Answered Is better to upgrade my turntable, or buy a preamp for that turntable?

sugarmagnolia

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I currently can’t decide if I should upgrade my current turntable first or buy a preamp for the turntable first (If I upgrade the TT, I will eventually get a preamp but I’m not sure which to get first. Same for the preamp). I’ll be able to get the preamp right now, but the upgraded TT will have to wait until I’ve saved enough. If it’s any use, my current turntable is an Audio-Technica LP60 and I want a preamp for it because the built-in one isn’t all that great. If I do upgrade it, it’ll be to an LP120. As I said before, I can’t decide to get one or the other, although the TT is a better/larger upgrade but the preamp would bring some nice sound along with it and can be gotten right away.
 
Electronics are a Subtle upgrade. Mechanics are significant upgrades. In your case with the very low end AT-LP60 you absolutely needs to upgrade that. That is a very marginal low-end turntable.

Currently the Audio Technica AT-LP120 are at the lowest prices I've seen them, so a real bargain -

Audio Technica AT-LP120 Turntable, Pre-Amp, USB, Cartridge - £199 -

Audio Technica AT-LP120 HC Silver USB Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Audio Technica AT-LP120 HC Gloss Black USB Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Pardon me for being so blunt, but in doing so you would be stepping up to a REAL turntable.

Other turntables of similar quality and price -

Audio Technica AT-LP3 White Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Audio Technica AT-LP3 Black Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Stepping up -

Reloop RP-2000 Mk3 USB Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Pro-Ject Primary Phono USB Black Turntable w/ Ortofon OM5e Cartridge - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Pro-Ject Essential 3 Black Phono Turntable w/ Ortofon OM10e MM Cartridge - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Considering the very low price, the AT-LP120 is a bargain.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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Electronics are aSubtle upgrade. Mechanics are significant upgrades. In your case with the very low end AT-LP60 you absolutely need to upgrade that. That is a very marginal low-end turntable.

Currently the Audio Technica AT-LP120 are at the lowest prices I've seen them, so a real bargain -

Audio Technica AT-LP120 Turntable, Pre-Amp, USB, Cartridge - £199 -

Audio Technica AT-LP120 HC Silver USB Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Audio Technica AT-LP120 HC Gloss Black USB Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Pardon me for being so blunt, but in doing so you would be stepping up to a REAL turntable.

Other turntables of similar quality and price -

Audio Technica AT-LP3 White Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Audio Technica AT-LP3 Black Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Stepping up -

Reloop RP-2000 Mk3 USB Turntable - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Pro-Ject Primary Phono USB Black Turntable w/ Ortofon OM5e Cartridge - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Pro-Ject Essential 3 Black Phono Turntable w/ Ortofon OM10e MM Cartridge - Turntables - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Considering the very low price, the AT-LP120 is a bargain.

Steve/bluewizard
Cheers Steve, and yeah I know the LP60 Isn't the best haha, just something to start me off. And it was pretty good for that!
 
Cheers Steve, and yeah I know the LP60 Isn't the best haha, just something to start me off. And it was pretty good for that!

Actually at the lowest possible cost, the Audio Technica AT-LP3 (£179) is about as low as I would recommend anyone go. But currently, like I said, the Audio Technica AT-LP120 (£199) is at the lowest price I have ever seen them. So likely for about £30 more, I would pick the LP120 over the LP3.

To some extent it depends on how tight your budget is. The AT-LP120 is a Direct Drive DJ-style turntable, but still very good for Hi-Fi.

If you can afford a bit more, then the Project Primary and the Project Essential-III are good manual belt-driver turntables. Of those two Project turntables, the Essential-III definitely has the better Tonearm.

So, at a reasonably low cost, the Audio Technical AT-LP120 (£199) and the Project Essential-III (£235) have the best tonearms, and are probably the best turntables.

The Reloop RP-2000 (£215) is a good DJ-Style Turntable, nearly identical to the LP120, certainly in a class with or just above the AT-LP120, and is worth considering. Reloop has a solid reputation in rugged DJ Turntables.

I'm sure you can find many YouTube Reviews on both the Audio Technica and Reloop turntables.

So, you have a range of good turntables for close to what I assume is your budget -

- Audio Technical AT-LP120 = £199
- Reloop RP-2000 = £215
- Project Essential-III = £234


Any of these would be a solid turntable for a modest price.

Steve/bluewizard
 
The AT-LP120 is a good turntable. I had one for a while.
What i would say is thst the LP 120 comes with a built in pre amp.
There is a switch for the preamp but all it does is switch it on/off , the signal still runs through it.

What i did , and it was easy and you can find videos on you tube how to do it , is to completely remove or by/pass that pre-amp all together. It gives a decent improvement. Mine was connected to my amp which has a very good phono stage hence why i did it.



Otherwise it is a good turntable .

If I had to say anything bad about it I would say it is very light and sensitive .
I used dynamat on the lower case which again made a big difference.
You just cut the dynamat to whatever shape/size you want , peel off the backing paper and stick it down.

Also for the price it is great value for money.

I would recommend one based on my experience.
 

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