Turntable question; Does Audio Technica make any good turntables?


In the $500 to $1000 range does Audio Technica make any good turntables, either belt drive or direct drive? Compared to say Pro-Ject, Fluance, Rega, Music Hall, Technics, etc.

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The ATLP120 is a cheaper knockoff of a Technics SL1200.  For its low price of $349.00 it is ridiculously good. They make a more purist model ATLP5X for $449.00 that looks like it might be even better.  Both have built in phono preamps. You cannot beat these for the price, but of course there are better for more. The Pro-Ject Debut Pro is $999.00 and is belt driven with a better arm and cartridge, but no built in phono amp. That would be best for under $1K, IMO.  The Fluance tables I’ve seen look better on the web than in person…rattles in the arm bearings… not good. 

As shown previously, the New TT from AT fits in with the brief from the OP.

If the Tonearm is able to be swapped out at a later date and the Power Supply is able to be upgraded, in the same manner as to what happens to many other base model TT's from other Brands. This model from AT could prove to be a very worthwhile investment with further potential.

l feel confident AT are going to win awards with this one and build their customer base with converts from New Users of Vinyl to this Brand.

One Trick they have missed out on is that many new users of vinyl are (Techie) which makes the option for Bluetooth Speaker usage quite attractive. An Off-Board Module could have been an ancillary to enable this type of usage to take place. It certainly isn't 'Audiophile' but it is 'Lifestyle' any many Vinyl Sales today are a sale that is attached to a Lifestyle and not a passion for the recording medium. This is great news, as any individual creating a 'Lifestyle' can easily develop a passion for one of their choices made for replaying music, if this is to be for vinyl, then a fledgling Audiophile is born.

It's happening in Photography regular and has been a revival of the market. Phone Owners using the on-board cameras begin to show an interest in photography and learn of the limitations of the phone's camera.

There want to do more with photography produces a customer for other products more suitable, and in many cases, this has evolved into a Multi Lens Owning convert to Photography, who found their way in through a 'Techie Gadget'.

Offering Bluetooth as an affordable ancillary, can quite easily create for a HiFi Brand a similar route to a New Customer Base for their Higher Priced Items. Add an App to the device and there will be jelly knees in 'Techie World '

Seeing that Techie Exhibitions /Trade Shows are Global Attraction, where the Larger Capacity Events are drawing in both Public Attendance and Virtual Attendances, estimated to be approx' 250 000, the Gadgets that enable a Wireless use of a Vinyl Source has a back door into these events if a Bluetooth Ancillary is being Marketed. 

For myself, not needing too much in sound quality for a background music. 

A fairly priced Bluetooth Recording Device, App Controlled of Course, Capable of producing a Playlist, that could record my Vinyl and CD Albums when being replayed and enable them to be replayed on Portable Bluetooth Speakers, would be an attractive alternative to the sessions that me and my wife share together, using Alexia for calling up olden memories of much enjoyed music.

I inherited a bunch of lacquer 78 records and i needed a turntable that would play 78 rpm. I picked up an AT 120USBX and an AT mono cartridge (it comes with a stereo cartridge). Even though it has a built in phono preamp I also got a phono preamp from Emotiva. It works great for 78's but the thing that surprised me is how good it sounds on stereo LPs with the stereo cartridge. My main system has a Krell phono pre, a Denon DP47f turntable, and a Hana SL cartridge.

That little AT turntable sounds better than it has any right to. I have been a fan of AT for a long time and when I had my recording studio I used mostly AT microphones and other AT gear, especially headphones and ear buds. I've been happy with everything I've owned that had the AT brand.

I would avoid Pro-Ject. I've owned an entry level Carbon Debut and a higher-end RPM 10 ($6K). The build quality just isn't good enough.

I believe the lower-end Music Halls are made by Pro-Ject (feel free to correct me if I am mistaken)

I cannot speak to the other brands.

ATLP5 here. Snatched a mint 2nd hand for €100...a bargain. Came with AT95Ex. Easy to set up, great platter mat. I think the arm is the strongest point of this model. The only pitfall is that the TT is pretty sensitive to vibrations so extra care and effort in finding the best isolation setup in the end-user context (flooring, speakers, isolation platform, etc) is a must. Get one and spend the rest of the money on headshells and cartridges.