it easy and enjoy it instead of nitpicking. 😅
My u-turn drives me nuts having to move the belt for speed changing lol. Probably a good reminder that no product is perfect lol
I don't know if the new variation of the 120 still does this, but I know the old models were made in such a way that you can't truly bypass the built in phono stage without taking it apart and doing some minor surgery on it. Doesn't matter if you flip the switch or not, the signal would still pass through it and bottleneck the sound. They may have changed that though.
@@TheHammerofDissidence Before I got the AT, I was researching that very thing. I found a reddit post with a diagram that supposedly showed that the switch cut out the preamp completely. I don't know much about electronics diagrams but the commenters seemed to agree that the new X model did have a clean signal path.
That seems to mesh with my experience plugging in the Mani 2, there was a clear improvement, but I have nothing to compare to as far as another turntable with no preamp at all.
@@frankplissken143 awesome, I'm glad AT fixed that. Rest assured your Mani 2 is way better than any built in phono pre that I can think of. Little thing is a beast.