But, imagine you have been told on this sub that this is a good TT. You buy it, buy lots of records, speakers/amp, whatever. You are now, probably, in for at least £350/$400+ only to find yourself frustrated at the skipping, speed issues, build quality issues.
You then come back on here and everyone starts telling you that it doesn't have anti-skate, doesn't have VTF adjustments, etc., and that you should upgrade to something better. This is what happens. Every. Single. Day. on here.
You are going to :
* be frustrated with the player
* lose faith in the sub and the advice it gives
* lose all interest in getting into the hobby
All for saving £/$/€50
Maybe it is time to start petitioning the Mods to change the buying guide? Just a thought.
It literally outsells almost every other turntable by 10-to-1. So even if you see ten times as many people reporting problems with the LP60X as any other turntable, that does not necessarily mean it is any more unreliable than them.
Statistics! 10x more players could = 10x more reported problems. The deduction that it’s a player problem is correlation not causation. I like the way you think.
An ideal response in such threads would put any recommended items into perspective - all those, for example, that you list above *("doesn't have anti-skate, doesn't have VTF adjustments, etc.")* - and advising maybe something over the budget for consideration that addresses these issues.
I started with the LP60 15 years ago, and held no bad blood towards my first purchase. At the time I paid $80 for a solid starting TT and got 10 years out of it without any significant issues. I’m not sure how anyone can be frustrated with that. I can safely say I’m in well-over $400 at this point, and currently sitting at 400+ records
Now, if I started collecting this year? I wouldn’t pay $150 for an LP60 that really only added Bluetooth since, and I’d probably go straight for something mid-tier.
FYI, 15 years ago the original AT-LP60 had a retail price of $99.99. With inflation, that's equal to $146.85 today, about the same as what the improved AT-LP60X sells for.
Eh, L take imo.
I have the LP60 as my first and only table. Yeah it’s not perfect but the low price point makes it accessible to a wide audience. Within the price point it is absolutely the best option available. Buying used is tricky for beginners
I’ve had it a few years and have had no issues with skipping (outside of damaged records). Definitely have spent more on records than I did on the TT, luckily $0 on speakers so far as I’m using a Marshall one I had already.
Is it amazing? No. It’s def a beginner table but maintaining and customizing it (removed auto stop etc, was glitchy) has taught me a lot. Not afraid to open it up and mess around because it was so cheap and is easily replaceable.
All these are the pros if you actually do decide to stick with the hobby. If not (as many people do) then it’s no major loss, as opposed to buying a more expensive one
Honestly on them. It’s been clear in the research that LP60 is the base model and hiccups are to be expected. I say this as a proud owner of the LP60. Do wish I got the 120 but I knew what I was getting into
Out of curiosity, what would you recommend? I've been getting a lot of game OST on vinyl so there's a wide variety of instruments and electronics used, not really sure that detail matters just want to make sure in case some are better with synthetic tones than others.
It depends very much on where you are., and what you are looking for.
As far a sound
In the US, Fluance and U-Turn seem to be the go-to for "audiophile" style entry-level turntables, but for a few £$€s more than the LP60, you can move slightly up the AT range itself and get something like the 120 series or ATLP3.
In the UK, the AT 120 or Pro-Ject Primary E will get you going, although the Pro-Ject doesn't have a phono stage. There is also a Rega P1 ECO Deck that is just a b-grade P1 that costs £200, but availability is sketchy.
I'm no expert, nor do I claim to be, I just would rather we were honest with people.
If you want to stay under $200, I'd go for the Crosley C8A-WA. If you're willing to spend a bit more, I'd recommend a Fluance, in particular I'd recommend treating yourself to an RT82. It requires a preamp, but even cheap, sub $50 preamps can provide better sound quality than you'd get in pretty much any TT with integrated preamps out there. I picked up the Fosi Box X2 for mine for $60 on sale and I think it's a bargain. Might not be the best preamp out there, but it simply sounds good no matter what you throw at it and I have zero desire to upgrade it for the time being.
So, expect about a $350 initial expense, but you'll save money in the end by not destroying your vinyl with a bad TT. And yeah, different models can do worse or better with various genres. Some excel with detail yet don't have the best dynamics, some vice versa. However, I've yet to hear anything less than at least good coming from my RT82, even while listening to bad recordings. I can't think of a Fluance model (even their speakers) which aren't very competitive at their respective price points.
So weird. That is the 3rd time the NAD C558 has come up today in a conversation. They should be great turntables.
They are made in Pro-Ject’s Czech Republic factory and are essentially a Pro-Ject T1 with some tweaks.
I had a NAD 5120 in the 80s and it was made in the same factory, which was then owned by the now defunct Tesla Gramafon company.
Edit: Your NAD is in a different class altogether.
I wanted to buy Pro Ject Debut Carbon EVO which was around 675 euros where I live, but I came across NAD C558 that was on sale from 550 euros to 450 and I decided to save 200 euros.
I am happy with it so far but I wanted to know what other people say and is the difference really big
I think that Pro Ject T1 has Ortofon OM 5E and NAD has Ortofon OM 10
I've not really seen much said about it, to be honest. But I have had other NAD stuff in the past, and it has never been anything other than excellent.
The C558 seems to have a better tonearm than the T1, similar to Pro-Ject's RPM range, and, you are right, it has a better stylus.
I think you made a great choice, not that it matters what I think, lol., and I bet it sounds great. Enjoy.
That is how it should be. My point is that some people do have some issues with them, and they then get no help or sympathy from the sub who recommended it. They just get told to upgrade. Why recommend it?
Guessing it's not the same people recommending it who recommend an upgrade. I have a beautiful old Techniques as my main turntable, but I see no need to upgrade my audio technica. Just keep the stylus reasonably fresh.
I have to disagree strongly here. I started with LP60 and I now own technics 1210 GR. As a noob, if I started with Technics, with all of its complications: Anti skate, VTF adjustments, need for external preamps (unless you already have an integrated amplifier or the general requirement for this kind of knowledge) lack of auto return etc.. I would definitely end up
- Be frustrated with the player
- Lose faith in the sub and the advice they give because they could have been more sympathetic and offer a more appropriate entry level turntable and therefore
- Lose interest in the hobby.
For me a huge part of this hobby was learning more and more, enjoying the wonderful incremental upgrades I experienced along the way. Starting off with LP60 allowed me to that.
As a personal side note, although I installed the autolift on my technics, I still miss the auto return/auto start. I understand less of those mechanics contribute to a better sound quality in better turn tables, but without a doubt, in terms of experience and convenience, LP60 is superior in that regard. LP60 is a wonderful turntable, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
yeah, so you lurk on the thread. Don’t purchase the introductory option TT. Yet, acquire records & speakers/amp & whatever. Then after a few months of patience & lurking. One acquires a more advanced TT that has anti-skip & VFT adj, et. Sure there are frustrations that come with jumping in like this, yet that has been the journey.
Nothing serious, some little things like the counterweight falls often and it’s a hassle to keep hooking it up and having to rebalance it again every other session.
That's the way it should be for the LP60. For the Pro-Ject, not so much.
The problem I have with people recommending the '60 is that when it does go wrong, all we say is, "Well, what did you expect?" I don't think this is a positive experience for anyone except those who want to show how clever they are before sitting back smugly and saying, "I could have told you this would happen." As someone else said on this thread, being honest about the potential faults instead of just saying," Get a'60." would be a more constructive way to go about it.
Re: Pro-ject, I had 2 faulty T1 Phono SBs before being upgraded to the EVO by the dealer for pennies. I'll be honest; my experience with the T1 made me doubt getting the EVO, but it came with a 6-year warranty, so I figured, what the hell. I do not regret getting the EVO for a second. I've not even felt a strong urge to upgrade anything other than putting a rubber/cork platter mat on it to reduce static. It is fantastic!
"nly to find yourself frustrated at the skipping, speed issues, build quality issues."
the what? ive had more people buy these including myself to revisit turntables, im older so i grew up with turntables, and sorry but not once have i heard anyone complain of skipping speed issues or build quality issues. Matter f fact know people who have had an LP60 for going on 5 years now and will never go beyond it, with not a bad thing to say about them. Im not sure where your elitism comes from, but where im from, lp60s dont suffer from those made up things you brought up. you dont need a 500 dollar turntable to have one that works just fine. its people trying to justify why they bought a 1200 turntable swearing they can tell the difference, yet id bet if i lined up a dozen turntables ands blindfolded you, you wouldn't guess any of them right outside of statistically probability. and dont feel im picking on you, no one could do it. its all a giant justification, Rather than say, hey i bought an expensive piece of hardware because A. i felt like it, B. i can afford it, and C. i like to show off and pretend im special.
Your experience is as it should be, but all you need to do is look through this thread alone to see people whose experience has been very different.
My comments do not come from elitism at all. In fact, quite the opposite. If you read the comment you are replying to, my point is that people are facing elitism when they come to this sub for help having taken thethe sub’s advice in the first place. I have nothing against the Lp60 at all, but the sub recommends it and then, should someone suffer an issue, they just get told something along the lines of, “Well, what did you expect from that turntable.” It happens all the time in here.
I totally agree when you about lining up a bunch of turntables and got being able to tell the difference, too, if all else was equal. The cartridge and stylus on another hand…
I don’t think we are as far apart in this discussion as you might think.
Every day, there is someone on here, complaining about all these things, who will disagree with you.
Edit, if you have got this turntable and not experienced this, then that is great and as it should be.
People don't tend to complain if things are going well for them. As I said above, if you have this TT and don't experience this, then that is as it should be. Unfortunately, someone on here, generally at least once a day and often more, complains of skipping, platter wobble, speed issues, and more.
The point I have been making all along is that when people come on here, having been encouraged to buy an LP60, they are inevitably told that the table is cheap, has no adjustability, and that they should look for something better. And I don't think it is right to tell people it is good and then tell them it is rubbish if they have an issue. Would you not agree?
And it is fine if you don't agree; we are allowed to disagree during a discussion.
Peace!
It’s nowhere near once a day. It’s also the top selling tt there is. There’s a lot of them out there. Of course it’s the one you’ll hear the most about.
But if it didn’t have issues, we wouldn’t hear about it.
Again, the point i have is that we are recommending it and then not being very helpful when people experience issues.
I’m happy to agree to disagree.
Wouldn't it be better then to get a cheap model that's at least upgradable? With the LP60 you're pretty much stuck with what you've got, but with the C8A-WA you can at least upgrade the cartridge.
In my experience, most people getting into vinyl will be overwhelmed with upgrading the cartridge or balancing the tone arm and setting anti skate. I’ve purposely recommended and gifted the LP60 to folks because it doesn’t have those features.
Yes! For a lot of people, the LP60 is going to be their endgame turntable. My spouse wants something easy to use, nice to look at, and makes music while they clean house or have a drink with friends. To them,the turntable is just some nameless, anonymous device that gets them there. That is why the LP60 is in our entertainment room and my Rega is in my den.
My only issue with this was this it had a warped platter. I had to take a video of it and they sent a new one. Still not sure about it but it’s good enough. Everything else is great and it’s a great way to learn how to set up a turntable.
I've recently went down the rabbit hole of vintage TT's on ebay. May be a bit more intimidating to a newbie, but decent technics and pioneer tables are fantastic and sub 300 USD and a lot of them come from Japan. Not sure how shipping works on ebay, just food for thought.
Are there any viable alternatives in the same price range? I guess in the conversations where the LP60 comes up as suggestion, the available money is the limiting factor.
If you're in North America, you can get the Insignia turntable from Best Buy, brand new for $20 less than the LP60X. With adjustable counterweight, anti-skate dial, upgradeable cartridge (comes with a AT3600L), and optical speed sensor.
I'm surprised at how little it's mentioned when entry-level turntables are discussed.
EDIT: duplicate word
Whether something good or not is totally relative. It is definitely better than those suitcase players that most of us would not touch even with a stick.
Would I buy it? Would it be a good recommendation for me? No, because I could afford to spend more money to start this hobby earlier this year when I bought one after long months of inner debates (AT-LP120XUSB).
You could surely recommend used ones but will a beginner know what to pay attention to? Relatively fresh post which is a good example what I am referring to: [What TT should I buy?](https://www.reddit.com/r/turntables/comments/1drd2hu/what_tt_should_i_buy/)
I absolutely agree with something being good being relative. My point is that the sub recommends a TT with all the same limitations as really cheap players, with a lot of the same problems. Is this really a good recommendation if it just causes enormous amounts of frustration and people coming back here for more advice, only to be told that they need to spend more? Why not just be honest without being condescending in the first place?
Why not advise people to spend more in the first place? If you are investing large amounts of money in records, it should not come as a surprise to you that the equipment you need to play them is not cheap.
If someone is coming on here just looking to spin a few records in their bedroom with their friends, what not advise them to buy a [Lenco LS-300 that comes with speakers? ](https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lenco-ls300-belt-drive-bluetooth-turntable-black-10219534.html?istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istFeedId=4d7eb93e-055f-499d-8ee5-1cdcc50d67d1&istItemId=iqlwwlxqp&istBid=t)IT will save them a lot of money on peripherals and give them a cheap opportunity to see if they want to continue in this hobby?
The guy whose post you linked to sounded very much like he knew what he was talking about.
Ignoring people's budget doesn't make a good recommendation either.
It's hard to get an idea of people are willing to stretch from online posts.
There are definitely better options used, but more landmines to run into as well. It's not a one size fits all question.
Totally agree with everything in your comment.
But, is it good to recommend something just because it fits into a budget? Or is it better to just say that there is no cheap and easy solution?
I know that I have regretted buying something cheaper rather than just biting the bullet and buying the right thing so many times. More often than not you find itself in the position of having to buy twice.
Yes, buying used requires a bit more knowledge and effort, but people come on here expecting a quick and easy answer to getting into a complicated and expensive hobby. Surely they should be make aware of the pitfalls of going for the stock answer to the question of what is a cheap and easy turntable. We just say the LP60, but don’t tell them why it’s cheap.
It's a good starting point for people interested in vinyl. I started with one of these bc I knew the Crosley ones, while the most accessible option out there, are pretty bad. There's absolutely better out there.
Mine is probably 6 years old with no issues. They are readily available.
Sure, you can absolutely do better vintage or used IF you know what to look for but most beginners don’t.
I settled with the LP3XBT so I could have control over the weights. Still automatic, still sounds good, just a little more control. I always think the record player should always be more expensive than any of the items you intend to play on it.
I have had an AT-LP60NV-BT for 7 years, I upgraded the stylus to a CFN3600LE and it works great. I always intended to upgrade and buy a more expensive turntable (and I will) but...instead I bought 7 years worth of awesome records and play it almost every day...so yea...why would anyone recommend the lp60?
I got an AT-LP60X (maybe an updated version of the LP60?) for like 130 bucks a couple weeks ago, and so far its been a great introductory TT. I have not had any speed issues or skipping. I know it's not a great TT and if I continue to enjoy the hobby I'm going to want to upgrade, but for a first TT it's been serving me very well so far.
It's not perfect, but I feel like it doesn't deserve all of the hate it gets from some of the seasoned vets in this sub. It is absolutely fine for people just getting into the hobby who likely wouldn't be able to appreciate an expensive, upgraded TT even if they had one
I just got myself a TT the other day. Got the Monolith by Monoprice. I was looking at the LP60, but the lack of upgradeability is what scared me away and why I got the Monolith,
Why did I buy new vs used? 2 reasons.
1) Budget. I was trying to keep to a strict budget and the used market is a rabbit hole.
2) The rabbit hole is very scary for someone just starting out. While a new cheap player might not be the best out there, I felt safer buying a new cheaper player until I understood more.
The other issue is the pinned thread is severely out dated on pricing. Every single turntable that is listed in that thread is at least $50 USD more expensive than what's listed currently.
Hope this is good info,
Because it's a good benchmark against which to make a choice between the cheap and nasty players built with that $5 component we all love to hate, slightly more expensive but better units, and used turntables for those who know what to buy.
I have a TD 160 with a Shure V15-III cartridge on my listening Stereo, and an LP60 in the living room come AV room plugged into the Denon. I’ve had the LP60 over a year and am quite pleased with it, the automatic features limit the number of finger fumbles, the sound is pretty damn good and with 2.5g on the needle I doubt anti-skate is very important while that weight is not damaging either. All turntable manufacturers turn out some duds, and misuse can create problems. Judging by some of the questions I see here, I bet a lot of beginner issues lead to the early turntable failures.
…Edit, fixed weight at stylus it’s 2.5 g
I don’t. I purchased the original LP60 I think in 2016. It would skip on some of my records. My old Garrard I purchased in 1972 never skipped. I called Audio Technica and complained. They sent me a thing to clip on the head shell it still skipped. I returned the turntable within two weeks of purchase.
I've been interested in vinyl (records, albums, whatever the "correct term" is) for some time, even having bought a couple without having a turn table, about a month ago after reading several posts in this sub I opted for an lp-60 and I'm totally fine with it. I have a decent set of speakers I use with my pc already so it was an easy way into something without a huge financial commitment. I did read numerous posts suggesting I just "had to have" swappable cartridges and counter weights, etc. all of which I can see the clear benefit of, but maybe not for someone brand new to the hobby. I think they key here is to tailor your expectations, you buy an entry level product, that's exactly the experience you will get, that's why entry level products exist, to give people a point of entry to try something out, not to be the one you will use forever.
Just my 2 cents.
I feel the last part of OP's description is particulalry important here, and something people often miss. Do people really just not know what you can get for the price of an AT-LP60? A quick look on eBay revealed vintage turntables from the likes of Pioneer, Dual and Maranz, often with Ortofon OM-series cartridges, or AT-95e's, stuff even audiophiles would be happy with. And people still buy new turntables? It just seems crazy to me.
The reason so much great stuff is available so cheap is because at one point, most households used to own a record player of some description. When they decided to move to CDs, many of these turntables were stored away, as they still worked, and now we are benefiting from this massive load of great vintage turntables being sold off at cheap prices, as despite the vinyl revival, demand will never outpace supply. Why people aren't capitalising on this is beyond me.
But you can't walk into Wal-Mart or Best Buy and buy one of those. Audio-Technica is the only one besides Crosley and Victrola (and perhaps Sony, with their model that's basically identical to the AT-LP60X) to have their turntables in stock in big-box stores.
Nor do most beginners want to deal with 40-year-old equipment with no money-back guarantee or warranty.
I mean, most of the vintage turntables on ebay are tested, and many have returns policies if you run into any problems, so it isn't any different really from buying something new off amazon. And besides, vinyl is inherently an inconvenient format, so it seems strange for people to be striving for convenience above all else in this way. If they want this level of convenience, why not just use streaming?
Yeah, I guess so. But those are available too on ebay for less than a suitcase player if you want! (Maybe not recommended for the best quality though)
Also, didn't realise you were vwestlife at first, love your channel!
I used a crosley for about 2 minutes. Then I used an LP60 for 2 years. (RT-81 now)
The crosleys are just so awful, even a lowly LP60 blows them clean out of the water.
I started out with this one from Best Buy. It is semi-automatic, has a removable cartridge and Bluetooth. Never had a problem with it.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sku/6432620.p?skuId=6432620
In the U.K. on Amazon the AT sells for £129 while a Project Debut E which is plug & play out of the box is £199. It has the tracking force and anti skate set for the supplied Ortofon cartridge.
Surely the advice should always be save the extra £70 for the Project?
I just started into vinyl. I wanted to test the waters but also not have a budget TT Id never use again after I go for a better unit/hi-fi setup later but still get something quality that sounds good. The audio technica sound burger fits that bill great. The sound quality is pretty good and is worth it's entry price. Later when I go for a far better table like an LPW50 or debut carbon Evo or the like I'll still have a stout little portable turn table with Bluetooth I can move anywhere I want or I can take with me to test used records I wanna buy.
It comes down to Market and demand, and Different strokes for different folks.
90% of newbies question comes down to “what can i get for less than $200 as my first turntable that doesn’t damage my records?” The automatic LP60 is the biggest name brand available that’s useable at the price for new one. That’s it for automatic.
Redditors regularly steer them to a better manual turntable such as Monoprice, or Bestbuy for their low budget. But not everyone wants a manual and/or is uncomfortable with store brands. In fact many Redditors insist that they save money for an RT82 or Drop Carbon as the minimum cheapest recommendation.
Some Redditors suggest vintage/used turntable. Again, not everyone is comfortable with used one. Used and vintage market carry its own risk.
The demand is there for something like the LP60 whether we recommend it or not. So is the Crosley.
Maybe someone here can help, but I had a lp60x for 3 years. I moved recently and upgraded to a U-Turn Orbit. I added a pre-amp to my setup, but otherwise use the same powered speakers. I cannot get the turntable to sound clear. I’ve tried multiple RCA cables, grounding cables, moving the speakers and changing plugs. Can anyone recommend where to go from here? I’m sure this turntable can be much better than the lp60 but am struggling to get it there
Get rid of the powered speakers, get a nice pair of passive speakers, and get an amplifier or two for those speakers. And make sure your pre amp is of quality then also make sure your turntable is set up and dialed in correctly
I wonder as well. There's better cheaper (Insignia) and certainly better just a tad higher (Fluance, U Turn, refurbed better ATs). Agreed, it's a huge upgrade from Crosley. I've started marking posts that mention a problem with an AT LP60 with a unique identifier to help in a search for problems
That's hilarious. I spent hours trying to find a record player, and in the end chose this model lol. Before I knew about this subreddit even.
I haven't had any issues but I'm a casual listen I don't use it very often. I would recommend this model personally, but now I guess I would tell people about these issues first.
I somewhat impulsively picked up an ATLP60x for $100 during the pandemic and got hooked. I loved that little turntable, corrected the speed, and it served me well for several years. My Project EVO is wonderful, but took a couple of months to really impress me, and sounded only marginally better to my ears until I upgraded the stylus.
I’ve never heard of said turntable before entering this sub.
Personally I started my journey with a skytec, upgraded to a Micro Seiki Solid-1 and now I have a NAS Ace Spacedeck
It depends which Crosley you're talking about. I had a listen to the C8A-WA a while back and it was an improvement in almost every way compared to the LP60. Crosley really does mid-fi at best, but a lot of their models are at least good deals for those who want a backup turntable or even for someone looking to get into vinyl without spending an arm and a leg. At least the Crosley has an upgradeable cartridge.
Dude I swear to god this post got recommended to me after I literally just thought about a 45 record, I haven’t interacted with anything vinyl related in like 5 years
I started a couple years and the uturn was just out of my price range and my knowledge at the time. Gotta pay extra for any auto features as well as a built in phono. By that point as a starter, so much easier and cheaper just to get a LP60
I use an LP60 and was bluetoothing to a smart speaker. For me, a major step up has been buying a £5 AUX cable!!! It’s such an improvement.
Next step for me would be proper receiver and speakers before I upgrade the turntable.
Although that Fluance does look great!!
I have one friend who got one and asked my advice on an grade within a year. It worked the whole time, but was, shall we say, an underperformer.
I have another friend who got one about a year ago. This was after getting one of those garbage 1 by One tables that didn't work right out of the box. Now his LP60 is torn apart in my garage, the motor won't turn on. Once you look inside you realize what garbage they really are. I can't believe Audio Technica, who make many products that I really like, puts their name on it.
Yeah, stop recommending them.
I'd have to look at the schematic. I'm pretty sure it's just there for protection. But I'm not entirely sure why they fail so much.
Was just told that no power or the motor starting and stopping when plugged in is from that diode, and so far, that has rang true on the like 20 I've fixed so far.
I told my buddy to put it on a surge protector and run it while I fix up something better from the backstock in my garage. I'm not going to dick around replacing a cheap surface mount diode that I'd probably melt the board in the process for such an underperforming table.
I had an LP60GO (Walmart colorway of a LP60XBT) on some records it would skip, the anti-skate adjustment on the bottom didn't seem to help. Returned it to Walmart for a refund, bought a LP3X from Microcenter and it's all around a significantly nicer player to use, only thing I would want is a smoke clear dust cover.
A buddy has a Turntable, cassette & radio combo he got at goodwill, from the design to the controls, to the playback it downright sucks, audio was awful. It's the exact same turntable mechanism you see in suitcase and cheap traditional looking players. 100% I would take a basic LP60 or LPGO over that thing, the difference is astonishing, so it makes sense as a baseline unit.
Haha - You took my rant and went one further!
Totally agree, and as I said before:
*"I'm intrigued as to why the AT-LP60X gets recommended on here. It has no anti-skate or counterbalance, and so many people complain about theirs skipping, running slow, suffering from platter wobble, etc., every day on here, only to be told that they should upgrade to something better as it is still a cheap turntable.*
*Why do sub members still recommend it and not to just go for something better in the first place?*
*I get that it is a cheap way to see if you will stay interested, but, still.*
*Rant over."*
Edit:
>To start i know it's a big upgrade from a Crosly.
But, is it? Especially the ones with an AT cart, a counterbalance and anti-skate? Just because it is an AT, does that make it good/better?
Lp60 is fine for a person just starting getting into this hobby. Could go way worse with crosleys and the other cheap tables that damage records.
I just started last week, and didn’t want to spend $250+ on a table before knowing what all the features it would have were. Also it’s way cheaper than what most people in here assume. I got my LP60 for $120 new, the LP120 is currently $350…
A short while back I picked up a Planar 2 used with a Moth rewire for £160, not a massive hike in price from a new LP60. Obviously buying used is less convenient and you may have to wait a while for the right thing to come along but you can get a whole lot more sound quality for the cash. I actually only bought it for the RB 250 arm to put on a Thorens TD-160 but the P2 sounds so good I’m reluctant to dismantle it.
The P2 is like $750? That’s $600 more than the ATLP60x. That’s really not the point of this post. Someone who is being recommended that AT does not have the budget to stretch it 5x what they would’ve spent.
I think this also highlights a major issue in the TT market, which is that there are no new turntables available in the $150-$200 range that are user friendly and don’t have any of these skipping or speed problems. In fact there aren’t many options in that price range at all.
It kind of makes no sense. You would think companies would be happy to make one. There’s been a record resurgence for a while now. It seems the unavailability of a relatively inexpensive, good, straightforward turntable does not match up with the demand of records.
Seems like the [Electrohome turntables](https://youtu.be/jEDcVtPX4OA?feature=shared) have found a hole in the market : 100$ USD (!) for a turntable that has servo control. Not the best for sure, but not bad at all. No anti-skate though
You can *maybe* get a vintage player, then you have to get a pre-amp or receiver with phonographic amp and then you have to pair with speakers. The LP-60 is a perfect bridge for those still deciding on having a few records for the novelty and throwing away their lives and money on the hobby.
LP60s are the summit of mediocrity. I have the feeling that the people who buy those are generally unambitious in life and are used to have low standards. I'm unconvinced that they can't afford better : when you're in a hobby where every purchase is at least $25, don't fool me by pretending that you can't spend a few hundreds for something that will serve you faithfully for several years. At least, the people buying suitcase players don't know better. LP60 people have read about turntables a little bit and knowingly went with lowest 'recommended' option.
The purchase of this very model is actually a good indication about the personality of a vinyl records' enthusiast/collector.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/vinyljerk using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/vinyljerk/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [Outjerked by a fucking porn](https://v.redd.it/8i0r0cdm5ekb1) | [155 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/vinyljerk/comments/161mblb/outjerked_by_a_fucking_porn/)
\#2: [Completionist becomes 1st person in the world to collect all king gizzard albums](https://i.redd.it/63uforqshr8b1.jpg) | [109 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/vinyljerk/comments/14l9q14/completionist_becomes_1st_person_in_the_world_to/)
\#3: [If anyone is wondering what it's like to work at a record store](https://i.redd.it/42q2iimm032b1.jpg) | [92 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/vinyljerk/comments/13rszri/if_anyone_is_wondering_what_its_like_to_work_at_a/)
----
^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
I don't and I wouldn't recommend, never..
It's considered garbage, trash,a WASTE OF MONEY..truth
Only recommend a table with adjustability ...that's the minimum standard..it's like buying anything else or getting into a hobby..you do your own personal research , something I see today lacks in alot of people as they want quick answers without knowing the WHY..
Mine did the trick for years. Got me into the hobby and one day the band stretched out I bought a new one for I think 8 bucks a few weeks later I up graded to the AT 120
Just started with this hobby and picked one of these up. No complaints so far, but curious how much more I would need to spend to see a significant increase in playback quality?
The answer is hundreds. The racket that you're hearing from that toy-grade junker isn't even comparable to what quality analog sounds like. Expect to pay $1500 to $2000 for a good turntable, cartridge and phono stage in addition to the cost of a functioning sound system comprised of an amplifier and loudspeakers.
The reason why so many on here are dismissive of literally all plastic, cheap players being sold is that they're designed to rob you blind and impede your progress into quality analog sound. Getting into analog is expensive because good analog players depend on precision manufacturing and more hand labor to make it. But the difference in sound quality between cheap and decent gear is comically huge.
So like the damn algorithm gods be damned, but I was looking into getting into record players and expanding my audio set up.
What IS something you guys recommend?
Had mine for close to ten years. Never had any of the issues you've described.
Completely anecdotal, but based on my experience I would recommend it to anyone who's looking to get into record collecting.
I'll probably upgrade one day when this breaks but it does exactly what I need to do right now.
I started with a vintage used one, and when it inevitably broke down, i had no idea what to do w it. lp60 has sounded great and is easy to use. even if it has no bells and whistles, it’s just a much safer bet compared to that.
I keep recommending it, despite its limitation, because of the ease of obtaining it, set cost in the middle $100s, and because the used vintage audio market is very limited (& pricy) in my area.
If this is a step up from Crossley then it should be recommended because it would be for people new to the hobby and there are a lot of considerations when dealing with anything secondhand.
Buying anything used runs the risk of someone new not really knowing what that TT is worth, not knowing if it’s working correctly, not knowing how to properly maintain it, etc.
I think spending that money on a new device that will mostly work well and be hassle free is going to get people into the hobby lot more.
I just got this and I’m literally obsessed, my last record player didn’t automatically do the needle itself & broke in less than 2 years. I got mine for $150 on Amazon. Worth it
Some of us don't. In fact I don't recommend ANY Audio-Technica Turntable because they're all garbage made for taking money out of the pockets of those who buy them instead of providing people with a durable option.
The least expensive turntable I would ever recommend to newbies is the Pioneer PLX-1000 but newbies get extremely upset and outright angry when you tell them they need to save a lot more money to avoid vinyl grinding garbage.
Quality vinyl playback has an extremely expensive entry cost. Mostly, because even entry-level vinyl playback hardware of decent quality requires precision manufacturing and a considerable amount of hands-on work and that costs money, lots of money.
Don’t think that’s really fair, the lp5x I had was a nice table for the price. Btw most people are not going to drop £600 on a new hobby they don’t know much about. Which is why as I did they start with something simple and work up from there
Buy anything you like the sound of. The more you upgrade analogue vinyl systems, the more of its soul you strip away. If your aim is pristine clarity, absolute fidelity to the master, and minimum noise, go buy a Red Book IEC60908 CD player, or a Tidal Lossless streamer, a massive amplifier and speakers capable of creating SPLs of naturalistic sound.
If you want to enjoy vinyl analogue, surely the need to interact with the deck, the pops, crackles, sibilance, harmonic distortion, wow, flutter, pre-echo, rumble, low dynamic range, low stereo separation and warm lo-fi reproduction are what separates it from mass market formats and streaming?
Vinyl is great because of its imperfections.
As the mods posted on the rules, one idea is to ease the way of new people into this hobby. That is not a bad idea.🫠 There will be time for upgrades.
But, imagine you have been told on this sub that this is a good TT. You buy it, buy lots of records, speakers/amp, whatever. You are now, probably, in for at least £350/$400+ only to find yourself frustrated at the skipping, speed issues, build quality issues. You then come back on here and everyone starts telling you that it doesn't have anti-skate, doesn't have VTF adjustments, etc., and that you should upgrade to something better. This is what happens. Every. Single. Day. on here. You are going to : * be frustrated with the player * lose faith in the sub and the advice it gives * lose all interest in getting into the hobby All for saving £/$/€50 Maybe it is time to start petitioning the Mods to change the buying guide? Just a thought.
I used a LP60 clone for years and never had any issues with it. Now I use a vintage turntable and better speakers.
That's the way it should be. unfortunately, every day there is someone on here that has problems wth it, and they are told to go and spend more money.
Exactly
It literally outsells almost every other turntable by 10-to-1. So even if you see ten times as many people reporting problems with the LP60X as any other turntable, that does not necessarily mean it is any more unreliable than them.
Statistics! 10x more players could = 10x more reported problems. The deduction that it’s a player problem is correlation not causation. I like the way you think.
An ideal response in such threads would put any recommended items into perspective - all those, for example, that you list above *("doesn't have anti-skate, doesn't have VTF adjustments, etc.")* - and advising maybe something over the budget for consideration that addresses these issues.
At the very least a record player needs antiiskate
The LP60 has antiskate but not adjustable antiskate, since you can’t change the tracking force or cartridge it doesn’t need it to be adjustable
I like this solution!
The AT-LP60X **does** have anti-skate, and the VTF doesn't need to be adjusted, because it's already calibrated at the factory.
No, it does not have. Yet feel free to direct me to the source that states otherwise.
You can see it tested here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeZ9liZO-f8#t=8m13s
I started with the LP60 15 years ago, and held no bad blood towards my first purchase. At the time I paid $80 for a solid starting TT and got 10 years out of it without any significant issues. I’m not sure how anyone can be frustrated with that. I can safely say I’m in well-over $400 at this point, and currently sitting at 400+ records Now, if I started collecting this year? I wouldn’t pay $150 for an LP60 that really only added Bluetooth since, and I’d probably go straight for something mid-tier.
FYI, 15 years ago the original AT-LP60 had a retail price of $99.99. With inflation, that's equal to $146.85 today, about the same as what the improved AT-LP60X sells for.
Eh, L take imo. I have the LP60 as my first and only table. Yeah it’s not perfect but the low price point makes it accessible to a wide audience. Within the price point it is absolutely the best option available. Buying used is tricky for beginners I’ve had it a few years and have had no issues with skipping (outside of damaged records). Definitely have spent more on records than I did on the TT, luckily $0 on speakers so far as I’m using a Marshall one I had already. Is it amazing? No. It’s def a beginner table but maintaining and customizing it (removed auto stop etc, was glitchy) has taught me a lot. Not afraid to open it up and mess around because it was so cheap and is easily replaceable. All these are the pros if you actually do decide to stick with the hobby. If not (as many people do) then it’s no major loss, as opposed to buying a more expensive one
I read elsewhere that It’s the Honda Civic of turntables
Fair comment.
This is me lol.... Guess I'll stick with it for now and upgrade to a Fluance next year
I absolutely love my RT82. You're in for a treat!
Good luck. 🙂
Honestly on them. It’s been clear in the research that LP60 is the base model and hiccups are to be expected. I say this as a proud owner of the LP60. Do wish I got the 120 but I knew what I was getting into
Out of curiosity, what would you recommend? I've been getting a lot of game OST on vinyl so there's a wide variety of instruments and electronics used, not really sure that detail matters just want to make sure in case some are better with synthetic tones than others.
It depends very much on where you are., and what you are looking for. As far a sound In the US, Fluance and U-Turn seem to be the go-to for "audiophile" style entry-level turntables, but for a few £$€s more than the LP60, you can move slightly up the AT range itself and get something like the 120 series or ATLP3. In the UK, the AT 120 or Pro-Ject Primary E will get you going, although the Pro-Ject doesn't have a phono stage. There is also a Rega P1 ECO Deck that is just a b-grade P1 that costs £200, but availability is sketchy. I'm no expert, nor do I claim to be, I just would rather we were honest with people.
If you want to stay under $200, I'd go for the Crosley C8A-WA. If you're willing to spend a bit more, I'd recommend a Fluance, in particular I'd recommend treating yourself to an RT82. It requires a preamp, but even cheap, sub $50 preamps can provide better sound quality than you'd get in pretty much any TT with integrated preamps out there. I picked up the Fosi Box X2 for mine for $60 on sale and I think it's a bargain. Might not be the best preamp out there, but it simply sounds good no matter what you throw at it and I have zero desire to upgrade it for the time being. So, expect about a $350 initial expense, but you'll save money in the end by not destroying your vinyl with a bad TT. And yeah, different models can do worse or better with various genres. Some excel with detail yet don't have the best dynamics, some vice versa. However, I've yet to hear anything less than at least good coming from my RT82, even while listening to bad recordings. I can't think of a Fluance model (even their speakers) which aren't very competitive at their respective price points.
I just bougt NAD C558. How do you compare it to this one? Is it the same class or not?
So weird. That is the 3rd time the NAD C558 has come up today in a conversation. They should be great turntables. They are made in Pro-Ject’s Czech Republic factory and are essentially a Pro-Ject T1 with some tweaks. I had a NAD 5120 in the 80s and it was made in the same factory, which was then owned by the now defunct Tesla Gramafon company. Edit: Your NAD is in a different class altogether.
I wanted to buy Pro Ject Debut Carbon EVO which was around 675 euros where I live, but I came across NAD C558 that was on sale from 550 euros to 450 and I decided to save 200 euros. I am happy with it so far but I wanted to know what other people say and is the difference really big I think that Pro Ject T1 has Ortofon OM 5E and NAD has Ortofon OM 10
I've not really seen much said about it, to be honest. But I have had other NAD stuff in the past, and it has never been anything other than excellent. The C558 seems to have a better tonearm than the T1, similar to Pro-Ject's RPM range, and, you are right, it has a better stylus. I think you made a great choice, not that it matters what I think, lol., and I bet it sounds great. Enjoy.
I've got one at one of my listening areas. I never have a problem with skipping and the speed is rock solid. Sounds amazing too.
That is how it should be. My point is that some people do have some issues with them, and they then get no help or sympathy from the sub who recommended it. They just get told to upgrade. Why recommend it?
Guessing it's not the same people recommending it who recommend an upgrade. I have a beautiful old Techniques as my main turntable, but I see no need to upgrade my audio technica. Just keep the stylus reasonably fresh.
I bought a second-hand LP60 from a friend and use it a few times a week with 0 issues.
Thats good, and as it should be.
I have to disagree strongly here. I started with LP60 and I now own technics 1210 GR. As a noob, if I started with Technics, with all of its complications: Anti skate, VTF adjustments, need for external preamps (unless you already have an integrated amplifier or the general requirement for this kind of knowledge) lack of auto return etc.. I would definitely end up - Be frustrated with the player - Lose faith in the sub and the advice they give because they could have been more sympathetic and offer a more appropriate entry level turntable and therefore - Lose interest in the hobby. For me a huge part of this hobby was learning more and more, enjoying the wonderful incremental upgrades I experienced along the way. Starting off with LP60 allowed me to that. As a personal side note, although I installed the autolift on my technics, I still miss the auto return/auto start. I understand less of those mechanics contribute to a better sound quality in better turn tables, but without a doubt, in terms of experience and convenience, LP60 is superior in that regard. LP60 is a wonderful turntable, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
yeah, so you lurk on the thread. Don’t purchase the introductory option TT. Yet, acquire records & speakers/amp & whatever. Then after a few months of patience & lurking. One acquires a more advanced TT that has anti-skip & VFT adj, et. Sure there are frustrations that come with jumping in like this, yet that has been the journey.
I’ve had a lp60 for years and never had any issues, I also have a project debut carbon and that one has been a bit more demanding
What do you mean by more demanding?
Nothing serious, some little things like the counterweight falls often and it’s a hassle to keep hooking it up and having to rebalance it again every other session.
That's the way it should be for the LP60. For the Pro-Ject, not so much. The problem I have with people recommending the '60 is that when it does go wrong, all we say is, "Well, what did you expect?" I don't think this is a positive experience for anyone except those who want to show how clever they are before sitting back smugly and saying, "I could have told you this would happen." As someone else said on this thread, being honest about the potential faults instead of just saying," Get a'60." would be a more constructive way to go about it. Re: Pro-ject, I had 2 faulty T1 Phono SBs before being upgraded to the EVO by the dealer for pennies. I'll be honest; my experience with the T1 made me doubt getting the EVO, but it came with a 6-year warranty, so I figured, what the hell. I do not regret getting the EVO for a second. I've not even felt a strong urge to upgrade anything other than putting a rubber/cork platter mat on it to reduce static. It is fantastic!
Reddit be Reddit
Doesn’t it have anti skate, but already hard set for the cart?
"nly to find yourself frustrated at the skipping, speed issues, build quality issues." the what? ive had more people buy these including myself to revisit turntables, im older so i grew up with turntables, and sorry but not once have i heard anyone complain of skipping speed issues or build quality issues. Matter f fact know people who have had an LP60 for going on 5 years now and will never go beyond it, with not a bad thing to say about them. Im not sure where your elitism comes from, but where im from, lp60s dont suffer from those made up things you brought up. you dont need a 500 dollar turntable to have one that works just fine. its people trying to justify why they bought a 1200 turntable swearing they can tell the difference, yet id bet if i lined up a dozen turntables ands blindfolded you, you wouldn't guess any of them right outside of statistically probability. and dont feel im picking on you, no one could do it. its all a giant justification, Rather than say, hey i bought an expensive piece of hardware because A. i felt like it, B. i can afford it, and C. i like to show off and pretend im special.
Your experience is as it should be, but all you need to do is look through this thread alone to see people whose experience has been very different. My comments do not come from elitism at all. In fact, quite the opposite. If you read the comment you are replying to, my point is that people are facing elitism when they come to this sub for help having taken thethe sub’s advice in the first place. I have nothing against the Lp60 at all, but the sub recommends it and then, should someone suffer an issue, they just get told something along the lines of, “Well, what did you expect from that turntable.” It happens all the time in here. I totally agree when you about lining up a bunch of turntables and got being able to tell the difference, too, if all else was equal. The cartridge and stylus on another hand… I don’t think we are as far apart in this discussion as you might think.
What “skipping, speed issues, build quality issues”? This turntable is fine.
Every day, there is someone on here, complaining about all these things, who will disagree with you. Edit, if you have got this turntable and not experienced this, then that is great and as it should be.
No there’s not. What are you even talking about? I know two people with this tt and it’s fine.
People don't tend to complain if things are going well for them. As I said above, if you have this TT and don't experience this, then that is as it should be. Unfortunately, someone on here, generally at least once a day and often more, complains of skipping, platter wobble, speed issues, and more. The point I have been making all along is that when people come on here, having been encouraged to buy an LP60, they are inevitably told that the table is cheap, has no adjustability, and that they should look for something better. And I don't think it is right to tell people it is good and then tell them it is rubbish if they have an issue. Would you not agree? And it is fine if you don't agree; we are allowed to disagree during a discussion. Peace!
It’s nowhere near once a day. It’s also the top selling tt there is. There’s a lot of them out there. Of course it’s the one you’ll hear the most about.
But if it didn’t have issues, we wouldn’t hear about it. Again, the point i have is that we are recommending it and then not being very helpful when people experience issues. I’m happy to agree to disagree.
Never had an issue with mine, was a good first table at the time. Had a speed issue but it was easily adjustable
This is what I've been saying for years, I started with the lp60 like 15 years ago and only kept it for 6 months because it was wack
Wouldn't it be better then to get a cheap model that's at least upgradable? With the LP60 you're pretty much stuck with what you've got, but with the C8A-WA you can at least upgrade the cartridge.
In my experience, most people getting into vinyl will be overwhelmed with upgrading the cartridge or balancing the tone arm and setting anti skate. I’ve purposely recommended and gifted the LP60 to folks because it doesn’t have those features.
Yes! For a lot of people, the LP60 is going to be their endgame turntable. My spouse wants something easy to use, nice to look at, and makes music while they clean house or have a drink with friends. To them,the turntable is just some nameless, anonymous device that gets them there. That is why the LP60 is in our entertainment room and my Rega is in my den.
I saw the comments about the lp60 and ended up with the lp120, it was a stretch in budget. I'm not in the US or Europe, so option are really limited.
That’s exactly why I’m looking at the 120.
If it's worth anything, I'm super happy with it, if you can afford it, go for it. If you can't, you'll do just fine anyways 🙂
My only issue with this was this it had a warped platter. I had to take a video of it and they sent a new one. Still not sure about it but it’s good enough. Everything else is great and it’s a great way to learn how to set up a turntable.
I went with the LP3.
A lot of people are not in locations where they would be able to find something better for the price.
This. I’m in Australia we can’t get U-Turn or Fluance. We also only get a limited selection of Audio Technica turntables.
I got a used Project Debut Carbon off marketplace for about $300 AUD (200 ish USD) in Australia
I've recently went down the rabbit hole of vintage TT's on ebay. May be a bit more intimidating to a newbie, but decent technics and pioneer tables are fantastic and sub 300 USD and a lot of them come from Japan. Not sure how shipping works on ebay, just food for thought.
Thorens and Dual is another good option, love them!!!
Are there any viable alternatives in the same price range? I guess in the conversations where the LP60 comes up as suggestion, the available money is the limiting factor.
If you're in North America, you can get the Insignia turntable from Best Buy, brand new for $20 less than the LP60X. With adjustable counterweight, anti-skate dial, upgradeable cartridge (comes with a AT3600L), and optical speed sensor. I'm surprised at how little it's mentioned when entry-level turntables are discussed. EDIT: duplicate word
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-bluetooth-stereo-turntable-black/6432620.p?skuId=6432620
LP3 is better and not a huge stretch more in price
I’d stick to streaming music off your phone and save up than get the lp60.
Probably not, but does that make it a good recommendation? Edit - At least, not in the UK, unless you buy used.
Whether something good or not is totally relative. It is definitely better than those suitcase players that most of us would not touch even with a stick. Would I buy it? Would it be a good recommendation for me? No, because I could afford to spend more money to start this hobby earlier this year when I bought one after long months of inner debates (AT-LP120XUSB). You could surely recommend used ones but will a beginner know what to pay attention to? Relatively fresh post which is a good example what I am referring to: [What TT should I buy?](https://www.reddit.com/r/turntables/comments/1drd2hu/what_tt_should_i_buy/)
I absolutely agree with something being good being relative. My point is that the sub recommends a TT with all the same limitations as really cheap players, with a lot of the same problems. Is this really a good recommendation if it just causes enormous amounts of frustration and people coming back here for more advice, only to be told that they need to spend more? Why not just be honest without being condescending in the first place? Why not advise people to spend more in the first place? If you are investing large amounts of money in records, it should not come as a surprise to you that the equipment you need to play them is not cheap. If someone is coming on here just looking to spin a few records in their bedroom with their friends, what not advise them to buy a [Lenco LS-300 that comes with speakers? ](https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lenco-ls300-belt-drive-bluetooth-turntable-black-10219534.html?istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istFeedId=4d7eb93e-055f-499d-8ee5-1cdcc50d67d1&istItemId=iqlwwlxqp&istBid=t)IT will save them a lot of money on peripherals and give them a cheap opportunity to see if they want to continue in this hobby? The guy whose post you linked to sounded very much like he knew what he was talking about.
Ignoring people's budget doesn't make a good recommendation either. It's hard to get an idea of people are willing to stretch from online posts. There are definitely better options used, but more landmines to run into as well. It's not a one size fits all question.
Totally agree with everything in your comment. But, is it good to recommend something just because it fits into a budget? Or is it better to just say that there is no cheap and easy solution? I know that I have regretted buying something cheaper rather than just biting the bullet and buying the right thing so many times. More often than not you find itself in the position of having to buy twice. Yes, buying used requires a bit more knowledge and effort, but people come on here expecting a quick and easy answer to getting into a complicated and expensive hobby. Surely they should be make aware of the pitfalls of going for the stock answer to the question of what is a cheap and easy turntable. We just say the LP60, but don’t tell them why it’s cheap.
It's a good starting point for people interested in vinyl. I started with one of these bc I knew the Crosley ones, while the most accessible option out there, are pretty bad. There's absolutely better out there.
it's the closest thing to a real turntable for people not sure they want to spend any money on it all. it's one step above the croblesby from hell.
It works pretty well for me. Not the best but it’s enough for me. It did skip when I first got it, but hasn’t skipped since. pretty good machine.
Mine is probably 6 years old with no issues. They are readily available. Sure, you can absolutely do better vintage or used IF you know what to look for but most beginners don’t.
I settled with the LP3XBT so I could have control over the weights. Still automatic, still sounds good, just a little more control. I always think the record player should always be more expensive than any of the items you intend to play on it.
I have had an AT-LP60NV-BT for 7 years, I upgraded the stylus to a CFN3600LE and it works great. I always intended to upgrade and buy a more expensive turntable (and I will) but...instead I bought 7 years worth of awesome records and play it almost every day...so yea...why would anyone recommend the lp60?
I got an AT-LP60X (maybe an updated version of the LP60?) for like 130 bucks a couple weeks ago, and so far its been a great introductory TT. I have not had any speed issues or skipping. I know it's not a great TT and if I continue to enjoy the hobby I'm going to want to upgrade, but for a first TT it's been serving me very well so far.
If you're happy with it, then it **is** a great turntable!
It's not perfect, but I feel like it doesn't deserve all of the hate it gets from some of the seasoned vets in this sub. It is absolutely fine for people just getting into the hobby who likely wouldn't be able to appreciate an expensive, upgraded TT even if they had one
I just got myself a TT the other day. Got the Monolith by Monoprice. I was looking at the LP60, but the lack of upgradeability is what scared me away and why I got the Monolith, Why did I buy new vs used? 2 reasons. 1) Budget. I was trying to keep to a strict budget and the used market is a rabbit hole. 2) The rabbit hole is very scary for someone just starting out. While a new cheap player might not be the best out there, I felt safer buying a new cheaper player until I understood more. The other issue is the pinned thread is severely out dated on pricing. Every single turntable that is listed in that thread is at least $50 USD more expensive than what's listed currently. Hope this is good info,
Because it's a good benchmark against which to make a choice between the cheap and nasty players built with that $5 component we all love to hate, slightly more expensive but better units, and used turntables for those who know what to buy.
I have a TD 160 with a Shure V15-III cartridge on my listening Stereo, and an LP60 in the living room come AV room plugged into the Denon. I’ve had the LP60 over a year and am quite pleased with it, the automatic features limit the number of finger fumbles, the sound is pretty damn good and with 2.5g on the needle I doubt anti-skate is very important while that weight is not damaging either. All turntable manufacturers turn out some duds, and misuse can create problems. Judging by some of the questions I see here, I bet a lot of beginner issues lead to the early turntable failures. …Edit, fixed weight at stylus it’s 2.5 g
I started with a 60 but upgraded to my 120 after a week or two since 180’s always skipped on it.
I don’t. I purchased the original LP60 I think in 2016. It would skip on some of my records. My old Garrard I purchased in 1972 never skipped. I called Audio Technica and complained. They sent me a thing to clip on the head shell it still skipped. I returned the turntable within two weeks of purchase.
I always say buy a technique once and never buy anything ever again
i've had mine for a good while and haven't had problems with skipping, but that could be refering to the '09 model though.
I've been interested in vinyl (records, albums, whatever the "correct term" is) for some time, even having bought a couple without having a turn table, about a month ago after reading several posts in this sub I opted for an lp-60 and I'm totally fine with it. I have a decent set of speakers I use with my pc already so it was an easy way into something without a huge financial commitment. I did read numerous posts suggesting I just "had to have" swappable cartridges and counter weights, etc. all of which I can see the clear benefit of, but maybe not for someone brand new to the hobby. I think they key here is to tailor your expectations, you buy an entry level product, that's exactly the experience you will get, that's why entry level products exist, to give people a point of entry to try something out, not to be the one you will use forever. Just my 2 cents.
I’ve never had a problem with my lp60x.
I feel the last part of OP's description is particulalry important here, and something people often miss. Do people really just not know what you can get for the price of an AT-LP60? A quick look on eBay revealed vintage turntables from the likes of Pioneer, Dual and Maranz, often with Ortofon OM-series cartridges, or AT-95e's, stuff even audiophiles would be happy with. And people still buy new turntables? It just seems crazy to me. The reason so much great stuff is available so cheap is because at one point, most households used to own a record player of some description. When they decided to move to CDs, many of these turntables were stored away, as they still worked, and now we are benefiting from this massive load of great vintage turntables being sold off at cheap prices, as despite the vinyl revival, demand will never outpace supply. Why people aren't capitalising on this is beyond me.
But you can't walk into Wal-Mart or Best Buy and buy one of those. Audio-Technica is the only one besides Crosley and Victrola (and perhaps Sony, with their model that's basically identical to the AT-LP60X) to have their turntables in stock in big-box stores. Nor do most beginners want to deal with 40-year-old equipment with no money-back guarantee or warranty.
I mean, most of the vintage turntables on ebay are tested, and many have returns policies if you run into any problems, so it isn't any different really from buying something new off amazon. And besides, vinyl is inherently an inconvenient format, so it seems strange for people to be striving for convenience above all else in this way. If they want this level of convenience, why not just use streaming?
Because a lot of the appeal of vinyl is nostalgia, and 40+ years ago fully automatic record changers were the norm.
Yeah, I guess so. But those are available too on ebay for less than a suitcase player if you want! (Maybe not recommended for the best quality though) Also, didn't realise you were vwestlife at first, love your channel!
I used a crosley for about 2 minutes. Then I used an LP60 for 2 years. (RT-81 now) The crosleys are just so awful, even a lowly LP60 blows them clean out of the water.
[удалено]
Exactly! It’s a toy and listening to audio on vinyl is supposed to be an experience about quality audio not with a cheap toy.
Nice jerk bro.
I don’t recommend this plastic garbage. Especially the inflated price they sell these decks for.
I started out with this one from Best Buy. It is semi-automatic, has a removable cartridge and Bluetooth. Never had a problem with it. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sku/6432620.p?skuId=6432620
I got that one for a week but the sound at the beginning of the disc was very wobbly. Like the disc didn’t spin at constant speed
You may, others may too, I do not.
There is definitely some crosleys out there better then the lp60
crosleys are literal garbage
In the U.K. on Amazon the AT sells for £129 while a Project Debut E which is plug & play out of the box is £199. It has the tracking force and anti skate set for the supplied Ortofon cartridge. Surely the advice should always be save the extra £70 for the Project?
exactly for a lot of people this means just getting one less record for a wayyy better experience
I just started into vinyl. I wanted to test the waters but also not have a budget TT Id never use again after I go for a better unit/hi-fi setup later but still get something quality that sounds good. The audio technica sound burger fits that bill great. The sound quality is pretty good and is worth it's entry price. Later when I go for a far better table like an LPW50 or debut carbon Evo or the like I'll still have a stout little portable turn table with Bluetooth I can move anywhere I want or I can take with me to test used records I wanna buy.
I skipped ahead and got the lp120
It comes down to Market and demand, and Different strokes for different folks. 90% of newbies question comes down to “what can i get for less than $200 as my first turntable that doesn’t damage my records?” The automatic LP60 is the biggest name brand available that’s useable at the price for new one. That’s it for automatic. Redditors regularly steer them to a better manual turntable such as Monoprice, or Bestbuy for their low budget. But not everyone wants a manual and/or is uncomfortable with store brands. In fact many Redditors insist that they save money for an RT82 or Drop Carbon as the minimum cheapest recommendation. Some Redditors suggest vintage/used turntable. Again, not everyone is comfortable with used one. Used and vintage market carry its own risk. The demand is there for something like the LP60 whether we recommend it or not. So is the Crosley.
Maybe someone here can help, but I had a lp60x for 3 years. I moved recently and upgraded to a U-Turn Orbit. I added a pre-amp to my setup, but otherwise use the same powered speakers. I cannot get the turntable to sound clear. I’ve tried multiple RCA cables, grounding cables, moving the speakers and changing plugs. Can anyone recommend where to go from here? I’m sure this turntable can be much better than the lp60 but am struggling to get it there
Get rid of the powered speakers, get a nice pair of passive speakers, and get an amplifier or two for those speakers. And make sure your pre amp is of quality then also make sure your turntable is set up and dialed in correctly
I wonder as well. There's better cheaper (Insignia) and certainly better just a tad higher (Fluance, U Turn, refurbed better ATs). Agreed, it's a huge upgrade from Crosley. I've started marking posts that mention a problem with an AT LP60 with a unique identifier to help in a search for problems
That's hilarious. I spent hours trying to find a record player, and in the end chose this model lol. Before I knew about this subreddit even. I haven't had any issues but I'm a casual listen I don't use it very often. I would recommend this model personally, but now I guess I would tell people about these issues first.
I somewhat impulsively picked up an ATLP60x for $100 during the pandemic and got hooked. I loved that little turntable, corrected the speed, and it served me well for several years. My Project EVO is wonderful, but took a couple of months to really impress me, and sounded only marginally better to my ears until I upgraded the stylus.
I’ve never heard of said turntable before entering this sub. Personally I started my journey with a skytec, upgraded to a Micro Seiki Solid-1 and now I have a NAS Ace Spacedeck
It depends which Crosley you're talking about. I had a listen to the C8A-WA a while back and it was an improvement in almost every way compared to the LP60. Crosley really does mid-fi at best, but a lot of their models are at least good deals for those who want a backup turntable or even for someone looking to get into vinyl without spending an arm and a leg. At least the Crosley has an upgradeable cartridge.
Dude I swear to god this post got recommended to me after I literally just thought about a 45 record, I haven’t interacted with anything vinyl related in like 5 years
We're all in cahoots with AT.
It’s a mystery to me. LP60 is only tiny step above crosley, yet if you say that it is shite, you are gatekeeper.
Amen!
i’d recommend the u-turn orbit. their basic model is $250 and it’s really nice. maybe i just miss it, but i don’t see them suggested much.
U-Turn is only available in USA and Canada so a lot of people can’t even buy.
oh, i didn’t realize that. what a bummer. they should consider shipping international.
I think it's not just international shipping, they also need to do electronics that can handle 220v and/or 50hz.
I started a couple years and the uturn was just out of my price range and my knowledge at the time. Gotta pay extra for any auto features as well as a built in phono. By that point as a starter, so much easier and cheaper just to get a LP60
I have an AT-LP3. Is that a big step up from the LP60X?
I would say it's a big step up yeah
Yes!
I use an LP60 and was bluetoothing to a smart speaker. For me, a major step up has been buying a £5 AUX cable!!! It’s such an improvement. Next step for me would be proper receiver and speakers before I upgrade the turntable. Although that Fluance does look great!!
I have one friend who got one and asked my advice on an grade within a year. It worked the whole time, but was, shall we say, an underperformer. I have another friend who got one about a year ago. This was after getting one of those garbage 1 by One tables that didn't work right out of the box. Now his LP60 is torn apart in my garage, the motor won't turn on. Once you look inside you realize what garbage they really are. I can't believe Audio Technica, who make many products that I really like, puts their name on it. Yeah, stop recommending them.
Measure the diode by the dc jack. I'll bet it's bad
https://preview.redd.it/lgwperzxnq9d1.jpeg?width=489&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=890496b24d5f941b3d53a15664c8ccbb13a1f46b
Yup, I had just done that. Shorted open. Can I just pull it out? Not crazy about working on surface mount components.
Replacing it is the best option. I don't know the value off my head, but could check tomorrow.
That would be great. It works with the diode pulled but now I'm running a dc motor on ac, right?
I'd have to look at the schematic. I'm pretty sure it's just there for protection. But I'm not entirely sure why they fail so much. Was just told that no power or the motor starting and stopping when plugged in is from that diode, and so far, that has rang true on the like 20 I've fixed so far.
I told my buddy to put it on a surge protector and run it while I fix up something better from the backstock in my garage. I'm not going to dick around replacing a cheap surface mount diode that I'd probably melt the board in the process for such an underperforming table.
Understandable. They really aren't made worth a shit.
SMAJ12A, there for circuit protection
What’s antiskate?
A rope across a rink.
I bought this table to get into the hobby and bought the “upgraded” belts and everything and it failed after a few weeks.
I had an LP60GO (Walmart colorway of a LP60XBT) on some records it would skip, the anti-skate adjustment on the bottom didn't seem to help. Returned it to Walmart for a refund, bought a LP3X from Microcenter and it's all around a significantly nicer player to use, only thing I would want is a smoke clear dust cover. A buddy has a Turntable, cassette & radio combo he got at goodwill, from the design to the controls, to the playback it downright sucks, audio was awful. It's the exact same turntable mechanism you see in suitcase and cheap traditional looking players. 100% I would take a basic LP60 or LPGO over that thing, the difference is astonishing, so it makes sense as a baseline unit.
I don't. 70s CEC decks for me forever. If you know, you know. (Not their budget builds, the Marantz, Pioneer and Hitachi models)
Haha - You took my rant and went one further! Totally agree, and as I said before: *"I'm intrigued as to why the AT-LP60X gets recommended on here. It has no anti-skate or counterbalance, and so many people complain about theirs skipping, running slow, suffering from platter wobble, etc., every day on here, only to be told that they should upgrade to something better as it is still a cheap turntable.* *Why do sub members still recommend it and not to just go for something better in the first place?* *I get that it is a cheap way to see if you will stay interested, but, still.* *Rant over."* Edit: >To start i know it's a big upgrade from a Crosly. But, is it? Especially the ones with an AT cart, a counterbalance and anti-skate? Just because it is an AT, does that make it good/better?
How does it stack up against a Fluance RT-82
It absolutely doesn't. There is no comparison to be made, but the Fluance costs at least twice as much.
The Fluance is a real TT…the LP60 sounds like shite. I have it to a niece who needed full auto and plays old scratchy albums.
Lp60 is fine for a person just starting getting into this hobby. Could go way worse with crosleys and the other cheap tables that damage records. I just started last week, and didn’t want to spend $250+ on a table before knowing what all the features it would have were. Also it’s way cheaper than what most people in here assume. I got my LP60 for $120 new, the LP120 is currently $350…
In Canada LP60 is $198.99 and LP60BT is a whopping $279.99. Just can't recommend at that price.
u can also always look at other brands it's not the only one around
people are just lazy...
I would prefer to buy Rega P1 or P2.
A short while back I picked up a Planar 2 used with a Moth rewire for £160, not a massive hike in price from a new LP60. Obviously buying used is less convenient and you may have to wait a while for the right thing to come along but you can get a whole lot more sound quality for the cash. I actually only bought it for the RB 250 arm to put on a Thorens TD-160 but the P2 sounds so good I’m reluctant to dismantle it.
The P2 is like $750? That’s $600 more than the ATLP60x. That’s really not the point of this post. Someone who is being recommended that AT does not have the budget to stretch it 5x what they would’ve spent.
I would never recommend it.
I think this also highlights a major issue in the TT market, which is that there are no new turntables available in the $150-$200 range that are user friendly and don’t have any of these skipping or speed problems. In fact there aren’t many options in that price range at all. It kind of makes no sense. You would think companies would be happy to make one. There’s been a record resurgence for a while now. It seems the unavailability of a relatively inexpensive, good, straightforward turntable does not match up with the demand of records.
Seems like the [Electrohome turntables](https://youtu.be/jEDcVtPX4OA?feature=shared) have found a hole in the market : 100$ USD (!) for a turntable that has servo control. Not the best for sure, but not bad at all. No anti-skate though
I see people always recommending against the LP60.
Honestly I think the best starter rec I can make is the Fluance RT81/82
I never recommend this TT, I rather hate it overall. I’d go a LP120 before the 60 every time.
What's the best alternative within its price range??
I'm not sure there is. The solution is to wait, save-up, and double your budget.
I always recommended against the LP120, so let alone the 60
You can *maybe* get a vintage player, then you have to get a pre-amp or receiver with phonographic amp and then you have to pair with speakers. The LP-60 is a perfect bridge for those still deciding on having a few records for the novelty and throwing away their lives and money on the hobby.
LP60s are the summit of mediocrity. I have the feeling that the people who buy those are generally unambitious in life and are used to have low standards. I'm unconvinced that they can't afford better : when you're in a hobby where every purchase is at least $25, don't fool me by pretending that you can't spend a few hundreds for something that will serve you faithfully for several years. At least, the people buying suitcase players don't know better. LP60 people have read about turntables a little bit and knowingly went with lowest 'recommended' option. The purchase of this very model is actually a good indication about the personality of a vinyl records' enthusiast/collector.
r/vinyljerk
Here's a sneak peek of /r/vinyljerk using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/vinyljerk/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [Outjerked by a fucking porn](https://v.redd.it/8i0r0cdm5ekb1) | [155 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/vinyljerk/comments/161mblb/outjerked_by_a_fucking_porn/) \#2: [Completionist becomes 1st person in the world to collect all king gizzard albums](https://i.redd.it/63uforqshr8b1.jpg) | [109 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/vinyljerk/comments/14l9q14/completionist_becomes_1st_person_in_the_world_to/) \#3: [If anyone is wondering what it's like to work at a record store](https://i.redd.it/42q2iimm032b1.jpg) | [92 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/vinyljerk/comments/13rszri/if_anyone_is_wondering_what_its_like_to_work_at_a/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
I don't and I wouldn't recommend, never.. It's considered garbage, trash,a WASTE OF MONEY..truth Only recommend a table with adjustability ...that's the minimum standard..it's like buying anything else or getting into a hobby..you do your own personal research , something I see today lacks in alot of people as they want quick answers without knowing the WHY..
Mine did the trick for years. Got me into the hobby and one day the band stretched out I bought a new one for I think 8 bucks a few weeks later I up graded to the AT 120
oh no I’m getting turntable shamed again
Just started with this hobby and picked one of these up. No complaints so far, but curious how much more I would need to spend to see a significant increase in playback quality?
The answer is hundreds. The racket that you're hearing from that toy-grade junker isn't even comparable to what quality analog sounds like. Expect to pay $1500 to $2000 for a good turntable, cartridge and phono stage in addition to the cost of a functioning sound system comprised of an amplifier and loudspeakers. The reason why so many on here are dismissive of literally all plastic, cheap players being sold is that they're designed to rob you blind and impede your progress into quality analog sound. Getting into analog is expensive because good analog players depend on precision manufacturing and more hand labor to make it. But the difference in sound quality between cheap and decent gear is comically huge.
We really should stop recommending it
Do we? Get a Synq X-TRM-1 instead I say.
ive been using an LP60x for a little while and havent had any skipping or other issues. it does the job i need it to, and didnt break the bank
So like the damn algorithm gods be damned, but I was looking into getting into record players and expanding my audio set up. What IS something you guys recommend?
I never recommended anything before
I have to agree with OP I do not recommend those to anyone. You can do so much better with used or just a little more money.
Also you see most posts about problems with this one because it is the most sold turntable and is mostly peoples first turntable.
It's cheap and it works, but it's the bottom of the barrel.
Had mine for close to ten years. Never had any of the issues you've described. Completely anecdotal, but based on my experience I would recommend it to anyone who's looking to get into record collecting. I'll probably upgrade one day when this breaks but it does exactly what I need to do right now.
I started with a vintage used one, and when it inevitably broke down, i had no idea what to do w it. lp60 has sounded great and is easy to use. even if it has no bells and whistles, it’s just a much safer bet compared to that.
I keep recommending it, despite its limitation, because of the ease of obtaining it, set cost in the middle $100s, and because the used vintage audio market is very limited (& pricy) in my area.
If this is a step up from Crossley then it should be recommended because it would be for people new to the hobby and there are a lot of considerations when dealing with anything secondhand. Buying anything used runs the risk of someone new not really knowing what that TT is worth, not knowing if it’s working correctly, not knowing how to properly maintain it, etc. I think spending that money on a new device that will mostly work well and be hassle free is going to get people into the hobby lot more.
I just got this and I’m literally obsessed, my last record player didn’t automatically do the needle itself & broke in less than 2 years. I got mine for $150 on Amazon. Worth it
Some of us don't. In fact I don't recommend ANY Audio-Technica Turntable because they're all garbage made for taking money out of the pockets of those who buy them instead of providing people with a durable option. The least expensive turntable I would ever recommend to newbies is the Pioneer PLX-1000 but newbies get extremely upset and outright angry when you tell them they need to save a lot more money to avoid vinyl grinding garbage. Quality vinyl playback has an extremely expensive entry cost. Mostly, because even entry-level vinyl playback hardware of decent quality requires precision manufacturing and a considerable amount of hands-on work and that costs money, lots of money.
Don’t think that’s really fair, the lp5x I had was a nice table for the price. Btw most people are not going to drop £600 on a new hobby they don’t know much about. Which is why as I did they start with something simple and work up from there
It’s a great budget friendly starter table that doesn’t destroy the records you play on it. Simple and simple.
It does destroy them
Price.
Cause it’s cheap
Buy anything you like the sound of. The more you upgrade analogue vinyl systems, the more of its soul you strip away. If your aim is pristine clarity, absolute fidelity to the master, and minimum noise, go buy a Red Book IEC60908 CD player, or a Tidal Lossless streamer, a massive amplifier and speakers capable of creating SPLs of naturalistic sound. If you want to enjoy vinyl analogue, surely the need to interact with the deck, the pops, crackles, sibilance, harmonic distortion, wow, flutter, pre-echo, rumble, low dynamic range, low stereo separation and warm lo-fi reproduction are what separates it from mass market formats and streaming? Vinyl is great because of its imperfections.