A cartridge and needle for most occasions

A contributor to the great sound of this turntable is undoubtedly its phono cartridge, Audio-Technica's ATP-2. This is a significantly nicer cartridge than you'll find included with most turntables in this price range (many turntables don't even include a cartridge at all). As a bonus for DJs, this cartridge uses an elliptical stylus that's capable of playing records both forward and backward. Many needles aren't designed for backward play and you'll damage both your needle and your album if you "back up" a track in cueing it up for play.

However, what makes a good playback cartridge doesn't always make a good cartridge for the popular DJ practice of "scratching." I spoke with DJ Select, a professional DJ who had also tried out the AT-PL120. He found that, using the ATP-2 cartridge, he needed to set the tracking force at 5 grams in order to prevent frequent skipping. At such a high tracking force, scratching will tear up both the needle and the grooves of the record. However, DJ Select noted that cartridges designed specifically for scratching are relatively cheap, and for straight playback of LPs can't compare to the ATP-2's fine sound.

The AT-PL120's pitch control offers impressively speedy response, and gives you the choice of ?10% or ?20% speed adjustment.

Features for DJs

Otherwise, the AT-PL120 is loaded with DJ-friendly features. It's got a large slider that lets you adjust the playback pitch by ±10% or ±20% — you can toggle between these two ranges with the press of a button. There's also a Quartz Lock button that instantly zeroes out the pitch adjustment, letting DJs achieve seamless track segues by instantly switching from beat-matching mode to perfect pitch. DJ Select tested the AT-PL120 side by side with the Technics SL-1200, widely regarded as the reference turntable for DJs. He was impressed to discover that the response speed of the Audio-Technica's pitch control held its own against the venerated Technics, and noted that he actually preferred the AT-PL120's wider range of pitch adjustment.

While the included cartridge isn't designed with scratching in mind, the AT-PL120 is otherwise very well suited for that task. It comes with its own slip mat — another crucial component for scratching — and DJ Select reported that he was pleasantly surprised by how good the mat itself was. He also found that the aluminum platter offered an excellent, very sturdy platform for scratching.

The AT-PL120 also offers a pop-up light that illuminates the path of the tonearm across the grooves — handy for cueing up tracks in dimly lit clubs and dance halls. Another feature of potential interest to DJs is the reverse play button, which allows this turntable to play records backwards at any of its three speeds (for further variation, the pitch control can also be employed for reverse play). DJs that specialize in mixing will undoubtedly find the reverse play feature a handy way to blend some very unusual sonic textures into their performances.

Construction

The build of the AT-PL120 would best be described as moderately sturdy. My apartment, the first floor of an older home with wood floors, presents a pretty serious challenge to turntable stability. I've abandoned several fairly inexpensive turntables because merely walking within ten feet of them caused serious skipping. When I tested the AT-PL120, I found that it was impressively resistant to these sorts of external vibrations, not skipping at all unless the stand on which I'd set it up was bumped directly.

DJ Select agreed with me that the build quality was superior to a lot of inexpensive turntables, but added that the build can't really compare to the famously sturdy design of the Technics SL-1200. (To be fair, it should be noted that the Audio-Technica turntable costs about 60% of what the Technics goes for.) The base is constructed of plastic, with a heavy sheet of metal inside that supplies weight but not true stability. For situations where there is a lot of vibration — very typical of such common DJ scenarios as raves and frat parties — a DJ may have to use some additional means of isolating this turntable to prevent hum and feedback (many DJs employ a turntable case that is specially constructed to absorb external vibrations). Even if the turntable itself is completely isolated, however, merely tapping on the base will create audible noise in the output.

Conclusion

The AT-PL120 has plenty to offer a wide spectrum of LP lovers. For anyone looking for a turntable exclusively for home use, the impressive sound quality and reasonably sturdy build make this model a great choice. For many folks, the built-in phono preamp will supply crucial hookup flexibility, while for others the ability to play 78rpm records may be a real bonus.

Of course, there are plenty of features here for DJs to love, too — the pitch control is especially quick and flexible, and the stable platter offers a great platform for scratching. The two DJs I spoke with about the AT-PL120 agreed that it is an excellent choice for the beginning or intermediate DJ. The less-than-rock-solid construction, however, limits its appeal to professional DJs who are primarily turntable-focused. But for the growing number of pro DJs who principally rely on laptops and CD players, using a turntable only as a secondary source, the AT-PL120 will serve as a good, affordable substitute for a Technics SL-1200.