Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 16
 It Works! It Works! It Works! August 27, 2010
Hawkeye (Arizona)
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 plau 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.
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.
 Beautiful appearance but first thing check if power supply works August 8, 2010
Gerald Siegel (Mililani Town, HI United States)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a handsome piece of work for the low price. However I have now sent in my unit for a replacement. The defect? No power when the switch is turned on. I checked the cord with an AC tester and it is fine. My advice to anyone is to remember that you want to save all the packing and to remember if you can how it fits together. And ideally have a helper if need to return it as it is not a lightweight... OK, let's just see how AT packs the item assembly and all the little gizmos. The cast aluminum table is packed slung underneath, on the bottom of the chassis, wrapped in a plastic sleeve. And then fitted inside a cardboard sleeve. And this kind of heavy assembly is then firmly- almost inextricably- taped to the underside. (A two person operation to unwravel ). The chassis is tightly overwrapped, The good is that it is designed to withstand travel, and it did, very well, no bruises, but takes time to figure it out what is where,unless you are great at this stuff.( a couple digital photos would not be a bad idea.). Each of the accessories,the 45 spindle and the counterweight, is taped,very firmly its little nest on one foam side panel with more of this really solid transparent tape. The cables and multiple you would not believe adapters they throw in are nicely separately enclosed in little bags. Good thinking.)
I was in a hurry ,who is not, but careful enough to not crack the styrofoam wedges-that is the usual thing is it not,with help from spouse. Glad AT is thorough and inherently logical, it is just a piece of work to reassemble if it craps out. Before you do anything else, please, and definitely,BEFORE you mount a new lighter cartridge in the accessory in the provided clean looking headshell, turn on the power switch and save grief. (It doesn't click solidly to a stop on mine like many other mechanical or elex switches, maybe that was where my unit was wanting.)
That said, do not hesitat to try it. When I was about to return and cancel, my wife said give another one a try, it is that sharp looking. I await that opportunity soon and will revisit this report. One more observation thing. AT headshell has no parallel surfaces so when I wanted to hold it in a small plastic sided electronics vise, almost impossible to hold it firmly.Something else interesting. There is a slot upper right corner of top for an accessory headshell. OK. Makes sense, lightweight one and DJ one, but... Just for fun I went to AT's web site.No accessory headshell offered...Having said all that, do get it for the money,really how can you lose. Return is not that hard with Amazon if need be.. The unit shouts quality and is so nicely finished and chromed and all at a really remarkable price. Audio sculpture!. Having read others reviews on its actual vinyl handling performance,I am really looking forward to the replacement. (
Am now an expert in getting it unwrapped:-))
Give one a try, you make get a winner on the first shot.
Update as of Aug 12,2010. Second unit arrived promptly and has no observable defects. I mounted the Shure cartridge that everyone talks about after trying the included one. And so far after three days I am pleased enough with the purchase and am almost getting enough to be as impressed as others. The table has a great motor drive. The base is so well set up that there are no bump noises. I forgot what a pain it is and need for three hands to mount a cartridge in the headshell. The screws furnished by Shure company heads do not slide into the slots all the way on the AT headshell, so you have to decide whether to use the AT screws or not. Again, it is a lot of fun for vinyl fanatics. Looks marvelous. No problem with the packaging either shipment, and this is HI too. I will bump up my rating to four stars today. aloha, gs
Quality Turntable for the Price August 6, 2010
Jennifer McVey (KALAMAZOO, MI, US)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
Fantastic turntable, even better price. July 26, 2010
Michael P. Conte
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I could have asked for anything more in a turntable than this (at $200 anyways). It's easy to assemble, it sounds great, and it was not hard at all figuring out how to transfer LP's to my PC, something that I'd never done before. The turntable has a very solid design, and the built in pre-amp is fantastic for those of us who have a newer receiver without a phono input. I recommend this turntable for anyone who wants a new, great sounding well build machine to play those vinyl gems on!
Great turntable!!! July 18, 2010
Jason
I've been using this for about 2 weeks. I wanted to put a little time before initially using it and writing a review. When I took it out of the box and set it up, I was thrilled. This is the most expensive turntable I've owned, all my others being cheap plastic turntables. I am not an audiophile, and if you are looking for that, this _might_ not be what you're looking for. But I don't have all that much to compare it with when it comes to the sound. All I know is that to my standards, it sounds GREAT!!! The turntable is nice and heavy. I haven't heard any noise from the direct drive motor. I have not heard any hum or any noise from it at all. Every thing worked correctly once I set it up, which was relatively painless.
It also works perfectly in regards to recording LPs to my computer. I've recorded quite a few already and I'm very happy with the results.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 16
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