ION Premier LP Turntable UNBOXING
as many of you may or may not know I’ve
been using the audio-technica ATL P 60
turntable for the majority of my vinyl
listening needs unfortunately since this
is an automatic turntable however it
makes it very difficult to cue up
records live on the air what I happen to
do my live streaming music shows so
while this is a very very decent
turntable for the price that you pay
I’ve wanted to upgrade to something a
bit more advanced for quite some time
now and so I just so happened to be in
the right place at the right time when I
came across this ion model tt USB USB
turntable it is a manual turntable it
has no mechanical it has no automatic
system in place so much the same way as
a regular DJ turntable you simply place
a stylist on and start stop the playback
of the vinyl LPs or 45s manually and
this model has been out for a few years
I think it was released and manufactured
news sometime around 2009 10 or even
2011 so it’s really not that old of a
model as plug and play USB connectivity
adjustable anti-skate control 33 and
third and 45 rpm speed playback supports
even an even supports recording of 78
rpm media through the included software
of course you don’t want to use the
included stylus you’ll wear it out and
it’s not suitable for playing back 78
but you can do it I guess you need to
play it at either 33 and a third or 45
rpms and then adjust the speed in the
software that they include and it does
have line level RCA outputs and you can
switch on or disable the built-in preamp
much the same way you can with my 80 lb
60 and it has an eighth inch stereo line
inputs AK for whatever reason I was
under the impression originally that
this this jack right over here was a
headphone jack for queuing up your music
but apparently that is not the case with
this turntable now just a quick note
this is a refurbished turntable so it’s
probably going to differ slightly from
the new models if you can even buy them
brand new at this late point in the game
but it’s pretty much the same exact sort
of
fair that you would get with any any
turntable what’s the same with the ATL P
16 I purchased just telling us a warning
here about small accessories that could
get lost
attention Windows Vista users well
actually without saying we have the
platter
while the turntable slip mat here which
is in this piece of plastic I don’t
believe it this is actually a branded
mantle yes it is with the ion logo and
it’s actually in decent condition
that’ll dusty and moving this top cover
should reveal the actual meat potatoes
of this turntable and we have a
cardboard insert I’m gonna have a mess
to clean up on the floor pretty soon
unfortunately the platter for this
turntable is plastic this is not a this
is not an aluminum platter like the ATL
P 60 which is unfortunate because it
does help to mitigate the rumbling noise
that can make its way into your vinyl
recordings if you happen to walk around
or or anything like that because the
magnetic cartridges that are in use on
these turntables are very susceptible to
picking up vibrations and rumbling and
very low-pitched rumbling sounds that
are not very noticeable but if you look
at the wave form and audacity or any
kind of an audio editor it will be very
plain to see that it’s picked up some
noise that’s unwanted so this is a
turntable in the actual styrofoam
packaging we have the QuickStart owner’s
manual this should come with a USB cable
software CD the cartridge the turntable
obviously the platter counterweight a 45
rpm adapter and the slip mat all of
which well some of which we’ve already
gone ahead taken out and discovered now
one thing I noticed right off the bat is
that this is a very light turntable it’s
made almost entirely out of plastic
which goes without saying for a
turntable of this age it’s made in July
of 2008 however it’s actually uh not a
bad model it does have an actual metal
tone arm here which will be very nice
for queuing up records for some reason
for whatever reason the seller thought
it a good idea to leave the style
and leave this this tonearm unsecured so
I really hope that stylus is okay
because I don’t have a replacement one
on hand right now you have to start stop
buttons both of which will start and
engage the turntable mechanism the motor
we have a speed selector here for 33 and
45 rpm records your Athens stereo line
in Jack very useful to have that again I
was under the impression that this was
an actual headphone jack so that is I
would have preferred a headphone jack
but that will be probably used in the
future for when I need to record line
level sources in rather high quality
hopefully the USB soundcard and the
digital to analog converters that are
present in this turntable are not all
that low quality we have a power button
up here I’m a bit partial to the tonearm
style that’s present on this particular
turntable as opposed to just a straight
turntable that a lot of newer cheaper
USB turntables are using and employing
in their design so it’s a nice it’s a
nice change which definitely is
reminiscent of the older technics model
turntables that everyone seems to want
unlike the ATL P 60 you do have a
counterweight here very nice to see this
and another little bonus is the anti
skate control which is present on this
unit I finally figured out how this
locking mechanism is supposed to work
was actually bent and beyond the point
at which it’s supposed to stop I fix
that now and it does a good job of
locking the tonearm so this will be nice
if I need to transport this around I
won’t need to worry about the tonearm
swinging around and ruining the stylus
unlike the ATL P 60 there’s not much in
the way of input and outputs on the rear
of the unit they’re actually located
conspicuously on the underside of the
turntable we have the RCA line level
jacks a switch for enabling or disabling
the built-in phono preamp a gain control
which will be very useful for
controlling the gain I would like to I’d
assume that that is for controlling the
output volume which is sent over USB
although it might very well be for the
RCA line outputs I’ll have to do some
some before and after tests using the
gain control and again you can see and
take in this turntables plastic
cheapness it certainly is not
the epitome of well-built and durable
turntables but it should get you by
especially if you want to do a minor
upgrade I mean the ATL P 60 is fully
plastic except for the platter so it’s
really not much of a difference now the
way in which you were to go about
putting a platter on this turntable is
done much the same way it’s accomplished
on any other turntable any belt driven
turntable that ends
simply put the platter over the spindle
the center spindle and then put your
finger over the rubber belt and position
it such that it is making good contact
with the motor spindle which is the case
here I think we’re ready to go ahead and
test this turntable hopefully everything
works just fine on it I have a jury
ready to set up here with the turntable
resting on its box as a sort of table
and one of these I home FM radios and
and the iPod players but it has a line
in Jack and I was able to connect up the
line level source from this turntable up
to its input I just notice that this
turntable did not come with a 45 adaptor
so I’ll have to scrounge around perhaps
look for the one that came from a TLP 60
then let us support the seller just
throw it into somebody no I don’t
believe I still have to have to steal
the one off by a TL 60 right now I guess
we’ll go ahead and do a demonstration of
the 45 rpm playback first and we’re
playing the Jackson 5 ABC so let’s hope
we don’t run into copyright staff who’s
I should probably get down to an
adequate position to cue this up
properly without damaging the record so
make sure that this is turned up to a
decent volume of course it’s complaining
of a low battery unlock a turntable or
the tonearm
pulley this should play now let’s take a
listen
oh that’s nice it stops relatively
quickly I wonder if it has a braking
mechanism integrated into it
and here we are now almost a week since
I began this video a few things came up
that preclude my finishing this video
but here no talent no time like the
present so I’ve decided to whip out the
camera and I’m actually using the DC RTR
v-103 from 1999 to finish this video and
the one thing that I just noticed a palm
turning does turntable on for the first
time in a week is that it does not
remember the speed at which you had it
set prior to paneling and off so for
example if I power this on and set it to
45 rpm and I power off now and power
back on yet again it goes back to 33 and
a third revolutions per minute so it’s
not a minor it’s not a major issue it’s
something of a minor annoyance but it’s
something you do need to keep in mind
especially if you power off the
turntable frequently the only went down
that I have with this turntable is their
decision to go ahead and introduce and
use an actual plastic platter aside from
being very cheap it doesn’t really help
in the noise and Rumble Department that
magnetic cartridges are certainly prone
to the new more branded version of his
turntable that’s essentially the exact
same turntable just with the new more
brand has an actual aluminum platter and
a pitch adjustment over in this blank
area so aside from that it’s essentially
the very same turntable that you could
buy from Newmark there’s a few people
who have had good luck replacing the
head shell cartridge and stylus that
this turntable uses but I’ve noticed
that it performs admirably well with LPS
and 45s it has a very very decent amount
of high-end and low in frequency
response and it’s not at all worn out
which is thankful which is quite nice
because I was I did buy this turntable
used but the original seller had
mentioned that he only used it for a
handful of times just to transfer a few
out-of-print LPS that he had in his
collection anything that’s connected up
to this 8th inch stereo jack a 3 and 1/2
millimeter stereo jack does not get
output over the RCA connections it only
gets converted to digital and streamed
over USB for
conversion purposes and as mentioned
earlier you have to start and stop
buttons one up here but I guess that can
serve to be convenient in some scenarios
for me it’s a bit awkwardly placed so I
end up using this it starts and stops
rather quickly interestingly I wonder if
this is some sort of a crude strobe I
don’t think so however it has that look
I don’t know but it seems to be playing
at pretty much spot-on 33 and a third
and 45 rpm speed with no intervention
necessary by me I’d like to know why
they called or felt the need to put GT
on the cartridge I have no clue what
that could stand for the output of this
mixer goes into this three input AV
switch box
the yellow output is not being used for
anything I just have it connected so I
don’t have a hanging wire there and I
have three separate devices a CD player
the 80 lb 60 turntable and this ion TT
USB turntable which is connected as a
third input and that’s because my mixer
a balancer is enix 8:02 does not have
enough line level inputs to support all
the devices I wish to connect to it
having said that however I will be able
to simply turn up its input switch this
to the correct input at the turntable
outputs its audio through and be able to
record in audacity now one thing I
thought I should probably point out
before doing the actual tests of this
turntable and something I should
certainly be taken into consideration if
you’re planning on using this turntable
for any sort of a DJ environment or a
radio type environment where you need to
cue up the records in advance and have
them ready to play whenever you’re
actually needing to do so if you play a
record on it then of course it didn’t
come with a 45 rpm adaptor it should but
that’s being a u.s. turntable it does
not if I go ahead and place a 45 on here
power this on and rest the tonearm on
the record after getting it queued up to
the position I want it to play there’s
gonna be some hum and noise that makes
its way into the audio so what I’ll do
now is turn up the speakers and it’ll
become readily apparent to those of you
listening through headphones or even a
good pair of speakers
but this is picking up a decent amount
of hum we’re actually getting some
feedback from the speakers however even
listening through headphones the hum is
very noticeable even when having to gain
setting at a relatively conservative
volume now granted when you’re playing
vinyl using this for casual listening
purposes it’s not going to be all that
noticeable but if you’re doing some sort
of a radio show such as I do and you’re
gonna have the fader turned up as you’re
announcing the song and then you’re
getting ready to play you’re definitely
going to pick up on that hum that’s
making its way into the audio you notice
right now there’s no vinyl playing it’s
picking up a bit of my voice I can hear
a slight echo that’s typical for
magnetic cartridges however even when
I’m not speaking it’s still picking up
that hum however if you’re just doing
casual listening and playing and cueing
up your records the way that most people
are accustomed to doing with automatic
turntables off of one of another type
whereas the plateau begins spinning and
drop the stylus on as the platters
moving the sound of the vinyl does
obscure that hum and another little
thing that I noticed a bit of a caveat
if you will is whatever the components
that are used in this turntable are not
subject to decent shielding because I’ve
noticed as you put this cartridge in the
stylus closer to the center of this
platter there’s an appreciable
increase in the amount of interference
and noise that makes its way into the
audio chain granted you’re not gonna be
playing records in this fashion but it’s
just to prove a point here let me turn
this up a bit more you can probably hear
that that hum is a lot more noticeable
now that’s coming from some sort of a
poorly shielded electronic component the
sound is akin to what you would receive
if you had some sort of a cheap
improperly shielded power supply
alongside some sort of an audio cable
and if you’ll notice now and listen
carefully as I move the stylus farther
and farther away from the center of this
turntables platter
the noise vanishes so there’s some sort
of a component right
over in this area that’s a very poorly
shielded and introduces a significant
amount of humming noise into the audio
again
now all that noticeable if you’re
playing vinyl but even on the lead out
grooves on a relatively clean forty five
or LP with a very very small amount of
crackles and pops you’re going to start
picking up on that hum right away and
now for this next portion of the
demonstration of this turntables
capabilities of playing back vinyl I’m
going to directly hook you up to the
mixers output so as to give you the best
quality possible when it comes to
listening and deciphering for yourself
whether or not this turntable would be a
decent fit for you and before I play any
music I want you to notice I’m going to
connect you up directly to the mixers
output and I want you to listen to the
amount of noise that becomes very
noticeable and very apparent as I move
the stylus closer to the center of the
platter and so now without further ado I
won’t go ahead and patch you into the
mixer
we got down to the gate and I was
dreaming of the
I’m not going to really waste my time
playing any LPS because there’s really
no need to do so if this can play 45s it
can most certainly play LPS and if it
can sound good playing 45s it can most
certainly play LPS and sound good at the
same time again the only letdowns I have
to say that I experienced and had with
this turntable was its decision or their
decision to include a plastic turntable
planner the lack and lost of a pitch
control and aside from that I really
don’t have any major problems with this
turntable of course that humming is very
noticeable I’m really not too sure
what’s causing that but whatever it is
it’s located right around this portion
of the platter itself because as you may
or may not have heard when I was moving
this style is closer to the center or
even placing on a 45 the leading groove
you can definitely tell it there was a
lot of hum there and it’s all that
noticeable in real life it is there but
if you’re running it through any sort of
audio processing program on the computer
side or an analog processing or even a
GC such as this camcorder applies to
anything plugged into its mic input it’s
going to start becoming very noticeable
which is rather unfortunate the ATO p60
does not have that problem whatsoever
because I’m just a total glutton for
punishment and really want to push my
luck with YouTube’s Content ID to go
ahead and try to play John Waits missing
you
ION Turntables
A lot of people who don’t have a lot of money or a media room will buy an ION turntable. They are inexpensive, and you can find a good range of models that are very comparable in price to more high-end turntables. The ION has been designed to be easy to operate and comes with a manual that is easy to understand. The built in compressor ensures that your records are well preserved and makes it simple to mix your favorite songs. When you hear a record that makes you shake your head in disgust, you know that someone at some point thought a lot of what you did!
The EZ Vinyl/ Tape Converter (also included in your ION turntable) is used to convert your audio tracks into the electronic format and store them on your computer. Once you have all your tracks stored electronically, you can easily use a program such as iTunes to organise them and convert them into MP3. Even if you’re not sure what you are doing, it is still easy to learn the basics of audio mixing. The following steps will guide you through each step:
Let’s start by opening your ION turntables, and plugging them in. Choose the “Start” and “Stop” buttons to initiate them. Now, close all other windows / programmes and turn your attention to the “USB Cable” icon. The latest version of iTunes supports two methods of input – using the left and right arrows, or by clicking and dragging on the icons that look like ticks.
Plug the USB cable into your computer’s USB port, and then click “OK”. The unit should now be recognised and opened with Windows Explorer. You will see all the drives listed as “My Computer”. Double click on the “My Computer Devices” folder, and you will see two lists, one for music files and the other for videos. Click on the “Music” folder, and you will see several folders which will allow you to locate any music or video that you want to add to your ION turntables. There is also a “Libreria Handheld Music Player” which you may download from the website, which will allow you to browse through all the music files that you need.
Now that you have your files added, all you need to do is to drag them onto your My Computer device, and then click “Open”. The last step is to open up the iTunes software, which will allow you to listen to your newly added audio files in your own home stereo. Open “Control Panel” on your desktop, and then click” Siri”, so that you are able to control the ION turntables from your Apple device.
The built-in software on the ION units makes it very easy to synchronise your audio files to your Apple devices. All you need to do is use the USB cable that came with your device and connect it to iTunes through that cable. This should automatically synchronise your files from your computer to your Apple device, and you will be able to enjoy your own home stereo system, without ever opening up your laptop again. If you feel that this is what you’ve been looking for all along, the ION turntables will make sure that you’re satisfied with your purchase.
ION Turntable Buyer’s Guide
The ION portable turntable makes a great addition to any home or professional DJ setup. With the ION portable turntables, turn the traditional to modern. This versatile, professional grade turntable has a timeless worthy of high praise, which have been around for decades, and which continues to grow even more with today’s technological advancements. Along with all the other features that the ION brings to the table, this deck is the icing on the cake.
These two turntables combine the best of both worlds. Using state of the art technology, the ION deck is designed to work as a high-tech USB interface, with direct connection to any computer, MAC or PC with an audio interface installed. Being able to use your regular decks with your new ION portable unit allows you to continue playing all your old favorite songs with all of the latest upgrades. Not only does this mean you save money by not having to buy new equipment, but you get to continue enjoying all the great sounds of your favorite songs.
The ION portable deck is packed full of great features. There are seven different types of decks, each featuring a unique blend of mixing options. There are also six styles of headphones with a subwoofer built in, giving you even more freedom in your mixing. The onboard tuner is specially designed to work with any digital music format compatible with most portable audio players (PCs and MAC). This is a great way to be able to take your entire set with you wherever you go and enjoy your music without having to worry about losing any of your data along the way.
If you are looking for a quality hi-tech turntable that is also affordable, the ION Bluetooth turntable may be the best choice for you. Unlike other similar systems on the market, this one comes with a built-in Bluetooth so you will not have to search for a separate connection for your MP3 player or computer. This means that it will be possible to enjoy your vinyl record without having to worry about losing a signal or being distracted by a wireless device in your way. There are some cons with this particular model, however, such as the fact that it does not work well when set to play at high volumes.
Another con of this system is that it cannot support any USB devices, like a USB drive or flash drives. Because it is designed for use with a computer, it is only compatible with computers that are built with the appropriate drivers to handle USB devices. If your laptop does not have the necessary software installed, then this unit will not work at all, and can be quite a hassle to look into.
One other con of the ION Bluetooth turntable is that it can only handle records at one particular speed. If you would like to listen to a wide range of music, then you will need to purchase an adapter to connect it with a computer or laptop. It does have a high-speed USB connection, however, which can be helpful if you are looking to listen to your record in a fast, jam-packed environment. The high-speed connection also comes at a cost, and the price is $150 more than other systems on the market. The other con is the fact that the Ion Bluetooth comes with a standard RCA cable that must be connected to the record player. If you have a DVD player or want to use the record players with your home theater, then it is important to get a separate audio cable.
The ION Profile Pro USB Turntable offers you the chance to rediscover all your lost favorite music, while still making it a perfect musical nostalgia tool. This portable player is capable to turn your old reliable LPs into high definition audio files and doubles as a simple stereo player as well. With this remarkable device, you are able to expand the capabilities of your current system, while adding the capabilities that you may have thought impossible.
If you are someone who enjoys the benefits of modern technology but still prefers to have your records for some reasons, then the ION Profile Pro USB turntable is the perfect product for you. This player features an advanced engine that is able to read the record grooves on any sort of vinyl and convert them into digital information. You can even use your high definition audio files as backgrounds for your desktop computer screen or on your television. This is because the ION Profile Pro USB turntable contains the latest digital technology that makes it compatible with many multimedia devices. If you want to expand your music library, then the ION Profile Pro USB turntable is perfect for you.
In addition to this, the ION Profile Pro USB turntable also comes with a built in program that allows it to recall any song that you have played before. There is also software that helps you to navigate through your album collection, giving you the chance to preview the songs that you want to hear. There are also other features such as a built in DJ feature, which allows you to display a spinning mix of your favorite music tracks on the front of the unit. If you are looking for a convenient and stylish way of storing your records, then the ION Profile Pro USB turntable might be perfect for you.
If you are fond of turntables and are ready to give your collection a major overhaul, you should take a look at the Ion tetherball ION Tribute turntables. These are considered by many to be the best in the industry when it comes to converting and recording audio from any source. The ION has made the world’s first USB based turntables which allows you to instantly convert your old analog vinyl collection straight to CD or MP3 using the included electronic recording software. The ION USB Turntable comes with Audacity software for both Mac/PC to record as well as free demo of Bias Soundsoap 2 to clean and restore vinyl. This unit also has a line output for connecting to a home stereo using CD or auxiliary (AUX) input.
The ION TTUSB turntable’s features include a high-resolution LCD display with LED backlight, front display LED, built-in phono preamp, USB interface for iPod connection and direct connect to the computer. The built in phono preamp allows you to connect the ION to your existing stereo system using the auxiliary cable that came with your system. You can even use this to connect the ION to your powered speakers so you can enjoy your vinyl while you listen to it from a distance. There is also a built in headphone jack for listening to the ION without using the speakers. This headphone connection is perfect for people who like to listen to their favorite music without having to worry about disturbing anyone around them.
If you are interested in converting your records to digital format then the ION TTUSB turntables is a great option for you. It features a high quality vinyl sound with a record scratch free coating for your records. Its slim design makes it easy to transport and set up at home. You will be able to use your new ION digital album right away!
ION Max LP Turntable is an addition to the growing range of high end record players. You have probably seen the big models on the television and even seen people rocking out to their own tunes while listening to music through headphones. There is nothing wrong with this but there is something better. If you are a serious and avid record collector, then you should consider an ION Max LP Turntable.
This is the latest model in the long line of ION models which have become popular around the world. Listen, connect, convert, and enjoy. Max LP is an all in one unit that makes it easy for you to enjoy your old records and convert them into digital media on your personal computer. With Max LP, converting your 33 1/3, 48, and 78 RPM records into other media is simple.
Convert MP3s, WMA, and other digital recordings with amazing sound quality using a wide array of sounds and voices. Enjoy your favorite vinyl while listening to the best sound quality. Connect your ION Max LP Turntables to your home theater system to enhance the sound quality even more. The built in speakers will improve the overall sound quality of your system. Enjoy!
Unleash yourself from the bondage of conventional hookup cords. With Ion Air LP, all the noise from your old records can be transmitted wirelessly from your favorite records to any compatible Bluetooth stereo speaker. Simply position AirLP where it is convenient for you and pair your favorite Bluetooth stereo speakers with the included cables so that you are able to enjoy the music you love wherever you are.
A favorite of many audiophiles, the ION Air LP Wireless Streaming Turntable makes enjoying your vinyl’s a breeze. The built-in wireless transmitter enables you to enjoy music wirelessly from any compatible Bluetooth stereo system. Once connected, iPod control buttons take on extra functions as does the Stop/pause function, next song selection, and the rewind function. It even acts as a remote control for the unit, so you don’t need to fumble around in the dark for your phone or MP3 player. The built-in antenna enables transmission of radio signals throughout your home and beyond, so even if you’re traveling back to your dorm room, you’ll still be able to enjoy music.
Along with the included Bluetooth wireless connection, the ION Air LP Turntable comes with a very nice, large, rubber, vinyl turntable mat. The mat easily slides out for cleaning and ensures that your floor remains protected from accidental knocks. For convenience, you’ll also find a rubber mat clip that enables you to secure the machine to your floor. An all-important safety feature that many people overlook when handling their portable devices, the built-in headphones allow you to listen without interference from other noise. With this convenient function, listening to your favorite recordings while traveling has never been so easy! This model of ION Air LP Turntable is sure to be a top seller among consumers when it comes time to decide which one is the best purchase.
Last update on 2023-01-21 / Disclaimer: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
3 verified buyer reviews
I was afraid to buy a cheap turntable, so I purchased an ancient, expensive used one. It needed repairs. That was more costly. I used the money. When I got it back from the repair shop, I played a few records until the motor died… bleh. I’m not going to waste any more money on THAT!
So I just spent a hundred dollars on this Ion Audio Air LP and hooked it up, and guess what? It sounds just like the old, more expensive one it replaced. Tracks well, sounds good, and check out the feature list! I couldn’t be more overjoyed. The appearance and fit/finish are also excellent; it doesn’t look or sound like gold, but it also doesn’t look like cheap garbage. The dust cover hinges up, stays up, and looks good. When you use the lift/drop handle, the tone arm lifts effortlessly and drops gently.
I haven’t used the bluetooth feature yet – it’s just a “good to have” bonus – but the sound is simple and rich through the USB, RCA, and headphone outputs. I’m sure someone bitten by the intense audiophile bug might find flaws in how it sounds, but I’m listening to it through Bose Companion III speakers and nothing about it bothers me.
The following were the primary reasons for purchasing this:
1) I needed a player that could play 78 rpm records with the appropriate stylus, and this one has replacement styluses for both 78 and 45/33 rpm records. The 78 stylus would be good to have, but not everyone needs it. It’s easy to turn between them.
2) I needed to quickly and easily convert 45/33/78 recordings to MP3. I have an ION (45/33 only) that connects to a PC/Mac through software and cables. This one includes 78 rpm and does away with the program, cables, and machine. Simply connect a USB thumb drive and press a button. The best thing is that I don’t have to track the recording; at the end of the song, the player stops spinning and recording. I can come back later, flip through the album, press REC, and walk away.
3) I wanted one with a lid that could close when playing any size recording, and this one does.
Bonus: built-in AM/FM tuner; appears to be capable of recording radio, but I have not tested this, nor have I tested the Aux inputs for playing or recording.
The sound quality is no better than that of an old portable radio (boom box was much superior), but I’d rather have some built-in sound than have to buy external speakers.
Overall, this is an excellent first turntable for a newly converted vinyl enthusiast. It was time to get my own record player after borrowing my mother’s old one. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, this record player receives five stars. It’s a lovely, modern-looking, and durable piece of equipment, and I liked how a full 12 inch LP could fit on the turntable while still being fully hidden by the dust-cover. It took about 5 seconds to put together the dust cover. I really like that the dust cover is transparent, allowing me to watch the records spin (something that is oddly entertaining and soothing). The tone arm appears to be made of simple plastic, but it’s really well put together, so I’m fine with that. In terms of real record playing capabilities, it has so far performed admirably. I almost always listen to LPs, which sound and play smoothly. I also have a 45 that works perfectly. Please keep in mind that when playing 45s, the automatic setting on the turntable causes the 45 to end before the song is over. Simply set the mode to automatic and everything will be fine. I haven’t tried 78s yet. The speakers on the player aren’t the best (tinny and sound like you’re listening to music through your laptop speakers or a cheap radio), but when I plugged in my headphones, I was blown away by how amazing it sounds. Stereophonic sound. I’m sure full-fledged external speakers will improve the unit’s sound. I mainly play old jazz records from the 1950s to the present, in various conditions ranging from brand-new to scratched, and the record player’s tone arm and needle didn’t skip nearly as much as I anticipated, instead playing reasonably cleanly regardless of whether the record was 60 years old or 6 days old. And the newer 180gram records played flawlessly.
I do have two gripes that cost me a star in the analysis. The needle is one of the drawbacks. As good as it is, the needle makes an unusual (grating, chewing?) sound as the record spins, which is only noticeable in quieter areas. My second hangup is that when I turn on the player and play a record after a long period of inactivity, the record seems to spin slower for a few seconds, as if the belt drive is warming up. It’s not bad, and it seems to be variable, but it’s always a personal stumbling block. Finally, the included vinyl converter program is actually very good and easy to use. I’ve already transferred two of Brubeck’s rare albums to my machine and iTunes. Overall, this is a good record player that does what it’s meant to do, sounds fantastic, and looks lovely and modern while doing so.
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