Trekkie4
Retired Member
So, I was looking for something completely different on Audio Technica's website, specific numbers & values for the LP120 vs the more "successful" AT-LP5, when I ran into this...
Apparently Audio Technica is about to release a new (and upgraded?) LP120, by the name of AT-LP120XUSB.
First thing I've noticed straight away is that it looks absolutely hideous! Cheap, generic & over-priced. Surely I was mistaking ... right? After all, I own the "older" LP120, which looks amazing & sounds decently enough. Well, nope ... Apart from cheap exterior, it will actually perform worse than the old one, at least according to posted specs.
Starting torque was reduced from >1.6kgf.cm to >1.0, W&F remained the same (0.2%), and so did Signal to Noise ratio (>50dB). Phono Preamp gain also remained the same (36dB nominal), but they reduced the overall weight from 10.7 kg (23.5 lbs) to 8 kg (17.6 lbs). They also replaced the old & metal "45" adapter for the plastic one, and the pop-up target light with removable plug-type one, the kind that's been previously used on LP-1240. Also, I could be wrong on this one, but I do believe they entirely removed VTA adjustment, who knows why... Overall, quite a disappointment IMO. The only significant "upgrade" in the terms of performance would be the cartridge & headshell. Instead of AT-95E, they're using AT-VM95E & appropriate headshell to match the cartridge design. However, European models had already been shipped with lightweight AT-HS10 headshell, identical to the one on AT-LP5, so I really don't see much benefit (or even logic) in all this.
What about you guys, what do you think?
Apparently Audio Technica is about to release a new (and upgraded?) LP120, by the name of AT-LP120XUSB.
First thing I've noticed straight away is that it looks absolutely hideous! Cheap, generic & over-priced. Surely I was mistaking ... right? After all, I own the "older" LP120, which looks amazing & sounds decently enough. Well, nope ... Apart from cheap exterior, it will actually perform worse than the old one, at least according to posted specs.
Starting torque was reduced from >1.6kgf.cm to >1.0, W&F remained the same (0.2%), and so did Signal to Noise ratio (>50dB). Phono Preamp gain also remained the same (36dB nominal), but they reduced the overall weight from 10.7 kg (23.5 lbs) to 8 kg (17.6 lbs). They also replaced the old & metal "45" adapter for the plastic one, and the pop-up target light with removable plug-type one, the kind that's been previously used on LP-1240. Also, I could be wrong on this one, but I do believe they entirely removed VTA adjustment, who knows why... Overall, quite a disappointment IMO. The only significant "upgrade" in the terms of performance would be the cartridge & headshell. Instead of AT-95E, they're using AT-VM95E & appropriate headshell to match the cartridge design. However, European models had already been shipped with lightweight AT-HS10 headshell, identical to the one on AT-LP5, so I really don't see much benefit (or even logic) in all this.
What about you guys, what do you think?