We acquired the Audio Technica LP120USB in 2014. We wanted to get a TT that was direct drive and was fully adjustable, ie-skate, tracking and was able to upgrade your cartridge(the USB was a bonus). It’s been our primary turntable since and have NEVER had single problem-none.
Same, got mine in 2014 or so and have never had any issues other than one - Sometimes the left channel would go out. So I called AT Tech support and they thought the green wire on the headshell might be loose. That's what is was and since then it has never let me down. Upgraded to an AT-100E cartridge but still have my 95E on standby. We use it daily and it is an excellent table.
I recently just upgraded to a AT-LP120XUSB from a AT-LP60 and I am 100% satisfied with my purchase. Compared to the AT-LP60, it makes that feel like a cheap plastic toy. At first I was considering a Orbit U-Turn, but people recommend the AT-LP120 over that. I also picked up a pair of Edifier R1208T bookshelf speakers and together it sounds great.
Straight away i'm seeing several changes from my version of this turntable. 1. Head-Shell and Cartridge combo upgraded. 2. Hard-wired RCA Phono leads have changed to RCA Jacks. 3. A Ground connection has been added. 4. Target light has changed to removeable type. All of the above needed to change in my opinion, as these components were either sub-standard or missing. An exception to this would be the Head-Shell and cartridge which were actually fine in the last version. I can't help but wonder if the tone arm damping has been improved as mine is very poor despite trying several fixes. Overall though, these are superb turntables for the money no matter what version you have. Thank you for the review.
Have owned the AT-LP120XUSB for about two years now and love playing my LP collection from the 60-70's on it. I am very happy with it. Good quality at a fair price.
I just purchased this turntable a week ago. I'm very pleased with this unit. It is for my office and I've just recently got back into playing vinyl. I was a mobile DJ for many years and played on SL1200's. The thing I like about this particular deck is the familiarity to the SL1200. The cartridge that comes with this unit is very nice and I like that you can upgrade and or purchase an extra cart and headshell and dock it on the deck. A couple of things I do not like is, no tone arm height adjustment (but that's not a big deal) and the housing is plastic, but it's not a deal breaker. I did upgrade to a cork mat and I've added a FOSI BOX X2 preamp. I run this into my ALESIS MKII powered speakers and it's just a beautiful looking kit. I like the fact that you can run 33,45 and 78 and that it has pitch adjustment with quartz lock. Overall I'm very pleased with this unit. I got it for $299 USD.
i own the prior model of this, i already love the fact that the rca cables aren't plugged in the back and I can chose my own cables, still watching the video only 2 minutes in it.
Just picked mine up and it is absolutely amazing! I have a lp120 with a shure m447 but the atlpl120x stocked upgraded cartridge and stylus are so bright and clear. Those who like the clean crisp sound of vocals and high hats this is a great turntable pluse no pre amp humming! The black looks Sith like very cool and the led light can shadow where ever you turn it looks nice at night. Pick one up to start or add to your arsenal of equipment will not be disappointed!!!!!!
I have the 120 and decided to get the 120x because of the improvements on the amp and phone output and yes the difference is noticeable now I don’t have to go almost to full volume to get to the loudness that I like ( yes when I listen to my records the neighbor will enjoy the music too 😂) 120 was good but 120x is better by far.
Not 100% sure yet but this is currently the leader in the "my next turn table" decision. Love my Crosley C100 but an all black unit would look better with my setup. great video as always Record-ology!
I ordered one of these from Amazon for my son as a Christmas gift last year. He loves music and wants to get into vinyl. At that time the price was about $248.00 for this unit. I can't believe how much the price has increased in such a short period of time. I also got him a set of Edifier R1280Ts Powered Bookshelf Speakers to go with it. Unfortunately he's not very tech savvy and to this day has not been able to get these fine pieces of equipment to work. I don't think he has it set up correctly and has never heard even a single sound from any of his records from this turntable. He says he has read all of the directions, watched many CZcams videos and still can't get any sound from his speakers. I just think he just has something plugged in wrong. I help him by phone as much as I can but he lives quite a ways from me and I can't visit right now. Back when I was younger I used to have a stereo setup with turntables (Gerard turntables) , receivers, power amps, reel to reel tape decks, cassette tape deck, mixers, range expanders, equalizers, the whole works. I still have many of these units upstairs in the attic right now. He's seen them and heard me talk about their superior sound quality many times. Maybe that's why he wants to get into collecting vinyl. But so many people are raving over the AT-LP120XUSB that I'm thinking about buying a couple of these and unboxing my old record collection and setting up my stereo system again. (It could happen).
I recently sold my trusty LP60X cause I wanted something vintage. I went for a pretty good JVC L-A31 semi automatic mainly because it had pitch control and it was within my budget ($160). But oh my god, the dissappointment, I was just not able to lock in the speed, it ran at either 30 or 35 in the case of 33 and 40 or 49 for 45. After a bit of research I learned that the potentiometer of the pitch knob gets corroted over time, and there's no way to lock the 33/45 speeds, only slow or fast. It's fixeable by opening it up and spray some contact cleaner over the pot, but I just didn't feel comfortable doing it. So I returned it and said "screw it" and bought the beautiful LP120X, which costed me around 400 dollars (I live in Mexico so the import fees are pretty high). I'm so excited to get it
I bought this model 6 weeks ago, it is without doubt the best turntable I have used in a long time....The only issue I have had is with the slip mat warping massively out of flat as it were....Not a problem with albums bit it does affect singles during play, maybe I just got a duff mat so I ordered a new one online...Brilliant in every other respect..
I rocked one of those for a long time, I still use it actually for uploading records to my computer. I just recently upgraded to a Technics SL-1200 which I’ve pretty much been wanting since I was a kid, something I wouldn’t have ever been able to afford if it wasn’t for my saint of a girlfriend. While of course there are HUGE differences in quality, especially with their class leading wow and flutter specs. However, the LP-120 is for sure the best non super OEM table out there. Never forget, the best turntable is the one that YOU can afford to have and enjoy!
I have had this Turntable for eight months now and absolutely love it, I changed the cartridge to an AT95E and a Audio Tecnica head shell. Looks and sounds awesome. My only litte complaint about it is when you cue a record and let the leaver down the tone arm drops to qwick. But apart from that grate turntable...
I've seen videos on youtube that address the quick tone arm drop. There is a sticky solution that is needed in the area of the tone arm, and also there is suppose to be a spring. Check out "Vinyl Talk with Tavis" he does a complete fix on the quick tone arm problem
I bought the black model last week. I intended to use it for DJing. But I had forgotten that the torque is only 1 kg. So I contacted Audio-Technica Europe a few days ago. They told me that I can use it for DJ’ing if I use D.J. slip mats and D.J. cartridges. I can’t decide to buy a second one.
Platters are most of the time made out of aluminium or other non-magnetic alloy because the magnetic fields that may be in steel platters could potentially disturb a magnetic cartridge If the platter feels heavier than aluminium it may be made out of Zamak alloy which non-magnetic and almost as heavy as steel ( i think the old Thorens turntable have Zamak platters )
I just bought myself a couple of days ago for Christmas this Audio Technica record player as a replacement from my Victoria 4 in 1 record player that I have had for a long time. Are there any secrets or hacks to a this type of Audio-Technica record player? If so you should do a video about it and show us in what you have learned.
Nice review! That's a very good looking turntable.... I have the original LP120USB and find it performs well - it doesn't suffer with the anti-skating issue that many did have, and the arm bearings are good and smooth. However, I do look at this new one and feel tempted! I love the new matt finish on the tonearm, and the slimmed-down profile. I did notice that you set your tracking force to 1.5grams. That new AT-VM95E cartridge is rated for optimal tracking at 2.0grams and will sound better..... it's always better to set the tracking weight at the higher end of the range quoted by the manufacturer, as it helps eliminate mis-tracking....
That is good info - thank you for the tip! Another advantage that the new USB model has according to some is the elimination of motor noise. So far I love mine.
my Victrola VTA-600B is good but I got bit by the better sound/digitizing bug when I saw this. It reminded me of turntables I used in the '80s to 2K (also audio Tecnica). and hands down beats my ancient Realistic LAB 12B turntable; that is in need of repair or adjustment and or a better preamp to PC connection. ty for the review. and an AT-LP-120X-USB is on the way
Have you heard of the new LP-140x? It’s the super OEM version of this turntable, unlike the LP1240, the LP140x looks much more similar to its little brother
The main advantage of LP120 is that it's more customizable, so you can set counterweight, anti-skating, etc. This also gives you more room to improving it later, for example with a new cartridge.
Had to adjust the anti-skate to "1" because the needle only stands still in the middle (middle point between the outer edge & where the label starts) of the blank platter at the "1" mark. All other variations won't work. The anti-skate on this unit is flawed, unfortunately. Using the Hudson acrylic blank platter for this. Any suggestions ??
@@dm95422 uhmm that's very disturbing to hear, I have read that even the LP 120's usb that were made AFTER 2017 had fixed the anti-skate issues!! Well we have about an hour 's drive from me and I'll be going down there is talk with a sales rep, cause I'm thing about TRADING in my LP 120 for the newer X model. But I'll have to be convinced they have addressed this anti-skating issue!
I am very tempted to get one of these, but I have yet to see anything about their build quality. The previous model had the potential to be great, but it did have some quality control issues (warped platters, loose tonearms, etc.), and while it's unrealistic to expect one of these to be screwed together with the same quality as, say, a Technics 1200, I still believe it's inexcusable for those flaws to exist at any price point. That being said, both Guitar Center and Micro Center have very liberal return policies, so that would lessen the sting if it doesn't work out. And the general consensus does seem to be that at least in the area of sound quality, it has improved.
I don't own this particular turntable but I have herd nothing but good things about it and it looks like a high quality product and I think it sounds great and yes I have seen this turntable in other CZcams videos but I really like your take on it rock on record-ology 🤘🤘🎸🎸
I have LP 120 USP turntable and it has been a great turntable it's left me for over nine years this year unfortunatelyy either the cables or my phone input jack on my receiver went out dad got it right now he's trying to see if he can fix it you have an updated version of it Amazons it's about $349 so hopefully my dad can fix the other one love your show, Thanks
I have a LP120 Audio Technica as well and as MANY OTHERS there is motor noise (cogging as I understood the noise) I am EXTREMELY CURIOUS if that issue was solved in the "X" version of the LP120 there is a youtube where a guy had one and compares it to a Pioneer DD and uses a lapel microphone placed extremely close to the LP120 platter and there is a noise coming from the motor ... I have conducted my own tests and the motor noise can be heard CLEARLY in quiet parts of your vinyl... if there are very quiet portions you will hear it as the record plays anyway hope you can take the time to test that out as well
I’ve had this for a month now and I love it. Got it for 250. It’s on sale now at amazon 230. Hoping someone would make replacement LED target light in different colors.
Great video man! Keep up with the videos and info on the record life. What speakers would you recommend for this turned table? I've been thinking of getting this turntable player for myself this Christmas. By the way what's the best website or store to buy this from for a good price?
Best price is going to be on my link in the description of the video - through Amazon in all likelihood. Thank you for your nice comment and for watching!
hows it going ,saw the video I have the AT-LP120 usb model the older model very happy with it I know I 've seen videos of people complaining about the anti-skate I had a similar problem anti-skate was not good ,but I happened to check on the spec for the cartridge overhang I wanted to make sure I had everything set correctly before I gave up on turntable, I found my cartridge overhang was not set right so I found out the measurement was set for 59 mm from tip of stylus to end of headshell after I did that my antiskate was at 1.75 where I have my tracking force strange! but I saw the new model It looks OK to me it looks cheaper looking the area where platter sits is plastic where mine has a like metal plate ,and the tone arm does not have height adjustment like mine has ,the paint job looks to brilliant ,where mine has a two tone color it is silver but a almost piano like finish,its too silvery ,I hope u understand what I am trying to say the tone arm has a matte look to it where as my tone arm is chrome and the feet are not adjustable hieght wise where my feet you can adjust the level for turntable ,and my turntable is close to 25 lbs where this is 20 lbs,the base or plinth { I really hate that word ,grew up calling it a base sorry} on my turntable is thicker than this one looks it looks like your buying half a turntable mine was the same price as this one sells at amazon your review was fantastic I am sure it plays fine ,the old turntable the one I have looks more like the technics 1200 this one looks like company was trying to cut corners save money to make money Iam sorry just thought u would like to know I 've always loved audio technica products there cartridges were always the best JRo
Other than the lack of height adjustment, your issues with the new turntable are mostly cosmetic. The weight and size of the base is irrelevant. The newer version is sonicaly better that the old one. They made improvements with the built in preamp and bypass, corrected the anti-skate issues, a better motor, and the feet ARE adjustable. The new model also comes with a better AT cartridge, redesigned head shell, and a heavier counter weight. I've owned turntables (including this model in black) for over 40 years, and this is a solid, quality unit.
Nice review! I will be buying this turntable soon. I'm on a slightly tight budget, so I'll go for a pair of powered speakers. What are your thoughts on the Mackie CR3s and the Presonus Eris 3.5?
Hi, cool video! I just bought this turntable a few days ago and I love it! Do you have any thoughts/opinions on speakers to go with this turntable? I purchased active speakers - a pair of Yamaha HS5 monitors - because I didn't want to buy a lot of other components at this time. They sound great! I'd love to hear any feedback from you about it.
can you tell me when you are in complete silence, if the platters makes a slight noise when it turns? (On the old model, there was a very slight pulsation sound when you put your ear near the plateau). Thank you !!
I bought this 2 months ago , the all black model and I absolutely love it.. I also set my tracking force to 1.5 it seems better to have as little weight on it as possible for longer record life .. or is that just my misconception?
It’s weird but you actually want to track as heavy as the cartridge allows. Check the specific recommendation of that one online. I have heard that too light of tracking force can do more damage than too much! I agree about the LP120XUSB. A fantastic machine. Thanks for watching!
old thread I know but same issue for me, I recently started listening to LPs again. I'm canadian and the LP3 is the same price as the LP120 for me. Given the choice for the same $ which would you choose? Currently I have a technics SL-BL2 but it's not behaving speedwise even with a new belt.
So... if I buy a new record that’s still sealed... and play it for the first time on my Lp&No.1 record player... and it skips 12 times in just one song... is it an issue with my player or the record?
Great question.....its the player. Kind of complicated but two factors at play here. 1. Some music (rock, rap) have groove modulation that requires the needle to move very fast back and forth (that's called compliance.) Various cartridges and needles (styli) have different compliance capabilities. And the red tip ones like you have are low compliance (they are stiffer) so they cant track those fast and furious grooves. 2. Adding weight forces the needle to be compliant but can damage your records. You can add a penny to the top of the cartridge (we did a video on this recently) but be advised that will wear your record down fast.
I had a +/- 2015 iteration of that turntable and read all sorts of comments about preferably removing the inner preamp if not used because the "straight" out was still not pure and also, about the anti-skate that wouldn't work well (not precise) most of the time, do you know if that new one (With the X in the model number) has corrected these so called problems? I just got that new AT-LP120XUSB in Bronze and black and it is so beautifull!
Great video! Just one question if I am going to hook the turntable to a receiver, do I use the RCA cables and the ground to and hook them to the turntable? And switch to phone?
Hi, I just bought this turntable. One question I have is when a record is finished playing will this arm automatically return to the resting off position or do you have to use the tone arm lever to raise the arm up and manually move back to it's resting position? Some of the older models of this turntable had problems with the anti skate knob not working properly. Is this something that the company rectified? Another question is, where is this unit manufactured? Is it made in Japan? Thanks Michael Newell from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Great questions! So this unit is made in China and I have been extremely happy with mine. The turntable is completely manual so you need to manually return the tone arm. The anti-skate works well but if you want complete accuracy with that you will want to manually set it by placing the needle down on a black record / smooth platter mat. We did a video on that as well. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I'm just curious I went to the technical audio video on this brand and model. They recommend 2 grams to set. What made you set it 1.5 grams? Is it in preference?
The only thing that makes this turntable worth anything is the steel plate installed in the base making it heavy. The way to sense true quality in this case, is to gauge the plastic being used. The platter is definitely aluminum. If it were steel, it would be much heavier. I have the AT-LP120USB & the new AT-LP120X USB. Comparing the two, you can definitely feel the lessor quality was placed into the upgraded model. Thereby only charging 249.00. The LP120USB, when new ran for 299.00. Features were eliminated in this model. No Multi-directional platter, No VTA, and they eliminated the Pop-Up Target light. Not to mention, they included a "plastic" 45 adapter instead of dye case aluminum. The AT-LP140XP is a better match to the older 120USB, unfortunately, there is no USB connectivity or preamp. :-(
Hi man thanks for this. I set up mine this afternoon. I have a question in case you or someone can give me a suggestion. I found the arm balance easily but the issue is that when i found that balance by chance or no idea how the corresponding number on the counterweight was already zero. So i just left it like that and turned the counterweight until no. 2 and adjusted the anti skate at 2 as suggested by an official set up video i found on you tube. Do you think that is ok? It seems working fine i just want to do the correct thing not to damage the cartridge or the vinyls. Thanks for your suggestion.
if i want to not use the turntable amp but instead run it through my pioneer amp how. do i set the switch on the back of the turntable? do i set it to “phono” or “line”?
Never knew that there was another Matsushita that founded Audio Technica. I only knew about that guy who founded Matsushita Electronic, nowadays called Panasonic. Panasonic owns that brand you hate so much: Technics Hahaha Oh btw, nice cap 😉
I know I was surprised to learn that as well! Actually I do not hate technics, I think they’re fine and good equipment… I just don’t like the attitude of people comparing everything to them. They serve a purpose, and so does entry-level equipment.
@@Recordology Jup true. That's just the way some people work. And if one has a Technics, it gets compared to a $100k+ SAT, Caliburn, TechDAS or Transrotor. There's always something to look up to and to look down on, it's just that looking down on things is easier for some type of people 😉
@@Recordology I used to love Technics they were the brand to buy when I was growing up ,the turntables were the best their recievers were the best they even had great speakers believe me I had their speakers and receivers I am not fond of them now cause they came out with their new turntable to replace the one they used to make the 1200they are charging close to a thousand dollars ,it is a MANUAL turntable!! not automatic ,your doing all the work ,the only moving part is the motor ,I know they are well made but there are other brands out there just as good even for DJ ing that don't cost that much !!
I bought the black model two days ago and i can't stop listening to records and the sound quality is monstrously good
I the black one as well
I bought the black one as well 😁😁😊😊👌⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️
We acquired the Audio Technica LP120USB in 2014. We wanted to get a TT that was direct drive and was fully adjustable, ie-skate, tracking and was able to upgrade your cartridge(the USB was a bonus). It’s been our primary turntable since and have NEVER had single problem-none.
Very cool!
Same, got mine in 2014 or so and have never had any issues other than one - Sometimes the left channel would go out. So I called AT Tech support and they thought the green wire on the headshell might be loose. That's what is was and since then it has never let me down. Upgraded to an AT-100E cartridge but still have my 95E on standby. We use it daily and it is an excellent table.
Is it still working well?
I recently just upgraded to a AT-LP120XUSB from a AT-LP60 and I am 100% satisfied with my purchase. Compared to the AT-LP60, it makes that feel like a cheap plastic toy. At first I was considering a Orbit U-Turn, but people recommend the AT-LP120 over that. I also picked up a pair of Edifier R1208T bookshelf speakers and together it sounds great.
That's my setup too! Love it!
I got the same setup for my son but he can't get any sound from his speakers so far. I think he has something set up wrong.
so exciting!!! I am returning my lp60x and have this ordered - i use presonus eris e3.5 for studio monitors and they are phenomenal
Just ordered it for Christmas, thanks for the review!
Thank you!
Straight away i'm seeing several changes from my version of this turntable. 1. Head-Shell and Cartridge combo upgraded. 2. Hard-wired RCA Phono leads have changed to RCA Jacks. 3. A Ground connection has been added. 4. Target light has changed to removeable type. All of the above needed to change in my opinion, as these components were either sub-standard or missing. An exception to this would be the Head-Shell and cartridge which were actually fine in the last version. I can't help but wonder if the tone arm damping has been improved as mine is very poor despite trying several fixes. Overall though, these are superb turntables for the money no matter what version you have. Thank you for the review.
Very interesting thank you! I was looking forward to the metal 45 spacer too!
Have owned the AT-LP120XUSB for about two years now and love playing my LP collection from the 60-70's on it. I am very happy with it. Good quality at a fair price.
I just purchased this turntable a week ago. I'm very pleased with this unit. It is for my office and I've just recently got back into playing vinyl. I was a mobile DJ for many years and played on SL1200's. The thing I like about this particular deck is the familiarity to the SL1200. The cartridge that comes with this unit is very nice and I like that you can upgrade and or purchase an extra cart and headshell and dock it on the deck. A couple of things I do not like is, no tone arm height adjustment (but that's not a big deal) and the housing is plastic, but it's not a deal breaker. I did upgrade to a cork mat and I've added a FOSI BOX X2 preamp. I run this into my ALESIS MKII powered speakers and it's just a beautiful looking kit. I like the fact that you can run 33,45 and 78 and that it has pitch adjustment with quartz lock. Overall I'm very pleased with this unit. I got it for $299 USD.
i own the prior model of this, i already love the fact that the rca cables aren't plugged in the back and I can chose my own cables, still watching the video only 2 minutes in it.
Lots of great feedback on that development! Thank you for watching and commenting!
Just picked mine up and it is absolutely amazing! I have a lp120 with a shure m447 but the atlpl120x stocked upgraded cartridge and stylus are so bright and clear. Those who like the clean crisp sound of vocals and high hats this is a great turntable pluse no pre amp humming! The black looks Sith like very cool and the led light can shadow where ever you turn it looks nice at night. Pick one up to start or add to your arsenal of equipment will not be disappointed!!!!!!
Awesome! Thank you for watching and commenting!
nice turntable and it sounded really nice, attractive design to! thanks for another great video, rob
Thank you so much!
I have the 120 and decided to get the 120x because of the improvements on the amp and phone output and yes the difference is noticeable now I don’t have to go almost to full volume to get to the loudness that I like ( yes when I listen to my records the neighbor will enjoy the music too 😂) 120 was good but 120x is better by far.
Wow, that 20,000 Leagues recording takes me back. . . .
Not 100% sure yet but this is currently the leader in the "my next turn table" decision. Love my Crosley C100 but an all black unit would look better with my setup. great video as always Record-ology!
Thank you!
I ordered one of these from Amazon for my son as a Christmas gift last year. He loves music and wants to get into vinyl. At that time the price was about $248.00 for this unit. I can't believe how much the price has increased in such a short period of time. I also got him a set of Edifier R1280Ts Powered Bookshelf Speakers to go with it. Unfortunately he's not very tech savvy and to this day has not been able to get these fine pieces of equipment to work. I don't think he has it set up correctly and has never heard even a single sound from any of his records from this turntable. He says he has read all of the directions, watched many CZcams videos and still can't get any sound from his speakers. I just think he just has something plugged in wrong. I help him by phone as much as I can but he lives quite a ways from me and I can't visit right now. Back when I was younger I used to have a stereo setup with turntables (Gerard turntables) , receivers, power amps, reel to reel tape decks, cassette tape deck, mixers, range expanders, equalizers, the whole works. I still have many of these units upstairs in the attic right now. He's seen them and heard me talk about their superior sound quality many times. Maybe that's why he wants to get into collecting vinyl. But so many people are raving over the AT-LP120XUSB that I'm thinking about buying a couple of these and unboxing my old record collection and setting up my stereo system again. (It could happen).
My favo💕rite Turntable AT LP 120 model 👍
The LP120X is one of my favorites, great review dude , keep it up.
Thanks, will do!
I recently sold my trusty LP60X cause I wanted something vintage. I went for a pretty good JVC L-A31 semi automatic mainly because it had pitch control and it was within my budget ($160). But oh my god, the dissappointment, I was just not able to lock in the speed, it ran at either 30 or 35 in the case of 33 and 40 or 49 for 45. After a bit of research I learned that the potentiometer of the pitch knob gets corroted over time, and there's no way to lock the 33/45 speeds, only slow or fast. It's fixeable by opening it up and spray some contact cleaner over the pot, but I just didn't feel comfortable doing it.
So I returned it and said "screw it" and bought the beautiful LP120X, which costed me around 400 dollars (I live in Mexico so the import fees are pretty high). I'm so excited to get it
I would have bought one of these if there was some kind of auto stop.
an aluminum platter is lighter which puts less wear and tear on the motor
CANT WAIT TO GET THIS
I bought this model 6 weeks ago, it is without doubt the best turntable I have used in a long time....The only issue I have had is with the slip mat warping massively out of flat as it were....Not a problem with albums bit it does affect singles during play, maybe I just got a duff mat so I ordered a new one online...Brilliant in every other respect..
Looking forward to buy this in the next few days. I hope the still have it in stock until then!
I rocked one of those for a long time, I still use it actually for uploading records to my computer. I just recently upgraded to a Technics SL-1200 which I’ve pretty much been wanting since I was a kid, something I wouldn’t have ever been able to afford if it wasn’t for my saint of a girlfriend. While of course there are HUGE differences in quality, especially with their class leading wow and flutter specs. However, the LP-120 is for sure the best non super OEM table out there. Never forget, the best turntable is the one that YOU can afford to have and enjoy!
Agreed! Thank you for the comment!
Sorry for my ignorance, but I'm new to all this ...what is a "super OEM table"?? thanks in advance
I have a 120 UBS It's a easy set up and a pleasure to listen to I use a Yamaha RX 850 PREAMP with Yamaha 140 watt tower speakers sounds great
That's what I love about you
You are very informative.
Thank You
Thank you!
I have had this Turntable for eight months now and absolutely love it, I changed the cartridge to an AT95E and a Audio Tecnica head shell. Looks and sounds awesome. My only litte complaint about it is when you cue a record and let the leaver down the tone arm drops to qwick. But apart from that grate turntable...
I've seen videos on youtube that address the quick tone arm drop. There is a sticky solution that is needed in the area of the tone arm, and also there is suppose to be a spring. Check out "Vinyl Talk with Tavis" he does a complete fix on the quick tone arm problem
I bought the black model last week. I intended to use it for DJing. But I had forgotten that the torque is only 1 kg. So I contacted Audio-Technica Europe a few days ago. They told me that I can use it for DJ’ing if I use D.J. slip mats and D.J. cartridges. I can’t decide to buy a second one.
Can you still do basic scratches and stuff with it stock?
Thanks for this video! I have one and needed to see how it was packed when I went to re-pack it for moving!
Awesome video! Thanks for the information.
Just picked one of these up on special. loving it so far
tres bonne platine avec ampli onkyo et enceinte jamo concert le top merci
Hey man! I discovered your a few days ago and I wanted to tell you that I already love your channel! Keep up the good work! 👍
Thank you! Welcome aboard!
Platters are most of the time made out of aluminium or other non-magnetic alloy because the magnetic fields that may be in steel platters could potentially disturb a magnetic cartridge
If the platter feels heavier than aluminium it may be made out of Zamak alloy which non-magnetic and almost as heavy as steel ( i think the old Thorens turntable have Zamak platters )
Also the editing is great on this video. The montage to set it up is a good idea, and I can tell your video making skills are improving.
Thank you!
It even plays the 8 1/2 inch 78s with the tiny label right to the end of the track. Most record players come up short on this aspect.
I just bought myself a couple of days ago for Christmas this Audio Technica record player as a replacement from my Victoria 4 in 1 record player that I have had for a long time. Are there any secrets or hacks to a this type of Audio-Technica record player? If so you should do a video about it and show us in what you have learned.
Congratulations! I just use it as designed and it works great - in fact I am listening to it as I write this! :) Enjoy!
Just got this set last week great set
I’m actually buying one tomorrow, cannot wait, cheers on the video 👍 all the way from Australia 🍺
Cheers!
Record-ology I’ve had it now for a couple of days now and absolutely love it... cheers on the vid👍
Nice review! That's a very good looking turntable.... I have the original LP120USB and find it performs well - it doesn't suffer with the anti-skating issue that many did have, and the arm bearings are good and smooth. However, I do look at this new one and feel tempted! I love the new matt finish on the tonearm, and the slimmed-down profile.
I did notice that you set your tracking force to 1.5grams. That new AT-VM95E cartridge is rated for optimal tracking at 2.0grams and will sound better..... it's always better to set the tracking weight at the higher end of the range quoted by the manufacturer, as it helps eliminate mis-tracking....
That is good info - thank you for the tip! Another advantage that the new USB model has according to some is the elimination of motor noise. So far I love mine.
my Victrola VTA-600B is good but I got bit by the better sound/digitizing bug when I saw this. It reminded me of turntables I used in the '80s to 2K (also audio Tecnica). and hands down beats my ancient Realistic LAB 12B turntable; that is in need of repair or adjustment and or a better preamp to PC connection. ty for the review. and an AT-LP-120X-USB
is on the way
Have you heard of the new LP-140x? It’s the super OEM version of this turntable, unlike the LP1240, the LP140x looks much more similar to its little brother
Yes I have seen that.....perhaps we will review it someday!
I love my LP120 USB !!!!
I have the audio technica lp 120xusb that is simular and it is fantastic..i love it and it sounds awesome
I'm really wanting to get a turntable for awhile now and was looking at the lp 60. Should I save my money and invest in the 120? It does look better.
Great question! The LP60 and new LP60X are fully automatic whereas the LP120 is fully manual. Both are great TT's the LP60 is nice and small too!
The main advantage of LP120 is that it's more customizable, so you can set counterweight, anti-skating, etc. This also gives you more room to improving it later, for example with a new cartridge.
I purchased a 60x 9/21/19 and went back to grab the 120x 3 days after! Did you grab yours????
Had to adjust the anti-skate to "1" because the needle only stands still in the middle (middle point between the outer edge & where the label starts) of the blank platter at the "1" mark. All other variations won't work. The anti-skate on this unit is flawed, unfortunately. Using the Hudson acrylic blank platter for this. Any suggestions ??
Is this on the LP120XUSB or the older variant?
@@Recordology It's the new 120x...bought it recently.
@@dm95422 uhmm that's very disturbing to hear, I have read that even the LP 120's usb that were made AFTER 2017 had fixed the anti-skate issues!! Well we have about an hour 's drive from me and I'll be going down there is talk with a sales rep, cause I'm thing about TRADING in my LP 120 for the newer X model. But I'll have to be convinced they have addressed this anti-skating issue!
Hey, thank you for the video!
Is this turntable a good choice for everyday home use?
It is - it is fully manual so keep that in mind. Also look at the AT-LP60X or AT-LP3
Great! Thanks a lot for your answer and advice!
I am very tempted to get one of these, but I have yet to see anything about their build quality. The previous model had the potential to be great, but it did have some quality control issues (warped platters, loose tonearms, etc.), and while it's unrealistic to expect one of these to be screwed together with the same quality as, say, a Technics 1200, I still believe it's inexcusable for those flaws to exist at any price point.
That being said, both Guitar Center and Micro Center have very liberal return policies, so that would lessen the sting if it doesn't work out. And the general consensus does seem to be that at least in the area of sound quality, it has improved.
I can tell you that mine is very tightly built and of good apparent build quality. It is plastic through (the plinth anyway.)
Hello friend excellent video congratulations. A question of what is the body of the plastic or aluminum turntable made of
I don't own this particular turntable but I have herd nothing but good things about it and it looks like a high quality product and I think it sounds great and yes I have seen this turntable in other CZcams videos but I really like your take on it rock on record-ology 🤘🤘🎸🎸
Thank you!
@@Recordology you're welcome and keep on spinning that vinyl record-ology!!!
very helpful video!! much love!
Thank you!
So... what do you do with the dozens of turntables you must have sitting around by now?
Mostly annoy my wife and kids lol 😂
@@Recordology awesome!
You should donate them to broke audiophiles....
That’s an oxymoron hahahaha
I have LP 120 USP turntable and it has been a great turntable it's left me for over nine years this year unfortunatelyy either the cables or my phone input jack on my receiver went out dad got it right now he's trying to see if he can fix it you have an updated version of it Amazons it's about $349 so hopefully my dad can fix the other one love your show, Thanks
I have a LP120 Audio Technica as well and as MANY OTHERS there is motor noise (cogging as I understood the noise) I am EXTREMELY CURIOUS if that issue was solved in the "X" version of the LP120 there is a youtube where a guy had one and compares it to a Pioneer DD and uses a lapel microphone placed extremely close to the LP120 platter and there is a noise coming from the motor ... I have conducted my own tests and the motor noise can be heard CLEARLY in quiet parts of your vinyl... if there are very quiet portions you will hear it as the record plays anyway hope you can take the time to test that out as well
The new X version has fixed that.
that cartridge should be tracking at 2 grams thats what AT recommends
Thanks for the tip!
@@Recordology no problem
Gotta love some Doc Watson.
Yes!
I heard that!
I’ve had this for a month now and I love it. Got it for 250. It’s on sale now at amazon 230. Hoping someone would make replacement LED target light in different colors.
That would be cooolll!
hey thats a great idea ,I hope they are listening!!!!
reloop rp 2000 mk2 usb and this Audio-Technica turntable tough choice to pick?
I like audio technica record players
Me too!
Had the 120 before just wanted to hear your thoughts the only reason I changed it was that I wanted a semi turntable but it is an excellent turntable
I also have the AT LP3 sitting right next to it for when I want full auto. Both are great units - two of my favorites!
Crystal clear sound incredible
Great video man! Keep up with the videos and info on the record life. What speakers would you recommend for this turned table? I've been thinking of getting this turntable player for myself this Christmas. By the way what's the best website or store to buy this from for a good price?
Best price is going to be on my link in the description of the video - through Amazon in all likelihood. Thank you for your nice comment and for watching!
hey! if your using an antistatic brush, touch the tonearm with the other hand to ground yourself.
Thanks for the tip!
Mine is coming in two days :D
Enjoy!
Re Hello, Can you upload a video of the antistaking (whit a blank Lp, if you have) for see if it works ? thank you
We did do a separate video in anti skate
hows it going ,saw the video I have the AT-LP120 usb model the older model very happy with it I know I 've seen videos of people complaining about the anti-skate I had a similar problem anti-skate was not good ,but I happened to check on the spec for the cartridge overhang I wanted to make sure I had everything set correctly before I gave up on turntable, I found my cartridge overhang was not set right so I found out the measurement was set for 59 mm from tip of stylus to end of headshell after I did that my antiskate was at 1.75 where I have my tracking force strange! but I saw the new model It looks OK to me it looks cheaper looking the area where platter sits is plastic where mine has a like metal plate ,and the tone arm does not have height adjustment like mine has ,the paint job looks to brilliant ,where mine has a two tone color it is silver but a almost piano like finish,its too silvery ,I hope u understand what I am trying to say the tone arm has a matte look to it where as my tone arm is chrome and the feet are not adjustable hieght wise where my feet you can adjust the level for turntable ,and my turntable is close to 25 lbs where this is 20 lbs,the base or plinth { I really hate that word ,grew up calling it a base sorry} on my turntable is thicker than this one looks it looks like your buying half a turntable mine was the same price as this one sells at amazon your review was fantastic I am sure it plays fine ,the old turntable the one I have looks more like the technics 1200 this one looks like company was trying to cut corners save money to make money Iam sorry just thought u would like to know I 've always loved audio technica products there cartridges were always the best JRo
The newer ones did make some corrections. I do like it a lot!
Other than the lack of height adjustment, your issues with the new turntable are mostly cosmetic. The weight and size of the base is irrelevant. The newer version is sonicaly better that the old one. They made improvements with the built in preamp and bypass, corrected the anti-skate issues, a better motor, and the feet ARE adjustable. The new model also comes with a better AT cartridge, redesigned head shell, and a heavier counter weight. I've owned turntables (including this model in black) for over 40 years, and this is a solid, quality unit.
That’s my grail turntable right there
It’s a good one!
Awesome review! Many people are having an issue where the needle drops hard on the record after some use. Have you run into the same issue?
Not yet!
I've only just realised that this has a completely different plinth to the previous generation model. Is it still plastic or is it maybe MDF?
It is plastic.
Awesome review, looking to purchase one, but don't use the include stylus with 78's!
Nice review! I will be buying this turntable soon. I'm on a slightly tight budget, so I'll go for a pair of powered speakers. What are your thoughts on the Mackie CR3s and the Presonus Eris 3.5?
Those look good although I haven't personally tested them - however I'm sure they would be fine! Thank you for commenting!
I'm looking into buying one but don't know whether to get the AT-LP60X or the AT-LP120X which one do you prefer?
Great question - do you want the full auto or full manual. If you don't care which - I would go the the 120X. Thanks for commenting!
Def pay the extra and get the 120x the size and quality is worth the extra money and plus just looks amazing sitting on a shelf.
Nice review. What speakers do you all recommend?
I personally have had great luck with these..... amzn.to/2H87Xj6
Do the little LED towers collapse into the plinth like the older model? Or are they fixed to stay up?
Great question - they are in a fixed position via RCA phono jack.
Hi, cool video! I just bought this turntable a few days ago and I love it!
Do you have any thoughts/opinions on speakers to go with this turntable? I purchased active speakers - a pair of Yamaha HS5 monitors - because I didn't want to buy a lot of other components at this time. They sound great! I'd love to hear any feedback from you about it.
I honestly haven't tried enough different speakers to form an opinion. I use the Crosley S100's and they do a pretty good job!
can you tell me when you are in complete silence, if the platters makes a slight noise when it turns? (On the old model, there was a very slight pulsation sound when you put your ear near the plateau). Thank you !!
I will have to check that! Too noisy around here right now unfortunately.
@@Recordology Thank you, its the big difference whit new Technics sl 1500 completly silence
DIRECT SOUND VINYL
I have one , It’s completely silent
Gr8 video do you think these have a strong enough motor to do some home djing?
I would say in moderation - probably ok.
Great video. I’ve recently purchase this. Can I ask why we need to set the skate to 1.5 can it not be left at zero ?
Great question - watch this for a better explanation; czcams.com/video/jmmsUHsOEk8/video.html
I bought this 2 months ago , the all black model and I absolutely love it.. I also set my tracking force to 1.5 it seems better to have as little weight on it as possible for longer record life .. or is that just my misconception?
It’s weird but you actually want to track as heavy as the cartridge allows. Check the specific recommendation of that one online. I have heard that too light of tracking force can do more damage than too much! I agree about the LP120XUSB. A fantastic machine. Thanks for watching!
old thread I know but same issue for me, I recently started listening to LPs again. I'm canadian and the LP3 is the same price as the LP120 for me. Given the choice for the same $ which would you choose? Currently I have a technics SL-BL2 but it's not behaving speedwise even with a new belt.
Can you do a video on how to connect this turntable to a set of speakers or a receiver? Thanks. I’m lost.
Yes - I have some more speaker videos coming up shortly......
So... if I buy a new record that’s still sealed... and play it for the first time on my Lp&No.1 record player... and it skips 12 times in just one song... is it an issue with my player or the record?
Great question.....its the player. Kind of complicated but two factors at play here. 1. Some music (rock, rap) have groove modulation that requires the needle to move very fast back and forth (that's called compliance.) Various cartridges and needles (styli) have different compliance capabilities. And the red tip ones like you have are low compliance (they are stiffer) so they cant track those fast and furious grooves. 2. Adding weight forces the needle to be compliant but can damage your records. You can add a penny to the top of the cartridge (we did a video on this recently) but be advised that will wear your record down fast.
Record-ology
Thank you!
I had a +/- 2015 iteration of that turntable and read all sorts of comments about preferably removing the inner preamp if not used because the "straight" out was still not pure and also, about the anti-skate that wouldn't work well (not precise) most of the time, do you know if that new one (With the X in the model number) has corrected these so called problems? I just got that new AT-LP120XUSB in Bronze and black and it is so beautifull!
Yes indeed.....I spoke at length with Audio Technica and they confirmed these issues had been addressed.
@@Recordology Cool, thanks for such a quick reply mate!
This TT is over 2kg lighter than ist's predecessor. This is never a good sign.
Is there a way to compare the c100 and the at120 I think t would be a good video no one has done that before in my knowledge
My 12V power adapter wont fit and idk what the problem is ! Is there some kind of piece that fits onto the end of the plug ??????
I wish u would have showed setting the yes speakers up too?
I find the built in preamp gives weak bass / lacks oomph. Would an external preamp help? My speakers are very powerful powered Edifiers.
How does the USB output feature work?
For the LP120 how much does another head shell with a 78 styles cost!
Great video! Just one question if I am going to hook the turntable to a receiver, do I use the RCA cables and the ground to and hook them to the turntable? And switch to phone?
Yes but switch it to line level....
I’m thinking I should of waited a little long and buy this model instead of the lp120 since on the lp120 the anti skate does not work
Is that turntable direct-drive? So it has no auto-return?
Direct drive.....fully manual.
Hello. What about loudness of motor? Can you hear it loud between 2 songs? Thanks
Completely silent on the new "X" versions of this table.
I set my at 2.1 grams
Hi, I just bought this turntable. One question I have is when a record is finished playing will this arm automatically return to the resting off position or do you have to use the tone arm lever to raise the arm up and manually move back to it's resting position? Some of the older models of this turntable had problems with the anti skate knob not working properly. Is this something that the company rectified? Another question is, where is this unit manufactured? Is it made in Japan? Thanks Michael Newell from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Great questions! So this unit is made in China and I have been extremely happy with mine. The turntable is completely manual so you need to manually return the tone arm. The anti-skate works well but if you want complete accuracy with that you will want to manually set it by placing the needle down on a black record / smooth platter mat. We did a video on that as well. Thanks for watching and commenting!
The new ones are very good
I'm just curious I went to the technical audio video on this brand and model. They recommend 2 grams to set. What made you set it 1.5 grams? Is it in preference?
Just what came to mind out of the gate lol......
@@Recordology lol. As long as the number of grams work for you and the record player works. Then ok lol
Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Channel Separation: >20 dB at 1 kHz
Tracking Force: 1.5 - 2.5 g (2 g recommended)
Stylus: 0.4 x 0.7 mm elliptical diamond
Cantilever: Alloy tube
Mount: Half-inch
Replacement Stylus: ATN95E
The only thing that makes this turntable worth anything is the steel plate installed in the base making it heavy. The way to sense true quality in this case, is to gauge the plastic being used. The platter is definitely aluminum. If it were steel, it would be much heavier. I have the AT-LP120USB & the new AT-LP120X USB. Comparing the two, you can definitely feel the lessor quality was placed into the upgraded model. Thereby only charging 249.00. The LP120USB, when new ran for 299.00. Features were eliminated in this model. No Multi-directional platter, No VTA, and they eliminated the Pop-Up Target light. Not to mention, they included a "plastic" 45 adapter instead of dye case aluminum. The AT-LP140XP is a better match to the older 120USB, unfortunately, there is no USB connectivity or preamp. :-(
Interesting - but they DID eliminate the motor noise!
Your link to purchase is for the Atlp120 not the Atlp120x which you have.
Wow! Good catch! Corrected....thank you!
@@Recordology
No problem! Nice video
Hi man thanks for this. I set up mine this afternoon. I have a question in case you or someone can give me a suggestion. I found the arm balance easily but the issue is that when i found that balance by chance or no idea how the corresponding number on the counterweight was already zero. So i just left it like that and turned the counterweight until no. 2 and adjusted the anti skate at 2 as suggested by an official set up video i found on you tube. Do you think that is ok? It seems working fine i just want to do the correct thing not to damage the cartridge or the vinyls. Thanks for your suggestion.
if i want to not use the turntable amp but instead run it through my pioneer amp how. do i set the switch on the back of the turntable? do i set it to “phono” or “line”?
If your amp has regular line inputs then use the line setting, only use phono if the amp has a phono input.
Never knew that there was another Matsushita that founded Audio Technica.
I only knew about that guy who founded Matsushita Electronic, nowadays called Panasonic.
Panasonic owns that brand you hate so much: Technics
Hahaha
Oh btw, nice cap 😉
I know I was surprised to learn that as well! Actually I do not hate technics, I think they’re fine and good equipment… I just don’t like the attitude of people comparing everything to them. They serve a purpose, and so does entry-level equipment.
@@Recordology Jup true. That's just the way some people work. And if one has a Technics, it gets compared to a $100k+ SAT, Caliburn, TechDAS or Transrotor.
There's always something to look up to and to look down on, it's just that looking down on things is easier for some type of people 😉
@@Recordology I used to love Technics they were the brand to buy when I was growing up ,the turntables were the best their recievers were the best they even had great speakers believe me I had their speakers and receivers I am not fond of them now cause they came out with their new turntable to replace the one they used to make the 1200they are charging close to a thousand dollars ,it is a MANUAL turntable!! not automatic ,your doing all the work ,the only moving part is the motor ,I know they are well made but there are other brands out there just as good even for DJ ing that don't cost that much !!