Audio-Technica AT-LP1240-USBXP Review

In this Audio-Technica AT-LP1240-USBXP review, I want to introduce you to a low-cost mid-range turntable designed for DJing. It doesn’t mean you can’t use it at home because the company is famous for creating budget and mid-range turntables characterized by reliability, style, and multitasking, and that’s why they are so popular among users. AT-LP1240-USBXP results from respectful work that considers all the shortcomings of the previous generation of turntables.

Design

The design used for the AT-LP1240-USBXP turntable is often used by other brands as if it were meant to signify club life. The details are bright, with light-colored buttons, tonearm on a black background, and a platter finished with light-colored dots in several rows. There is backlighting on some of the details to help you navigate in limited light conditions. The dust cover is completely removable, as working with the cover ajar is extremely uncomfortable.

When it comes to DJing, certain features are needed. The controls are manual: Start/Stop buttons, electronic brake, speed shifters, pitch control with quartz lock, and a button to spin the record backward. Basically, everything you need for full-track mixing.

The design is solid and heavy (27.6 pounds), though it has a fairly thin chassis. Nevertheless, the AT-LP1240-USBXP performed admirably in terms of resistance to external vibrations. Just look at those wide, resilient feet. According to user reviews, the turntable lasts for years without any problems. I think I agree with them on that aspect.

Features

The type of motor is very important for DJing because it must be incredibly stable. And here, as expected, the Direct-drive, high-torque, multipole motor (16-pole, 3-phase, brushless) is pre-installed. Acceleration, torque (>4.5 kgf . cm), and rotational speed (by the way, there are 3 of them) fully meet the needs of a disk jockey and, during testing, show stable results. Frankly speaking, I am not a DJ, but my profession obliged me to know and understand the principle of work of these chips.

The S-shape is the most optimal. This type of tonearm adapts more easily to rotation and helps the stylus to stay clearly within the soundtrack of the record. Secondly, the AT-HS1 universal ½”-mount headshell pleasantly surprised me. Even when replaced with the more expensive Ortofon 2M Red, the difference is there, but not that noticeable, especially for the unassuming listener. Perhaps this cartridge will not be as durable. Still, the advantage of Audio-Technica is that parts for their turntables are easy to find on the market, they are inexpensive, and even an inexperienced user can replace them. I found the anti-skating function a bit weak, but it’s more a matter of taste, how you customize your vinyl record player. And, by the way, the tuning didn’t cause me any difficulties either; it was quite easy to level the VTA.

The built-in preamplifier also does a pretty good job with sound processing. Still, I will always make the point that an external phono stage is a necessity if you are serious about analog sound.

That leaves me to tell you about the USB function. I don’t like and don’t understand them in classic turntables, but when it comes to mixing and creating tracks, it is simply necessary. After all, you will definitely want to record your music on digital media. Get a good cable; it will give you a more stable recording.

Sound

AT-LP1240-USBXP sounds great. Even with the factory presets (cartridge and built-in preamplifier). Still, the sound picture is much richer with the external one. The turntable has great channel separation, deep bass, and clear treble. It just shines with vocals; I can hear much nuance. The balance is excellent, and extraneous noise is just not there (of course, this depends on your whole system, including the speakers). The motor is quiet, and I just didn’t hear any vibrations (sure, the turntable is new, but I leaned over it at the risk of cutting my cheek with a spinning record). It sounds extremely fine for its money, and I think it’s a great investment with the possibility of upgrading.