Turntable Audio Technics LP120XBT-USB any good?

[dickymint]

Surprise pressie from Wifey

Plenty of old vinyl in the attic but never really looked at getting my old system setup or looking at more modern tech so no research done. I've got decent Sony BT headphones which I assume should pair easy enough? Also a new Samsung soundbar and rears hooked up to the TV also BT that that may work?

Did She do well?

[P700DEE]

No.... but she could have done worse. They don't make good all in one turntables.

[dickymint]

P700DEE said:

No.... but she could have done worse. They don't make good all in one turntables.

I had to google "all in one turntables" as the last one I remember having was Decca that my old man bought back in the 60's

[TwigtheWonderkid]

She did fine. It's a rip off of the classic Technics SL1200 which is no bad thing. It's a quality product and as you've probably realised, has plenty of weight, which is required on a half decent turntable. It's direct drive son no messing with belts etc, and usually comes with the green headshelled AT95 cartridge, which is probably the best under £100 cartridge you can buy.

It used to have a weak point, the anti skate wasn't great, but they addressed that a good few years ago. Just make sure you set up the arm balance property, watch a tutorial on youtuube. The cartridge should be properly aligned but check that too. It has a built in pre amp so you're good to go.

Enjoy.

[Lucid_AV]

P700DEE said:

No.... but she could have done worse. They don't make good all in one turntables.

^ Ignore this. Unless you got the model number very wrong then my guess is that the poster is thinking of something like this



This is a record player; and not a very good one at that. But it's a record player rather than a turntable because it has an amplifier and some speakers built-in. So, to play records, you need nothing more than this device. Hence, record player.


This (below) is what your model number would suggest you have. This is a turntable.



It's an all-together more serious affair. Wifey deserves a big kiss. If you have no stereo system to plug this into then she's just given you a good reason to go shopping. (Double bonus!) This turntable needs some outboard amplification and speakers unless you plan to rip all your vinyl to a PC.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Lucid_AV said:

P700DEE said:

No.... but she could have done worse. They don't make good all in one turntables.

^ Ignore this. Unless you got the model number very wrong then my guess is that the poster is thinking of something like this



This is a record player; and not a very good one at that. But it's a record player rather than a turntable because it has an amplifier and some speakers built-in. So, to play records, you need nothing more than this device. Hence, record player.


This (below) is what your model number would suggest you have. This is a turntable.



It's an all-together more serious affair. Wifey deserves a big kiss. If you have no stereo system to plug this into then she's just given you a good reason to go shopping. (Double bonus!) This turntable needs some outboard amplification and speakers unless you plan to rip all your vinyl to a PC.

His wife has kindly splashed out for the more expensive bluetooth version, so a nice pair of active bluetooth speakers and he's good to go. Assuming he doesn't have a pre existing amp and passive speakers. If he does, just hook them up, make sure the turntable pre amp is switched on and away he goes. If his amp had got a designated phono input, then turn the pre amp off and just use the amp.

There are loads of Technics SL1200 style turntables out there, like the Lenco 308, but the one his wife has bought him is the best of the lot.

Edit: just re read op and he has Sony bluetooth headphones. Assume they are active so the two bits of equipment should just link up. I'd still splash out on some active bookshelf speakers though.

Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Monday 26th December 09:44

[p4cks]

Superb turntables, here's mine

[miniman]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

His wife has kindly splashed out for the more expensive bluetooth version, so a nice pair of active bluetooth speakers and he's good to go.

I'm not sure I understand the logic of a bluetooth turntable. Isn't the conversion to Digital to transmit to the speakers effectively eliminating the point?

[craigjm]

miniman said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

His wife has kindly splashed out for the more expensive bluetooth version, so a nice pair of active bluetooth speakers and he's good to go.

I'm not sure I understand the logic of a bluetooth turntable. Isn't the conversion to Digital to transmit to the speakers effectively eliminating the point?

I have wondered this too. Have never listened to one though

[dickymint]

Thanks for the replies and encouragement guys. Having now read and watched many reviews then yes Wifey has done good and I'm looking forward to setting it up and re-discovering all those crackles, pops and scratches on some of my vinyl

Her reasoning for this model was that I can keep it at the far end of the room and listen via my Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless phones without disturbing Her! What she's not twigged though is it should easily pair with our Samsung Q Symphony 5.1.4 surround system

As said I have a vintage Sony setup in the attic - amp, twin cassette, CD player from memory it's the "ESD" range which was good at the time? Sadly I gave away my Tanoy sixes 611 speakers and stands (the triangular ones)

Also, for your amusement, in mint condition one of Alan Sugars' finest.............





Many thanks now it's time to play

[tberg]

For years I've been threatening to set up a music room for myself using my old but rather decent equipment from the '70s. I had kept my Kenwood integrated amp and tuner, my Marantz 6300 turntable and my Marantz 5420 cassette deck in a closet. Plugged everything in, hooked them up to one of my pairs of JBL 100 speakers, and everything worked. Next step is to "liberate" my vinyl from the garage shelves and bring them in, just been too busy. I'm surprised at how much these old turntables are worth nowadays. Ebay prices on this turntable are $2200-2500 or about twenty times what I paid for it back then. Have fun.

[craigjm]

dickymint said:

Also, for your amusement, in mint condition one of Alan Sugars' finest.............

Looks like they took “inspiration” from the Rega Planet

[noopets]

p4cks said:

Superb turntables, here's mine

These ok for mixing?

[p4cks]

noopets said:

p4cks said:

Superb turntables, here's mine

These ok for mixing?

They're 1210 clones, so absolutely yes.

[Deranged Rover]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

She did fine. It's a rip off of the classic Technics SL1200 which is no bad thing. It's a quality product and as you've probably realised, has plenty of weight, which is required on a half decent turntable.

Don’t be fooled by the weight of it. The reason it’s heavy is because it has a couple of blocks of metal screwed into the inside of the base that serve absolutely no purpose other than to make it feel weighty (I kid you not!).

Still, it is a moderately decent performer and the OP’s wife could indeed have done far worse, so I hope he enjoys it!

[OutInTheShed]

craigjm said:

miniman said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

His wife has kindly splashed out for the more expensive bluetooth version, so a nice pair of active bluetooth speakers and he's good to go.

I'm not sure I understand the logic of a bluetooth turntable. Isn't the conversion to Digital to transmit to the speakers effectively eliminating the point?

I have wondered this too. Have never listened to one though

It depends whether you want to listen to vinyl because
a) you are a digital denier who wants everything analogue
b) you want to listen to say 70s albums as mixed, not some terrible re-mix/re-master intended to exaggerate the advantages of CD.
c) you just happen to still have a pile of vinyl.
d) you like a bit of wow and flutter with your scratches.

I have heard a few LPs on a USB turntable which I could be persuaded sounded better than the CD versions from the 80s.

[dickymint]

Up and running and quite impressed through headphones and sounbar with sub and rears. I will say though I will not be buying vinyl as stereo as a format is ste compared to todays multi channel digital stuff!!



Now to find somewhere for it to live.

Unexpected bonus: There's a copy of that Pistols picture disc album on ebay going for £175

[craigjm]

dickymint said:

I will say though I will not be buying vinyl as stereo as a format is ste compared to todays multi channel digital stuff!!

What music is recorded in multi channel digital rather than stereo?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Deranged Rover said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

She did fine. It's a rip off of the classic Technics SL1200 which is no bad thing. It's a quality product and as you've probably realised, has plenty of weight, which is required on a half decent turntable.

Don’t be fooled by the weight of it. The reason it’s heavy is because it has a couple of blocks of metal screwed into the inside of the base that serve absolutely no purpose other than to make it feel weighty (I kid you not!).

Surely the purpose they serve it to make it weigh more! The heavier the unit, the less vibration you'll get.

[dickymint]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Deranged Rover said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

She did fine. It's a rip off of the classic Technics SL1200 which is no bad thing. It's a quality product and as you've probably realised, has plenty of weight, which is required on a half decent turntable.

Don’t be fooled by the weight of it. The reason it’s heavy is because it has a couple of blocks of metal screwed into the inside of the base that serve absolutely no purpose other than to make it feel weighty (I kid you not!).

Surely the purpose they serve it to make it weigh more! The heavier the unit, the less vibration you'll get.

Exactly plus needed by DJ's for mixing.