TDK Turntable Record Player Life on Record ETVT20102BLK Used but in excellent condition Built in visual graphic ! Original plastic protection on turntable deck from new (never removed) Original stylus and cartridge with protective cover with about two hours use manual controls 33rpm, 45 rpm and Off. Outputs Phono and USB Pre-Amp switch on/off power supply, phono cable, USB disc & record adaptor included all original Full original instructions in individual book form in each language all original Original What Hi-Fi? Verdict It might not be a sonic superstar but it’s a really neat solution for archiving records Description: +Well made and very easy to use +electronic speed change excellent +built-in phono stage included Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test. We haven’t been impressed by the general standard of USB turntables. Those we’ve seen have tended to been cheaply made and haven’t sounded particularly good. This TDK is way better than most. Yes, it costs much more than most USB equipped rivals but the pay-off is vastly more solid build and an engineering integrity sadly lacking in cheaper rivals. In simple terms, this is a belt drive turntable with electronic speed change and a built-in phono stage. The on-board phono stage is no great performer, lacking the transparency and dynamics to worry Cambridge Audio’s £60 540P. But, it’s workable and relatively balanced. A decent degree of insight The deck as a whole delivers a decent degree of insight with the likes of Fourtet’s There is Love in You and REM’s Man on the Moon. There’s a good dose of fluidity, and the ability to keep instrumental strands separate and easy to follow. In sound quality this TDK deck is eclipsed by the likes of Rega’s terrific RP1, and it’s tempting to suggest buying one of these plus a good USB phono stage such as Pro-Ject’s £130 Phono Box USB instead. If performance were paramount, that’s the way we’d go – but we can’t help admiring the TDK’s build and ease of use. This deck is a simple solution that makes the laborious task of archiving vinyl onto a computer easy. Whatever its shortcomings, that fact shouldn’t be ignored