Audio-Technica AT-LPW30TK — Belt-drive turntable with teak-finish plinth

The AT-LPW30TK is a belt-drive turntable for listeners entering vinyl with a deck that asks for no special care. The plinth is medium-density fibreboard finished to resemble teak, a choice that adds rigidity and some mass to control resonance without inflating the price. The die-cast aluminium platter and rubber mat keep speed stable thanks to the DC servo motor and the inertia of the assembly.

The tonearm is straight, with a hydraulically damped cueing lever and a lockable rest, and anti-skate is adjusted dynamically. It arrives fitted with the universal AT-HS4SV headshell and the AT-VM95C cartridge, a dual moving magnet design with a 0.6 mil conical stylus. The cartridge accepts every stylus in the VM95 series, so it can be upgraded —elliptical, Microlinear or Shibata— without changing the body or mounting.

A switchable phono preamp provides phono or line output, so the deck can feed an amplifier without a phono input or powered speakers. The AC adapter performs conversion outside the chassis to keep noise away from the signal. At 5 kg, 420 mm wide and with a removable hinged dust cover, it is a classic-layout domestic turntable that is simple to live with.

Technical specifications:

• Type: fully manual turntable, 2 speeds
• Drive: belt, DC servo motor
• Speeds: 33⅓ and 45 rpm
• Platter: die-cast aluminium, rubber mat
• Tonearm: straight, hydraulic cueing, dynamic anti-skate
• Cartridge: AT-VM95C dual moving magnet, 0.6 mil conical stylus
• Headshell: AT-HS4SV universal ½"
• Wow and flutter: < 0.15 % WRMS (33 rpm)
• Signal-to-noise ratio: > 60 dB
• Preamp: switchable phono/line (PHONO 4.0 mV, LINE 200 mV)
• Dimensions: 116.9 × 420 × 340 mm
• Weight: 5 kg
• Power: 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz