Audio-Technica - Stereo Turntable - White

I originally went to Best Buy to order an Audio Technica 1240 turntable but they were out of stock so I ordered the AT LP5 instead (new model) and I am very pleased with my decision. I just wanted a good turntable to listen to my old collection of 33 1/3 vinyl records and really did not require all the bells and whistles associated the the 1240 which is targeted to DJ's. I love the simplicity and look of the LP5 and I especially liked that it came with a cartridge already installed in the headshell. Definitely a plus for me. I have been listening through a pair of Roland 90A studio monitors and the sound is great. So if you want a quality turntable without all the DJ functionally, I would recommend this particular turntable. I am certainly enjoying mine.

I specifically looked for a turntable with both tracking force and anti-skate settings, and this has both. The only thing I'd change on it would be to move the cueing lever to the front panel, so I could use it without raising the cover. It has a good (not great) cartridge as original equipment.

I spent some time looking at turntables before deciding on this turntable. This is one of the lowest cost manual turntables, but still has a USB. You really should not bother with anything other than a fully manual turntable. The quality is not the same. I may or may not use the USB to turn my vinyl into MP3 files I can play on my phone, but it’s nice to have the option. Last point, all these budget turntables come with very poor quality cables to connect the turntable to the amp. Check out audioquest phono cables. They really do make a difference. When I switch between the same track on vinyl and streaming from my phone there really is no comparison.