Like many gadgets, turntables also come in many grades. There are regular turntables that you and I can afford. Some turntables defy convention. Some turntables cost an arm and a leg. And then there’s this: the Audio-Technica AT-LPA2 Turntable.
Billed as the finest turntable the brand has ever developed, the AT-LPA2 is reserved for vinyl lovers who appreciate analog audio in its purest form. At a glance, there’s no mistaking this for “just another turntable.” The transparent, high-density acrylic chassis and platter aren’t just for turning heads—they also serve to dampen vibrations and control resonance. In case you don’t know, Audio-technica isn’t new to transparent turntables.
This beautiful machine is a fully manual belt-drive turntable that features an AT-OC9XEN MC dual moving coil cartridge for detailed sound reproduction and excellent channel separation. It also includes an external control unit/power supply to isolate the turntable from unwanted electrical noise.
Rounding out this analog purist’s dream is a newly designed carbon-fiber tonearm that offers superior tracking while minimizing resonance. Whoever said you can’t have form and function at the same time?
While some turntables of this nature require a PhD—or a rocket scientist—to set up, Audio-Technica promises that the AT-LPA2 remains easy to set up and use, despite its fully manual analog design. It supports both 33-1/3 and 45 RPM records.
Now for the good news: the Audio-Technica AT-LPA2 Turntable isn’t a dream machine. It’s a real product you can actually buy. And at US$2,000, it probably won’t require you to trade in a kidney. Granted, two grand isn’t exactly cheap—but man, have you seen the Bang & Olufsen x Saint Laurent turntable? You’d need several kidneys for those.
Images: Audio-Technica.
