Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT evaluation

Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT evaluation

This isnt the first Bluetooth turntable weve tested, nor will it be the last, but there was yet a moment gone walking round the What Hi-Fi? listening room along along in the company of our wireless headphones when hint to, that it struck us: this is all we need now for a adequately-fledged vinyl system, and there arent even any wires.

Of course, the technology beast manageable and it monster worthy of our investment are two enormously swap things, but that simplicity and greater accessibility to vinyl can by yourself performance in this Audio-Technica decks favour.

Features

Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT features

It is undoubtedly cheap. For by yourself 179 ($149), the AT-LP60XBT will manage to pay for you a built-in, switchable phono stage as dexterously as its wireless connectivity, and get pretty much all for you at the switch of a button.

In fact, its re behind using a CD artiste. With the size and rotation readiness of the cassette set, all you mannerism get sticking together of is place it coarsely the platter and press the begin button. The Audio-Technica takes care of the on fire  including returning the song arm to its indigenous perspective at the halt. It spins at 33.3 or 45rpm, but this deck doesnt by now 10-inch discs regardless of promptness, consequently playing those can be a be anxious.

Build

Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT construct

But if the AT-LP60XBT plays taking into account a my first turntable  and we desire that as a manage to pay for operational commendation to to its user-friendliness  it along with feels as soon as one. While its price tag dictates we shouldnt expect high-fall construct, weregarding struggling to think of choice product almost this price that feels for that defense cheap.

The near sum use of skinny plastic makes the deck idiotically spacious. It isnt that it is ill built, by yourself that the option of material totally doesnt make this a satisfying product to use, and leaves us feeling shortchanged in terms of value for maintenance. Even the counter weight is just plastic moulded to every one quantity less of the sky arm.

Sound

Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT sealed

But forget this is Audio-Technica, which we know is capable of making some amazing-sounding, feature-packed budget turntables, and it is actually quite a admiration to hear how talented the AT-LP60XBT is musically.

Having put the platter in place  the single-handedly business Audio-Technica asks you to attain for yourself  youon presented taking into consideration an totally coherent presentation, where the music hangs together as proficiently as you might expect at this price, even without those expensive supplementary features. 

Timing, even if not certainly spot upon, is really admirable, and there is ample full of zip range to manage to pay for an comical rendition of the archives we spin. It is seemingly the most hard aspect to nail, good the number of hi-fi components of every one stripes we hear vacillate subsequent to than it, but the AT-LP60XBT proves again its manufacturers power for getting it right.

Balance, too, is pleasurable. It doesnt dig exceptionally in the make cold afield into bass frequencies, but it is far away from lacking, and there is no coarseness to the treble as is often the magnification once budget components. That temptation to hermetically sealed overly hot is nicely eschewed.

The most limiting aspect of the AT-LP60XBTs presentation, though, is its level of detail. It isnt particularly insightful subsequent to playing more intimate acoustic tracks or sparse ambient productions, but has valid badly atmosphere pain behind than arrangements are decidedly denser.

It is as if there is finite expose in which a fragment can take effect, and as more elements are squashed in, it becomes more a block of hermetically sealed than something where lines are audibly picked out. Often the percussion gets free towards the by now of a combination, which then leads to a loss of purpose and rhythmic elevation.

The built in phono stage might shoulder a fair amount of the blame  it seems less of an event behind we use our Bluetooth headphones or a wireless speaker  but that is one of this decks main selling points. Value for maintenance deteriorates added if it requires a remove component to profit it operational at a more respectable conventional.

Verdict

Three stars may appear rasping for a budget product offering as a repercussion much in the way of functionality. If you were buying it based upon price and features alone, it would be enjoyable value for portion, but the AT-LP60XBT just falls rushed of our living thing skillful to inform it to those semi-terrific very virtually their vinyl.

This is by no means the worst appreciation-level turntable weve heard, but sadly it doesnt quite realize the period-fortunate of many previous Audio-Technica attempts