Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB Direct-Drive Turntable (Analog and USB), Silver

2025-05-16T20:00:00

There are things I did when I got this table: I upgraded the cartridge to the VM series, replaced the platter slip mat for a silicone mat, as I don't do any scratching, and I use my own external phono preamp, as the internal ones just don't sound very good, and have electrical noise. With those few changes, this turned into a very nice turntable for serious listening with rock-steady speed.It will even play 78s! One thing that needs attention, besides the internal phono pre and USB, are the feet. They are hard to adjust.

Music-man

Originally posted at

2025-03-08T19:00:00

I thought i was completing my dj set up with this, but i played my first in-club gig with this tt last night, and it did not perform well compared to my silver 120 from many years ago. i was gifted the 120xusb in 2023 while i was not playing outside of my home, and while the downgrade in features and quality were immediately noticeable, it did the trick. last night i played out with my set up for the first time (a silver 2011 lp120 & a black 2023 lp120xusb) and the 2023 skipped and fed back all night. we even moved the speaker away and the arm still vibrated wildly and fed back. this machine feels so different from my previous model and now i know why... it isn't nearly the same quality. this is a good sounding and flashy home 'dad dj' player, but it's a rip off, from the quality vs price perspective. i've worked in record shops for about 15 years now, and i'm sad to say AT has seriously shaved away their quality. the lp3 used to be the best bet, but they they removed the rubber mat and upped the price. the lp60 is plagued by speed callibration issues anymore and the price went way up too... (play something on yours and then on your streaming platform. its is often a notch off. that's NOT what record listening is about. bittom line: this is not a dj quality turntable any longer.

secretagentkr

Originally posted at

2025-01-27T19:00:00

I used other turntables in the past, but this one is the best: it is easy to use, with an excellent sound, and the fact that it is open to being upgraded is awesome. The built-in preamp does the job with the music sound, but if you want a higher-level experience with the sound, buy a preamp and use the turntable in phono; get a good amplifier, and you're set. This turntable won't disappoint you!

LogicalDJ

Originally posted at

2024-08-29T20:00:00

I got the previous gen lp-120, which I used for years and liked a lot. When I received the new one, I immediately noticed the difference in material quality. It feels like a cheap knockoff of lp-120 from AliExpress. The buttons are lifting, and the plastic feels light and scratchy. The stylus light is just ridiculous. Audio-Technica probably fired their industrial designer. Big disappointment. I'll definitely switch to Technics. Goodbye, Audio-Technica.

Oleh

Originally posted at

2024-07-31T20:00:00

I bought this to replace an old belt-driven model from a lesser-known brand that does not have quartz lock and, as a result, has speed that tends to wander. The fact that this model has quartz-locked speed control is a big step up. However, my main (in fact, probably only) use for this model is for digitizing 78s. In fact, at the same time I ordered this I also ordered the T-VM95SP/H Turntable Headshell/Cartridge Combo Kit. Swapping out the original cartridge and headshell for the 78-compatible one was a breeze. A possibly little-known bit of trivia is that in 60Hz regions like the USA, the official speed for 78 RPM records according to the NAB standard is actually 78.26 RPM. In 50Hz regions, it's actually 77.92 RPM. When I set this turntable to 78, the stroboscopic dots on the platter are pretty steady, so it's clearly doing exactly what it was designed to do. The catch is that what it's designed to do is something ever so slightly slower than 78.26 and I can't figure out how to measure the actual speed. The RPM app that's currently available for Android phones reports 77.8 and 77.9, but I don't know if the phone hardware is accurate. To be clear, no normal sane person is EVER going to notice the deviation. It's tiny! But I have a large collection of old records that I enjoy digitizing and, if I'm putting all that work into it, I'd really like to get everything 100% correct. Additionally, some of those old records from the pre-electrical days need to spin at what we'd now consider non-standard speeds. The workflow I was hoping for was to capture at 78.26 and keep the captures at that speed for probably 90%+ of what I'm doing, but digitally alter the speed up or down for the handful of oddball (76.59, 80) speeds that I need. But, not knowing the exact speed that "78" is on this deck, I can't do that with the obsessive precision that I'd like to.

Jeff

Originally posted at

2024-03-15T20:00:00

A few years ago I became curious about vinyl. The AT LP 120 was priced right for my first TT and it was a very good decision to buy it. It sounds good but as you get more into audio you start to notice it's short comings. Still, these short comings should not deter you from buying this table. After a month or two you might notice that the sound quality isn't that great. The AT-VM95 cartridge included with the TT got you started but now sounds dull, lifeless. I upgraded to the AT-VM540 cartridge and headshell. The warm magic of vinyl was on full, glorious display. Now I understand why people are getting back into vinyl! The second thing I noticed is when I put the needle on the record the tonearm seemed to pull toward the center of the record. Adjustments of the anti-skate did not help. I bought a vinyl, LP sized cartridge alignment protractor (some people like to use an old CD). Using the back side of the protractor I turned the table on and put the needle down. No matter how much I adjusted the anti-skate, the needle quickly drifted to the center. I opened up the turntable and found the anti-skate spring was installed incorrectly at the factory. It was an easy, no cost repair. The last thing I noticed was the *rumble*. To see rumble in action. Remove your speaker covers and put the needle to the record. Before the music starts to pay watch your woofers vibrate. If you are curious about rumble, do a google search. Having said all of that, this is still an excellent turntable and a great value for your hard-earned money. At this point, I am looking to upgrade to an audiophile turntable. Yes, I would buy this TT again and yes I would recommend it to a friend. If you want great sound out of this TT, buy the 540 cartridge and make sure the anti-skate is working properly.

SuperMike

Originally posted at

2024-02-09T19:00:00

Sucked.

Jimbo

Originally posted at

2024-02-09T19:00:00

Do not buy this

Natalie

Originally posted at

2024-02-04T19:00:00

As they say: "What goes around...comes around!" Purchasing an Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB turntable rekindled a longing interest in enjoying my old 33LP record collection. After setting up the turntable and taking time to admire its inherent beauty, I set it aside and began the preliminary task of cleaning the first of my 100+ vinyl albums. Playing that first album (Sade's "Smooth Operator"), instantly brought me back to my younger days, and I experienced a calmness in my soul which I'm certain all true music lovers can appreciate and understand. I then spent the next several hours blissfully and methodically cleaning the rest of my 100+ vinyl albums, occasionally playing one to reinforce the overall joyful experience. My sincerest thanks to Audio-Technica for producing such a fine product.

Sarasota J.

Originally posted at

2022-08-02T20:00:00

This unit is fierce! I've been a classics fan all my life and in particular the organ. This unit through my Denon AVR-X4700H amp and fabulous speaker system makes this unit sound like a dynamic master. I hear sounds like never before and with over the ear heads phones a unreally unique listening pleasure.

TroyT

Originally posted at

2022-07-24T20:00:00

It really is a great turntable. I was a little bit iffy on going with a direct drive motor from what I've heard but it's been great so far for well over a year. I do not hear any motor noise while it's on. I'm sure there are many other options and competitors for a similar price, but this particular turntable for what you're getting for the price is fantastic value. You're getting a solid build, and mid range audio quality that can be upgraded down the road. It's been a conversation starter when I've hosted events at my house, and everyone who's had the chance to listen to it has said nothing but good things about the sound quality. Many of my friends are musicians like myself so we are very brutally honest with how something sounds, and so far, nothing but good things have been said. I'm sure anyone like myself who collects the odd vinyl records and plays a record or two during the weekdays to wind down, will be very satisfied with this TT. I'm sure there are even cheaper TT that will suffice the average listener, so this one should certainly surpass your expectations unless you're seeking for the best machine to accompany a very expensive speaker system, then I would say to look elsewhere.

J

Originally posted at

2022-02-10T19:00:00

Excellent turntable, among my best-spent money, has good playback quality even when using its built-in preamp. The design of the body in one part and the height of only 4 cm make it elegant and a beautiful design object (mine is matt black ... I love it!). It has an engine with a traction force more than adequate for its role (domestic reproduction) with an excellent speed constancy. Feet of excellent construction that cushion and dampen vibrations in an excellent way. The VM95E cartridge itself is already excellent and the possibility of being able to update it with a more valuable stylus in such a simple way is really a fantastic thing. Converting vinyls to digital with Audacity software is very fast and simple. All problems encountered with the previous 120 model have been resolved. Absolutely recommended, you will not find anything better in terms of quality / price and you cannot help but use it every day!

persson

Originally posted at

2021-09-28T20:00:00

i have been using this turntable for about 8 weeks now and the set up i have with it is great. right now I am using the Audio Technic lp120usb turntable with the built in pre amp and a pair of edifier R1280T active bookshelf speakers and i have not had a problem with the sound.

jazz g.

Originally posted at

2021-04-26T05:48:30

all good product

MARIA M.

2021-04-17T20:00:00

I had to learn a lot about turntable settings, i.e. counterweight and anti-skating. I watched YouTube videos for set-up help. This is truly a quality product. It come highly recommended by me.

Allamericany71

Originally posted at

2021-04-01T20:00:00

Really nice piece of equipment that I purchased in November 2019 from Crutchfield Audio. Easy to set up and use with nice sound reproduction. I should have written when I first got it, but the: "hydraulically damped lift control" is not a very soft landing onto the record when it is released. It is a beautiful machine, but they should really address that because most people who still use records have had them for years and want to protect their collections. The 1975 - Dual1229Q that I replaced had a failing motor, but the Q ing control still dropped like a feather.

PATRICK

Originally posted at

2020-12-31T19:00:00

I use it once or twice a week to enjoy my extensive new & old record collection

Ricmtlhrt

Originally posted at

2020-11-20T19:00:00

Very satisfied with the unit. Seems to be very well made. I am using a Ortofon Bronze cartridge, and it sounds great!

JJK

Originally posted at

2020-09-16T20:00:00

It looks good and I can imagine it being a great 1st/2nd turntable, but it leaves a lot to be desired. I bought this to learn how to mix with. Noticeable downgrade in quality from the 1980s Technics I had prior. A few things I noticed in the first week using this turntable. Cheap feeling plastic body that really picks up any bump or slight vibration. Records that never skipped on my old table skip on this one, even when adding more weight to the tonearm. Lots of distortion on mid and high frequencies (especially vocals). The lever to raise and lower the tonearm feels shoddy and bounces the arm in air instead of raising and lowering it smoothly. It's a real shame it bares the same as the original lp120 (now discontinued), which I've used before and has noticeably better build quality. I was duped folks. Not saying don't buy this, would be a solid beginner table. Just don't think this is the real mccoy.

C-MAN

Originally posted at

2020-07-23T19:29:00

Anyone paying less than this for a USB turntable for converting LPs to files is not serious about quality transfers, IMO. This one does that and a little more. The built-in preamp means you can plug directly to any mini powered speaker, if that is your thing. I hate the grounding wire that is required with any phono connection, but it is not needed when connected to a standard audio input. That’s a plus. I needed to do a 78RPM transfer. An odd thing, I know. But the included 78 speed (rare) along with the AT 78 cartridge made for the best transfer for a 78 that is possible, also IMO.

KEN N.

2020-07-11T20:00:00

Bought in December of 19, with social distancing and all, it gets played almost daily and I haven't had a single issue. Best TT at this price point and even maybe up to $500. Considering upgrading the cartridge to the VM540ML/H for improved sound.

Rollo T.

Originally posted at

2020-07-09T20:00:00

An amazing turntable! Best on the market. Incredible quality and features. Shocking to be able to get this kind of quality these days. Great price too.

Rayman

Originally posted at

2020-06-16T08:35:40

The Audio-Technia AT-LP120XUSB turntable is stylish and attractive. There is minimum sound from the direct drive mechanism. Settings for RPM and tracking are easy set up and accurate. I could hear the improvement in sound compared to previous turntable I had immediately. A value purchase that provides the essential performance one can expect from a medium priced device. I am well satisfied with this purchase and the quality.

LAWRENCE H.

2020-05-22T20:00:00

Very bad soundm metallic sound higher and medii sound very bad, no fidelity.

Ovidiu

Originally posted at

2020-05-13T20:00:00

I was leary about spending that much on a record player but it had great reviews. When I played records on it, I thought the sound was terrible. Seemd rushed or slowed. So after about 5 records I stopped. Then recenlty I went to see if it was my fault and I messed something up. the player won't spin. 7 months. 5 records. Broken. They refuse to send me a new one of even lesser value. I'm convinced it's the worthless pitch shift that caused sound issues. With them refusing to make good on the product I'll never purchase nor recommend their product to anyone and would chase anyone away from touching their products.

B.M

Originally posted at

2020-05-01T20:00:00

Turntable is durable and well built. Sound is great. Initial setup takes some time and effort but is worthwhile.

Dave E.

Originally posted at

2020-04-28T20:00:00

I USED IT ONCE PLACED THE PLASTIC COVER OVER PHONO CARTRIDGE THE NEXT TIME I USED IT THE NEEDLE WAS GONE.AND COULD NOT BE FOUND

ED

Originally posted at

2020-04-15T20:00:00

When I first bought this in 2014 it worked for maybe an hour before the motor failed. I returned it, they fixed it free as it was under warranty. Now 6 years later it has failed again, after using it perhaps 20-30 hours over that period. Definitely a lemon. Based on this experience I would not buy another Audio Technica product!

W

Originally posted at

2020-04-11T20:00:00

I just upgraded my set up and I am amazed with the sound quality. It's so simple and easy to use and my only regret is not getting it sooner but I am glad I waited because I definitely think I chose the right one. I will eventually be buying a second table and I intend to get this one again.

V

Originally posted at

2020-03-19T20:00:00

I bought one of your turtable about few weeks ago, barely used it and the needdle broke in two today! I'm very disappointed by the quality of this cartridge!!!!!!!!!!!!! For the price I paid for the turntable more than 400$ I expect better!!!

Kwame

Originally posted at