Customer Reviews

Audio Technica ATLP120 Professional Turntable

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

So, what do you do when you want to get current with a new turntable
and you find the field swollen with overpriced gear and on the other
side, cheap Junk??
You shoot for a Technics SL1200....at least that's what I thought..
Sorry, but at $7+ bills-for a guy who never
spent over $170 for a turntable back in the day they were King, not going
for that. So what we have here with the Audio Technica AT LP120 USB
to be realistic, is a chinese knockoff of theFamous Technics Table.
So I bought one!
The bad first: On my unit, the finish on the top
of the turntable at three spots shows signs of the 'finish paint' not being
properly sprayed. In another words, it looks like someone took a pencil
eraser and went back and forth a few hundred times over the top finish
and wore out the finish coating. Ok,not good but something I could live
with cause it's not that bad, but, it doesnt make it look splendidly new either!
Do I want to take the time to send it back, no. I'm 51 and I still love my wife.....so
who cares????
Now the good: Ok, after reading many many Amazon customer reviews and others
on the Internet, and knowing a little bit about this thing I unpacked it, which, speaking
of packaging was good and bad. Everything was packaged very well but the styrofoam
they use broke in like 6 places, but the good news is that the turntable itself was not
damaged, nor were the parts like the counterweight and such.
Put it together and I will say, definitely, it IS a very good looking turntable!! Different in
composition than the Technics: whereas the platter on the Technics is a Part of the motor,
the AT is not. The motor is mounted well to the top plate of the TT and the Platter itself
is kinda not heavy, but is much beefier than 90% of the USB turntables out there, and at
a $200 priceline, is MUCH more than expected!! And it is brushed Aluminum and therefore
looks like the real deal, just a few oz lighter than my older Pioneer PL550's MASSIVELY
heavy platter. But that was 1976 and this is 2010, times have indeed changed.....
Now, many others have talked about the stock cartridge in the AT120. For DJ'ing
it's ok. But for TLC of vinyl for Audiophile purposes it's out of the question. I got the
Shure 97 on j&r for $59 and two 78rpm stylus's on Amazon for $22 each.(!) The stylus
is interchangable, so if you want to play 78's, just get the stylus for it and plug it into
the 97's body, re-adjust the stylus pressure and go for it!! At least that's what i've read
on the internet so we'll see if it actually happens. Worst case I'll have to pop for the 78
cartridge and have two spares, not bad actually either way.
I then ran the turntable for 13 hours at the 78 speed forward and backward to see if
the motor would fail, it Didn't. Turned it off, went to work, came home, turned it back
on, 33/45/78 all nailed-no drift, no slowdown or speed up. So Ok, the Motor seems
heavy duty, should hold up to years of use.
The tone arm is very well made and calibrated. Going down to 1 gram of stylus weight
just to see, the balance and bearings were very fluid, which tells me that if they didn't
know what they were doing, the tone arm would choke under a slight weight balancing
test-it didn't. The arm slowly went up and down with my changing oh so slightly of the
counterweight with no points of friction. Good Bearings and initial calibration at the
factory!!!
Tone arm lift is gentle going down and very firm going up, with how fast your finger
is telling it to go.
Platter is as stated solid. When going to 78 the mis alignment in the dots does rear
it's ugly head, but then again, at 33 or 45 you hardly notice it, no big deal.....
ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A STREET PRICED $200 UNIT COMPARING IT TO A $700+ UNIT!!!!!
Very favorable imho. To get this kind of quality at a $200 realistic price point, is
very impressive. And the Technics does NOT play at a 78rpm speed. For me, this was
a major issue. I did not want two turntables to deal with!!! (Oh yeah, I'll impress people
with my $29 bsr poc next to my Mirage Speakers!!) NOT!!
And I must admit, AT did their homework. Again, not in the same OVERKILL QUALITY
league as the Technics 1200, but in all honesty, almost Overkill at a $200 price point.
Lastly, I opened the sucker to see if any screws were loose, which has been a factor
with EVERY piece of Electronics I've bought in the last 5 years that was made in china.
A B+ grade on this. Some screws needed very little tightening and the motor screws
were dead on snug! The construction inside was around 7 years behind the times
but clean. Compared to modern day factory construction of electronic gear, it wouldn't
win any prizes, but then looking at the guts of the Pioneer 550, judging it in this present
day, it wouldn't either. So there you go. For me, it fits the Bill perfectly, it's like the girl
you really think is hot except for her slightly crooked nose, you sort of accept it, but
you wish it was perfect, but you know it's not going to be. This Turntable is exactly
that. You'll probably fall for it and wish it was a Technics, but day after day, you'll
look at it and say, 'Damn, what a cool looking Turntable', and when you install that
Shure 97 and put on your old Mobile Fidelity copy of Steely Dan's AJA, you'll smile
all the way to the bank. Hell, you might even buy an extra one if Amazon ever
decides to make it a 'Deal of the Day' for a cool $100!!!! I would!!!!
I could go on for ever, but then I would bore myself to death........
Enjoy this Turntable and the Music.
MasterG

July 2010 Update:
The AT continues to rock my world. On 78's with the Shure 78 stylus, it operates flawlessly. And there have been No incidences of tonearm meandering or anything like that. This is a very good turntable and at $200 it's an absolute steal!!

December 2010 Update:
This thing is STILL Rocking! In the last two months I've purchased four Jimi Hendrix Vinyl Box sets, (West Coast Seattle Boy being one for $64!! on Amazon!!!!) and SunDazed Records 10Lp MONO Vinyl Bob Dylan set for $149!!!! (And yes, you get TWO more lp's than the Columbia box for alot less, the remastering is exquisite!!!) and more Hendrix vinyl from other retailers to pass on to my kids when I croak. And except for finding a good turntable mat, (this one comes with a felt mat, which is fine, but i'm a real nit picky type of schmuck so I search and I search for the holy grail without ever finding it...go figure.) it still is not giving me ANY problems. So, overall, after a year or so, It's still soooooooo worth the money I paid for it.
I wish you ALL a VERY MERRY Christmas!!!
Gerry


January 2011 update:
Have gotten alot of questions about hookup, obviously there are alot of people not familiar with the old fashioned record player so here it is as simple as I can put it,
This Record Player/Turntable is a Stereo 'Component', which means that you HAVE to connect it to some kind of Amplifier or Stereo/Home /Theater Receiver in order to hear your records being played. It's NOT like an iPod, which has an internal amplifier and you pop your headbuds on and your in business.
So, you can't just pop a record on this and really hear anything, you have to connect it to some kind of amplifier in order for it to work properly.
Now go and hunt down those cool records you've been dying to here!!
Gerard

Overall I'm fairly satisfied with this turntable. It has a nice strong motor, a decent solid metal platter, and an okay factory cartridge. I say Okay because AT makes much better cartridges (like the AT95 series, that are still fairly inexpensive) than the one that comes on this thing and for this kind of spend, it wouldn't have killed them to throw one in. Plus the included cartridge tracks at "3-5" grams. That's a viciously high tracking force. I have an AT95HE that I mangled the needle on...once I replace the needle, I plan to swap it in. Hey, at least it really includes a magnetic cartridge and not the typical crap ceramic cartridge that the vast majority of these USB turntables come with, and at least it's a standard mount so you can swap it for something better, which you also can't do on most of those crappy tables. This is one of the few USB turntables out there that actually let you adjust tracking force and antiskate at all.

One other nice feature is that the table plays 78's, though you'd probably want to get a needle that was better optimized for them.

The turntable is easy to set up and operate. Some assembly and tonearm calibration is required, but the instructions are crystal clear. The controls are easy to use. It sounds really good through my amp and that's how I mostly use it. One major complaint, however, is that the audio cable is both too short and not removable/replaceable. I was able to kluge it longer by stringing together all the included adapters and use another RCA cable I had lying around, but that's not very satisfying as a long term solution.

I've had some issues with the USB recording as well. For reasons that no one can seem to explain the thing sends a very low amplitude recording out the back end of the A/D. I've got the input level cranked all the way up in Audacity and it still comes out very quiet. There don't seem to be any means of adjusting the amplitude. This limits the ability to make a high quality recording on a computer. The alternative, running the audio signal through the audio input on a sound card works great, if you use the line out level option on the table, but for someone looking to do it through USB this seems to be a problem.

What i noticed right away when i am setting up was that the AC cord keeps on detaching from the AC input located at the back of the turntable. I sent an email through the Audio Technica website regarding stylus cartridges. Here's what they said:

"Do not use a moving coil cartridge on the LP120. The noise floor of the turntable is too high for an MC, which requires quite a bit of gain. The noise will be amplified right along with the audio signal and you will not like the results. The turntable accepts standard half-inch mount cartridges of any brand. I recommend The AT120E/T if you are looking for a lighter tracking A-T model. It is a better high frequency tracer (due to the nude 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical stylus) than the supplied ATP-2 Cartridge and it tracks at a considerably lighter tracking force"

Overall the product is excellent.

I will not and actually cannot improve on the other reviews for this turntable. Right now Led Zeppelin I is playing as I type this and it sounds magnificent. My comments, after two days, are as follows:

1. The hum, I don't have one. Perhaps the most important problem that was identified in the reviews, I was prepared to rig up a ground wire but it was not necessary.

2. The power supply. Turned on just fine. However, I made sure that the connection to the the turntable was firm, give the plug a good push and you will feel it seat itself.

3. The on/off button. Yup, it's funky, but it turns on and off just fine.

4. The audio cables. Too short as noted, had to buy a pair of RCA couplers to connect to my receiver at an additional cost of 10$ for the gold plated variety. I actually would have preferred that AT just provide the ports and I would be pleased to supply my own cables.

5. The cartridge. I am not an audiophile and it sounds fine tracking at the 3.0 grams, which, according to a review may be underestimated.

6. Assembly. A bit of a pain, but I proceeded slowly and methodically. I also read the instructions twice before proceeding, sort of the measure twice cut once school of thought.

7. Tone arm adjustment. A bit tedious but I read the recommendations from the reviews here and consulted a Youtube video on line.

8. Connections. Connected to a Yamaha RXV367 5.1 A/V reciever via the Audio 1 ports. The built in preamp is a pleasant surprise and works just fine. I was more than prepared to purchase a preamp if necessary.

9. Overall, a great value. A direct drive turntable at about half the price of its competition. My Technics SLBD20D has just been cleaned and adjusted and will be dedicated to converting my vinyl to digital. I would have preferred to buy a non-USB version of the AT but obviously they do not have a 120 non-USB.

10. The service. Ordered through AMAZON and delivered as promised. But it is a heavy sucker and make sure you consider that the platter is taped underneath the turntable when you unpack it.

11. Remember, this is a manual turntable, there is no auto shutoff like my Technics.

I purchased this turntable to transfer my record collection to CD/MP3, and I am very pleased with the AT-LP120. Some have written about a slight hum when connecting this to a computer via the USB port. I followed the advice of those who recommend connecting it to the line in jack via the RCA cables, and there is absolutely no hum. I ran my cables through my amplifier, but the AT-LP120 also has a pre-amp for direct connections. I agree with the other reviewer who commented on the high tracking force needed for the no-frills cartridge that came with the turntable. I purchased the Shure M97xE cartridge, and the sound quality is supurb. I had intended to sell my records after transferring them to the computer, but I like the sound so much that I might just keep my collection.

Face it folks: This turntable is a knock-off, the equivalent of one of those "Rolex" watches you buy in Hong Kong. They keep time, and this turntable plays records. But out of the box,
this turntable is no match for the Technics 1200 (the real Rolex of DJ turntables) in sound quality. A huge bargain, certainly, with all of its features and capabilities, but still a diamond in the rough. How to polish it?

I'm an experienced audiophile and music freak, and I needed a new turntable for a videogame/music room I'm putting together. I did not want to spend the cash for
a new 1200, and I'm wary of buying a used one (plenty of those on ebay) which will likely have been DJ'd to death. This AT has the appearance of quality, if not the sound.
But how to help it to sound as much like the original as possible? Well, I've done a lot of experimenting, and here's what I've come up with:

First Tip: The motor makes a little noise, but nothing that wasn't covered by the music itself. But this is the main way this unit is clearly inferior to the 1200 -- it's noise floor (mostly due to the necessarily cheaper direct-drive motor) is a little high, while the Technics 1200 is graveyard silent. The best solution for this problem is to get a Technics 1200 rubber mat (you can get these on ebay for 10-25 bucks) and swap this in for the felt mat you get with the Audio Technica. It really quiets the turntable, and does a great job of decoupling the record from the platter at the same time.

Next tip: DO NOT USE THE ONBOARD PREAMP! Almost any cheap preamp will do a better job than the chintzy onboard pre-amp. Move the switch on the back of the unit to "phono" (instead of "line")
and plug the red and white RCA jacks into the phono input jacks of your receiver or amp (if it has these jacks) or, if it doesn't, use a separate pre-amp. Good cheap ones can be found on
Amazon, made by Pyle and other companies, but the best quality for the money is the Cambridge Audio 540P-B Phono Preamp, for $99.

Final tip: DO NOT USE THE INCLUDED CARTRIDGE! Basically, this is a low-end DJ cartridge that tracks at 3 grams (way too heavy for your precious vinyl) and has barely passable sound. Instead, get yourself a Shure M97XE, also available here at Amazon for less than $60 bucks. I tested about 7 carts from Ortofon, AT, and Shure today, and the M97XE was by far the best match with this table. Make sure you install the cart correctly in the headshell, and if you are not 100% confident about how to do this, get some expert assistance -- a good tech can do the job right in minutes. Mounting of the cart in the headshell is very important to quality sound. The headshell screws right into the arm very easily, so that part is easy!

OK! By using a Technics heavy rubber mat, a decent preamp, and the Shure cartridge, you can transform this knock-off into a turntable which will compare pretty well with the 1200 in a side by side test! True, you'll need to spend the nearly same amount on the extra gear that you already did on the turntable, but the difference in sound quality, for listening or recording, is truly
awesome. It is hard to tell the difference between this and my 1200 (which is fitted with a great Audio Technica moving-coil cart) after these modifications. If you already have this turntable and you think it sounds good out of the box, use the tips above and enjoy the incredible improvement!

Extra Special Inside Tip: If you want to supercharge the set-up recommended above, and you are willing to spend another $189 to do so, get a Jico Super Analogue Stylus for Shure M97xE, which is available online if you do a little shopping around. This brilliant replacement needle (easy to swap out for the standard Shure needle) will elevate this budget-priced Shure cartridge (presuming your pre-amp, amp, and speakers are reasonably good) nearly to the level of a high-end moving coil cartridge.

OK, ok...I admit it -- I've recommended nearly $400 of upgrades to this $200 turntable. This is true, but most $1000 turntables fitted with $500 cartridges can't play at the high sonic level of this $600 rig. When I blindfold tested this modified bargain rig against my mint 1200, which is fitted with a $600 moving coil cartridge, listeners could not tell the difference, and some preferred the AT rig!

After a lot of research to replace an aging, inexpensive turntable we landed on this product. The day it arrived, we set it up (it does not come ready to play a record...but read and follow the simple directions). We even recorded a record. This product does what it says it does. And for the price, a pretty easy pick. Other reviewers recommended a cartridge (needle) upgrade, which we did but have not put the new cartridge on. It sounds just fine, in fact better than most of our CDs, with the needle it ships with. We also purchased a cartridge to play 78's. The turn table has a designated space to hold an extra head shell. If you plan on playing 78's, buy an extra head shell for the wide groove cartridge to make playing a 78 real easy and convenient. Our recording experience was pretty easy. We setup a USB connection and recorded a record within a few minutes. For the first time out it doesn't sound bad at all...so adjusting the input settings and having the better quality cartridge on it should make a fabulous MP3. The software is not intuitive, but nicely written and robust. Good luck and have fun.

I was looking for a Turntable to resurrect my 80's Vinyl collection that had been stored away for 20 years. I saw this and researched it and other turntables both USB and non USB, and decided this was it. It reminded me so much of the old TECHNICS SL-1200MK2 Turntable TECHNICS SL-1200MK2 Turntable, which is also available on Amazon right now for more than double this price. I was very surprised at how much it weighed, and the overall quality. It is made in China though. My tone arm locking clamp, a tiny piece of plastic arrived broken. A call to Audio Technica, and two days later a replacement part arrived, great service.

The sound quality is excellent. I forgot how warm and rich vinyl sounded. The highs and lows and bass on vinyl really out performs the CDs and MP3s I've been listening to for so long. Check out Audio Technica website for all the tech specs.
The user guide and Quick Install guide had different settings for the Tone Arm balance and anti-skate settings. I tried both and did not hear or see any real difference. I have not used the USB or Line-Out to record anything yet but will update if I do. My Main purpose was just to enjoy my vinyl again, and this really fit that purpose.

This Turntable has a switchable integrated preamp, so if your receiver does not have a magnetic cartridge PHONO INPUT you can use any available line-in input, you can also just attach a set of powered computer speakers and it works great. I thought my receiver had a PHONO INPUT, and it didn't after all. So I was very glad for the integrated preamp.

I purchased this turntable from Amazon.com for a few reasons: I needed a decent 'table that would spin my humble and meager collection of 78 rpm records. I sold my Technics 1200 M3D(MK2) years ago for financial reasons(to this day, I regret selling it) and cannot afford nor stomach what the gouging current prices are for the venerable and legendary "wheel of steel"(since Panasonic pulled the plug last year).New old stock supply prices are insane and to find a "gently" used one(from a non-dj,audiophile only owner)is no easy feat. I did some research before finally buying the AT LP-120 ( that is, I read the positive reviews from customers on Amazon.com and also on YouTube).Furthermore, I went directly to Audio Technica's website to get the performance specs for this turntable.Technical performance specs on anything will either tell you a whole lot, or ,nothing,really---I will explain later.Also, all other so-called lesser professional turntables in this price range(or costing more) by other companies,simply put, are garbage when compared to the AT LP120(from both build to performance qualities---or lack of(Crosley, are you kidding me?!).I got the turntable because,well,the price was right(it didn't break the bank). Lastly,if and when I decide to digitze my vinyl collection, it is nice to have those USB and PC connection options open to me. Although, I have not tested or utilized any of those functions on the AT-LP120,yet. So far,consumer reviews seem to be mixed on the whole USB and Audacity system and software features for digitizing ( I've read everything from ok sound quality to poor sound quality to making people just ditch the whole feature and strictly use the turntable for vinyl playback only). As a vinylphile, my review,thus,will only reflect the regular analog functions and qualities of the AT LP120.

I have owned the AT LP120 for the past few weeks and have come to my own conclusions. They are based on my own personal experience what the AT LP120 is and what it is not. I have also been a vinyl-phile for nearly 30 years; I live and breathe the vinyl medium---for me it never "died" nor went away(even with the rise and acceptance of all current digital formats).Over the years, I have had my share of the low fi to mid-fi vinyl gear(have yet to own a high end audiophile turntable with the hefty price tag to boot, I'm sure) and currently still own a few(Denon, JVC, Technics). On that note, I will start with what the AT LP-120 is not.

It is NOT the Technics 1200 MK2 performance-wise nor construction-wise.At the price point the AT LP120 sells for, I don't expect it to perform sonically,mechanically or electronically like a 1200 and nowhere near like an audiophile 'table;That would be ludicrous.That said, it is NOT going to perform like an $800 to an $80,000 turntable(yes,they do exist through a company called Rockport).It's a 1200 ONLY in appearance. I believe that this is what disappoints a lot of current and former Technics owners when they buy the Audio Technica AT LP-120. The Technics 1200 MK2 had a long(over 30 year)successful history of production and Panasonic used higher grade materials and construction standards in Japan.The 1200 also yielded VERY admirable technical performance specs which in turn meant better sonic playback characteristics than the AT LP-120. The AT LP-120 is not very well damped, even though it is heavy (at or over 25 lbs.). It is made of a sturdy plastic composite(for the plinth) with a heavy steel plate on the inside---this is where that hefty feel comes from.The plate is at the bottom, so that is why when you do even a light finger tap on top of the turntable, while playing a record, you will hear a dull "thud" through your speakers. However, who in the world pounds or sucker punches a turntable when playing vinyl? Still, a well damped turntable is necessary if you dee-jay or have limited room space and must place it near your speakers as those vibrations will be picked up by the plinth and tonearm,out the speakers,muddying the sound/music. In this category, the AT does an acceptable job if you do not do the finger-tap test on the plinth(but,again,who beats up a turntable?). I also tested my AT LP-120 for its quartz speed accuracy(very simple to do visually using the stroboscope dots---that's what they are there for to verify complete accuracy). I also did this because I previously saw another owner's AT LP-120 on YouTube not being quartz accurate...Well, it is and it isn't and this is what I found out. If you play a record and have the quartz system engaged,stare at the stroboscopic dots for just a little over a minute or two. I noticed that after this amount of time,I began to see the dots barely,but still noticeably, drift out of synch with the quartz circuit. With my experience with any other direct drive quartz-timed turntables I have owned, the speed was dead accurate; ZERO drifting of the strobo-dots. That's what quartz speed accuracy means and that's what it is designed to do. The AT-LP 120 lacks this required speed accuracy refinement. Does this create some sort of noticeable and audible effect or defect? No. However, it places in my mind as to how long the quartz system in my AT LP-120 will last---will that drift become more noticeable both visually and aurally over time? I hope not.But wait, it gets better. I then removed the vinyl record and supplied felt mat. I let the turntable platter spin in the quartz mode and after a minute or two there was NO dot speed drift.However,the dots are absolutely not still in the quartz mode when playing at the 78 rpm speed;I am not sure if this is a design flaw or if at 78 rpm the turntable was designed not to include that stroboscopic quartz display for whatever technical reason. As for the minimal quartz dot drift at the 33 and 45 speeds,what this told me was that the AT engineers did not take into account the weight or mass of the mat and record and tonearm to compensate for this stroboscopic dot drift... The DC motor on mine makes a slight cogging sound effect that is transmitted through my speakers if I play the quiet portion of a disc loudly(the blank space between songs). Some direct drive systems do cog, but the better built ones with better motor noise isolation material are a lot more silent or not noticeable at all(even with a stethoscope you can't hear the motor).On the AT LP-120, it's a very minute pulsating sound that is masked when the music is playing so this is not a major problem.Again, does this mean that with time that sound will get louder? The motor and spindle bearing-shaft assembly is fastened to the top round black metal plate of the plinth with four screws only,so that would account for possibly any motor noise/vibration not to be properly isolated. The aluminum platter is light and does ring when tapped on;A heavier or thicker platter would mean better sound dampening and better resistance to unwanted vibrations(from the motor and from the speakers). Also, the platter is not machined to perfectly flat specs;There is a slightly noticeable wobble(other reviewers have noticed this,too)---I can see the platter,as it rotates,slightly rise up and down.However, this does not create any audible effects or sound distortions...Until,I used the 78 speed;Obviously, the cartridge and tonearm rise up and down but not enough to skip off the platter with enough proper tracking.There is a tad of a light bumping sound...if you pay close attention to it. However, most 78's I have are noisy to begin with. While the AT LP120 does have acceptable torque for quick start ups, it is very susceptible to being easily slowed down and even stopped if you brush-clean a record while it is spinning.A Technics 1200 would maintain perfect speed and pitch and just fight me while I would brush clean a record while it spun---THIS is just one of the qualities dee-jays love about a torquey direct drive!Again, one must remember these are two different animals with similar coats. Overall, mechanically, the AT LP-120 is not a super quiet machine with regards to motor and rumble noise.Audio Technica did not include the rumble spec on their data sheet as most turntable manufacturers do---the lower the number the better performance and quieter sonic background so that all you ever hear is just the music,even with very low and almost quiet musical passages.I am now using a heavier aftermarket rubber mat that has decreased most of the inherent motor noise and rumble effect. The bottom line is that,in this case, Audio Technica's performance numbers/specs,while somewhat not the best I have seen for a quartz direct drive, do not impede this turntable from doing its job;The job it is set out to do and that is provide a pleasing tonal and sonic level.

FINALLY, now to the good stuff. This is what the AT LP-120 IS and why I like it ! Let me just say that the AT LP-120 changed my perspective on what a $200 turntable can do soundwise even if its performance specs and build specs may not be the best or anywhere near audiophile standards---this is not designed, manufactured, sold, or marketed as an audiophile-grade turntable to begin with and is simply listed as "professional"---when you compare it to the much lower stuff that is out there.My point is that the numerical specs and data one sees on the AT LP-120(when comparing to other turntables,like the Technics 1200) should NOT deter or hinder a person into buying this good quality turntable. If you look and listen for the imperfections(assuming you know what to look for), you will find them. In addition, the included and premounted cartridge and stylus do a decent job.Bass is tight or firm,mids are decent(you can tell that the mids are tipped upward and make vocals more pronounced),highs are acceptable but do not sound natural---cymbals have an artificial sound, if that makes sense. Yes, it is required to track more on the heavier side for optimal performance. However I have been tracking it at close to 2 grams with no audible degradation(sibilance,innergroove distortion or mistracking). I did test the AT LP-120 with an AT 440ML cartridge/stylus setup and liked what I heard---better stereo imaging and separation, but the highs were bright(a characteristic of the AT 440ML).So,yes,using a better quality cartridge and a thicker mat (rubber, NOT the felt kind) will yield VERY good playback results. I don't recommend spending a large sum on a high end cartridge as (with my experience in the past) that might reveal the AT LP-120's sonic shortcomings...Even though the turntable is a manual operated affair,and not a semi or full automatic, this is more desireable when you start to get into professional mid hi-fi to audiophile hi-fi turntables; One less function to break as most automatics that use gears and linkages gum up or freeze up over time.Most automated arms also add unwanted extraneous mechanical sounds or sonic degradation to the playback---There were only a few audio hi-fi companies back in the day that used very sophisticated,independently, and reliable motor driven automatic arms such as Denon,JVC, and a few older Technics (non-1200) models. Those automatic arms and features were marvels on some of those turntables.Appearance-wise, the AT LP-120 is a very attractive looking piece of analog audio gear, even though the aesthetic design is not original and strongly resembles the Technics 1200 MK2.Overall, it physically looks great as the focal point to anyone's audio component system setup---it just looks expensive and did I mention it is fun to listen to and use?---It plays 78 rpm vintage records!The Technics can be sent to a special aftermarket company for 78 rpm modification---but that costs about as much as a whole new AT LP120...The cueing lever mechanism is one of the smoothest I've ever used on a manual turntable;It truly gently places the stylus in the groove with precision and ease.

There are a few quirks and kinks that could definitely be worked out by Audio Technica with a tighter qc implementation.However, the parameters for the technical range specs are such for AT LP-120 that they do not hinder it from being a reliable and decent quality performer; In other words, under normal,casual playback conditions for the non-audiophile this is a very cool turntable to set up,use, and listen to(also, someone just getting back into vinyl or approaching this medium for the first time will be surprisingly pleased)! If you are on the opposite end of the spectrum and in search of analog sonic perfection or audiophile grade quality, you will be somewhat disappointed.Unless,as an audiophile, you are using it as a secondary turntable, then you will know what to expect and will thoroughly enjoy it as I have. If you are considering to use the AT LP-120 for dj record scratching purposes, it will reveal its shortcoming concerning its torque; The motor is not that quick and the platter is very light(for normal playback startups,the torque is up to par,but NOT for "scratchin')---it simply does not have the high torque capability of a Technics 1200 and most other dj turntables. Also, the reverse function is not the quickest when going from forward to reverse and vice versa as on other dj styled turntables.However, for normal dj playback applications,this turntable unit will perform respectively.

I have purchased audio equipment in the past in which the manufacturer may not have used esoteric,exotic, or even super grade materials like the more refined and high end competitors. However, it was in the execution and accuracy of the design and production on how those less expensive materials were best used. THAT is what yielded such great audio quality results that rivaled,and in some cases,surpassed those of a better or higher quality name brand.The reason for the four star review is because this is an area where AT could still make some improvements with the AT LP-120.

I have recently purchased an Audio Technica ATLP120 USB Turntable from Amazon. The turntable is amazing. It has every nick nack an old vinyl junkie could want. My only negative comment is that the cartridge that came with it was sub-par. I did not really expect a high quality cartridge to I had also ordered some better cartridges from a different vendor that specializes in phono cartridges. So this is only a comment and not a complaint. I got what I expected which was a very good turntable. Amazon's service was as always exceptional.