STACK #149 Mar 2017

TECH REVIEW

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Audio Technica AT-LP3 Review: Words Tim Lambert

It’s time to start giving your record collection the love it deserves.

New year. New Me. I decided it was time I upgraded my 10-year-old turntable. The old boy had served me well, but not even a new needle or belt could save it from the grasps of time. RIP. Now, how was I ever going to choose between all of the turntables on the market? I wanted something with a built in preamp to plug into my SONOS system, I wanted something high-end but didn’t want to pay a high-end price, and I wanted something from a reputable brand. Luckily JB Hi-Fi had exactly what I needed.

Tonearm evolution – The tonearm balance is adjustable, allowing you to fine-tune your sound and the headshell has a long-life diamond stylus, meaning less of those pesky needle changes. If you’re anything like me, your record collection is a variable timeline of a lifetime of music tastes – inherited or discovered yourself. The best thing about the AT-LP3 is that it doesn’t miss a single, miniscule detail from your favourite records. Whether it’s the slinky, hip grinding riffs of Arctic Monkeys AM , George Petit’s piercing opening squall on Alexisonfire’s Crisis , the delicate keys sound tracking Lana Del Rey’s husky vocal on Born to Die , or the crackle of an original pressing of Bowie’s Diamond Dogs during the iconic riff on Rebel Rebel . It’s about time we all start giving our adored record collections the love and attention they deserve.

Easy Peasy – Never set up a turntable before? Some of them are trickier than others. Messing around with dust covers, belts and plates (oh my) – this turntable is pretty simple to set up. There are sticky tabs marked for you to easily lay the belt, then all you need to do is plug it into the wall, some speakers, and you’ll be dancing on your coffee table before you know it. Versatile – A built in phono preamp means you can plug it into most speaker systems. The preamp is switchable to accommodate either moving magnet or moving coil cartridges – most other turntables don’t have this. Get you a turntable that can do both – AT-LP3 is fully automatic, meaning the tonearm will lift itself at the end of the record and return to the armrest. You can also do it manually – if you’re into that stuff. Music to your ears - The 4mm anti-vibration elastomer-damping mat reduces any bumps or low frequency feedback.

Here is what you need to know about the Audio Technica AT-LP3

First impressions count – The turntable looks amazing; sleek, minimal curve design. I got mine in black, but it is also available in white – so no matter what aesthetic you’re running at home, this will look epic. The best, because you deserve it. It doesn’t just look good, it’s built with the strongest parts so it will be around long after the cheaper models have been put out for hard rubbish collection.

The AT-LP3 is available in black and white exclusively at JB Hi-Fi, priced at $469 RRP .

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MARCH 2017

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