Plastic…Fantastic?
I never purchased a turntable. When I left home, a century or so ago, I took the stereo my parents had given me for Christmas—a Sears kit, with an AM-FM receiver, featuring a big, honking, 8-track tape player. My dad had one of those in his car, too. Avant-garde stuff. But that Sears setup didn't last for very long. I eventually scraped enough money to buy a more or less decent amp; got some new speakers. And then someone gave me a Pioneer turntable. I think. In exchange for...something? Payment for a debt of some sort? That particular memory engram is lost to the unforgiving depths of time.
Anyway, we're talking almost forty years ago. Thirty-eight, if I'm trying to be precise. Which I'd rather not because it makes my head spin. 😵💫
A few weeks ago I saw an Audio-Technica on sale: a silver AT-LP120XUSB. It included tech I didn't care about (USB, pitch correction), but reviews on various audio websites were pretty glowing for its class, and the price was a bargain. So I ordered it.
In 2024, I bought my very first turntable.
What I I like:
DC servo direct-drive motor: I no longer need to worry about belts going slack or drying up.
External power supply: this helps mitigate potential noise in the signal chain. Seems to work because the system is whisper quiet. No hum, nothing.
Detachable RCA: you can go nuts on interconnects if that's your thing. I'm not in that club—but I'm still using a better cable than the cheap one it ships with.
The cueing light. Especially useful with these eyes.
A built-in, fully by-passable pre-amp: again, not hearing any noise from this.
That being said, the built-in pre-amp isn't bad. In fact, after a few tests I decided it was good enough to simplify my setup. I might change my mind but, either way, I can always revisit this. (1)
After assembling and levelling the unit I immediately replaced the included felt mat with an acrylic one I'd been using on the Pioneer. (2) I then balanced the tonearm, adjusted it to the proper tracking force, and tested the new kit with a rather scrappy copy of Joni Mitchell's Mingus. This is an album I bought second-hand...erm...I'm going to say thirty years ago for this one? I could take bets but I've got no way of verifying any of it. Suffice to say it's a stellar recording (despite being a sadly diverted project), but the vinyl itself has seen a few soirées (ahem). Still:
The album sounded amazing. (3)
The needle never skipped, which is what I was most concerned about.
The turntable comes equipped with Audio-Technica's AT-VM95E cartridge, the same one I was using on the Pioneer (it's compatible with higher quality VM95 Series styluses for an easy upgrade path). This is a midrange cartridge on a midrange turntable. I'm ok with that.
The one "issue"? Well, as hinted at in the title: it's plastic. As in, very very plastic. The unit itself is weighted down properly so the stability's fine, and the dampening isn't bad (better than the Pioneer actually). Overall it feels sturdy enough. But that's the compromise. Plastic is the generational difference between vintage entry-level and today's entry-level, something that's especially obvious on the tonearm lift mechanism, as well as most of the buttons. Now, I knew this before buying, so it wasn't a surprise—but the effect was still a bit jarring coming from my previous tank of a kit, despite the fact that this turntable performs much better than my old PL-512 in every way that matters. If I was a DJ, hoping for this Technics lookalike to actually replace an SL-1200? I'd have a problem (4). But as it stands I'm already getting used to the new feel. Besides, this baby isn't exactly destined to decades of nightclubbing (!)
Bottom line: there's a lot of mysticism surrounding vintage gear, and I had my doubts this would actually turn out to be an upgrade. Well, it is. The AT-LP120XUSB looks good, it sounds terrific—check, check, and done.
1: Next on the replacement list is my old Harman Kardon amp. I brought it back from the dead a year ago but it's now glitching beyond my capabilities, and it's not a model worth pouring money into for repair.
2: I was sceptical but on the old turntable this made a surprisingly noticeable difference to the bass response, as well as the overall control of resonance (compared to the original rubber mat). Audio Technica's included felt mat is quite thin, so I figured it couldn't hurt with this one either. Happy so far.
3: Please insert my usual not-an-audiophile caveat.
4: I believe the AT-LP140XP is the real contender for that crown.
