Audio-Technica LP120-USB is an affordable turntable with all the essential features

[MUSIC] Hey it's Justin Yu from CNET. This is a first look at the Audio-Technica AT LP120 USB turntable. Chances are if you go into your local record store, they'll probably have a bunch of these for sale and maybe even one set up to listen to records. And that's because this is definitely a worthwhile turntable for the price. It's modeled after the classic Technics 1200, and if you're familiar with that model, you'll recognize the similarities. There's a few differences, mostly in the plastic construction of these parts, but that's what really keeps the price down here. The manufacturer doesn't cut corners where it counts, though. It sits on four stabilized feet, and at 23 and half pounds, you won't have to worry about vibrations messing up the sounds of your records. Just be sure to keep it on a level surface and you'll be fine. This is a direct drive motor turntable so there's no belts to mess around with and its overall simplicity really is the benefit of this system. When you take it out of the box, all you have to do is **** in the cartridge that comes with the stylus pre-installed, calibrate the counterweight and anti-skate on the back of the tonearm, and it's ready to play records. If this is your first time building a turntable, it's important to balance the tone arm correctly and the manual does a great job at explaining how to do it, along with the recommended vertical tracking force for the cartridge. Now, all that sounds more complicated than it actually is and the company even uploaded a video online that lays it all out. A lot of modern turntables these days sacrifice features for simplicity or aesthetics, but this isn't one of them. It's a full featured turntable, which means you get to play 33 and 45 RPM records. And you can even play 78s if you pick up a compatible stylus. You get a target light to locate grooves in dark places. There's also a 45 adapter included in the box. And there's a pitch lock and slider to control adjustments. You can even reverse the direction of the rotation if you want. You'll find a pair of RCA plugs hardwired into the back. And while I wish they were removable for long term durability the company makes up for it with a bunch of adapters included that let you connect the 120 to power speakers, a receiver. Or auxiliary inputs. It's also important to note this guy has an amp already built into it. So you can just plug it into a pair of speakers and be set, or you can put the switch and bypass to use your own setup. You'll also notice a USB port on the back that's used to digitize your record collection for music that you own but can't necessarily find online. There's a lot more to talk about but it's easy to recommend this for anyone shopping for a new turntable Audio Technica hits all the important markers that DJ and casual listeners will want in a record player for a budget friendly price tag. Be sure to check out my four view on CNET but that is going to do it for this video, I am Justin New. You just took a first look at the audio technica LP120 USB turn table, thanks for watching.