Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB Direct-Drive Professional Turntable (USB & Analog), Silver (ATLP120 USB)

So, first off, I'm new to vinyl. I've always wanted to get into it, and I finally arrived on this beautiful Audio-Technica turntable based on my price-range and what reviewers have said. I've had it a little over a week now, and it is simply fantastic. Vinyl is certainly worth the extra investment for everybody who truly appreciates sound quality and wants to experience every little detail that the artists intended, and this turntable doesn't disappoint. It's easy to put together, very easy to run (easy even for a total newbie like myself), and the sound quality with the stock cartridge/stylus (again, for somebody who's NEVER owned a turntable before) is spectacular! If you're like me, someone who doesn't want to spend an arm and a leg for great sound quality and who desperately wants to begin collecting and listening to vinyl, then BUY THIS while you still can! It's very well put-together, and it's a very attractive unit too. It looks far more expensive than $200. Also, I should note that I primarily listen to metal music and some progressive rock on my turntable, and I use my Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones to listen to it all (BUY those headphones asap too for just a little over $100). TRUST in Audio-Technica if you're new to the audiophile game and don't want to go bankrupt for very high quality listening experiences. I don't see myself upgrading anytime soon, if ever. I'm extremely pleased with this product. The ONE downside that I initially have to force some of my LPs (NOT many) onto the turntable because the metal rod that you place your LP on seems just a tad large. I was afraid I may snap my record while removing it the first couple times! If you're careful, this shouldn't happen at all, and the hole in your LP gradually gets large enough to fit the metal rod perfectly. It's my only gripe. It may sound major, but it's VERY minor in actuality.UPDATE 5/18/2013I am still loving this turntable. I should note that my turntable came with the AT95E cart (the green, not the white one). This one is supposed to be much better than the other 'white' cart that comes with some of them. So, I got lucky? Either way, it tracks wonderfully. I do notice some inner groove distortion on a significant number of my records. It's not HORRIBLE, but it is annoying at times. I'm still trying to puzzle out if it's the records or the cart setup that is doing it... I've considered upgrading the cart, but for somebody who is new to vinyl, like myself, this current cart sounds damn good. I'm only tracking at 1.5 grams, which is the very lower limit of what the AT95E is rated at. I wanted to do this to help preserve the stylus and my records. If anything, it sounds better than before! Turntable is as silent as ever in its operation too. I just love this unit. BUY IT!UPDATE 5/24/2013I've been tracking at 1.5 grams with my AT95E cart with all my records, and it works great. I just got a pretty badly warped LP in the mail (debating on returning it or not) that plays just FINE. This cart tracks beautifully, even with this warped record. I'm debating on buying the Shure cart that everybody keeps talking about or just sticking with the AT95E and merely replacing the stylus when the time comes.UPDATE 6/1/2013TT still working spectacularly. However, I've been noticing harshness on 's' sounds and high frequency parts from my records, on numerous records. I believe this is what is called sibilants. Also, I have noted obvious inner groove distortion towards the end of records, both old and new. This seems to be a common issue with many people, and could be caused by poor setup. I can only hope that Audio Technica set up the cart correctly, since it came pre-assembled. I also changed my tracking force to 2.0 grams after reading that I should be aiming toward the higher end of the stylus's tracking rating. I went out and purchased the Shure cart that everybody is talking about, and I can't wait to get it in. I will provide another update once I get it set up.Shure MX97E cart installed. Oh boy is it incredible! The AT95E is a GREAT budget cart, but the Shure MX97E outperforms it. I am in love with my new Shure cart! The sibilants are either gone or much less noticeable.UPDATE 7/3/2013This turntable is still performing beautifully. I finally got around to playing with the Audacity software that came with it and began recording my vinyl records into very large computer .wav files. The Audacity software takes a bit of a learning curve, but after you figure it out, the recording process works and SOUNDS beautifully! I'm very surprised at how well my records are translated to digital files. I purposefully chose very high sampling rates to try to capture absolutely as much uncompressed sound as possible, and thus my files are quite large. That's why they make huge external hard drives... Anyway, again, this turntable is blowing me away with its capabilities.I bought mine for a little over $200. The price of this beauty keeps going up from what I can see. BUY ONE NOW!

My name is Alfonso Faustino, and I am a casual listener of music.Last night, 24-April-2014, I ordered the Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB DD PT; and, UPS dropped it off, and I just finished putting it all together.Before purchasing, I canceled my first order because I read all the issues of the warped platter and the plastic components on the main console. Then, I did more research on it via YouTube and other sources, and I made a purchase; and, this time, I did not cancel it; and, I'm so glad that I kept my order; because, this TT is awesome!My platter is not warped; I haven't noticed any turntable distortion mentioned by owners using direct drive TTs; I don't hear any humming noises while the TT is in idle mode or while the platter is rotating in between my record-changes; and, the console, from my interaction, has metal parts and not riddled with plastic pieces -- sure, there are some plastic pieces, but it isn't riddled with plastic. It is a high-quality built and cool-looking TT.The tone-arm is easy to calibrate, and the whole TT is easy to assemble. AT has a link that demonstrates the installation and calibration of the TT. Execute a search on the Internet: "calibrating the audio-technica lp 120 usb direct drive professional turntable," and the AT video will pop up. Also, I have the AT video link on my BLOG...just search "Alfonso Faustino BLOG," and my BLOG for the AT LP120 will pop up.After assembling and calibrating the Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable, I spent most of the day and evening testing it out by playing all types of LPs: Rock, Jazz, Vocals, Symphony, and Big Band Orchestra.All the rich and full notes and sounds from my records were cleanly picked up by the Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable's needle, creating a crystal clear musical delight that brought me back to my past when I first heard each of these songs and their pops and scratches on my old turntable stereo system -- of course, my LPs never sounded as good, clear, robust, and rich as they do now, spinning on the platter of my new Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable.I haven't tried the USB feature, yet. I will do that, soon; and, once I do, I will update this review.Yes, I would recommend this TT to my acquaintances and friends that are in the market for a TT. That's my review for the Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable.If you want to read, below, my music-listening level description, continue, below. It gives you an idea of my music-listening level in relation to this review, and the financial parameters I used to make my purchase of this TT, as well as other stereo equipment.Thank you, all, for your reviews -- they helped me make an educated purchase. For those consumers that experienced problems with this product, I hope AT resolved your problems; and, if not, I hope you moved on to a product that better fits your music-listening needs./s/ Alfonso Faustino------------------------------------What is my music-listening level?I feel that it is important for you, the reader, to understand the type of music-listener I am; so, you can have a better understanding of my review, as it relates to my personal music tastes and this product: Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable.I consider myself a casually listener of my music. I am not an audiophile or an aficionado of music who demands a high-end precision stereo system, like a McIntosh and the MT5 turntable, which, by the way, the MT5 turntable is the most amazing work-of-art turntable I've ever seen and heard -- I'm not that type of musical listener; but, I'm also not a grade-school-listener that is happy with a lunch-box record-player that has a fat plastic tone arm with a nail as a stylus; hence, if I had to categorize my personal music-listening grade, I'm more like a sophomore-listener, and the senior-listeners are the aficionados and audiophiles owning stereo systems like the McIntosh stereo system with the MT5 turntable.So, below, is a general dollar-scale I created and used to define my music-listening-grade, which, in this case, is the grade of sophomore, and to help me make my stereo equipment purchases. I know higher prices don't always equal better quality; hence, the converse of this statement is also true: lower prices don't always equal lower quality; however, for the sake of argument, lets go on the premise that the former is true instead of the latter; hence, this is my stereo-system break-down based on my music-listening-grade, regarding turntables, receivers, integrated amplifiers, speakers, and other hi-fi stereo equipment's price-points:Grade-school Listeners: Price-point: $100 or less.Freshmen Listeners: $100-$200Sophomore Listeners: $200-$500Junior Listeners: $500-$1000Senior Listeners: $1000 and upApplying my scale to my own personal stereo equipment needs, my dollar-range budget amount is between $1000 - $1500, which effectuates my personal stereo system:- Cambridge Audio Topaz AM 10 Integrated Amplifier,- Audio Engine P4N speakers, and the- Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable.My total approximate cost for my stereo system is $1400.I hope this give you a better perspective regarding my review of the The Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB Direct Drive Professional Turntable./s/ Alfonso Faustino