U-Turn Audio - Orbit Turntable Reviews

Others with more personal experience will chime in, but this is something several people mention the first time they use/set up a U-Turn. And everyone generally ends up reporting that it works just fine. It shouldn't be a problem.

 

You is a good dad!

 

Thanks! I'm kind of jealous, actually. I've got a Techniques turntable in storage - needs a preamp. But, I'm really excited for my son. He appreciates vinyl and has a pretty wide interest in music. He has a Crosley but, you know... His journey is just about to begin.

 

I was kind of hoping SpeedMorris was Brother Maynard's son, and just discovered his gift through this forum. That would have been great!

 

Heck, maybe he is and I just don't know it! Crazy interwebs.

 

If you have any issues with it, dust the belt with baby powder...it helps.

 

An anecdote:

Last week, I was in a Barnes & Noble in the Tempe Marketplace looking at the vinyl LP racks (it's almost like the old days again there, except for the outrageous vinyl prices!). As I was about to leave empty-handed, not having found a book I was looking for, I overheard a young woman and her mother about to buy a cheap-ass Crossley for her older brother for Christmas so he could do needledrops. I stopped as I was leaving, turned around and said no, and explained that it was junk, sounded terrible, and would break down in a matter of months, if not weeks. I urged them to not take my word for it, but to check out dozens of You-Tube videos about it.

They said they were interested in USB capability, so I pointed out a different brand of turntable sitting near it. But upon closer inspection, I realized it was no better, as it also had a ceramic cartridge. So, then, I quickly remembered the U-Turn tables, but said that it would cost around $179, and that it has to be ordered from their website. But, I explained that it was USB capable, would sound much better, and was critically acclaimed for what it is. I showed them the turntable on my smartphone and suggested that their 30-year-old brother would be happier with that than a Crossley! They agreed, thanked me for saving them the grief, and I left.

How'd I do?

 

I would never put any kind of powder anywhere near my turntable or records!

 

Great, but USB on the Orbit?

 

You dust the belt before you put it on...it's not as if you dump a lot on it...there shouldn't be any excess if you do it right.

This was a tip from U-Turn themselves, actually. The brand new belt, especially with the acrylic platter, tends to slip a bit.

 

I think so...

 

OK, but i'd use the corn starch type. I don't want talc in my home.

Can't get any stranger. Linn recommends using sandpaper on the stylus, according to my friend who owns one.

 

I've had a turntable for my whole life, but never had to deal with an external belt drive until I got a U-Turn last Christmas. I was surprised there was no groove on the platter, the belt certainly doesn't appear to be very stable. The good news is it seems to work just fine (as you noted.) The bad news is when you change to the position of the belt from 45 to 33 or vice versa, there's a reasonably good chance the belt will slip off of the platter and you'll fumble around trying to hold it in place again. It has never slipped off during vinyl play though, so I guess that's how it's supposed to work. If anyone has tips on a more elegant solution I'd sure be up for some suggestions.

I think your son will like the table, chances are he'll be mostly an album guy as opposed to a 45s guy.

ETA: Just noticed the posts re the baby powder. As Grant said I'm reluctant to try that but next time the belt slips off I might try a little dusting to see what happens.

 

With the baby powder idea - I would be very reluctant to get that sort of powder anywhere near my records. Have had no trouble with slipping belts, and if I recall correctly that issue was more a concern with the first Kickstarter models. Got mine in 2014, and have never had any problem with the belt... aside from my own fumbling when trying to change speeds, as noted by @forthlin.

 

Thanks everybody for the feedback.

 

Yeah me too. But theoretically if I take the belt (in another room) dredge it through the powder, shake off the excess, and replace the belt on the table, the belt doesn't come in contact with the vinyl. I guess the records could be exposed to some residual powder that might become airborne? This sort of thing is what makes CDs so appealing to me

 

Switching from 45 to 33 is where I've had trouble with the belt slipping off occasionally. Going from 33 to 45 is never really an issue for me.

 

I don't know if U-Turn is producing a USB table now or not. It wasn't an option when I bought mine in the summer of 2015.

 

It could happen to any man. Actually I've done it so few times in the year that I've had it, I'm not certain which direction was worse. Is there such a thing(on any turntable) as a platter with a groove around it such that it would be less likely to slip off? FWIW, I upgraded to the acrylic platter when I bought my table, maybe it's more prone to slippage?

 

No USB on a U-Turn. Best budget priced USB equipped table is the Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB.

 

Having said that, I don't think anyone should let built in USB be a deciding point for a turntable. If may be deciding point for a pre-amp, but not for a table. Most tables that have a USB (especially ones in the U-Turn price point) are lower end tables. The LP120 is a quality table that is well regarded, but some end up having the desire to remove the internal preamp down the road so it can be fully bypassed.

In the end, a built in USB often equates to a limited upgrade path and lowered flexibility in your system. Buyers should pick a TT based on the table, and if it has USB, that's a bonus. But it should weigh in zero percent as a factor when selecting a table.

 

It's not for me to tell buyers what they want. Personally I wouldn't want to be without the ability to make computer files from vinyl, but that's easy for me to accomplish with my computer. Setting up needledrops can be a complicated business, dealing with drivers and mixers and audio formats. There's a lot to be said for a turntable that makes it simple. I wouldn't expect the kind of results I personally get from anything with a built in USB, but most people looking for a USB turntable are not looking for the kind of results that I'm getting.

 

You're right, I shouldn't be telling anyone what they should or shouldn't get. However, I still think everyone should consider IF they would really use that feature. You are likely going to end up with equal or even higher quality audio files via streaming compared to using a lower end USB table. Focus on your personal uses, preferences, potential future uses while purchasing. Personally, I wouldn't consider USB to be a determining factor on a table. That was my main point.

 

It's designed that way on purpose as a "loose" belt puts less strain on the motor pulley. The only issue I've seen is from people who "drag" their fingers up the side of the platter when removing the album from the platter. If you don't do that, you should be fine.

 

I wish that were the case. No dragging of fingers up the side of the platter, it's moving the belt from the 45 to 33 position (or vice versa.) As I posted earlier, I've done this only a few times in the year I've had the table, but it's aggravating trying to get the belt in place again when it slips off. If I only had another hand or two to keep the belt on the perimeter of the platter when I change speeds I'd be good.