Question about ATLP7

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Lenny99, May 11, 2021.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. BluTorch

    BluTorch Forum Resident

    Location:
    Battle Creek, MI
    I use a record weight, and the mat just gets in the way. It's designed to not be used with a mat, for damping purposes mostly. Sounds great without it.
     
  2. rockin_since_58

    rockin_since_58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Simi Valley, CA
    I don't suggest using a mat, it is just my personal preference from 50+ years of playing records. Just seems out of place not to have a mat.
     
    Lenny99 likes this.
  3. rockin_since_58

    rockin_since_58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Simi Valley, CA
    I use a mat and the AT record weight. I will have to revisit the no mat option.
     
    BluTorch and Lenny99 like this.
  4. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
    I went sands mat. It was fine. I have rubber, felt, and cork mats. All decent. Once I establish the sound without the mat, I’ll consider using them to see if there is any difference. I know the cork mat made a difference with my AT LP 120x.
     
    MikeInFla and rockin_since_58 like this.
  5. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
    Hi:

    Just finished listening to “After the Gold Rush” by Neil Young, side 2 and “Quadraphenia” by The Who, side 1. I usually use those 2 albums to text new components. The acoustic guitar by Young is a nice way to gauge the quality of a component. The Quad album has great
    power cords, a driving beat, mixed with a nice back up orchestras. I know both well.

    Well the LP7 just blew them away. I pushed the volume up a bit and the TT didn’t have a problem. Even at a moderately loud volume the music was clearly produced.

    It accurately played Neil Young’s bombardment of the acoustic guitar. I heard cords that I had never before heard. Everything seemed better; the high, midrange, and low range.

    The driving beat of Quad can sometimes overwhelm a TT. It’s so much music, coming at the listener with much power a little bit of distortion is noticeable in the high end. But not with the LP7. It easily reproduced the music.

    So far so good.
     
  6. Victor Martell

    Victor Martell Forum Resident

    Nice review here

    Audio-Technica AT-LP7 review | What Hi-Fi?

    "The AT-LP7 is very likely the best turntable any manufacturer has ever built that sells at the price Audio-Technica is currently asking for it."

    IMHO is engineering wise light years from the Rega and Pro-Ject that it replaced - specially in terms of QA and build. And the advantage of new electronics.

    I run it currently with an Audio-Technica VM750SH

    v
     
    rockin_since_58 likes this.
  7. rockin_since_58

    rockin_since_58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Simi Valley, CA
    I am glad that you are really enjoying the LP7. As mine approaches being 3 years old, I am still 100% satisfied with it and have had no desire to look for something better.
     
    MikeInFla likes this.
  8. Stanton56

    Stanton56 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho
    Hey Lenny, what preamplifier were you using with the LPW40WN? Sounding booming caught my attention. I understand the LP 7 is a much better table, but what set-up was used with Lp40? I have seen reviews of the LP40 sounding dynamic. The LP 7 is a very nice table and have not seen negative reviews on it.
     
  9. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
    In both cases I used the preamp in my Yamaha integrated 501 amp.
     
  10. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
     
  11. Stanton56

    Stanton56 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho
    Lenny99,
    Thanks for the details, im interested in the upscale version of the ATLPW40, the ATLP50pb. Not much owner info on this table so I’m looking at comments on the ATLPW40,as the specs are the same. I would like to own the AT7, but its beyond my budget.
     
    MikeInFla likes this.
  12. Clonesteak

    Clonesteak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    What is your budget? I have the AT-LP5 and it is a direct drive turntable and sounds great even with the built in pre amp and output for usb for recording. I think they go for $450 right now. I like the look of the ATLPW40 turntables. I also have a ATLP-120 with the pre amp gutted as a back up and can say AT makes some decent turntables for the money. Depends if you are looking for a built in pre amp or not the LP5 is a great turntable worth exploring.
     
    Fill Your Head likes this.
  13. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
    I like the looks of the 50. I think it’s similar to the 40 except due the wood plinth. In fact it might be the same. You might call Audio Technica. They have a 800 number in their site and are pretty quick to answer.
     
  14. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
    Yes, I gave the 5 a close look. But in the end I went with the 7. I agree; AT makes a very good TT for the money. I own the 120x, and the 40. The only problem I had was with the damp cuing of the 120x. It never worked. I called AT and the tech told me to send it back they works gladly fix the problem. But, that really didn’t bother me.

    One thing that caused me to go with the 7 was the statement by AT that it was a new TT from the ground up. That might be the case with the 5.

    Before I purchased the 120x I did a lot of research. I found the 120x was developed because of the success of the 120. That 120 was sold as a DJ TT, but a lot of people bought it for a home system. So AT did a few things to the 120 like removing the clutch that’s needed in DJ TTs etc. this actually lowered the cost to make it appeal to the home listener. They left some residue from the DJ days behind like the little light in the edge of the platter. I think the 120x (and the 120) is a great bargain. A writer for Stereophile mag recently wrote favorably of the 120x as an intro to his article.

    I hate to admit this, but I bought the 40 almost on impulse. I loved the look and the cost. And you get a lot for the cost: a carbon fiber tonearm, a servo controlled belt drive, isolation, adjustable legs, and the wood plinth.

    I think because AT produces a lot of starter TTs there is a certain bias against them in the hobby. And a lot of those TTs are what they are, for someone just into vinyl or with a passing interest to vinyl. And that’s their right to dislike AT. It’s not by everyone, but by a few. Oh well to each his own.

    In my humble opinion, because they manufacture a lot of plastic starter TTs doesn’t mean they are unable to make a higher quality audiophile grade TT. But, as always, the proof is in the sound; and the listener. If he or she is satisfied what else can u ask?

    Ok, enough rambling.
     
  15. Stanton56

    Stanton56 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho
    I don’t really need another table, i have 2 now. The ATLP 14oXP BK and the Music Hall 2.2. Both work great but the ATLPW50PB has both classic good looks and features my mmf2.2 doesn’t possess. Easy switching from 33.3 to 45 rpm and detachable headshell. Don’t need the built-in preamp so that’s not important.
     
    McLover, MikeInFla and Boltman92124 like this.
  16. Boltman92124

    Boltman92124 Go Padres!!

    Location:
    San Diego
    I wouldn't want any of the AT belt drive tables just because I don't want the potential issues with belt, pulley, subplatter and motor down the road. None of these turntables are made by Audio Technica as most know. Neither is Music Hall. The direct drive LP140x would be my choice out of all of them if sticking with AT. Otherwise, just a Technics 1200 Mk7 under $1k. (my next TT). Until then, I've tricked out my LP120 pretty nicely and it's been great. The LP7 is a nice looking TT though.
     
    McLover likes this.
  17. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
    I don’t know who made the 7. But I think most companies farm out production these days.
     
  18. rockin_since_58

    rockin_since_58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Simi Valley, CA
    It is made in China but who cares??? It works well and looks nice. Mine has been rock solid for nearly 3 years.
     
  19. Boltman92124

    Boltman92124 Go Padres!!

    Location:
    San Diego
    Not Technics, Rega, Project and the other higher level brands (Project OEM's some Music Hall Models). It's mainly the sub $1k category that does. Even the popular Pioneer PLX-1000 is a Hanpin. Not to disparage Audio Technica though. I've been very happy with my Hanpin made 120. Got one of the good ones.
     
    Stanton56 likes this.
  20. Boltman92124

    Boltman92124 Go Padres!!

    Location:
    San Diego
    Glad your happy with it. It's nice that it accepts the same headshells as the S shaped tonearms. And it is very nice looking. Did you get it with the included 520eb cartridge?
     
  21. Stanton56

    Stanton56 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho
    I ran the ATLp120usb for 5 years. Did all the mods, i think that we’ll know and had so many problems with it I sold it and bought the 140xp. The 140xp has been trouble free and appears to me to be a much better table than the 120 and no usb or preamp to deal with, a win win.
     
  22. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Not all companies. AT is not a turntable company. Everything they sell turntable wise is made by either Hanpin or Ya Horng. They do have some control over basic features and some aesthetics, but under the hood these are essentially the same TTs that other companies sell also. AT uses their turntable business as a cash cow to subsidize other parts of the business. It makes a lot of money for them. Just like sushi machines and other things did during vinyl's dip in popularity.
     
    McLover likes this.
  23. Boltman92124

    Boltman92124 Go Padres!!

    Location:
    San Diego
    Never any problems with my 120 (also 5 years now). I did add some silicone to the arm lift. No probs with the tonearm bearings either. I like the 140x.
     
    Stanton56 likes this.
  24. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
    Yes it came with the 520eb. That cart sounds good. I think it sells for around $100.

    At this point (3 days in) I am very happy with the 7. I believe it compliments my system by quality and cost. I can’t tell what has influenced the sound more, the cart or the TT; probably the combo. I can easily say that the sound through my speakers seems cleaner, perhaps clearer if you will. I can better and more easily discern the individual instruments, In many cases better than with the 40. I am sure the 7 does a great job in taming vibrations.

    I liked the 40. In my opinion it was an improvement over the 120x. In that I was lucky because as I said before the 40 was almost an impulse buy. The 40 seemed to impart more energy to the sound than the 120x. I would have a difficult time putting in words why it seemed better. But, that’s my opinion.

    The purchase of the 7 was one I might not have made except I found myself was in an advantageous position. In that, I did a decent amount of research per TTs under $1000. I looked at several other models and gave serious consideration to the NAD TT priced about $800. But every review I read pointed to the 7. And finally, I loved the look.

    I try to exclude “buyer’s remorse” from the purchasing of any expensive product. I do research, check reviews, ask opinions, and make a decision.

    I think my purchasing methods when looking at this hobby can best be described as step by step. Now, with this TT I might or should be satisfied, at least for a while. Lol.
     
  25. Boltman92124

    Boltman92124 Go Padres!!

    Location:
    San Diego
    The 500 series is good. I'm sure the 520 sounds nice. I love the 540ml on my 120. You can go there eazy peezy with a new stylus when the time comes. Enjoy!
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine