For any people that don't know how anti-skate works, I will eventually put a detailed video together on this, but in the meantime to see proof that a CD is a correct method of testing anti-skate, click this link: ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html I strongly urge people to properly educate yourselves before jumping to conclusions and commenting on this video. In the past I was always supportive of anyone getting into vinyl records, but I've been learning for the first time lately that MANY people need to just stick with digital.
I got rid of my LP120s and bought a pair of the LP1240s. I am not disappointed, vastly superior in pretty much every way. I picked up the pair direct from Audio technica UK, and at £200 each, brand new in a box, that is a bargain i couldnt say no too.
I’ve had my Audio Technica ATLP120USB since Christmas of 2018, been having no issues except for the faint motor noise. I’ve enjoyed that turntable ever since
Exact same situation here, besides the motor noise. Only issue I had was needing to replace the dampening fluid for the tonearm dropper. Everyone I see elsewhere loves this turntable so this whole video and comments section just feels like an echo-chamber of anti-LP120 hate.
I purchased mine around 2011-2014 era...and I feel I need a complete college course to no all the in's and out's...LOL, but I feel your pain..LOL;-)..but what really pisses me off about this unit is that it is 100% MANUAL< and the tone arm does NOT return after playing an LP.
I'd say the best choice for this money is to get a good used vintage Technics turntable, in my case I was able to get a Technics SL 1800 for $220 at my local record store. Extremely solid metal build quality, no anti skate problems, pitch is adjustable and consistent, comes with a great rubber mat, and you're pretty much guaranteed to have it last a long time.
There's no question about it, you *ARE* guaranteed with as robust as these things are. We got ours shipped over from Japan. 220.00 at your local record store is pretty rare man. You don't hear of too many people just waltzing into a shop and picking one up for dirt cheap. Very nice!
i've had this turntable for about 3 years now and still works as good as the day i got it. the anti skate on mine and height adjustment never worked on mine either, but it still plays the records great and never had any real issues with it. alot of DJ's go after this one because it's almost a replica of the classic technics turntable, so maybe it gets messed up after a bunch of dj sessions or something? i use it just for playing records and have had no issue.
I'm not a DJ either, only casual listening. I have only used this for about 8 months and the Start/Stop button completely went out on me. This turntable was never bumped, dropped or even scratched. It still looks brand new. I now have to ship it back to Audio Technica for repairs.....and THAT is only one reason it's better to spend more and use a Technics SL-1200 like we do now. That turntable actually works the way it's supposed to unlike the LP120.
Our LP's deserve the absolute best, and we want a real Hi-Fi experience, otherwise there's no point. Our Technics SL-1200 is perfectly built and perfectly functioning regardless of the fact that it's *16 years old* Check back with me in another 25 years and we'll see which turntable is still running the way it should.
Never had any motor noise on mine whatsoever. I'm not kidding myself that it's some high end, uber audiophile turntable. Equally, I think calling it "entry level" is completely inaccurate It's a $300 turntable. Entry level would be the LP60 or possibly the base package of the Orbit (though that's head and shoulders above the LP60). You have to also bear in mind it's a direct drive DJ table, not a delicate belt drive where you have to faff around with changing the belt just because you want to listen a 45 instead of a 33.
Oh completely agreed! I never said or would claim that the LP120 is an entry level TT. The LP60 is definitely entry level, or just good for people returning to the hobby that are casual listeners. Also agreed about the belt vs direct drive tables. We prefer the robust build of a good direct drive system. Most of our records are 33's, we only have a few 45's. Thanks for commenting!
@@cjsvinyl what can you recommend as a cheaper alternative to the Technics SL 1200 turntable that you can fully address the anti skating and tonearm vertical alignment. Virtually almost the same as the Technics, only cheaper.
@@bpabustan The only other direct drive systems that I researched in the past aside from the Audio Technica LP120 and 1240 was the Stanton t92, t150, Pioneer PLX 500, and 1000, Reloop RP6000, Numark tt250, Gemini PT2000, and the Vestax PDX3000 and none of them held a candle to the Technics SL-1200. No matter how many other brands want to imitate it, there's only one SL-1200. I can't recommend any other direct drives to you in good conscience, but I can highly recommend the U-turn Orbit, and the DenonDP300F if you'll consider quality belt drive decks that won't break the bank.
I'm my experience, I cannot say something that is meant to destroying records is even entry level, such as the LP60. Entry level of something that can give you a glimpse of good music, and can help you to explore the pieces you like with out causing harm, that's probably a real tool and carries its purpose as intended. Thus, LP120 would be an entry level. It's an ok turntable, yes. But is through the improvement of the system that one can start experiencing the limitations and issues this one has. I had it years ago thinking any turntable over $500 was BS for people with a big budget and nothing to spend their money on. Well, I discovered I was wrong, and it highly depends on what equipment you have, what are your listening habits, and what is your allowance. So based on those things is when you should chose this TT, or look some place else. I'd recommend it, although I already moved forward long time ago.
Great, Helpful points here !!!! Thanks !!!!....I'm just an ol'schooler that just wants to here my vintage LPs again that I have hung onto all these years and some I picked up along the way recently....The AT-LP120-USB was my choice of turntable because of its features including the pitch control which has way more range than the belt-driven Sony PS-LX350H (Which I also have) or the Technics 1200. It's (lp120) stll a better table than what we had back in the day pertaining to "Consumer" use, Not hard-core dubbing/mixing or the DJ wannabes ! I probably won't ever use the USB function but if needed, Its there. Lots of people just want to spin their vintage vinyls, Not get into the seriousness of technological advances. Motor noise???...Back in the day, We had Tesco, Philco, Montgomery Ward Airline, Zenith, Craig, Garrard and you name it...ALL had noise of some sort INCLUDING the early technics but it was expected and didn't effect overall sound quality as we weren't the MOST DEMANDING CONNOISSEURS back then so these Audio-Technica tables today are BMWs' by comparison with what we were brought up on and that is good enough for most of us !!!...ITS NOT THAT SERIOUS...TO EACH HIS/HER OWN relating to these negative comments regarding the Audio-Technica at-lp120-usb....Thank you for your quality video Man...Good, Helpful Stuff !!!👍👍👍👍👌👌👌👌
Twilight, Well said! Thank you for this comment, I swear some of the video reviews I've watched (Not this one) act like if the turntable isn't absolutely as good sounding as a CD it's junk. I'm scratching my head thinking "Did I miss something here" I thought it was a record player, lol.
I've heard that it had anti-skating issues, but that has apparently been fixed. I bought my LP120 this spring, and its anti-skating is actually stronger than expected. With the counterweight set to 1.9, I had to set anti-skating to 1.3 for the stylus to stay in place on a CD.
Hopefully it lasts for you. The bigger problem is that a company would let this slide at all, affecting millions of other buyers. That already speaks volumes about Audio Technica.
I can second that the anti skate issue has been fixed. My counter weight is set to 2g checked with a scale to be certain and my anti skate is on about 1.5 and the tone arm dose not move on a cd. At 2 on the anti skate the tone arm will move outward and at one it will skate inward. I do wish that they would fix the tone arm height issue though.
@@adamclaussen4910 Exactly, and you know there was no recall on all of the bad ones, so there's still millions of these out on the shelves all over the world.
Nice review. I became aware of the antiskate problem after I bought it. Mine, in short time, completely quit working. Maybe it was always like that. I never detected any motor noise with the supplied AT 95 cartridgebut I made the mistake of upgrading cartridge to a Grado Blue Prestige. The sound was better but that particular cartridge picked up motor noise thru the stylus and/or the platter and it was quite obvious between tracks and quiet passages. While this was probably more a problem with my choice of the Grado, when you added the two conditions of the motor being right below the platter and also the Grados reputation for picking up hum, I ended up getting a different TT. Well done...
I would rather have a AT LP120 than no turntable. Not a bad entry level TT though there are probably better for the price when it come purely to sound quality. However the Techniques you are getting is a great choice. Look forward to seeing some video with it.
I have a non-USB version, purchased in June 2007. I paid $180 including shipping. I think that's about the right price for this model. Height: Use a thick rubber mat. VTA is Not as critical as many believe, but it should of course be within an acceptable range. Platter: Mine is nicely flat. A thick rubber mat greatly reduces ringing, although it doesn't entirely eliminate the problem. Anti-skating: On mine, there is some outward force even with the knob set at zero, which is where I leave it. Preamp: I completely disconnected it and added a ground wire. Motor noise: I have heard none. Cartridge: I have never put the supplied ATP-2 on the arm. I already had a Shure M91ED mounted on a shell, so I started with that. My main use for this 'table is playing shellac records that call for odd speeds. For other discs, I still prefer my idler-drive Duals.
Finally someone talks. For the same money or a bit more you could get a beautiful Pro-Ject or Rega that will work much better. Yeah they don't have all the buttons but they have one job (play 33s and 45s and they do it well). The built quality is lacking when you can buy thick MDF TTs for about the same price.
I appreciate your support. I've been getting a ton of hatred just for trying to help people. I'm in complete agreement with you, and I had to learn from my mistakes, but the important thing is that I learned and moved forward. Like you said, it is all about the upgrade and understanding how to manage your money. That's what we did in order to upgrade to the Technics SL-1200. So glad we did.
I've had my 120 since 2013, no issues yet. Believe me, I got my money's worth out of it. Next one will be something in the same price range, possibly a U-Turn. Basically I just want something to play my records on that works for me. Have the AT-100e cartridge on it tracking at 1.4.
First hand experience: 5 different units Evidence provided from feedback: 3 friends, 6 posts on Audiokarma, 13 posts on Vinyl Engine, 5 posts on Steve Hoffman forums, and I lost count with the countless multitude of users on RUclips that have said their lp120 crapped out on them....so yeah. Pretty sure I have enough data and evidence. Chinese manufactured versus Japanese there's not much more evidence you need, but I have a lot.
You CAN adjust the tone arm height, just need to unlock the height adjustment located under the counterweight. Make sure the dial goes past the arrow displayed and is fully unlocked. Then just rotate the ribbed black part to adjust height. Make sure to set the height at the proper setting for your cartridge. Enjoy
I don't know at what point in the video you are referencing since you haven't included a time stamp, but using deductive reasoning I assure you I was referring to the LP120x since that one in fact does not have a height adjustment dial. Of course this one has one. You definitely misheard or misinterpreted my verbiage.
@@shanthonarchian2256 Okay, then that's completely different from your first statement. You initially were just speaking of adjusting tonearm height, and mentioned nothing with lowering it past zero. So you can see my confusion from your unclear communication. At any rate, yours may be broken and allow you to turn it further passed negative zero, but mine did not. I had moved it as far down as I could in this video. I cannot speak to what other broken LP120's can or can not do. Next time, please be more clear with your initial verbiage.
I have one of these turntables, got mine about 12 years ago. So far only 2 noteable problems. The hinges wear out and are no longer able to hold the lid up. So far been through 2 pairs, both times replaced for free by the factory parts department. Secondly is motor noise. It can be herd as a clicking or rubbing noise on very quiet parts of the record, normally near the outer edge. Aside of these 2 isues I love this turntable!
Dang!!! I've had mine since 2011. Antiskate is broken in mine too. I'm a newbie so I didn't know I was forcing my needle to the center (duh) so now I'm going to throw it away and get a decent turntable (SL1200 should be the best bet). Thanks!!
Great turntable if you put some work into it but that doesn't really mean much to the average user! Far from an ideal solution sadly but still better than a lot of other crappy tables being sold right now
Technically it's better than a Crosley, but it's still worse than you give it credit for. Watch my latest comparison video that I just uploaded and you'll see an LP120 with my start/stop button not working which resulted in having to pay another 70.00 to ship it back to Audio Technica for repairs and that's definitely not cost effective either. It caused a huge headache for me to take the time and stress to prep and ship it back.
Really good review ....i agree with all of it having one myself....the anti skate and height of it are main probs. I cured same way as you. Its never gonna be a technics...i only give £200 for mine. It looks the part and for the amount of times i use it ican live with the flaws. The techics is way better damped .....honest review.
Thank you so much my friend! Lately I've been getting the opposite comments and some so lost and backwards, I had to delete them. It's good to finally get some backup again from someone who has had first hand experience, and knows that I make these videos to try and help people. I appreciate you.
Very informative video! Are you thinking about possibly doing an updated video on the 120X model? In the product description it does mention upgraded anti-skate, but nothing about adjustable height, although you never know! Regardless if you're up for it or not, thanks for the awesome video!
Just picked up my lp120 and the anti skate works perfectly. I talked to a bunch of record store owners and they said to set the anti skate to what the tracking force is. They all said if you have the anti skate set to where it stays stationary on a groovless vinyl once you put on a normal record it will cause stress on the stylus since the grooves will put pressure on the stylus has it brings the stylus towards the center
Extremely thankful that I stumbled across this... Everywhere I’ve looked i’ve seen and heard nothing but good things about this player but these are some major issues that I would not like to have to deal with. I’m about a week away from getting my first system but i’m nowhere near in the budget for the SL-1200, what would you recommend purchasing for a similar price range as the LP120?
I really appreciate your gratitude. I make my videos to help people, and I'm more than happy to guide you in the right direction. The LP120 is far from good, and people have got to understand this so they don't fall victim as I have. If you're wanting modern rather than vintage, I would say excellent alternatives are the Fluance RT82, the Denon DP300F, the U-Turn Orbit, or the Project Debut Carbon if you can push it to 400.00 As for used SL-1200's I think you would be shocked to find the used prices are not nearly as bad as you think. Let me know if I can be of further assistance!
Cj's Vinyl Really really appreciate that man, i’ll most definitely be looking into each of those including some used SL 1200’s, keep up the good work man, I’ll get back to you with what I end up getting ! Thanks again.
@@cjsvinyl I got a Fluance 82 after reading your recommendation, but I can't tell if the anti-skate is working right, when both balanced at 0, I can turn the anti-skate up and the arm will move back to the rest fast so know its working. Im not understanding if it should be moving as slow as possible towards the label at the end of the record where there's no grooves, or staying in the same spot and not reaching the spindle at all? When adjusting the anti-skate as the arm is in the center, no reaction to the arm happens just like in this video. When using the CD to test, I have to turn it from the recommended 1.5 on the anti-skate, all the way to max 4 for it to stay on the spot on a cd, but only close to the edge of the cd, closer to the center it still moves to spindle at 4. At 4, it does seem a little slower to reach the spindle, Is this how it is suppose to be? I looked to see if others experience this with Fluance, and I only found one person with the same problem, who also said they keep it at 4 now and stated its a manufacturer defect with all Fluance models. This is my first one, I returned the Audiotechnica after seeing this video, and cant find an answer, thanks if you can help me understand if this is normal or defective.
When you were looking for warp in the platter I could plainly see a variation if you look at the upper edge of the platter. Also, it is fairly easy to put a run-out gauge on the edge to measure this. I am sure that just about any turntable will have some variation (wobble) unless you are paying a gazillion dollars for your equipment.
What you see is not caused by a wobble of the platter, but the tooling of the beading around the edge. If you pay attention to the strobes you'll notice no wobble. What you're noticing along the upper edge is aesthetic only.
@@elliesattler you can clearly see the lighting on the strobes altering as it rotates. It's also very periodic, in sync with the rotation of the turn table. 6:00 bottom row of strobes nearest the camera. Once you see the variation, you will see it throughout the clip. If it was dead flat, I believe you would see no variation. It's slight, but I'd say it's definitely there.
My unit wich was bought in april 2018 has a working anti-skating, but for me the best setting is antiskating 1 for a 2g counterweight as this is the setting that doesn't make the tone arm go outwards when lifted and keeps the center line on the cd test. The height adjustment for me it's ok (i don't use the original mat and the cork+rubber one that i have seems to be high enough for the tonearm to be parallel with the platter).The warping issue is there, mine has it slightly, it's not too much but it's there and if you have good eyes you can see it. The motor noise is there but not when playing, just when cleaning the vinyls with the brush as it creates a bit of push on the spindle. Overall this is not a bad unit for a beginner, for me it will do the job until i can afford something better. Definetely, your unit is an older one as you dont have the HS 10 upgrade as mine does with preaplied At95e cartridge. I will swap that one with ortofone mix pretty soon
Hi man!! Very good review, it's a shame that I found it to late, I bought my AT LP120 1 year ago in it has the anti skating problem and that's all the problem it has, thank God. Is there any way to fix the anti skating problem? Thank you and keep the good work
First things first, I appreciate your positive engagement, so thank you for that. The anti-skate is one of the things wrong with this turntable. One of the others is the Vertical Tracking Angle with the height adjustment which I mentioned in the video. Others say that motor noise is a problem, but I've never noticed that with mine. It's my understanding from closer observation that the issue is with the length of the spring under the anti-skate dial. I am only guessing that this is the problem with every model. If I am unable to sell my LP120, I may end up just keeping it and making some modifications to it and do one or more instructional videos on it, but as of now, I don't know of any work-around.
@@cjsvinyl really I appreciate your quick answer to my question, channels like this one and people like you must be supported by everyone, then again keep the good work. The only problem that I have with my AT LP 120 it's with anti skating, it doesn't matter where I move the knob, the needle always goes to the center of the disc, the problem with the VTA it's not present on my turntable, either way it's sounds good to me, well at least 'til I heard the comparison you made with the technics 1200. So if you know something about how to fix the problem with the anti skating let us know please. In if it's something that I can do by myself that would be awesome because I prefer no to let anyone else touch my devices unless is totally needed. Thanks man
Sir could you recommend some alternatives in the price range of 250-300 USD. I was saving money for this turntable, but now that I've seen your video, I'm not up for buying it. Any help would be really appreciated. Thank you again for the very helpful video. Also may I ask, how are the Rega P1 & P2 turntables (then again they are belt drives aren't they!)? Regards KD
Absolutely, and congrats! You're dodging a bullet that's not worth the risk. I promise you won't regret it. Stay away from ANYTHING with the name Audio Technica on it. In the 250 - 300 range I would say the Fluance RT 81 or the 82, The U-Turn Orbit with the acrylic platter, or the Denon DP300F. Absolutely yes to the Rega Planar turntables, and if you're able to find those for as low as 250 to 300 (with nothing wrong), then you better grab a hold for dear life because that would be the steal of the century. Anything with the Rega name is definitely a premium table and typically much more pricy. Check Ebay, maybe someone is selling one for less money. They are belt drive turntables. The purists usually swear by belt-driven turntables rather than direct-drive. Good luck!
@@cjsvinyl Really appreciate you helping out sir. I'm from Guwahati, Assam (in India), where turntables and vinyl are hard to come by. So we have to always look online. I'll be keeping a screenshot of your reply. It will surely help. Just found out, Audio Technica has come out with LP120X, in which (they say) they have rectified most of their problems. Wonder how that would be. Anyway since you say it should be avoided, I'll take your advice. Do continue making such videos please. They really are helpful for music lovers like us. I've been collecting vinyl since 2012. Thanks. Cheers 😊🤘✌️
I am seriously considering buying an Audio Technica LP-120, and one of the main reasons is that the tonearm can be fully adjusted, calibrated. However, the demonstrable fact that the anti-skate adjustment mechanism does not even loosely work, if not exactly, is certainly something I must consider. There are at least 3 main adjustments, and measurements to make to a turntable that is audiophile, or very close to that category; the tracking force, the exact alignment of the phono cartridge, and if there is such a mechanism, the capability of a tonearm to be adjusted for anti-skating. Just where did the engineers go wrong on this semi-important capability? Furthermore, just how much money should be payed to purchase, and own a turntable, whether it is belt drive, or in this case direct drive, to have correct functionality, reasonable reliability, quality build, and be as precise as possible? In Canada the Audio Technica LP-120 is listed as $379, so how high should I pay? Remember, that's 379 dollars before the 13% sales tax! It is a bit ridiculous, because I have a Kenwood KD26R turntable bought in late 1987, with a phono cartridge that I replaced in 1997, Stanton L-700E. Very recently I replaced the stylus, works well. Only had it repaired once, did not use it much because I mostly listened to FM radio, cassettes, and more to CDs in the recent past; but my record player is still accurate for the low price that was payed. Therefore, it seems that well over $500, over $800 for a turntable has to be paid today!
I have an LP120 currently and I have had no noticeable issues with it. Keyword = noticeable. At the time, it was a good purchase considering my budget. Will I want to upgrade in the future, yes. Is it good enough considering how much I actually play my records? Currently, yes. If I had records going all day, every day I would consider getting an upgrade a more immediate priority. Maybe it's not the best turntable, but it's far from the worst. I can see a Denon or Technics player for me in the far future though.
This entire video would be very helpful for you, but the most vital part of it is the first 20 seconds: ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html and if it can happen to one, statistically world-wide it's already happened to many. So no, it's not a good purchase for the money even if it hasn't happened to you. It's a company that cuts numerous corners, and it's a garbage product. Not an opinion, only a fact.
@@cjsvinyl That really blows... Like really blows... The funny thing is, mine came with a lifetime warranty from BestBuy but I have no earthly idea where the receipt is. That being said, if my record player does go out I will probably just save up for a Technics or a Denon.
@@Cognazzo95 It's not fun, and you're witnessing first hand how I ended up getting screwed by AT. In terms of BB's warranty, that sounds like an incentive for Best Buy to cash in on more sales, but also known as total BS. Not you saying it, but Best Buy's so called life-long promise to you. I have known Best Buy for a long time, and that doesn't seem like something they would do for anyone, but a "promise" to fulfill in order to make more sales definitely sounds like them. Look into used options too. Our SL-1200 was purchased used from Japan. Otherwise, consider other used vintage options like Thorens TD 160, or if you want a Technics, but one that's not as expensive as the SL-1200, look at the SL-1400 here: www.ebay.com/itm/124695434141?hash=item1d086d539d:g:84gAAOSwqclghDU6 There's so many options.
@@cjsvinyl Thank you very much for the information. I will definitely keep it in mind when I upgrade in the hopefully not so distant future. I just graduated so funds are limited. I don't know if I mentioned or not, but I don't actually play my vinyl super often. I do it here and there, so I don't think the AT120 is terrible temporarily. That being said, it's ridiculous that, at the price, they have tendencies to break down so easily or not function as they should (as you demonstrated with the anti-skate). It's genuinely hard to find good electronics these days. You think you do your research and that you made a prudent purchase, only to be disappointed in a few months... maybe a couple years (if your lucky).
Yet another solid unbiased review. I stand by my 30 year old Dual turntable, unfettered by all the "newbie" must haves. It is a pure, problemless turntable for me. Granted, vinyl collecting and playing has now become the "in" hobby , for so many of we baby boomers, this was how we received our music enjoyment, and still do. It wasn't a "hobby" but a necessity. Still, we did want better systems as studio recording techniques were advancing beyond our parents older systems. We weren't a "vinyl community" but a population. In any event, as with modern automobiles, too much tech doesn't necessarily mean refinement, but more problems. Another popular vinyl chanel swears by this Audio Technica- fully. Seriously, I suspect paid endorsements for this and other products. Not that I considered replacing my Dual with Audio Technica, I'm glad for your review, had I gotten weak kneed!
I don't doubt it. A lot of people stand behind Audio Technica products like the LP120 and very possibly even more behind the LP60. Heck, so did we, until we started seeing significant problems arising from them. We just have more than several records in our collection that we cannot afford to replace, and we have to make sure our latest turntable will cradle them gently, and properly so we can enjoy them for years to come.
I have this model, with all its flaws... about a year ago, I replaced it with a 37 year old Technics SL-3200. No flaws. No motor noises or warped platter. I keep the AT120 on a shelf, maybe for a future utilization. But really, I prefer use the old Technics.
I had a similar turntable under Reloop brand. Actually made on the same basic hanpin model. Tonearm lifter broke after few weeks of use, motor made strange noise when I was cleaning the record, also the motor is weak, tonearm is partly made out of hollow plastic with plastic bearings. AS don`t exist, even when I set it at maximum, nothing happened with a tonearm. After a lot of anger with it, I replaced it with 37 years old Siemens RW 555. It is sturdy turntable with MDF plinth, heavy platter, tonearm made of metal and it also have automatics. This model was made by Micro Seiki and it works great, without any problems. My conclusion is that modern turntables maybe look great, but those under 800-1000 EUR won`t work and are just plastic toys. Ok you can find cheaper Rega tables, which will work, but how long? 37 years? I doubt.
Hi Chad. I have seen 2 different recent top 10 USB turntable reviews that both rated this model #1. Yet In the "cons" sections one stated that digital conversions are "Hit or Miss" and the other said that digital conversions are "More Miss than Hit". How can they do a review that focuses on USB and then say that #1 has problems with digital conversions? Just wanted to know if you had any thoughts on this subject. Did you ever have problems ripping your vinyl with the AP-120-USB ? I did have my mind made up to buy this unit. Now, not so sure.
Hey friend. I have used the USB port several times on our channel, but I mostly recorded with the audio cables straight into a composite to 1/8" adapter for my recording because I firmly believe the quality is better than USB. The reality is, no one needs a USB turntable to digitally convert to your computer, and I've done a video on that here: ruclips.net/video/aMG0q5MSwBs/видео.html however, I'm going to advise against the LP120 for every good reason, but the biggest reason is because of the first 30 seconds of this video right here: ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html There are so many better options for converting your records to digital it's ridiculous. I strongly urge against the LP120/x etc. etc.
@@cjsvinyl Thank You for taking the time to reply Chad. Back in the mid 2000's I was looking to set myself up using audio cables and then the Ion turntables came out and I just assumed the USB would be better and that's what I've been using ever since. I think I will see what I can rig up with what I have here. I do have several turntables layin' around. Mostly Technics but all at least 20 years old. I wonder how my Quartz SL-7 would work. I may still end up buying something new. I think I looked through this entire thread and saw all your recommendations but don't remember if you mentioned the Pioneer PLX-500. Would that be pretty much like the LP-120? I do want something that plays 78's. Thanks Again, Bob
@@discbreakrecords3311 I think any imitation table of the SL-1200 is a bad idea. That's impressive that your shellac records are in that good of shape. You'll need a 3 mil stylus to play 78's but I'm guessing you already know that. Check out the Denon DP 400-F for 78rpm playback. Unlike the 300-F, the 400 comes with a 78rpm playback feature. Either that or you could try to look for a used SL-1200 MK4 on EBay. The mark 4 was the only SL-1200 that had a 78rpm button built in.
@@cjsvinyl I only have a couple hundred 78's. All of which I found out in the wild. Some are like new, others somewhat less. I sell on Discogs. I do list rarer ones that may have noise so the main purpose of my YT channel is to give perspective buyers the oppertunity to see and hear what they are getting. I'm only doing 45's right now but might as well have the 78 option for the future. The Denon does look like a good choice.
Brought this as a replacement to a Denon DP300F for a few reasons. As mentioned in more recent posts the newer models have corrected the Anti-skate issue (which WAS an issue with my previous Denon). As for tone arm height adjustment I’m actually using the rubber mat from that older Denon (which was very thick) and hasn’t been had an issue as far as I can tell. The platter is not warped on mine (maybe AudioTechnica addressed that as well). As far as the motor noise - there is a slight hum that is noticeable in between tracks or if it’s spinning without the stylus on the album. However it is mostly audible to me when using headphones as opposed to my speakers (which you have to be actively looking to hear it). As for it being labeled a rip-off of the Technics SL1200 (which my old man owned a pair of back in the day), I believe some folks mentioned that it had nothing to do with patents running out (maybe it was VWestlife), there are a ton of models that have the exact same look in the market besides AudioTechnica (Reloop, Gemini, etc), so I don’t see why thats an issue from some people on here. I found the pitch/speed to be very accurate. The stock stylus & cartridge (AT95) to be adequate for the standard non-audiophile crowd. But overall I feel the video was spot on with the pre-2017 production date models and makes great points concerning the platter dampening and build quality not being on par with higher end units. But for the $250-300 price range and if you don’t care for auto features (auto return/stop) you really can’t go wrong.
I'm sure you performed the leveling procedure. I bet folks don't know the feet are adjustable. I had to raise the left side quite a bit. Also I performed a head alignment. Mine was off from the factory. This machine is far from entry level even with the stock green cartridge, it sounds very good.
I already checked everything with my level in advance and it was completely straight from all sides. If people would just watch my quick review of my Technics SL-1200, I performed the exact same Anti-Skate test with the same CD on the same surface and it worked flawlessly.
I have one that I no longer use on my channel as it has the flaws that you've pointed out: anti-skate, VTA, platter is not warped on mine, motor noise - YES! I didn't notice my motor noise until I bought my Bose Quiet Comfort II headphones. I only hear during the quiet passages between tracks and the run out. It's a pulsation noise and it's irritating. You're not going to hear the noise in the way you just demonstrated. I have a video of the issue with mine. I have several videos on my channel of the mods I've done to dampen just about everything I could to quieten the TT down. The very first mod I did was removing the built-in preamp. It did affect the sound quality, which some people dispute. I fixed the anti-skate issues by making my own weighted device and yes it works. The VTA issues can be fixed with adding dampening pads and/or adding in a wooden block between the headshell and cartridge (another video). Sounds all extreme, but it worked for me. I finally got sick of it after replacing the motor and still have the motor pulsation noise. In Dec of last year I broke down and bought a Rega Planar 2 and moved my AT-LP120 to my living room where I don't hear the noise that much like with my headphones. I have not and do not now recommend this TT to anyone. Invest in a better TT even if it means saving up some $$$ to get one.
Nice review. I just would like to hear your experience when comes to the built-in preamp. I heard people saying that you can't actually by pass it. Just curious to hear that from you... Cheers!!!
I never ended up removing the built in preamp. I had a feeling in the back of my mind that I would eventually be selling this table, so I don't have any experience in that area. Sorry man!
That actually is true, because of the way it was designed. You can switch it off, but the signal still goes through the same path, and is altered by the components in its way. So it actually affects the sound; it just doesn't amplify it. The only way to fix it is to completely remove it. For a lot of people, it does tend to sound better with it out, but then you lose your USB capabilities. Maybe one day Audio Technica will lean on Hanpin (the Taiwanese company that makes the turntable it's based on) to fix it; supposedly that's what Pioneer did with the PLX-500, which is mechanically similar. It does tend to sound better with the preamp shut off and going into an external one; maybe that might sound good enough to your ears.
That's where it would usually manifest....holding a video camera over the spinning platter isn't going to detect what a stylus in the groove would pick up.
i've recently (and i mean, recently, as in today) decided that i want to start collecting and playing vinyls, and my original choice was going to be the AT LP120 based on seeing many different people compliment and recommend it.. but this video definitely raises concerns, and makes me want to ensure that what i'm buying will last in the long-term and not damage the vinyls i want to use. the only other vinyl players i found that were within my price range ($400 CAD) and seemed like they would actually work well were the fluance rt80 / rt81. would you recommend one of these, or is there another model that you think would work better for a novice like myself?
Absolutely, and I'll give some suggestions in a second, but I would really like to address a couple things regarding your comment. There are multiple other people on RUclips who have been uploading videos about various problems with their LP120 long before me. You just have to search for the specific problems. Due to the overwhelming popularity of AT products, obviously a lot of people aren't going to like me saying ANYTHING negative against it, but this is not a realistic mentality for turntables like the LP60, and the LP120. When my wife and I returned to vinyl records, we had to buy a new turntable because at the time, we still had our records, but no turntable. EVERY single person we came in contact with told us to buy Audio Technica, and because we didn't do enough research, and couldn't find enough people being honest with us, we made the mistake of purchasing AT products, and we, along with some of our records, paid the price. What I'm trying to do now is be the best example that I can to help others that are wanting to get into the hobby. So yes, with a humble, and honest heart I'm going to advise against a company that spent many years ignoring problems with their products rather than attempting to fix them. Many people still swear that the newer turntables are perfectly fine, but a lot of them haven't had them long enough to really declare if that's accurate. If you want more information about my experiences, check out my two-part comparison vids. If you're not needing a DJ-style turntable, my suggestions would be to go with the Fluance RT-81, the U-Turn Orbit, or the Denon DP-300F. There's also nothing that says you have to go brand new. You have VAST fields of vintage, robust turntables that would last you a lifetime. Don't feel rushed either. I've been noticing too much pressure from people who feel they have to jump into this hobby quickly, and that's just a silly thing to act upon. I hope that's helpful, and if you have any other questions, just let me know.
@@cjsvinyl what about if we want stick with Technics SL1200 lookalike golden standard !? These new Technics are way too expensive, and this AT was nice replacement .. But if it is an roulette to buy it, what suppose to be an alternative ? In here in Indonesia to get Technics costs an arm and a leg ... :-D
I just got a Uturn Orbit and I love it. Base model is under $200usd, and getting a cue lever with it bumped it up to around $230. Its very simple and easy to use and sounds great.
Is the stock cartridge in this unit a moving magnet? Believe it's a GREEN 95E. Cause if it is NOT I was told I cannot use this with my AU-317 integrated amp? and help much appreciated. thanks
Mine has a noisy motor, the cueing lift just drops the stylus down with no damping, and the cueing light doesn't just pop up (needs a pull!). The anti-skate does work, but needs nearly twice the number indicated.(apparently AT had an upgrade for this.) Otherwise, it sounds good and I'm happy with that.
I have one of these and I do like it. It does always seem quiet though. I have it hooked up to a stereo receiver. I have a CD deck also hooked up. I will need to turn the volume up for the LP120 significantly higher just to get a similar level as the CD player. I'm not sure if I need to upgrade a few things.
Hello and thank you for explaining all of this. I have an oddball question. Would you pick this TT over a nice used Denon Dp Dj151? The Denon has a Stanton 500 set up and the At120 has a red Ortofon 2M set up. Thank you! 😎
Thank you for your gratitude. :) Are both of these used, and the seller is providing the option for the Ortofon 2M Red with the LP120? Typically the LP120's come with the AT-95e cart so I'm just curious. I wouldn't take either of them since they're imitations of the SL-1200. I started having even more problems with my LP120 since this video, and I had to pay in the range of 125.00 to ship it back to Audio Technica. To me, no AT product is worth it after what I, and many others have experienced. I have not used that particular Denon turntable, I know some products of theirs are good, but if it's an imitation turntable I've learned to stay clear of all of those. That's why I stopped kidding myself and just bought a used SL-1200 on EBay.
@@cjsvinyl no problem. The At120 is used and comes with the upgraded stylus and the Denon is used. It actually was one of the only other TT that gave the SL1200 and run for the money. Both are clean and work nicey. I jus can't decide at the moment. And screw that mailing back n forth stuff. I don't blame you for investing in the best and be done with basic. I have a lot to learn with needles also! Lol Thats another pain in da butttt 🙃 Take care man
When people ask me about this model, I tend to point them at the Fluance RT80 and RT81 instead. They have pretty much everything that's good about this unit, with way less of the bad. It's less expensive too.
So based on the experience of owning one LP120, you say the motor noise thing is a myth. Unbelievable. There's a reason that people say there's motor noise-because they have motor noise. Mine included, easily picked up by the stylus. It's so bad, I took it out of service. There are "solutions" online attempting to cure it. Didn't work for me.
And I shouldn't have given as much credit as I did to the LP120, and I was wrong for doing so. Back when I made this video, I knew I had multiple other problems with it, and if I made a video to solely roast the LP120, that I would most likely lose some credibility with the viewers, but through this video, I've learned that I shouldn't have been as neutral as I was. audio technica products are far worse than I could have ever imagined, and believe me when I say we couldn't have switched over to the Technics SL-1200 fast enough. We had initially put our faith in a company due to the *HIGHLY* acclaimed respect that audio technica products were given by people in the music industry, including friends around us. We should have done more research, and we ultimately ended up paying that price. You are 100% correct, it does have motor noise along with multiple other issues with anti-skate, VTA, electrical current, inconsistent pitch problems, and overall just shitty parts. I steer as many people as possible away from AT products to help them not make the same mistake that we did, and I'm embarrassed and ashamed that my wife and I ever took a chance with a company as bad as audio technica. Thank you for your comment.
I bought a LP120-USB (not the X!;) a week ago, at a clearance sale with a 100bucks discount, i paid 180bucks, and i´m very happy with it, the anti-skating on my spinner works fine, but the tonearn up down simply dropps down, not that smooth that yours do, i need to check this, also i rewired mine with a second pair of cable and a relay the cut out the audio electronics stuff entirely, and it sure makes a difference. Also i damped the platter with self adhesive bitumen in order to get rid of its anoing "ping" ;) And my unit doesn´t produce any noise from the motor and the platter is completely flat....it´s all about cooling during production, it they handle it too soon they turn wavy due to uneven cooing...quality control. But even then...it´s no comparisson to the dynamic balancing that DUAL did way back in the 70s they spinned every platter at a very high RPM to check for uneven rotation on any axis and corrected it, or, if too bad, they simply trashed them. I´m a DUAL fanboy since the 80s and have seven working spinners (1249,601,491A,1209,1218,1007,1008) and even more units in non-working condition....but i also want(ed) a 1210-alike simply for all my 12Inch maxis. Also i must admit that the factory settings had been no good at all, i recalibrated the entire moving parts, i needed to adjust the whole tonearm bearing plays and also the platter speeds internally, as it was not doing the 33 1/3 and nor the 45 right, even with the "quartz" engaged. But i thing that´s where we need to distinguish between copies and origins and why a original SL12xx does go for several hundrets of bucks more than this LP120...quality control.
The cueing lever issue is known, but there's a simple fix: Lock your tonearm in the rest position, then leave the cueing lever in the UP position overnight. The problem fixes itself.
I purchased it 4 years ago because I was planning to convert all my Grandfather vinyls collection into MP3 for him. I never noticed the antiskate was not functioning until I saw a RUclips about LP60 review. And I tried the same test on my LP120, it was disappointing. For all my precious vinyl records sake, I sent it back to Audio Technica service center in Singapore due to where I'm staying is closer. Got fixed it, sort of.... did notice sound significantly improved though.
What are your thoughts on the Fluance RT-81? I'm still deciding between the Fluance RT-81, Rega Planar 1 or a used Technics SL-1210MK2 from a local shop near my area.
Those are all solid choices! Obviously the Fluance line is affordable, modern TT's that work and feel like vintage ones. I especially appreciate your interest in the Rega Planar and Technics SL-12XX line. If my wife and I didn't go the direct drive route with the SL-1200, we would have definitely gone with the Rega Planar 2 or 3, but the Planar 1 is still a Rega Planar TT so you can't really go wrong. Extreme Audio quality, and designed to last 40+ years. Same with the Technics SL-12XX series. Whether you consider the SL-1200, the 1210, and any mark whether the MK2, 3, 4, 5, 6, G-series, etc. they were all built as solid tanks with small changes over time. As far as a local shop, I can't attest to that since I'm not familiar with it, or how much they are asking. Ideally, a record shop is looking to make a larger profit from turntable products. I know some around here that over-charge, which was why I went the EBay route.
what is better, the new LP120 or the old one that you have? The new one doesn't have adjustable tone arm height, and the LED light isn't spring loaded. It just seems like they cut corners, but maybe its better? I actually got this old version on accident in an open box sale mishap, but considering sending it back. But now that i look at the new model i kinda am thinking of keeping it. What would you do?
Neither is better, they're both garbage. As far as LED light, I think you mean the target light near the middle of the deck, not the LED on the far left. Audio Technica in general cuts corners. It doesn't matter if you go for the LP60, or the LP140xp, AT is just not worth it to me anymore based on all of the problems I ran into over time. There's a lot of other affordable options like the Fluance RT-82, the Denon DP-300F, or if you aim a little higher, the Project Debut Carbon. However, if you really want to take things serious and invest in true quality, you could search for used options like we did for a Rega Planar turntable, or a Technics SL-1200.
@@cjsvinyl I do a DJ night with guest DJ's and we all share the same decks. I have a LP140x and a LP120classic, but the 120 I could send it back and get my money back, but I'd be waiting another month or so for a new version replacement because if you haven't noticed turntables are GONE and people are price gouging. I'm keeping the 140, i like it and it suits my needs, but the old LP120 seems fine but it came with a couple defects that I can easily fix, but I also just realized it has a bent needle and may just send it back instead of buying a new needle. The backup turntable i'd be dealing with is a beat up punkrock ION lol...
Got rid of mine, the only reason, unstable speed when trying to mix. Other than that i did like them, but too frustrating when you're mashing it up and the speed decides to wander on its own accord. Oh, and i did sort the anti skating out on them, took them apart and swapped the spring out for a stiffer one, as thats the cause of it, too weak of a spring that has no effect.
@Mythbuster Series Yes, I spoke with Tom and at first he seemed confused about the new spring, so he had to call me back after verifying that information. He said they always had a replacement spring available for purchase, but I specifically mentioned that this was supposedly a spring that has just come out this year and resized to fix the Anti-Skate, and he simply said, "We have a spring that we can sell you, but no instructions to install it. You would have to install it yourself or send your turntable back to us for the repair." I'm doing my own research at this point to see if it's even worth it, since we've upgraded to the Technics SL-1200.
Cj's Vinyl I have the newer model has the correct spring. The light problem has also been corrected. I have the SL 1200 GR also. Also have a Pure Audio turntable that i got 2010, it's the one with the dust cover. I can't have anything open here too much dust in this house. Been using heat which is hot air makes the dust blow around more. I like both of those professional turntables . I use AT95 for both. I like the 95 because I play 78 3 mil grove width . I can't do that with the 2 speed Pure Audio.
@@russredfern167 thanks for comment. I mentioned that a lot of people claim about 2017 model (which was improved), but did not find info how to differentiate when buying. Is there any visual difference which will help to identify fast?
This video was initially designed to be a neutral (fair) video toward the LP120 so to not seem as if I was only bashing it. While I may not have seen some of the same issues in my own turntable during the making of this video, it was not long after that I experienced considerably worse issues with the LP120. Not only is this turntable "not really for my wife and I anymore", but it really is garbage not worthy of anyone's purchase. If you haven't seen Part 2 of my comparison video, you should watch it before you compliment any part of this turntable.
Great review. Appreciate the honesty. I did see another review where they upgraded the counterweight for a heavier one directly from AT along with 2 other quick upgrades like the cartridge. I'm thinking that being this is a budget table, some upgrades would improve it's performance.
@@R.Es1 Very interesting. I've never heard of upgrading something like the counterweight and I'm struggling to see how that would do anything. I only say that because balancing the tonearm based on weight would still come in the same in the end. If you want to upgrade the tonearm, to me that would be the big changer because then you're cutting back on vibration. Definitely upgrading your cartridge will make a world of difference. Audio quality is obviously a concern, but it's not my biggest. My biggest concerns are: 1) Start/Stop button malfunctioning, 2) Improper or no anti-skate function, 3) Improper V.T.A., 4) Preamp filters, 5) Motor hum All reasons I decided to just pitch the Chinese junk and embrace the real thing with a used SL-1200 from Ebay.
I’m glad I watched this I was so close to buying two of these. I will have to do a bit more research. Could you recommend any around the same price range?
I take it you're planning on two because you're a DJ? If that's the reason, just get two used SL-1200's on Ebay. Here's a nice pair of MK2's for 320.00 a piece: www.ebay.com/itm/technics-sl-1200-mk-2/312856143024?hash=item48d7ade4b0:g:TacAAOSwWnRd14wb Here's a single MK2 for 350.00: www.ebay.com/itm/Technics-SL-1200-MK2-Direct-Drive-Turntable-rare-in-Very-Good-Condition-Japan/202978442472?epid=22035691242&hash=item2f42753ce8:g:~KwAAOSwY5pem-Ol
Motor Noise - Its not THAT motor noise. Put a record, put the volume LOUD, put the needle/stylus in the outer edge... you will hear a brzrzrrzrrzrrzrrrzrzrrr before the music comes in. That is the motor noise. How does this matter if I never play THAT LOUD? It smears the image and reduces clarity.
Bastian Ullr Because it effects the overall sound quality. A basic Pro Ject with a 2 M blue is a eye opener. Almost perfect instrumental separation and drop down even with heavy metal.
Hm... Keith, you really got me lost here. I answered my own rhetorical question I believe. A basic Pro-Ject has quite a bit of motor noise too. They get better upstream, especially the RPM series, which allow the detachment of the motor from the whole plinth. I do not like ortophon... they are very accurate but very dry.
I think that the motor noise is related to the fact that it is direct drive. But you will also hear it with cheap belt drives. All my Dual players do have it, belt drive or direct drive. But none of my Thorens does have it. And they are all belt drives but much more expensive. But most of the time the rumble as it was called in the past is much much less than most of my records!!
There are good Direct drive quiet designs, thinking of most of Denon quartz by example, or the technics SL-1***. As a matter of fact, the AT LP1240 has lot less noise, but it has some sort of electrical buzz on the signal path. But I mean, all those nuances are negligible under many circumstances. Most of the people that come to my home wouldn't sit down to actually listen, nor care for the imaging. I am pretty sure most will be happy with most current standards of Vynil reproduction at an entry level (not cheap toy level that would destroy records... but decent entry level). Taking care of having the noise out, noticing improvements on dynamics and imaging is for freaks. Well, and there are some freaks out there, and is up to them to persue what they feel is worth. But certainly, is a matter of taste, habits, and priorities that not all of us share.
I bought this turntable primarily because I needed the 78 rpm speed. It also plays my 45s well, which is another reason I gave up my vintage turntables. They didn't like the stereo 45s. Now there is no skipping and my 78s are happy. And so am I. Btw, I have a Rega Planar 3 for my 12" albums with Sumiko Blue Point Special cartridge.
I don't know, I took a look at your channel and your subscriptions and I'm questioning the valididty of your comment. I'm wondering if this is another burner account trying to support the LP120 by _"getting another voice in."_ If you have a Rega Planar 3 you are 100% able to play your 45s on that with zero problems. You said you gave up on vintage turntables for 78rpm playback, but why not just use a Thorens TD series turntable? They play all three speeds, and are galaxies ahead of the LP120. Plus, what shellac records do you own that are still able to play without problems, and what cartridge are you planning on using with your LP120 to play those 78s?
I just bought the LP120. When I plug it into my Mac using the USB cable there is an audible high pitch digital wine on the quieter songs or in between songs. You can hear the sound in the recording on Audacity too. This disappears when I plug directly into my Yamaha mixer. Do you know what is causing the wining sound?
To start troubleshooting, plug in the left and right audio cables from the LP120 into the Y adapter that came with the table, then plug the 3.5mm end into a Line-In port on your mac and try recording with audacity that way to see if the wining sound goes away. If you do not have a line-in port, hover over your volume icon at the top taskbar area press and hold Alt then Left Click. Select Input for Line. This method is only if you have a headphone jack. Try that and let me know if that doesn't do it. But if it works, then you know something is wrong with the USB connection/cable. You may need to alter your Audacity settings.
The LP120 is just a cheap MK2 knockoff, but you’ve gotta start somewhere and if that’s all you can afford to get started you shouldn’t hesitate to pick one up. If you decide that listening to and collecting vinyl records is more than just a passing faze in your life than you can start investing more money into high quality equipment.
Yes, people do have to start somewhere, and I wish I had more people directing me away from Audio Technica, but I didn't. That was their mistake for telling me that, and it was my mistake for believing it was a good product. It's never worth it to have something destroy records as well as the start/stop button shorting out: ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html That is especially unforgivable if you're at a professional event like DJing at a club or worse, a wedding and your LP120 decides to stop functioning. Starting somewhere better, or as I like to say the only correct place where I have nothing to fear, is the Technics SL-1200. I wish I had just gone with that from the beginning and that would have been my starting point. People need to use their voices to help people, not make things worse just to help a company that cuts corners left and right so they can make even more money than they already have.
i have the Lp 60 i’ve been collecting vinyls for about 2 yrs and haven’t had any problems thus far. should i wait until i have a reason to upgrade or is this good for now? i plan on upgrading in the future just not sure when
I’m currently using a Pioneer PL-990, just for listening to records. It’s sounds great but I keep seeing this one pop up, is it worth upgrading? Will I hear a difference?
In my personal experience I got an AT-LP120 and the anti skating was not working and the motor was very noisy. I got it replaced and on the second one the anti skating was functioning well and the motor was less noisy (unless you touch the platter, in that case both sounded like a train on tracks). On both the LP120 the platter dots were not still and at 33 RMP the rotation was slower that it was supposed to (the dots were slowly going backwards). No problems at 45 RPM. Nothing really BAD for a 250 euros/dollars turntable, but if you are buying it for listening use, consider that the main reason to get a direct drive turntable is to get a perfectly constant rotation, failed by this LP120 (for the same price there are lots of belt driven or direct drive turntables that have way less features but have a better sound). While if you are buying it as a dj deck, it works pretty well if you are a beginner and you want to experience how a turntable works, but keep in mind that it is made out of plastic and on big sound systems it resonates.
Motor noise shows up in your system as a hum at full volume with no music on. If you are trying to get your noise floor to zero move your phono preamp it's too close to your turntable and will pickup noise from it. I was trying to get mine to zero and accidentally moved my phono pre to the other side of a large heavy dac and poof the noise floor was unmeasurable
I made 3 needle drops, one a Technics sl1400 Pro Ject Debut and this turntable. All with the same cart. It was very easy telling which one was the weakest, thinnest sounding. The Audio Technica was by far the thinnest sounding by far..
Yes, that statement was supposed to be a non-hateful, (neutral expression) explaining that we're not really interested in the LP120 anymore. Our channel aside, there's multiple other channels that have downplayed the LP120 based on their units acting up as well. People have known about this for a while, and other popular RUclips channels that still recommend it are of course going to go with any turntable that has, and is still currently "The Rage" because they know that's what other people want to hear. I try to give people the truth based on my first hand experience, but people would rather just hear what they want to hear. I can't do anything about that.
Just do yourself a favor and stay away from Audio Technica no matter which turntable you're considering. I don't know your budget, but if you're definitely considering brand new, look at the U-Turn Orbit with the acrylic platter and a good cartridge. IE, at the very least, the Nagaoka MP-110 or higher _(I would go higher)_ but again, I don't know your budget. If you're okay going used, then you could get a much higher quality turntable.
The anti-skate issue was also present in the Technics SL1200 which I own. If you don't increase the anti skate a little higher than the tracking force it will tend to skate.
I also own the Technics SL-1200 and I've never experienced that. I've checked this on multiple settings with the LP120 as well, but it still skates to the center.
I have been considering upgrading my ATLP60X to one of these but now I'm having my doubts. The Pioneer PLX1000 costs Twice as much as this ATLP120X. Is the Pioneer that much better? Also I was told all of these turntables we're made at the same manufacturing facility overseas.
You sound like you're wanting a DJ-style turntable. So just do what we did and buy a used Technics SL-1200. A used SL-1200 is still better than any LP120, Pioneer PLX1000, or any other 1200 imitator deck. For the cost of a brand new PLX1000, you could get a really nice used SL-1200. Who cares if it's brand new. You want something that's going to go the distance with strength and reliability. That's an SL-1200
Thank you for your informative video, you gave me strong doubts but I still ended up ordering one. I was looking for a decent starter record player and saw these out at some record shops. I might have gone with the Fluance rt81, but those are hard to get in Europe. Since there is still a lot of people who are crazy about the LP120(x), I figured it can't be a horrible decision to get one myself. I did try to find a model that would be better for the same budget, but only found more minimalistic looking players, usually without built in pre-amp. I know that those are probably "better", but ultimately I had to ask myself if I wanted to spend more for a record player that I will probably enjoy less.
Actually in Part 2 of my comparison vid, I demonstrate how the Start & Stop button completely goes out on me, and then I had to ship it back to Audio Technica for repairs. I gave the LP120 too much credit in this video. Whatever people do with their money is their decision. Like you mentioned, your purchase was based on popularity. I thought the LP120 was a good turntable as well, but in several months it started acting up, and then it completely went out on me for no reason. All I can do is try to help people dodge those problems, the rest is up to them.
@@cjsvinyl Hope I don't run into problems like those. It seems like a good majority does enjoy this product for what it is, I hope to be part of that group. I will be holding on to the guarantee though.
No, not all of them, but that's probably the same case with some of the original LP120's. Just because mine was total crap, doesn't mean ALL of them will be, but that's not the point. Even a large percentage, (and there is definitely a large percentage) that are flawed is already too much.
@@dudethatsclassic No, they definitely have not. There's comments on this video, and others that have uploaded videos showing first hand that it has not been resolved. Some LP120x turntables still have problems. Maybe not all, but still plenty that don't work. That's enough that the risk is not worth it.
@@dudethatsclassic I hope yours stays that way for the long run. It's hit or miss enough for me that I bought a used SL-1200. It's day and night difference and I should have just gone for the SL-1200 from the beginning. Thinking I could cheat it by buying the LP120 I was only kidding myself. No imitation turntables anymore for me. The SL-1200 is the one and only, real godfather of all direct drive decks that started it all. The LP120 and many others wouldn't even be here if it weren't for the SL-1200.
Because of the issues with the tonearm in this model, I've decided to downgrade the cartridge to a conical/spherical one...for me its the Audio Technica 3600. Even with their heavier VTF, conical styli are known to cause less wear, and be less picky about setup and alignment. To my ear, the sound is still very good.
I am on my 2nd AT LP 120 usb, I got the later run due to the issues with the noisy motor and the anti skate. With my new at lp 120 I did find the issues where rectified. Very happy with this turntable, way better than the AT LP 120 X.
Mine suffers from both motor noise and a warped platter. Surprisingly, I haven't had an issue with tone arm angle. The motor noise is probably the biggest complaint I have with mine. It's a good unit, but still...
1. Tonearm height: You're absolutely right. I had incorrectly assumed that the pre-mounted Audio Technica cartridge had taken into consideration the tonearm height, stylus overhang, etc. - evidently not! An impossible lower height adjustment is required even for the included AT cartridge (assuming that a level arm & cartridge during playback is the correct state for the correct stylus angle, which may or may not be true, but usually is). I inserted two basically never-played LPs between the platter and the AT felt platter mat, and the tonearm now looks as level as can be to my eyes. The added height still allows the stylus to clear the LP surface (even 180 gram vinyl) when using the cuing lever.
Because *my wife* and I both own the LP120. Using singular possession technically works, but it also implies that it's mine, and since it belongs to the two of us, I prefer to use plural form. I'm glad you like your LP120, as I said in the video it's a decent turntable for the money.
I've always had SLs, and have just picked up a mk7. To be honest, this deck, for manual direct drive is incredible value if that's how far u can go. Not sure how u can gey motor noise from this mechanism, would be more likely bearing/shaft issue. Seems start pretty fast as well. Nice vid 👍
The claim being made is that it has, but mine took about 6 months before it went out. Due to 10+ years of such shotty products, I wouldn't put any further faith in AT to have fixed everything now when there's multiple areas beyond anti-skate that are still significant problems. There are so many better, more affordable options out there.
I don't get why people are freaking out about your CD method of testing the anti skate. The whole point of anti skate is it wouldn't go towards the center of the platter. I'm not sure if you are aware, but with the new Lp120x model, audio-technica redesigned the anti-skate feature of the table so it is now working as it should. So for anyone who wants to buy the new lp-120x, even though they have similar names, the anti skate issue mentioned here is not a problem for that model.
It may work with some, but it's not working with all of them, which means there's still a lot more than you think that aren't working. I've found other accounts who have made videos about their lp120x anti-skate not working.
About the motor noise, it's weird. Mine used to be silent but I once removed the platter and then put it back, and this time it was noisy. I must have done something wrong I guess. It's not loud but I can definitely hear the motor spinning now...
CJ: Good review & comments - I learned some things about this turntable that I've owned for about a year. I'd like to add a few comments (pro and con) on some of the points raised to further the discussion a bit.
When I had an AT LP120 for a week it ABSOLUTELY had motor noise transmitted to the needle through the speakers in quiet sections. Was returned immediately. Quality control issues with this turntable are terrible. Not a good buy for anyone.
Sorry to hear yours did it. Yours was definitely a defect to have it happen that quickly, because the proof is in this video and we've had ours for more than a year at this point.
I had one that had the motor noise. I exchanged it for another that also had it. I checked the display model at the store, and it was present there too. A good friend of mine bought one a little while ago, and his has it as well. I think that it's present across the board. I have a suspicion that the conflicting reports have to do with the other components down stream, or even the ear of the listener in some cases. But who knows. All I know is that it was intolerable to me on all four of the units I tested, and I was happy to see it go.
@@nighmeansnear Well, not every single 120. Mine doesn't, and I know other people who own this table and theirs is silent as well. Sounds like a select amount may have, but we've never had that issue. Plus, as you can see and hear, it's not present on ours.
@@marcelbr815 That's why you purchase a rock solid turntable that was built like a tank. IE, the Technics SL-1200. We upgraded to a used MK5, which at most would be close to 17 years old so far, and it's running beautifully. People also still swear by their original MK2's that released in 1979. You just have to find the brand that was designed to last. We made the mistake of trusting Audio Technica, but we learned from our mistakes, and now we're Technics all the way.
Not that I'm aware of. Those Denon turntables seem to be really nice for the most part. Denon is a good name, and I've frequently recommended the Denon DP-300F to many inquiring minds.
I’ve never heard any motor noise, and my target light goes all the way up, and ive had mine for about 3 months. the only problem ive had with the turntable is that it takes about 1.5 seconds for a warped record to get to the correct speed
I've had turntables that the numbers on the anti skate are off.i used a test record with a blank space to adjust it. I heard that people completely removed the preamp. Even when it's switched off, you're not getting a pure signal, it still goes through the circuitry. I almost purchased one until I heard of all the problems.
For any people that don't know how anti-skate works, I will eventually put a detailed video together on this, but in the meantime to see proof that a CD is a correct method of testing anti-skate, click this link: ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html I strongly urge people to properly educate yourselves before jumping to conclusions and commenting on this video. In the past I was always supportive of anyone getting into vinyl records, but I've been learning for the first time lately that MANY people need to just stick with digital.
No matter what you did the anti-skate didn't work anyway on AT-LP120
But in Teckhnics worked perfectly
I "fixed" antiskate issue with lp120usb by lowering the front by about 3/16 inch and set number to 7.
If you want LP120, buy a newest 120X. Anti-skating is working now and many also detachable RCA connectors and ground connector is present
Plus you can now actually bypass the internal preamp without having to completely remove it from the table itself
I got rid of my LP120s and bought a pair of the LP1240s. I am not disappointed, vastly superior in pretty much every way. I picked up the pair direct from Audio technica UK, and at £200 each, brand new in a box, that is a bargain i couldnt say no too.
I’ve had my Audio Technica ATLP120USB since Christmas of 2018, been having no issues except for the faint motor noise. I’ve enjoyed that turntable ever since
Exact same situation here, besides the motor noise. Only issue I had was needing to replace the dampening fluid for the tonearm dropper. Everyone I see elsewhere loves this turntable so this whole video and comments section just feels like an echo-chamber of anti-LP120 hate.
The biggest bummer for me is that I purchased this years ago and still have not been able to make use of it AT ALL.
I purchased mine around 2011-2014 era...and I feel I need a complete college course to no all the in's and out's...LOL, but I feel your pain..LOL;-)..but what really pisses me off about this unit is that it is 100% MANUAL< and the tone arm does NOT return after playing an LP.
I'd say the best choice for this money is to get a good used vintage Technics turntable, in my case I was able to get a Technics SL 1800 for $220 at my local record store. Extremely solid metal build quality, no anti skate problems, pitch is adjustable and consistent, comes with a great rubber mat, and you're pretty much guaranteed to have it last a long time.
There's no question about it, you *ARE* guaranteed with as robust as these things are. We got ours shipped over from Japan. 220.00 at your local record store is pretty rare man. You don't hear of too many people just waltzing into a shop and picking one up for dirt cheap. Very nice!
i've had this turntable for about 3 years now and still works as good as the day i got it. the anti skate on mine and height adjustment never worked on mine either, but it still plays the records great and never had any real issues with it. alot of DJ's go after this one because it's almost a replica of the classic technics turntable, so maybe it gets messed up after a bunch of dj sessions or something? i use it just for playing records and have had no issue.
I'm not a DJ either, only casual listening. I have only used this for about 8 months and the Start/Stop button completely went out on me. This turntable was never bumped, dropped or even scratched. It still looks brand new. I now have to ship it back to Audio Technica for repairs.....and THAT is only one reason it's better to spend more and use a Technics SL-1200 like we do now. That turntable actually works the way it's supposed to unlike the LP120.
@@cjsvinyl wow, maybe i just got a good one or something. mines been working 3 years
Our LP's deserve the absolute best, and we want a real Hi-Fi experience, otherwise there's no point. Our Technics SL-1200 is perfectly built and perfectly functioning regardless of the fact that it's *16 years old* Check back with me in another 25 years and we'll see which turntable is still running the way it should.
Never had any motor noise on mine whatsoever. I'm not kidding myself that it's some high end, uber audiophile turntable. Equally, I think calling it "entry level" is completely inaccurate
It's a $300 turntable. Entry level would be the LP60 or possibly the base package of the Orbit (though that's head and shoulders above the LP60). You have to also bear in mind it's a direct drive DJ table, not a delicate belt drive where you have to faff around with changing the belt just because you want to listen a 45 instead of a 33.
Oh completely agreed! I never said or would claim that the LP120 is an entry level TT. The LP60 is definitely entry level, or just good for people returning to the hobby that are casual listeners. Also agreed about the belt vs direct drive tables. We prefer the robust build of a good direct drive system. Most of our records are 33's, we only have a few 45's. Thanks for commenting!
@@cjsvinyl Sorry, I was directing that at one or two other comments on here, not at you!
@@cjsvinyl what can you recommend as a cheaper alternative to the Technics SL 1200 turntable that you can fully address the anti skating and tonearm vertical alignment. Virtually almost the same as the Technics, only cheaper.
@@bpabustan The only other direct drive systems that I researched in the past aside from the Audio Technica LP120 and 1240 was the Stanton t92, t150, Pioneer PLX 500, and 1000, Reloop RP6000, Numark tt250, Gemini PT2000, and the Vestax PDX3000 and none of them held a candle to the Technics SL-1200. No matter how many other brands want to imitate it, there's only one SL-1200. I can't recommend any other direct drives to you in good conscience, but I can highly recommend the U-turn Orbit, and the DenonDP300F if you'll consider quality belt drive decks that won't break the bank.
I'm my experience, I cannot say something that is meant to destroying records is even entry level, such as the LP60.
Entry level of something that can give you a glimpse of good music, and can help you to explore the pieces you like with out causing harm, that's probably a real tool and carries its purpose as intended. Thus, LP120 would be an entry level.
It's an ok turntable, yes. But is through the improvement of the system that one can start experiencing the limitations and issues this one has. I had it years ago thinking any turntable over $500 was BS for people with a big budget and nothing to spend their money on.
Well, I discovered I was wrong, and it highly depends on what equipment you have, what are your listening habits, and what is your allowance. So based on those things is when you should chose this TT, or look some place else. I'd recommend it, although I already moved forward long time ago.
Great, Helpful points here !!!! Thanks !!!!....I'm just an ol'schooler that just wants to here my vintage LPs again that I have hung onto all these years and some I picked up along the way recently....The AT-LP120-USB was my choice of turntable because of its features including the pitch control which has way more range than the belt-driven Sony PS-LX350H (Which I also have) or the Technics 1200. It's (lp120) stll a better table than what we had back in the day pertaining to "Consumer" use, Not hard-core dubbing/mixing or the DJ wannabes ! I probably won't ever use the USB function but if needed, Its there. Lots of people just want to spin their vintage vinyls, Not get into the seriousness of technological advances. Motor noise???...Back in the day, We had Tesco, Philco, Montgomery Ward Airline, Zenith, Craig, Garrard and you name it...ALL had noise of some sort INCLUDING the early technics but it was expected and didn't effect overall sound quality as we weren't the MOST DEMANDING CONNOISSEURS back then so these Audio-Technica tables today are BMWs' by comparison with what we were brought up on and that is good enough for most of us !!!...ITS NOT THAT SERIOUS...TO EACH HIS/HER OWN relating to these negative comments regarding the Audio-Technica at-lp120-usb....Thank you for your quality video Man...Good, Helpful Stuff !!!👍👍👍👍👌👌👌👌
Twilight, Well said! Thank you for this comment, I swear some of the video reviews I've watched (Not this one) act like if the turntable isn't absolutely as good sounding as a CD it's junk. I'm scratching my head thinking "Did I miss something here" I thought it was a record player, lol.
I've heard that it had anti-skating issues, but that has apparently been fixed. I bought my LP120 this spring, and its anti-skating is actually stronger than expected. With the counterweight set to 1.9, I had to set anti-skating to 1.3 for the stylus to stay in place on a CD.
Hopefully it lasts for you. The bigger problem is that a company would let this slide at all, affecting millions of other buyers. That already speaks volumes about Audio Technica.
I can second that the anti skate issue has been fixed. My counter weight is set to 2g checked with a scale to be certain and my anti skate is on about 1.5 and the tone arm dose not move on a cd. At 2 on the anti skate the tone arm will move outward and at one it will skate inward. I do wish that they would fix the tone arm height issue though.
I have two lp 120’s. Both platters are slightly warped and the anti skate doesn’t work at all :( Bought mine about 3 years ago
Kyle Burton How do you know you're getting a model that is fixed?
@@adamclaussen4910 Exactly, and you know there was no recall on all of the bad ones, so there's still millions of these out on the shelves all over the world.
Nice review. I became aware of the antiskate problem after I bought it. Mine, in short time, completely quit working. Maybe it was always like that. I never detected any motor noise with the supplied AT 95 cartridgebut I made the mistake of upgrading cartridge to a Grado Blue Prestige. The sound was better but that particular cartridge picked up motor noise thru the stylus and/or the platter and it was quite obvious between tracks and quiet passages. While this was probably more a problem with my choice of the Grado, when you added the two conditions of the motor being right below the platter and also the Grados reputation for picking up hum, I ended up getting a different TT. Well done...
Same here my friend. Upgraded to the Technics SL-1200 MK5. Sorry to hear of your troubles as well, but thank you for commenting.
I would rather have a AT LP120 than no turntable. Not a bad entry level TT though there are probably better for the price when it come purely to sound quality. However the Techniques you are getting is a great choice. Look forward to seeing some video with it.
I have a non-USB version, purchased in June 2007. I paid $180 including shipping. I think that's about the right price for this model.
Height: Use a thick rubber mat. VTA is Not as critical as many believe, but it should of course be within an acceptable range.
Platter: Mine is nicely flat. A thick rubber mat greatly reduces ringing, although it doesn't entirely eliminate the problem.
Anti-skating: On mine, there is some outward force even with the knob set at zero, which is where I leave it.
Preamp: I completely disconnected it and added a ground wire.
Motor noise: I have heard none.
Cartridge: I have never put the supplied ATP-2 on the arm. I already had a Shure M91ED mounted on a shell, so I started with that.
My main use for this 'table is playing shellac records that call for odd speeds. For other discs, I still prefer my idler-drive Duals.
Just purchased a 120 direct drive mine plays great and it has excellent sound quality
Hopefully it stays that way.
Finally someone talks. For the same money or a bit more you could get a beautiful Pro-Ject or Rega that will work much better. Yeah they don't have all the buttons but they have one job (play 33s and 45s and they do it well). The built quality is lacking when you can buy thick MDF TTs for about the same price.
I appreciate your support. I've been getting a ton of hatred just for trying to help people. I'm in complete agreement with you, and I had to learn from my mistakes, but the important thing is that I learned and moved forward. Like you said, it is all about the upgrade and understanding how to manage your money. That's what we did in order to upgrade to the Technics SL-1200. So glad we did.
I've had my 120 since 2013, no issues yet. Believe me, I got my money's worth out of it. Next one will be something in the same price range, possibly a U-Turn. Basically I just want something to play my records on that works for me. Have the AT-100e cartridge on it tracking at 1.4.
How many units have you tested? Do you think you have enough data/evidences ?
First hand experience: 5 different units
Evidence provided from feedback: 3 friends, 6 posts on Audiokarma, 13 posts on Vinyl Engine, 5 posts on Steve Hoffman forums, and I lost count with the countless multitude of users on RUclips that have said their lp120 crapped out on them....so yeah. Pretty sure I have enough data and evidence. Chinese manufactured versus Japanese there's not much more evidence you need, but I have a lot.
You CAN adjust the tone arm height, just need to unlock the height adjustment located under the counterweight. Make sure the dial goes past the arrow displayed and is fully unlocked. Then just rotate the ribbed black part to adjust height. Make sure to set the height at the proper setting for your cartridge. Enjoy
I don't know at what point in the video you are referencing since you haven't included a time stamp, but using deductive reasoning I assure you I was referring to the LP120x since that one in fact does not have a height adjustment dial. Of course this one has one. You definitely misheard or misinterpreted my verbiage.
@@cjsvinyl 3:22 VTA (I'm saying it can be pushed past the zero)
@@shanthonarchian2256 Okay, then that's completely different from your first statement. You initially were just speaking of adjusting tonearm height, and mentioned nothing with lowering it past zero. So you can see my confusion from your unclear communication. At any rate, yours may be broken and allow you to turn it further passed negative zero, but mine did not. I had moved it as far down as I could in this video. I cannot speak to what other broken LP120's can or can not do. Next time, please be more clear with your initial verbiage.
@@cjsvinyl CJ's a sassy guy
we love you CJ
I just bought the new 120x version. Sounds better but they cheapened it a little. More plastic. But definitely sounds better. AT-VMN95E is very nice.
I have one of these turntables, got mine about 12 years ago. So far only 2 noteable problems. The hinges wear out and are no longer able to hold the lid up. So far been through 2 pairs, both times replaced for free by the factory parts department. Secondly is motor noise. It can be herd as a clicking or rubbing noise on very quiet parts of the record, normally near the outer edge. Aside of these 2 isues I love this turntable!
Dang!!! I've had mine since 2011. Antiskate is broken in mine too. I'm a newbie so I didn't know I was forcing my needle to the center (duh) so now I'm going to throw it away and get a decent turntable (SL1200 should be the best bet). Thanks!!
Great turntable if you put some work into it but that doesn't really mean much to the average user! Far from an ideal solution sadly but still better than a lot of other crappy tables being sold right now
Technically it's better than a Crosley, but it's still worse than you give it credit for. Watch my latest comparison video that I just uploaded and you'll see an LP120 with my start/stop button not working which resulted in having to pay another 70.00 to ship it back to Audio Technica for repairs and that's definitely not cost effective either. It caused a huge headache for me to take the time and stress to prep and ship it back.
Really good review ....i agree with all of it having one myself....the anti skate and height of it are main probs. I cured same way as you. Its never gonna be a technics...i only give £200 for mine. It looks the part and for the amount of times i use it ican live with the flaws. The techics is way better damped .....honest review.
Thank you so much my friend! Lately I've been getting the opposite comments and some so lost and backwards, I had to delete them. It's good to finally get some backup again from someone who has had first hand experience, and knows that I make these videos to try and help people. I appreciate you.
Very informative video! Are you thinking about possibly doing an updated video on the 120X model? In the product description it does mention upgraded anti-skate, but nothing about adjustable height, although you never know! Regardless if you're up for it or not, thanks for the awesome video!
the VTA is gone, at least for the 120X, therefore i´m glad that i still could picked up the LP120...also the reverse mode is gone in the 120-X
hello im upgrading from a AT-LP60 what might you recommend? i appreciate your time and wisdom.
Sony ps lx310
Just picked up my lp120 and the anti skate works perfectly. I talked to a bunch of record store owners and they said to set the anti skate to what the tracking force is. They all said if you have the anti skate set to where it stays stationary on a groovless vinyl once you put on a normal record it will cause stress on the stylus since the grooves will put pressure on the stylus has it brings the stylus towards the center
Yes, in physics terms that's called vector force. Also, in the very beginning ours worked too.
Extremely thankful that I stumbled across this... Everywhere I’ve looked i’ve seen and heard nothing but good things about this player but these are some major issues that I would not like to have to deal with. I’m about a week away from getting my first system but i’m nowhere near in the budget for the SL-1200, what would you recommend purchasing for a similar price range as the LP120?
I really appreciate your gratitude. I make my videos to help people, and I'm more than happy to guide you in the right direction. The LP120 is far from good, and people have got to understand this so they don't fall victim as I have. If you're wanting modern rather than vintage, I would say excellent alternatives are the Fluance RT82, the Denon DP300F, the U-Turn Orbit, or the Project Debut Carbon if you can push it to 400.00
As for used SL-1200's I think you would be shocked to find the used prices are not nearly as bad as you think. Let me know if I can be of further assistance!
Cj's Vinyl Really really appreciate that man, i’ll most definitely be looking into each of those including some used SL 1200’s, keep up the good work man, I’ll get back to you with what I end up getting ! Thanks again.
Cj's Vinyl Do any of those have a built in pre-amp ?
Bryce Burdick a built in preamp should be your first red flag that a turntable isn’t good
@@cjsvinyl I got a Fluance 82 after reading your recommendation, but I can't tell if the anti-skate is working right, when both balanced at 0, I can turn the anti-skate up and the arm will move back to the rest fast so know its working. Im not understanding if it should be moving as slow as possible towards the label at the end of the record where there's no grooves, or staying in the same spot and not reaching the spindle at all? When adjusting the anti-skate as the arm is in the center, no reaction to the arm happens just like in this video. When using the CD to test, I have to turn it from the recommended 1.5 on the anti-skate, all the way to max 4 for it to stay on the spot on a cd, but only close to the edge of the cd, closer to the center it still moves to spindle at 4. At 4, it does seem a little slower to reach the spindle, Is this how it is suppose to be? I looked to see if others experience this with Fluance, and I only found one person with the same problem, who also said they keep it at 4 now and stated its a manufacturer defect with all Fluance models. This is my first one, I returned the Audiotechnica after seeing this video, and cant find an answer, thanks if you can help me understand if this is normal or defective.
When you were looking for warp in the platter I could plainly see a variation if you look at the upper edge of the platter. Also, it is fairly easy to put a run-out gauge on the edge to measure this. I am sure that just about any turntable will have some variation (wobble) unless you are paying a gazillion dollars for your equipment.
What you see is not caused by a wobble of the platter, but the tooling of the beading around the edge. If you pay attention to the strobes you'll notice no wobble. What you're noticing along the upper edge is aesthetic only.
@@elliesattler you can clearly see the lighting on the strobes altering as it rotates. It's also very periodic, in sync with the rotation of the turn table.
6:00 bottom row of strobes nearest the camera. Once you see the variation, you will see it throughout the clip.
If it was dead flat, I believe you would see no variation.
It's slight, but I'd say it's definitely there.
My unit wich was bought in april 2018 has a working anti-skating, but for me the best setting is antiskating 1 for a 2g counterweight as this is the setting that doesn't make the tone arm go outwards when lifted and keeps the center line on the cd test. The height adjustment for me it's ok (i don't use the original mat and the cork+rubber one that i have seems to be high enough for the tonearm to be parallel with the platter).The warping issue is there, mine has it slightly, it's not too much but it's there and if you have good eyes you can see it. The motor noise is there but not when playing, just when cleaning the vinyls with the brush as it creates a bit of push on the spindle. Overall this is not a bad unit for a beginner, for me it will do the job until i can afford something better. Definetely, your unit is an older one as you dont have the HS 10 upgrade as mine does with preaplied At95e cartridge. I will swap that one with ortofone mix pretty soon
Hi man!! Very good review, it's a shame that I found it to late, I bought my AT LP120 1 year ago in it has the anti skating problem and that's all the problem it has, thank God. Is there any way to fix the anti skating problem? Thank you and keep the good work
First things first, I appreciate your positive engagement, so thank you for that. The anti-skate is one of the things wrong with this turntable. One of the others is the Vertical Tracking Angle with the height adjustment which I mentioned in the video. Others say that motor noise is a problem, but I've never noticed that with mine. It's my understanding from closer observation that the issue is with the length of the spring under the anti-skate dial. I am only guessing that this is the problem with every model. If I am unable to sell my LP120, I may end up just keeping it and making some modifications to it and do one or more instructional videos on it, but as of now, I don't know of any work-around.
@@cjsvinyl really I appreciate your quick answer to my question, channels like this one and people like you must be supported by everyone, then again keep the good work. The only problem that I have with my AT LP 120 it's with anti skating, it doesn't matter where I move the knob, the needle always goes to the center of the disc, the problem with the VTA it's not present on my turntable, either way it's sounds good to me, well at least 'til I heard the comparison you made with the technics 1200. So if you know something about how to fix the problem with the anti skating let us know please. In if it's something that I can do by myself that would be awesome because I prefer no to let anyone else touch my devices unless is totally needed. Thanks man
Sir could you recommend some alternatives in the price range of 250-300 USD. I was saving money for this turntable, but now that I've seen your video, I'm not up for buying it. Any help would be really appreciated. Thank you again for the very helpful video. Also may I ask, how are the Rega P1 & P2 turntables (then again they are belt drives aren't they!)?
Regards
KD
Absolutely, and congrats! You're dodging a bullet that's not worth the risk. I promise you won't regret it. Stay away from ANYTHING with the name Audio Technica on it. In the 250 - 300 range I would say the Fluance RT 81 or the 82, The U-Turn Orbit with the acrylic platter, or the Denon DP300F. Absolutely yes to the Rega Planar turntables, and if you're able to find those for as low as 250 to 300 (with nothing wrong), then you better grab a hold for dear life because that would be the steal of the century. Anything with the Rega name is definitely a premium table and typically much more pricy. Check Ebay, maybe someone is selling one for less money. They are belt drive turntables. The purists usually swear by belt-driven turntables rather than direct-drive. Good luck!
@@cjsvinyl Really appreciate you helping out sir. I'm from Guwahati, Assam (in India), where turntables and vinyl are hard to come by. So we have to always look online. I'll be keeping a screenshot of your reply. It will surely help. Just found out, Audio Technica has come out with LP120X, in which (they say) they have rectified most of their problems. Wonder how that would be. Anyway since you say it should be avoided, I'll take your advice. Do continue making such videos please. They really are helpful for music lovers like us. I've been collecting vinyl since 2012. Thanks. Cheers 😊🤘✌️
I am seriously considering buying an Audio Technica LP-120, and one of the main reasons is that the tonearm can be fully adjusted, calibrated. However, the demonstrable fact that the anti-skate adjustment mechanism does not even loosely work, if not exactly, is certainly something I must consider. There are at least 3 main adjustments, and measurements to make to a turntable that is audiophile, or very close to that category; the tracking force, the exact alignment of the phono cartridge, and if there is such a mechanism, the capability of a tonearm to be adjusted for anti-skating. Just where did the engineers go wrong on this semi-important capability?
Furthermore, just how much money should be payed to purchase, and own a turntable, whether it is belt drive, or in this case direct drive, to have correct functionality, reasonable reliability, quality build, and be as precise as possible? In Canada the Audio Technica LP-120 is listed as $379, so how high should I pay? Remember, that's 379 dollars before the 13% sales tax! It is a bit ridiculous, because I have a Kenwood KD26R turntable bought in late 1987, with a phono cartridge that I replaced in 1997, Stanton L-700E. Very recently I replaced the stylus, works well. Only had it repaired once, did not use it much because I mostly listened to FM radio, cassettes, and more to CDs in the recent past; but my record player is still accurate for the low price that was payed. Therefore, it seems that well over $500, over $800 for a turntable has to be paid today!
I have an LP120 currently and I have had no noticeable issues with it. Keyword = noticeable. At the time, it was a good purchase considering my budget. Will I want to upgrade in the future, yes. Is it good enough considering how much I actually play my records? Currently, yes. If I had records going all day, every day I would consider getting an upgrade a more immediate priority. Maybe it's not the best turntable, but it's far from the worst. I can see a Denon or Technics player for me in the far future though.
This entire video would be very helpful for you, but the most vital part of it is the first 20 seconds:
ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html and if it can happen to one, statistically world-wide it's already happened to many. So no, it's not a good purchase for the money even if it hasn't happened to you. It's a company that cuts numerous corners, and it's a garbage product. Not an opinion, only a fact.
@@cjsvinyl That really blows... Like really blows... The funny thing is, mine came with a lifetime warranty from BestBuy but I have no earthly idea where the receipt is. That being said, if my record player does go out I will probably just save up for a Technics or a Denon.
@@Cognazzo95 It's not fun, and you're witnessing first hand how I ended up getting screwed by AT. In terms of BB's warranty, that sounds like an incentive for Best Buy to cash in on more sales, but also known as total BS. Not you saying it, but Best Buy's so called life-long promise to you. I have known Best Buy for a long time, and that doesn't seem like something they would do for anyone, but a "promise" to fulfill in order to make more sales definitely sounds like them. Look into used options too. Our SL-1200 was purchased used from Japan. Otherwise, consider other used vintage options like Thorens TD 160, or if you want a Technics, but one that's not as expensive as the SL-1200, look at the SL-1400 here: www.ebay.com/itm/124695434141?hash=item1d086d539d:g:84gAAOSwqclghDU6 There's so many options.
@@cjsvinyl Thank you very much for the information. I will definitely keep it in mind when I upgrade in the hopefully not so distant future. I just graduated so funds are limited. I don't know if I mentioned or not, but I don't actually play my vinyl super often. I do it here and there, so I don't think the AT120 is terrible temporarily.
That being said, it's ridiculous that, at the price, they have tendencies to break down so easily or not function as they should (as you demonstrated with the anti-skate).
It's genuinely hard to find good electronics these days. You think you do your research and that you made a prudent purchase, only to be disappointed in a few months... maybe a couple years (if your lucky).
Yet another solid unbiased review. I stand by my 30 year old Dual turntable, unfettered by all the "newbie" must haves. It is a pure, problemless turntable for me. Granted, vinyl collecting and playing has now become the "in" hobby , for so many of we baby boomers, this was how we received our music enjoyment, and still do. It wasn't a "hobby" but a necessity. Still, we did want better systems as studio recording techniques were advancing beyond our parents older systems. We weren't a "vinyl community" but a population. In any event, as with modern automobiles, too much tech doesn't necessarily mean refinement, but more problems. Another popular vinyl chanel swears by this Audio Technica- fully. Seriously, I suspect paid endorsements for this and other products. Not that I considered replacing my Dual with Audio Technica, I'm glad for your review, had I gotten weak kneed!
I don't doubt it. A lot of people stand behind Audio Technica products like the LP120 and very possibly even more behind the LP60. Heck, so did we, until we started seeing significant problems arising from them. We just have more than several records in our collection that we cannot afford to replace, and we have to make sure our latest turntable will cradle them gently, and properly so we can enjoy them for years to come.
I have this model, with all its flaws... about a year ago, I replaced it with a 37 year old Technics SL-3200. No flaws. No motor noises or warped platter. I keep the AT120 on a shelf, maybe for a future utilization. But really, I prefer use the old Technics.
37 years old and still running strong. That's Technics! ....and probably the reason they went out of business. Their products were built too good.
I had a similar turntable under Reloop brand. Actually made on the same basic hanpin model. Tonearm lifter broke after few weeks of use, motor made strange noise when I was cleaning the record, also the motor is weak, tonearm is partly made out of hollow plastic with plastic bearings. AS don`t exist, even when I set it at maximum, nothing happened with a tonearm. After a lot of anger with it, I replaced it with 37 years old Siemens RW 555. It is sturdy turntable with MDF plinth, heavy platter, tonearm made of metal and it also have automatics. This model was made by Micro Seiki and it works great, without any problems. My conclusion is that modern turntables maybe look great, but those under 800-1000 EUR won`t work and are just plastic toys. Ok you can find cheaper Rega tables, which will work, but how long? 37 years? I doubt.
Zvonimir Komar True this...
Hi Chad. I have seen 2 different recent top 10 USB turntable reviews that both rated this model #1. Yet In the "cons" sections one stated that digital conversions are "Hit or Miss" and the other said that digital conversions are "More Miss than Hit". How can they do a review that focuses on USB and then say that #1 has problems with digital conversions? Just wanted to know if you had any thoughts on this subject. Did you ever have problems ripping your vinyl with the AP-120-USB ? I did have my mind made up to buy this unit. Now, not so sure.
Hey friend. I have used the USB port several times on our channel, but I mostly recorded with the audio cables straight into a composite to 1/8" adapter for my recording because I firmly believe the quality is better than USB. The reality is, no one needs a USB turntable to digitally convert to your computer, and I've done a video on that here: ruclips.net/video/aMG0q5MSwBs/видео.html
however, I'm going to advise against the LP120 for every good reason, but the biggest reason is because of the first 30 seconds of this video right here:
ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html
There are so many better options for converting your records to digital it's ridiculous. I strongly urge against the LP120/x etc. etc.
@@cjsvinyl Thank You for taking the time to reply Chad. Back in the mid 2000's I was looking to set myself up using audio cables and then the Ion turntables came out and I just assumed the USB would be better and that's what I've been using ever since. I think I will see what I can rig up with what I have here. I do have several turntables layin' around. Mostly Technics but all at least 20 years old. I wonder how my Quartz SL-7 would work. I may still end up buying something new. I think I looked through this entire thread and saw all your recommendations but don't remember if you mentioned the Pioneer PLX-500. Would that be pretty much like the LP-120? I do want something that plays 78's. Thanks Again, Bob
@@discbreakrecords3311 I think any imitation table of the SL-1200 is a bad idea. That's impressive that your shellac records are in that good of shape. You'll need a 3 mil stylus to play 78's but I'm guessing you already know that. Check out the Denon DP 400-F for 78rpm playback. Unlike the 300-F, the 400 comes with a 78rpm playback feature. Either that or you could try to look for a used SL-1200 MK4 on EBay. The mark 4 was the only SL-1200 that had a 78rpm button built in.
@@cjsvinyl I only have a couple hundred 78's. All of which I found out in the wild. Some are like new, others somewhat less. I sell on Discogs. I do list rarer ones that may have noise so the main purpose of my YT channel is to give perspective buyers the oppertunity to see and hear what they are getting. I'm only doing 45's right now but might as well have the 78 option for the future. The Denon does look like a good choice.
Brought this as a replacement to a Denon DP300F for a few reasons.
As mentioned in more recent posts the newer models have corrected the Anti-skate issue (which WAS an issue with my previous Denon).
As for tone arm height adjustment I’m actually using the rubber mat from that older Denon (which was very thick) and hasn’t been had an issue as far as I can tell.
The platter is not warped on mine (maybe AudioTechnica addressed that as well).
As far as the motor noise - there is a slight hum that is noticeable in between tracks or if it’s spinning without the stylus on the album. However it is mostly audible to me when using headphones as opposed to my speakers (which you have to be actively looking to hear it).
As for it being labeled a rip-off of the Technics SL1200 (which my old man owned a pair of back in the day), I believe some folks mentioned that it had nothing to do with patents running out (maybe it was VWestlife), there are a ton of models that have the exact same look in the market besides AudioTechnica (Reloop, Gemini, etc), so I don’t see why thats an issue from some people on here.
I found the pitch/speed to be very accurate.
The stock stylus & cartridge (AT95) to be adequate for the standard non-audiophile crowd.
But overall I feel the video was spot on with the pre-2017 production date models and makes great points concerning the platter dampening and build quality not being on par with higher end units. But for the $250-300 price range and if you don’t care for auto features (auto return/stop) you really can’t go wrong.
I'm sure you performed the leveling procedure. I bet folks don't know the feet are adjustable. I had to raise the left side quite a bit. Also I performed a head alignment. Mine was off from the factory. This machine is far from entry level even with the stock green cartridge, it sounds very good.
I already checked everything with my level in advance and it was completely straight from all sides. If people would just watch my quick review of my Technics SL-1200, I performed the exact same Anti-Skate test with the same CD on the same surface and it worked flawlessly.
I have one that I no longer use on my channel as it has the flaws that you've pointed out: anti-skate, VTA, platter is not warped on mine, motor noise - YES! I didn't notice my motor noise until I bought my Bose Quiet Comfort II headphones. I only hear during the quiet passages between tracks and the run out. It's a pulsation noise and it's irritating. You're not going to hear the noise in the way you just demonstrated. I have a video of the issue with mine. I have several videos on my channel of the mods I've done to dampen just about everything I could to quieten the TT down. The very first mod I did was removing the built-in preamp. It did affect the sound quality, which some people dispute. I fixed the anti-skate issues by making my own weighted device and yes it works. The VTA issues can be fixed with adding dampening pads and/or adding in a wooden block between the headshell and cartridge (another video). Sounds all extreme, but it worked for me. I finally got sick of it after replacing the motor and still have the motor pulsation noise. In Dec of last year I broke down and bought a Rega Planar 2 and moved my AT-LP120 to my living room where I don't hear the noise that much like with my headphones. I have not and do not now recommend this TT to anyone. Invest in a better TT even if it means saving up some $$$ to get one.
Nice review. I just would like to hear your experience when comes to the built-in preamp. I heard people saying that you can't actually by pass it. Just curious to hear that from you... Cheers!!!
I never ended up removing the built in preamp. I had a feeling in the back of my mind that I would eventually be selling this table, so I don't have any experience in that area. Sorry man!
No biggie! Keep up the good work!
That actually is true, because of the way it was designed. You can switch it off, but the signal still goes through the same path, and is altered by the components in its way. So it actually affects the sound; it just doesn't amplify it. The only way to fix it is to completely remove it. For a lot of people, it does tend to sound better with it out, but then you lose your USB capabilities. Maybe one day Audio Technica will lean on Hanpin (the Taiwanese company that makes the turntable it's based on) to fix it; supposedly that's what Pioneer did with the PLX-500, which is mechanically similar.
It does tend to sound better with the preamp shut off and going into an external one; maybe that might sound good enough to your ears.
My Lp -120 def does have significant motor noise but it is translated through the record and is audible during playback.
That's where it would usually manifest....holding a video camera over the spinning platter isn't going to detect what a stylus in the groove would pick up.
i've recently (and i mean, recently, as in today) decided that i want to start collecting and playing vinyls, and my original choice was going to be the AT LP120 based on seeing many different people compliment and recommend it.. but this video definitely raises concerns, and makes me want to ensure that what i'm buying will last in the long-term and not damage the vinyls i want to use.
the only other vinyl players i found that were within my price range ($400 CAD) and seemed like they would actually work well were the fluance rt80 / rt81. would you recommend one of these, or is there another model that you think would work better for a novice like myself?
Absolutely, and I'll give some suggestions in a second, but I would really like to address a couple things regarding your comment. There are multiple other people on RUclips who have been uploading videos about various problems with their LP120 long before me. You just have to search for the specific problems. Due to the overwhelming popularity of AT products, obviously a lot of people aren't going to like me saying ANYTHING negative against it, but this is not a realistic mentality for turntables like the LP60, and the LP120. When my wife and I returned to vinyl records, we had to buy a new turntable because at the time, we still had our records, but no turntable. EVERY single person we came in contact with told us to buy Audio Technica, and because we didn't do enough research, and couldn't find enough people being honest with us, we made the mistake of purchasing AT products, and we, along with some of our records, paid the price.
What I'm trying to do now is be the best example that I can to help others that are wanting to get into the hobby. So yes, with a humble, and honest heart I'm going to advise against a company that spent many years ignoring problems with their products rather than attempting to fix them. Many people still swear that the newer turntables are perfectly fine, but a lot of them haven't had them long enough to really declare if that's accurate. If you want more information about my experiences, check out my two-part comparison vids. If you're not needing a DJ-style turntable, my suggestions would be to go with the Fluance RT-81, the U-Turn Orbit, or the Denon DP-300F. There's also nothing that says you have to go brand new. You have VAST fields of vintage, robust turntables that would last you a lifetime. Don't feel rushed either. I've been noticing too much pressure from people who feel they have to jump into this hobby quickly, and that's just a silly thing to act upon. I hope that's helpful, and if you have any other questions, just let me know.
@@cjsvinyl what about if we want stick with Technics SL1200 lookalike golden standard !? These new Technics are way too expensive, and this AT was nice replacement .. But if it is an roulette to buy it, what suppose to be an alternative ? In here in Indonesia to get Technics costs an arm and a leg ... :-D
@@mkultra7760 I already posted some alternatives in my above comment. Stay away from imitation turntables.
They're not called vinyls. Vinyl is a plural term. You can call them records or LPs. Vinyl is used because they are made of PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride)
I just got a Uturn Orbit and I love it. Base model is under $200usd, and getting a cue lever with it bumped it up to around $230. Its very simple and easy to use and sounds great.
Is the stock cartridge in this unit a moving magnet? Believe it's a GREEN 95E. Cause if it is NOT I was told I cannot use this with my AU-317 integrated amp? and help much appreciated. thanks
Any idea as to why I only have very faint sound after removing the preamp? I have to max the volume in order to hear something very faintly.
Yes. You took the poor advice of people online to remove your preamp when any kind of cutting and soldering of wires is not for just anyone to try.
I Have One, And I Love It!
Mine has a noisy motor, the cueing lift just drops the stylus down with no damping, and the cueing light doesn't just pop up (needs a pull!). The anti-skate does work, but needs nearly twice the number indicated.(apparently AT had an upgrade for this.) Otherwise, it sounds good and I'm happy with that.
I have one of these and I do like it. It does always seem quiet though. I have it hooked up to a stereo receiver. I have a CD deck also hooked up. I will need to turn the volume up for the LP120 significantly higher just to get a similar level as the CD player. I'm not sure if I need to upgrade a few things.
Hello and thank you for explaining all of this.
I have an oddball question. Would you pick this TT over a nice used Denon Dp Dj151? The Denon has a Stanton 500 set up and the At120 has a red Ortofon 2M set up.
Thank you! 😎
Thank you for your gratitude. :) Are both of these used, and the seller is providing the option for the Ortofon 2M Red with the LP120? Typically the LP120's come with the AT-95e cart so I'm just curious. I wouldn't take either of them since they're imitations of the SL-1200. I started having even more problems with my LP120 since this video, and I had to pay in the range of 125.00 to ship it back to Audio Technica. To me, no AT product is worth it after what I, and many others have experienced. I have not used that particular Denon turntable, I know some products of theirs are good, but if it's an imitation turntable I've learned to stay clear of all of those. That's why I stopped kidding myself and just bought a used SL-1200 on EBay.
@@cjsvinyl no problem. The At120 is used and comes with the upgraded stylus and the Denon is used. It actually was one of the only other TT that gave the SL1200 and run for the money. Both are clean and work nicey. I jus can't decide at the moment. And screw that mailing back n forth stuff. I don't blame you for investing in the best and be done with basic. I have a lot to learn with needles also! Lol Thats another pain in da butttt 🙃
Take care man
When people ask me about this model, I tend to point them at the Fluance RT80 and RT81 instead. They have pretty much everything that's good about this unit, with way less of the bad. It's less expensive too.
So based on the experience of owning one LP120, you say the motor noise thing is a myth. Unbelievable. There's a reason that people say there's motor noise-because they have motor noise. Mine included, easily picked up by the stylus. It's so bad, I took it out of service. There are "solutions" online attempting to cure it. Didn't work for me.
And I shouldn't have given as much credit as I did to the LP120, and I was wrong for doing so. Back when I made this video, I knew I had multiple other problems with it, and if I made a video to solely roast the LP120, that I would most likely lose some credibility with the viewers, but through this video, I've learned that I shouldn't have been as neutral as I was. audio technica products are far worse than I could have ever imagined, and believe me when I say we couldn't have switched over to the Technics SL-1200 fast enough. We had initially put our faith in a company due to the *HIGHLY* acclaimed respect that audio technica products were given by people in the music industry, including friends around us. We should have done more research, and we ultimately ended up paying that price. You are 100% correct, it does have motor noise along with multiple other issues with anti-skate, VTA, electrical current, inconsistent pitch problems, and overall just shitty parts. I steer as many people as possible away from AT products to help them not make the same mistake that we did, and I'm embarrassed and ashamed that my wife and I ever took a chance with a company as bad as audio technica. Thank you for your comment.
I bought a LP120-USB (not the X!;) a week ago, at a clearance sale with a 100bucks discount, i paid 180bucks, and i´m very happy with it, the anti-skating on my spinner works fine, but the tonearn up down simply dropps down, not that smooth that yours do, i need to check this, also i rewired mine with a second pair of cable and a relay the cut out the audio electronics stuff entirely, and it sure makes a difference.
Also i damped the platter with self adhesive bitumen in order to get rid of its anoing "ping" ;)
And my unit doesn´t produce any noise from the motor and the platter is completely flat....it´s all about cooling during production, it they handle it too soon they turn wavy due to uneven cooing...quality control.
But even then...it´s no comparisson to the dynamic balancing that DUAL did way back in the 70s they spinned every platter at a very high RPM to check for uneven rotation on any axis and corrected it, or, if too bad, they simply trashed them.
I´m a DUAL fanboy since the 80s and have seven working spinners (1249,601,491A,1209,1218,1007,1008) and even more units in non-working condition....but i also want(ed) a 1210-alike simply for all my 12Inch maxis.
Also i must admit that the factory settings had been no good at all, i recalibrated the entire moving parts, i needed to adjust the whole tonearm bearing plays and also the platter speeds internally, as it was not doing the 33 1/3 and nor the 45 right, even with the "quartz" engaged. But i thing that´s where we need to distinguish between copies and origins and why a original SL12xx does go for several hundrets of bucks more than this LP120...quality control.
The cueing lever issue is known, but there's a simple fix: Lock your tonearm in the rest position, then leave the cueing lever in the UP position overnight. The problem fixes itself.
I purchased it 4 years ago because I was planning to convert all my Grandfather vinyls collection into MP3 for him. I never noticed the antiskate was not functioning until I saw a RUclips about LP60 review. And I tried the same test on my LP120, it was disappointing. For all my precious vinyl records sake, I sent it back to Audio Technica service center in Singapore due to where I'm staying is closer. Got fixed it, sort of.... did notice sound significantly improved though.
What are your thoughts on the Fluance RT-81? I'm still deciding between the Fluance RT-81, Rega Planar 1 or a used Technics SL-1210MK2 from a local shop near my area.
Those are all solid choices! Obviously the Fluance line is affordable, modern TT's that work and feel like vintage ones. I especially appreciate your interest in the Rega Planar and Technics SL-12XX line. If my wife and I didn't go the direct drive route with the SL-1200, we would have definitely gone with the Rega Planar 2 or 3, but the Planar 1 is still a Rega Planar TT so you can't really go wrong. Extreme Audio quality, and designed to last 40+ years. Same with the Technics SL-12XX series. Whether you consider the SL-1200, the 1210, and any mark whether the MK2, 3, 4, 5, 6, G-series, etc. they were all built as solid tanks with small changes over time. As far as a local shop, I can't attest to that since I'm not familiar with it, or how much they are asking. Ideally, a record shop is looking to make a larger profit from turntable products. I know some around here that over-charge, which was why I went the EBay route.
@@cjsvinyl Thank you so much for the fast and detailed reply! Awesome content man, keep it up.
what is better, the new LP120 or the old one that you have? The new one doesn't have adjustable tone arm height, and the LED light isn't spring loaded. It just seems like they cut corners, but maybe its better? I actually got this old version on accident in an open box sale mishap, but considering sending it back. But now that i look at the new model i kinda am thinking of keeping it. What would you do?
Neither is better, they're both garbage. As far as LED light, I think you mean the target light near the middle of the deck, not the LED on the far left. Audio Technica in general cuts corners. It doesn't matter if you go for the LP60, or the LP140xp, AT is just not worth it to me anymore based on all of the problems I ran into over time. There's a lot of other affordable options like the Fluance RT-82, the Denon DP-300F, or if you aim a little higher, the Project Debut Carbon. However, if you really want to take things serious and invest in true quality, you could search for used options like we did for a Rega Planar turntable, or a Technics SL-1200.
@@cjsvinyl I do a DJ night with guest DJ's and we all share the same decks. I have a LP140x and a LP120classic, but the 120 I could send it back and get my money back, but I'd be waiting another month or so for a new version replacement because if you haven't noticed turntables are GONE and people are price gouging. I'm keeping the 140, i like it and it suits my needs, but the old LP120 seems fine but it came with a couple defects that I can easily fix, but I also just realized it has a bent needle and may just send it back instead of buying a new needle. The backup turntable i'd be dealing with is a beat up punkrock ION lol...
Got rid of mine, the only reason, unstable speed when trying to mix. Other than that i did like them, but too frustrating when you're mashing it up and the speed decides to wander on its own accord. Oh, and i did sort the anti skating out on them, took them apart and swapped the spring out for a stiffer one, as thats the cause of it, too weak of a spring that has no effect.
Anti skate has since been corrected on 2017 models. There's a better spring upgrade for the older models.
I will contact Audio Technica then for that spring upgrade, and see if they'll send it out to me.
@@cjsvinyl Any response?
@Mythbuster Series Yes, I spoke with Tom and at first he seemed confused about the new spring, so he had to call me back after verifying that information. He said they always had a replacement spring available for purchase, but I specifically mentioned that this was supposedly a spring that has just come out this year and resized to fix the Anti-Skate, and he simply said,
"We have a spring that we can sell you, but no instructions to install it. You would have to install it yourself or send your turntable back to us for the repair."
I'm doing my own research at this point to see if it's even worth it, since we've upgraded to the Technics SL-1200.
Cj's Vinyl I have the newer model has the correct spring. The light problem has also been corrected. I have the SL 1200 GR also. Also have a Pure Audio turntable that i got 2010, it's the one with the dust cover. I can't have anything open here too much dust in this house. Been using heat which is hot air makes the dust blow around more. I like both of those professional turntables . I use AT95 for both. I like the 95 because I play 78 3 mil grove width . I can't do that with the 2 speed Pure Audio.
@@russredfern167 thanks for comment. I mentioned that a lot of people claim about 2017 model (which was improved), but did not find info how to differentiate when buying. Is there any visual difference which will help to identify fast?
This video was initially designed to be a neutral (fair) video toward the LP120 so to not seem as if I was only bashing it. While I may not have seen some of the same issues in my own turntable during the making of this video, it was not long after that I experienced considerably worse issues with the LP120. Not only is this turntable "not really for my wife and I anymore", but it really is garbage not worthy of anyone's purchase. If you haven't seen Part 2 of my comparison video, you should watch it before you compliment any part of this turntable.
Great review. Appreciate the honesty. I did see another review where they upgraded the counterweight for a heavier one directly from AT along with 2 other quick upgrades like the cartridge. I'm thinking that being this is a budget table, some upgrades would improve it's performance.
@@R.Es1 Very interesting. I've never heard of upgrading something like the counterweight and I'm struggling to see how that would do anything. I only say that because balancing the tonearm based on weight would still come in the same in the end. If you want to upgrade the tonearm, to me that would be the big changer because then you're cutting back on vibration. Definitely upgrading your cartridge will make a world of difference. Audio quality is obviously a concern, but it's not my biggest. My biggest concerns are:
1) Start/Stop button malfunctioning,
2) Improper or no anti-skate function,
3) Improper V.T.A.,
4) Preamp filters,
5) Motor hum
All reasons I decided to just pitch the Chinese junk and embrace the real thing with a used SL-1200 from Ebay.
I’m glad I watched this I was so close to buying two of these. I will have to do a bit more research. Could you recommend any around the same price range?
I take it you're planning on two because you're a DJ? If that's the reason, just get two used SL-1200's on Ebay. Here's a nice pair of MK2's for 320.00 a piece: www.ebay.com/itm/technics-sl-1200-mk-2/312856143024?hash=item48d7ade4b0:g:TacAAOSwWnRd14wb
Here's a single MK2 for 350.00:
www.ebay.com/itm/Technics-SL-1200-MK2-Direct-Drive-Turntable-rare-in-Very-Good-Condition-Japan/202978442472?epid=22035691242&hash=item2f42753ce8:g:~KwAAOSwY5pem-Ol
Cj's Vinyl thanks for the help!
Motor Noise - Its not THAT motor noise. Put a record, put the volume LOUD, put the needle/stylus in the outer edge... you will hear a brzrzrrzrrzrrzrrrzrzrrr before the music comes in. That is the motor noise. How does this matter if I never play THAT LOUD? It smears the image and reduces clarity.
Bastian Ullr Because it effects the overall sound quality. A basic Pro Ject with a 2 M blue is a eye opener. Almost perfect instrumental separation and drop down even with heavy metal.
Hm... Keith, you really got me lost here. I answered my own rhetorical question I believe. A basic Pro-Ject has quite a bit of motor noise too. They get better upstream, especially the RPM series, which allow the detachment of the motor from the whole plinth. I do not like ortophon... they are very accurate but very dry.
I think that the motor noise is related to the fact that it is direct drive. But you will also hear it with cheap belt drives. All my Dual players do have it, belt drive or direct drive. But none of my Thorens does have it. And they are all belt drives but much more expensive. But most of the time the rumble as it was called in the past is much much less than most of my records!!
There are good Direct drive quiet designs, thinking of most of Denon quartz by example, or the technics SL-1***. As a matter of fact, the AT LP1240 has lot less noise, but it has some sort of electrical buzz on the signal path.
But I mean, all those nuances are negligible under many circumstances. Most of the people that come to my home wouldn't sit down to actually listen, nor care for the imaging. I am pretty sure most will be happy with most current standards of Vynil reproduction at an entry level (not cheap toy level that would destroy records... but decent entry level).
Taking care of having the noise out, noticing improvements on dynamics and imaging is for freaks. Well, and there are some freaks out there, and is up to them to persue what they feel is worth. But certainly, is a matter of taste, habits, and priorities that not all of us share.
I bought this turntable primarily because I needed the 78 rpm speed. It also plays my 45s well, which is another reason I gave up my vintage turntables. They didn't like the stereo 45s. Now there is no skipping and my 78s are happy. And so am I. Btw, I have a Rega Planar 3 for my 12" albums with Sumiko Blue Point Special cartridge.
I don't know, I took a look at your channel and your subscriptions and I'm questioning the valididty of your comment. I'm wondering if this is another burner account trying to support the LP120 by _"getting another voice in."_ If you have a Rega Planar 3 you are 100% able to play your 45s on that with zero problems. You said you gave up on vintage turntables for 78rpm playback, but why not just use a Thorens TD series turntable? They play all three speeds, and are galaxies ahead of the LP120. Plus, what shellac records do you own that are still able to play without problems, and what cartridge are you planning on using with your LP120 to play those 78s?
A$500 mainstay audiophile cartridge but Whoa the price 😮is it really worth it..🤔
I just bought the LP120. When I plug it into my Mac using the USB cable there is an audible high pitch digital wine on the quieter songs or in between songs. You can hear the sound in the recording on Audacity too. This disappears when I plug directly into my Yamaha mixer. Do you know what is causing the wining sound?
To start troubleshooting, plug in the left and right audio cables from the LP120 into the Y adapter that came with the table, then plug the 3.5mm end into a Line-In port on your mac and try recording with audacity that way to see if the wining sound goes away. If you do not have a line-in port, hover over your volume icon at the top taskbar area press and hold Alt then Left Click. Select Input for Line. This method is only if you have a headphone jack. Try that and let me know if that doesn't do it. But if it works, then you know something is wrong with the USB connection/cable. You may need to alter your Audacity settings.
Cj's Vinyl Thanks. I will give it a try and see what happens.
You can shim the cartridge in the LP120 to counteract the additional height.
What were the values of these turntables at the time the video was shot?
2 dollars.
The LP120 is just a cheap MK2 knockoff, but you’ve gotta start somewhere and if that’s all you can afford to get started you shouldn’t hesitate to pick one up. If you decide that listening to and collecting vinyl records is more than just a passing faze in your life than you can start investing more money into high quality equipment.
Yes, people do have to start somewhere, and I wish I had more people directing me away from Audio Technica, but I didn't. That was their mistake for telling me that, and it was my mistake for believing it was a good product. It's never worth it to have something destroy records as well as the start/stop button shorting out: ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html
That is especially unforgivable if you're at a professional event like DJing at a club or worse, a wedding and your LP120 decides to stop functioning. Starting somewhere better, or as I like to say the only correct place where I have nothing to fear, is the Technics SL-1200. I wish I had just gone with that from the beginning and that would have been my starting point. People need to use their voices to help people, not make things worse just to help a company that cuts corners left and right so they can make even more money than they already have.
The newer ones work fine
i have the Lp 60 i’ve been collecting vinyls for about 2 yrs and haven’t had any problems thus far. should i wait until i have a reason to upgrade or is this good for now? i plan on upgrading in the future just not sure when
I bought the 120 and have been collecting since July of last year. I recommend it!
If you get a good one w/ no issues, it's worth having. Just upgrade the stylus/mat. Had mine for 6 yrs and just now upgraded.
* I meant, you should upgrade to the LP120 at the very least. The LP60 is built as cheap as they come almost IMO.
I’m currently using a Pioneer PL-990, just for listening to records. It’s sounds great but I keep seeing this one pop up, is it worth upgrading? Will I hear a difference?
I would stay clear of anything from Audio Technica at all costs. Research Fluance, Denon, and U-Turn.
In my personal experience I got an AT-LP120 and the anti skating was not working and the motor was very noisy. I got it replaced and on the second one the anti skating was functioning well and the motor was less noisy (unless you touch the platter, in that case both sounded like a train on tracks). On both the LP120 the platter dots were not still and at 33 RMP the rotation was slower that it was supposed to (the dots were slowly going backwards). No problems at 45 RPM.
Nothing really BAD for a 250 euros/dollars turntable, but if you are buying it for listening use, consider that the main reason to get a direct drive turntable is to get a perfectly constant rotation, failed by this LP120 (for the same price there are lots of belt driven or direct drive turntables that have way less features but have a better sound). While if you are buying it as a dj deck, it works pretty well if you are a beginner and you want to experience how a turntable works, but keep in mind that it is made out of plastic and on big sound systems it resonates.
Absolutely! We love our new Technics SL-1200.
Motor noise shows up in your system as a hum at full volume with no music on. If you are trying to get your noise floor to zero move your phono preamp it's too close to your turntable and will pickup noise from it. I was trying to get mine to zero and accidentally moved my phono pre to the other side of a large heavy dac and poof the noise floor was unmeasurable
Could the issues be with a knockoff turntable and people just don't know they have a knockoff
I made 3 needle drops, one a Technics sl1400 Pro Ject Debut and this turntable. All with the same cart. It was very easy telling which one was the weakest, thinnest sounding. The Audio Technica was by far the thinnest sounding by far..
Which turntable you recommend to buy? Kind of this price
In the LP120 range? That would be the Fluance RT81 or the 82.
The anti-skate on mine is much better than on my Pioneer PLX-1000.
My Garrard 401 with SME 3009 and Shure v15 Mklll cartridge is spot on. Sounds just beautiful.
"Not one we want to stick with for a long time"
Me, who just dropped £250 on one yesterday to improve my collection: 👀
Yes, that statement was supposed to be a non-hateful, (neutral expression) explaining that we're not really interested in the LP120 anymore. Our channel aside, there's multiple other channels that have downplayed the LP120 based on their units acting up as well. People have known about this for a while, and other popular RUclips channels that still recommend it are of course going to go with any turntable that has, and is still currently "The Rage" because they know that's what other people want to hear. I try to give people the truth based on my first hand experience, but people would rather just hear what they want to hear. I can't do anything about that.
Maybe yours has been improved?
I'm in the process of getting a turntable. I'm on a budget so this will help me out a lot. Thanks!
Just do yourself a favor and stay away from Audio Technica no matter which turntable you're considering. I don't know your budget, but if you're definitely considering brand new, look at the U-Turn Orbit with the acrylic platter and a good cartridge. IE, at the very least, the Nagaoka MP-110 or higher _(I would go higher)_ but again, I don't know your budget. If you're okay going used, then you could get a much higher quality turntable.
@@cjsvinyl Thanks!
I think it should do fine for a beginner.
have you tried it with vinyl lol
Sure have! Right here: ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html
Proving that both an anti-skate calibration disc and a CD are the same thing.
@@cjsvinyl thankyou
The anti-skate issue was also present in the Technics SL1200 which I own. If you don't increase the anti skate a little higher than the tracking force it will tend to skate.
I also own the Technics SL-1200 and I've never experienced that. I've checked this on multiple settings with the LP120 as well, but it still skates to the center.
@@cjsvinyl cool. Mine seems to need a little more anti-skate than the numbers say it should. Thanks for your reply.
Could you do a video on the Stanton ST.150 M2 turntable if possible
I have been considering upgrading my ATLP60X to one of these but now I'm having my doubts. The Pioneer PLX1000 costs Twice as much as this ATLP120X.
Is the Pioneer that much better? Also I was told all of these turntables we're made at the same manufacturing facility overseas.
You sound like you're wanting a DJ-style turntable. So just do what we did and buy a used Technics SL-1200. A used SL-1200 is still better than any LP120, Pioneer PLX1000, or any other 1200 imitator deck. For the cost of a brand new PLX1000, you could get a really nice used SL-1200. Who cares if it's brand new. You want something that's going to go the distance with strength and reliability. That's an SL-1200
@@cjsvinyl Exactly Thanks!
Thank you for your informative video, you gave me strong doubts but I still ended up ordering one.
I was looking for a decent starter record player and saw these out at some record shops. I might have gone with the Fluance rt81, but those are hard to get in Europe. Since there is still a lot of people who are crazy about the LP120(x), I figured it can't be a horrible decision to get one myself.
I did try to find a model that would be better for the same budget, but only found more minimalistic looking players, usually without built in pre-amp. I know that those are probably "better", but ultimately I had to ask myself if I wanted to spend more for a record player that I will probably enjoy less.
Actually in Part 2 of my comparison vid, I demonstrate how the Start & Stop button completely goes out on me, and then I had to ship it back to Audio Technica for repairs. I gave the LP120 too much credit in this video. Whatever people do with their money is their decision. Like you mentioned, your purchase was based on popularity. I thought the LP120 was a good turntable as well, but in several months it started acting up, and then it completely went out on me for no reason. All I can do is try to help people dodge those problems, the rest is up to them.
@@cjsvinyl Hope I don't run into problems like those. It seems like a good majority does enjoy this product for what it is, I hope to be part of that group.
I will be holding on to the guarantee though.
Wonder if these problems are resolved in the updated model? LP120x
No, not all of them, but that's probably the same case with some of the original LP120's. Just because mine was total crap, doesn't mean ALL of them will be, but that's not the point. Even a large percentage, (and there is definitely a large percentage) that are flawed is already too much.
LP120X seems to have addressed the Anti skating issue.
@@dudethatsclassic No, they definitely have not. There's comments on this video, and others that have uploaded videos showing first hand that it has not been resolved. Some LP120x turntables still have problems. Maybe not all, but still plenty that don't work. That's enough that the risk is not worth it.
CJ's Vinyl I must’ve dodged a bullet with mine.
@@dudethatsclassic I hope yours stays that way for the long run. It's hit or miss enough for me that I bought a used SL-1200. It's day and night difference and I should have just gone for the SL-1200 from the beginning. Thinking I could cheat it by buying the LP120 I was only kidding myself. No imitation turntables anymore for me. The SL-1200 is the one and only, real godfather of all direct drive decks that started it all. The LP120 and many others wouldn't even be here if it weren't for the SL-1200.
Because of the issues with the tonearm in this model, I've decided to downgrade the cartridge to a conical/spherical one...for me its the Audio Technica 3600. Even with their heavier VTF, conical styli are known to cause less wear, and be less picky about setup and alignment. To my ear, the sound is still very good.
for a entry I got 2 of these off the back,and i love um.
I am on my 2nd AT LP 120 usb, I got the later run due to the issues with the noisy motor and the anti skate. With my new at lp 120 I did find the issues where rectified.
Very happy with this turntable, way better than the AT LP 120 X.
Mine suffers from both motor noise and a warped platter. Surprisingly, I haven't had an issue with tone arm angle. The motor noise is probably the biggest complaint I have with mine. It's a good unit, but still...
1. Tonearm height: You're absolutely right. I had incorrectly assumed that the pre-mounted Audio Technica cartridge had taken into consideration the tonearm height, stylus overhang, etc. - evidently not! An impossible lower height adjustment is required even for the included AT cartridge (assuming that a level arm & cartridge during playback is the correct state for the correct stylus angle, which may or may not be true, but usually is). I inserted two basically never-played LPs between the platter and the AT felt platter mat, and the tonearm now looks as level as can be to my eyes. The added height still allows the stylus to clear the LP surface (even 180 gram vinyl) when using the cuing lever.
Thanks for bringing the facts!
Thank you for the gratitude.
We, us, ours.... Puhleeeezzze! Surely you mean : I, we, mine etc. Why use the royal 'we' ? It is most disconcerting. Oh and I love my LP 120.
Because *my wife* and I both own the LP120. Using singular possession technically works, but it also implies that it's mine, and since it belongs to the two of us, I prefer to use plural form. I'm glad you like your LP120, as I said in the video it's a decent turntable for the money.
@@cjsvinyl Hi, I stand corrected. I am so sorry.
Should be required viewing for anyone considering an ATLP120
tres bonne platine vinyle
@@moniqueduchossois1958 yes it is and I will not change it
I guess my question would be, for this price point, is there a better option?
Absolutely, and it's called the U-Turn Orbit.
I've always had SLs, and have just picked up a mk7. To be honest, this deck, for manual direct drive is incredible value if that's how far u can go. Not sure how u can gey motor noise from this mechanism, would be more likely bearing/shaft issue. Seems start pretty fast as well. Nice vid 👍
Are you sure about that value?
ruclips.net/video/49OCUWJSOi8/видео.html
Hi, there . Does the new AUDIO TECHNICA AT LP120X have the anti-skate corrected?
The claim being made is that it has, but mine took about 6 months before it went out. Due to 10+ years of such shotty products, I wouldn't put any further faith in AT to have fixed everything now when there's multiple areas beyond anti-skate that are still significant problems. There are so many better, more affordable options out there.
Thanks for this!! I was going to get one.. but not now! I need my anti skate to work
I don't get why people are freaking out about your CD method of testing the anti skate. The whole point of anti skate is it wouldn't go towards the center of the platter. I'm not sure if you are aware, but with the new Lp120x model, audio-technica redesigned the anti-skate feature of the table so it is now working as it should. So for anyone who wants to buy the new lp-120x, even though they have similar names, the anti skate issue mentioned here is not a problem for that model.
It may work with some, but it's not working with all of them, which means there's still a lot more than you think that aren't working. I've found other accounts who have made videos about their lp120x anti-skate not working.
You calmed me down...i have that new LT-120x
About the motor noise, it's weird.
Mine used to be silent but I once removed the platter and then put it back, and this time it was noisy.
I must have done something wrong I guess. It's not loud but I can definitely hear the motor spinning now...
I'm guessing you didn't do anything wrong. It's just Audio Technica garbage.
CJ: Good review & comments - I learned some things about this turntable that I've owned for about a year. I'd like to add a few comments (pro and con) on some of the points raised to further the discussion a bit.
When I had an AT LP120 for a week it ABSOLUTELY had motor noise transmitted to the needle through the speakers in quiet sections. Was returned immediately. Quality control issues with this turntable are terrible. Not a good buy for anyone.
Sorry to hear yours did it. Yours was definitely a defect to have it happen that quickly, because the proof is in this video and we've had ours for more than a year at this point.
I had one that had the motor noise. I exchanged it for another that also had it. I checked the display model at the store, and it was present there too. A good friend of mine bought one a little while ago, and his has it as well. I think that it's present across the board. I have a suspicion that the conflicting reports have to do with the other components down stream, or even the ear of the listener in some cases. But who knows. All I know is that it was intolerable to me on all four of the units I tested, and I was happy to see it go.
@@nighmeansnear Well, not every single 120. Mine doesn't, and I know other people who own this table and theirs is silent as well. Sounds like a select amount may have, but we've never had that issue. Plus, as you can see and hear, it's not present on ours.
Yes, i too have this same dilemma
I think it's better to invest in a proper 1970s or 1980s deck: Technics, Dual, Denon etc.
You left out Thorens. :) We also upgraded already to a Technics SL-1200.
@@cjsvinyl Thank you vor mentioning Thorens because I have an TD 160
The problem is knowing for sure if they haven't got their own issues, being old machines that have been throught many owners
@@marcelbr815 That's why you purchase a rock solid turntable that was built like a tank. IE, the Technics SL-1200. We upgraded to a used MK5, which at most would be close to 17 years old so far, and it's running beautifully. People also still swear by their original MK2's that released in 1979. You just have to find the brand that was designed to last. We made the mistake of trusting Audio Technica, but we learned from our mistakes, and now we're Technics all the way.
How about Denon DP-400 or 450
Is there any problems?
Thanks
Not that I'm aware of. Those Denon turntables seem to be really nice for the most part. Denon is a good name, and I've frequently recommended the Denon DP-300F to many inquiring minds.
I find the anti skate to be perfectly fine, I've had it working multiple times for me.
I’ve never heard any motor noise, and my target light goes all the way up, and ive had mine for about 3 months. the only problem ive had with the turntable is that it takes about 1.5 seconds for a warped record to get to the correct speed
I've had turntables that the numbers on the anti skate are off.i used a test record with a blank space to adjust it. I heard that people completely removed the preamp. Even when it's switched off, you're not getting a pure signal, it still goes through the circuitry. I almost purchased one until I heard of all the problems.
Your reviews are outstanding CJ. Another excellent video.