Flutter was measured separately for both speeds, again using both CCIR and DIN measurement techniques. At 33.33 rpm Newport Test Labs measured flutter at 0.05% (CCIR) and 0.045% (DIN). At 45 rpm, flutter was measured at 0.055% (CCIR) and 0.05% (DIN). The AT-LPW50PB is equipped with a built-in selectable phono preamp and a detachable dual RCA output cable to enable direct connection to components with or without a dedicated phono input. FEATURES

Hear all the detail that’s been missing from your records, with the beautifully engineered Audio Technica AT-LPW50PB. Playing Mary J. Blige’s No More Drama also saw this turntable turning in a cohesive and musical performance, with a surefooted and robust presentation that remained unflustered even as the song became more demanding, delivering plenty of fine detail and rendering the music with a lovely composure, though this was perhaps partly because it was just a little toned-down in the extreme highs. The red trace on Graph 4 shows channel separation vs. frequency and you can see that channel separation reaches a best result of 27dB at 1kHz (7dB better than specification), and maintains this level of performance out to around 6kHz before diminishing to around 20dB at 10kHz and down to 10dB at 20kHz. The Audio-Technica AT-VM95E delivered all the songs on ‘Harvest’ smoothly, fluidly and very musically, and you can’t really ask for much more than that.The high dynamics of the album, which, in addition to acoustic orchestra and vocals typical of Woodkids, also offer a wealth of electronic sounds, do not cause any stress for the inexpensive player. This confident impression is repeated in other records from current and ancient production. With the LPW50PB you can also venture into “difficult” material and don’t have to be afraid of dynamically mixed vinyl discs. The AT-LPW50PB is the top model among the belt-driven budget players, but has to find itself well behind the more elaborate mid-range player AT-LP7 in the hierarchy. This one also has belt drive, but at double price. Currently at the top of that list is the AT-LPW50PB, available in Australia after some anticipation, given that it launched in the USA at virtual CES 2020.

With the built-in phono preamp, it’s more of a plug-and-play affair. You can do that if it doesn’t really matter – and that’s the case in this price range. It’s always a good idea. Audio Technica AT-LPW50PB Video Review Indicates whether MUID is transferred to ANID, a cookie used for advertising. Clarity doesn't use ANID and so this is always set to 0. On this album van Veen stretches the concept of slowness to the extreme. One critic wrote of it that: “he creates an hallucinatory effect, a kind of minimal music avant la lettre.”These two gold-plated RCA outputs have a diameter that is very slightly smaller than standard, so using standard RCA plugs results in a rather ‘loose’ fit and a tenuous electrical connection. You can fix this by squeezing in the outer (negative) ring of the plugs on the cable before you use them. The first common denominator is that these models all have belt drive, a propulsion concept that is heavily challenged by a new wave of direct-drive turntables, including other budget models from Audio Technica. However, on these models, AT has satisfied those who still prefer belt drive, and there are som o these around. There’s a commitment to good materials, smart additional features and flexibility for adding other audio components of your choice that makes for a turntable that will grow along with your love of vinyl. Those looking to make the next step on their vinyl adventure should definitely stop off here. As mentioned in the introduction to this review, the Audio-Technica AT-LPW50PB has a phono pre-amplifier built in, the output of which is at the rear of the turntable. It goes without saying that a heaving Convention Centre show floor is hardly the perfect environment for having a critical listen to a record player – and, to be fair to Audio-Technica, it hasn’t even attempted to make that possible.

Audio Technica AT-LPW50PB has built-in RIAA, but may always be bypassed if using external RIAA or RIAA integrated in amplifier. This is a manual belt-drive design with a speed-change control at the bottom left of the top of the plinth. Regardless of whether it’s playing at 33.3 or 45rpm, the Audio-Technica’s sensor-monitored drive motor is designed to deliver precise rotational stability and consistency. The belt turns a pro-standard anti-resonance aluminium platter. There is more information to be had too. Switching the phono stage off and moving to the iFi Zen Phono (to say nothing of the Cyrus), drops the noise floor further and reveals more information and better tonal realism at the same time. Judged by the competition, the internal phono stage that Audio Technica has fitted to the LP5X is perfectly satisfactory but - like the competition - there’s more to be had out of it. priate force and resolution such that we could follow subtle instrumental strands even during the most climactic moments. The stereo image delivered was so precise it was easy to identify the position of instruments anywhere across the soundstage. ConclusionSo Audio-Technica’s latest turntable, the AT-LPW50PB, is designed to enhance the company’s long-standing engineering reputation while offering a little convenience and interior decor sympathy at the same time. A year ago we announced the arrival of new budget players from Audio Tecnica. Two of these were AT-LPW40WN and AT-LPW30TK. Common to these is that they have strong similarities to the model being launched today - the AT-LPW50PB. Belt-driven budget players