Recent years have been a period of growing popularity of vinyl records, which are coming back into favor. They are slowly ceasing to be a good thing for a select few, which is also helped by more accessible technology, because modern turntables offer functions that some people may not even know about.
Today, a turntable can be the most interesting piece of electronics in your home, and its capabilities go far beyond what they could do a few decades ago.
Atmospheric retro in a modern version
Constant development has brought vinyl record players into the 21st century, so what may have seemed impossible at first is now an everyday occurrence. At the same time, it has made turntables more affordable than ever before, and virtually anyone can quickly start their adventure with black discs. One of the key features, from the perspective of a beginner listener, is the ability to connect the turntable directly to active speakers. The presence of a pre-amplifier built into the player translates into great versatility, as the most popular speakers with a built-in amplifier are used. One of the most interesting proposals for this type of speakers will be the compact Audio-Technica AT-SP3X. Thanks to their small size, they are easy to place on a desk or shelf, and the minimalist design makes them fit into any interior.
Despite their compact design, these speakers offer surprisingly powerful and full sound, with clear bass and clear highs. Firstly, they have an RCA input, which allows you to directly connect a turntable without the need to use an additional amplifier. Secondly, the built-in amplifier provides enough power to extract the full detail and dynamics from vinyl records. Thirdly, the neutral sound characteristics of the AT-SP3X speakers allow you to faithfully reproduce the sound from vinyl records, without adding unnecessary color. Additionally, these speakers offer Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to wirelessly play music from other sources, such as a smartphone or computer.
Connect your favorite headphones or speakers to the turntable via Bluetooth
We all know how important freedom of use and convenience of connecting devices wirelessly are, which is why Bluetooth has become so popular. And this is the technology offered by the Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT turntable, which allows you to connect speakers or headphones directly to the vinyl player without using wires. This fully automatic belt-drive model features quiet and smooth operation, and the DC motor minimizes vibrations that could negatively impact sound quality. The turntable supports two standard speeds – 33 1/3 and 45 rpm, which allows you to play both LPs and singles. One of the key elements of the AT-LP70XBT is the high-quality AT-VM95C phono cartridge with a moving magnet, compatible with other styluses from the VM95 series, which gives you the opportunity to experiment with the sound.
A great convenience, especially for beginner listeners, is the built-in phono preamplifier. Thanks to it, the turntable can be connected to virtually any audio system, even if it does not have a dedicated phono input. Moreover, as I mentioned, the AT-LP70XBT offers Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity with aptX, which allows you to wirelessly stream music to speakers or headphones while maintaining high sound quality. Operating the turntable is extremely simple. The fully automatic mechanism means that you just press the start button and the tonearm will automatically position itself on the disc and start playing. When playback ends, the arm will automatically return to its position.
Interestingly, not only playing vinyl records can be so easy and enjoyable, but also ripping them to digital form. This solution has many advantages, especially if we or one of our relatives or friends has unique editions in their collections that cannot be found in any other form. Creating a digital backup of such a disc used to be really difficult and required professional knowledge, but today the right equipment means that connecting one cable will do the trick.
Save unique vinyl records from destruction and oblivion
What distinguishes the Audio-Technica AT-LP120X-USB from other turntables is the built-in USB audio interface, which allows you to directly connect the turntable to your computer. The process of ripping vinyl records is very simple. Just connect the turntable to your computer using the included USB cable, run sound recording software (e.g. the free Audacity program) and start digitizing. The turntable sends the audio signal to the computer, where it is converted into a digital file. We can save it in popular formats such as MP3 or WAV and then listen to it on a computer, smartphone or other device.
It is worth mentioning that the AT-LP120X-USB also has a built-in phono preamplifier, so you can connect it to an amplifier or receiver without the need for an external preamplifier. This solution makes the turntable very versatile and can be used with various audio systems. The heart of the AT-LP120X-USB is a direct-drive DC motor that provides stable and precise control of the platter rotation speed. The turntable offers three speeds: 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm, which allows you to play virtually all vinyl record formats. The high-quality AT-VM95E insert, mounted on an adjustable “S”-shaped arm, is responsible for reading information from the grooves of the record. This cartridge is characterized by a clear and detailed sound, and the possibility of replacing it with a different cut stylus allows you to adjust the sound to your individual preferences.
This turntable will be the most comprehensive solution
I wouldn’t be surprised if, at this stage of reading, many of you found that each of the features of the turntables I mentioned immediately appealed to you. The ability to listen to vinyl on your own terms, that is, on wireless headphones without disturbing other household members, or on a Bluetooth speaker in any space in your home, is a great feature. Preserving albums that are not available anywhere else in digital form can save unique records from oblivion, and the quality of the equipment and the music played is also at stake. For those who would like to have the entire package of these possibilities at their disposal, the best option will be the AT-LP120XBT-USB direct drive turntable from Audio-Technica, which ensures stable platter rotation and precise speed control.
The ability to wirelessly transmit music to Bluetooth speakers or headphones distinguishes this model from the previously described one and completes the whole when it comes to characteristic functions dedicated to listeners expecting something more. This model lacks nothing, so for many people it will simply be the best choice.
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The material was created in cooperation with Top Hi-Fi & Video Design
Source: antyweb.pl
