Realistic LAB 2100 Linear Tracking Turntable.

Описание: Just got this turntable from eBay for about $75. Been looking for an automatic turntable for a while. Was thinking about getting the new Audio Technica AT-LP60, but I did not like the fact that you could not swap cartridge and the tone arm is still in the relatively "short" range and I knew that I would have the same channel bleed on the inner tracks that I currently experience on my short straight arm DJ turntable. But, as far as automatic turntables are concerned the AT-LP60 is the only brand new one at under $100. Also, I have no idea how much tracking force the AT-LP60 puts on the needle. And I'm really trying to go for the minimum amount of tracking force for my records to minimize on the wear. My next option was to look for a used one. I could have gone with a pivot arm turn table, but I already had a P-mount cartridge that I was using on my current turntable and I didn't know if pivot arm automatic turntables required a tracking force greater than 1.25g to be able to catch the end groove and trigger the return. I used to have an automatic turntable that would skate back ad infinitum.

So, I started looking into linear tracking turntables. I know per audiophile standards, they are probably not the most desirable for one reason or another. But I have my own reasons why this became my choice.

Before I went and put a bid on the first linear tracking turntable I saw, I started noticing that there were specific things that I was looking for as I looked at the number of units available on eBay. Ideally, I wanted it to be under $100. If it was not quartz controlled speed or at least stated in the specs, it must have a pitch adjustment with strobe (which a lot don't). I had to make sure that I can manually select the speed regardless of the record size. Radio Shack made a LAB 2200 model that had automatic speed and record size detection, but does that mean that all 7" are treated as 45 RPM and all 12" are 33 1/3 RPM? No so good for me because I have a number of 7" records that are 33 1/3 RPM and a few 12" that are 45 RPM. The final things that make the linear tracking ideal for me was that the arm is always tangent to the record even to the innermost groove. In my pivot arm turntable, the angle of the needle on the inner grooves would create channel bleed. Yes, I know I could spend a couple hundred dollars on a nice pivot arm turntable and get better results, but this was my poor man's solution.

Being that my DJ turntable had a short tonearm, the angle is even more exaggerated than with standard length tonearms (s-shaped or straight). So, the use of elliptical needles is a no-no since it can theoretically chisel out the grooves (I wasn't willing to find out). I don't have to worry about that with this turntable. So, I got the AT92ECD cartridge. Needless to say, this turntable sounds a heck of a lot better than my Stanton T.55USB especially as it plays the inner tracks.

Lastly, if you are buying a turntable from eBay. Make sure the seller removed the platter and secures the tonearm for shipping. I received this unit almost damaged because the seller used SCOTCH TAPE to "secure" platter. The unit arrived with platter lodged against the tonearm. Could have been a really bad day for me since this buy was strictly as-is. Luckly, just the armrest was broken (relatively useless anyway) and I just had to readjust the landing point for the 7".

It even plays my most warped record at the 1.25g-1.5g tracking force that my Stanton T.55USB could barely do at more that 3g using the same cartridge.