Samples from USB Turntables: Audio-Technica AT-LP2D-USB Options

[Knowzy]

Turntable Details

Audio-Technica AT-LP2D-USB
Street Price: $100 (US)
AT3600L Moving Magnet Cartridge
Belt Drive
Fully Automatic
Wow and Flutter: <0.25% (WRMS)
S/N: 50dB unweighted
Platter: Aluminum
Tracking force: 4.54g (Measured personally)
More in turntable guide

Photos

The Sample Clips
For background on the clips, see the "Preparation" thread.

All samples are FLAC and under 30 seconds.

Music

• CD LP Peg, Steely Dan, Aja
• CD LP On the Run, Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon
• CD LP Dare, Gorillaz, Demon Days
• CD LP Dum Diddly, The Black Eyed Peas, Monkey Business
• CD LP Rhiannon, Fleetwood Mac, Self-titled Album (Dusty, scratched and skipping album)

Test Tracks

• LP Motor running, no record, tonearm at rest
• LP Ultimate Analogue Test LP, Side A
• LP Ultimate Analogue Test LP, Side B
• LP Hi-Fi News (HFN002) Test LP, Side A
• LP Hi-Fi News (HFN002) Test LP, Side B
• LP Silent Groove, Ultimate Analogue Test LP, Side B, Track 6
• LP 1kHz Reference Tone, Ultimate Analogue Test LP, Side A, Track 1

I eagerly await your opinions and analysis on the samples.

This post has been edited by Knowzy: Apr 23 2009, 22:09

[Axon]

Hey: I looked at one of your close-up pics and that reminded me. While you're at it, could you also be sure to clean the stylus with a Magic Eraser before each play, if you can? Just lightly press the Eraser to the stylus in an up/down motion to get all the gunk off. It's the cleaning method du jour nowadays and it's pretty cheap. It really can improve some of the results.

If you don't have a ME then a useful alternative is a Q-Tip soaked in rubbing alcohol, but you have to be sure not to get the cantilever too wet as it can wick up to the suspension, and some stylus adhesives do not like getting wet (but that's usually a problem with the high-end carts more than the entry-level ones).

[krabapple]

Hey: I looked at one of your close-up pics and that reminded me. While you're at it, could you also be sure to clean the stylus with a Magic Eraser before each play, if you can? Just lightly press the Eraser to the stylus in an up/down motion to get all the gunk off. It's the cleaning method du jour nowadays and it's pretty cheap. It really can improve some of the results.

If you don't have a ME then a useful alternative is a Q-Tip soaked in rubbing alcohol, but you have to be sure not to get the cantilever too wet as it can wick up to the suspension, and some stylus adhesives do not like getting wet (but that's usually a problem with the high-end carts more than the entry-level ones).

Q-tips were too scary for me for stylus cleaning back in the day. I used to use a small, closely-packed brush pad, dosed with alcohol, that I could run the stylus through (like moving a spike through tall grass). I think it was made by the same folks who made the Discwasher fluid...I remember it has a classy wooden handle.

Anyway, a small artist's or touch-up paintbrush could probably serve as well or better today. Every once in awhile I would also check out the stylus under a microscope/loupe -- amazing how much gunk it could pick up from just one play, depending on the disc. (FWIW this was/is a Shure V15TypeV MR, at the recommended tracking force)

I only listened to the Steely Dan clips so far, and it made me not miss vinyl. ;> (To be fair, I think the LP version might sound better with some level-matching to the CD version )

This post has been edited by krabapple: Feb 18 2009, 18:32