The Article

LP7X FROM AUDIO-TECHNICA

23rd March 2026

Priced at £699 or €799, Paul Rigby gives this new belt-driven, manual turntable a spin

And it certainly looks solid and rather meaty with its matte black finish. Weighing in at 7.6kg, the heavy MDF plinth is topped by a 20mm thick acrylic platter which means you do not need a platter mat.

This twin-speed design offers electronic speed control and four, height-adjustable, isolation feet to enable you to level the plinth.

To the right is a J-shaped tonearm. On the front is a pre-mounted AT-VM95E cartridge sitting within a removable, AT-LT10 headshell.

I applaud the inclusion of a moveable tonearm VTA ring at the base of the tonearm to change the arm’s height while the rear of the plinth offers access to the built-in phono amplifier. This phono amp is fine to get you going but I recommend an external model to improve sound quality, as soon as you can.

A cheapo RCA phono cable is included – again upgrade this cable as soon as possible. You can fit a dust cover to the top of the plinth.

I like the easily-accessible phono sockets on the rear, the easy-to-use speed/power controls on the front left of the plinth and the extra sub-counterweight options in case you want to install different cartridge types.

REVIEWING NOTE

Before we get to the sound quality tests, let me confirm that I am reviewing the whole package here. Unlike – say – the recently reviewed Soulines tt9 turntable that does not arrive with a cartridge out of the box, this one does. As do most turntables at this price point.

So that means I am not comparing the turntables with a single reference cartridge. That would badly skew the final rating. In fact, it constitutes a mod. I am not modding this turntable or any of the reference packages under examination here. For each featured turntable here, you are purchasing a turntable, arm and cartridge. A cartridge that most people will never change during the life of the turntable itself. So this is an out of the box review. This review reflects the price you pay. And that price includes the cartridge.

SOUND QUALITY

To begin then I wanted to look at a turntable from the same manufacturer, from the same family, in fact. So I grabbed the lower-cost LP5x. Sure, the LP7x should sound better, in every way. But stranger things have happened. Even if the LP7x is superior, I’d like to know in what ways and by how much.

VS AUDIO-TECHNICA LP5x

So is the LP7x sonically superior to the LP5x? Oh yes. In every way possible.

Based on a stronger and more confidant bass display, the bass guitar has a greater presence and a more significant role in the music as does percussion which is tonally more accurate. But that’s not all, the soundstage has great depth around the stereo image, vocals offer better focus and a more emotional presentation while treble and upper mids offer more fragility.

VS REGA RP3

I moved from the LP5x to the Rega RP3. Sure, it’s not a Planar 3 but the RP3 still retains the same basic personality.

During play, the RP3 offered greater clarity around the mids and upper mids with more air and space around the treble areas. I point my finger at the excellent Rega tonearm for the midrange and treble performance. The LP7x was certainly no slouch in these areas but the Rega had the edge. Then again, the LP7x provided a superior bass response. Tighter, more precise with better focus. I blame the rather lightweight plinth of the Rega and I’m not a fan of Rega’s glass plinth, either. The LP7x provided better plinth and platter support for bass. Overall, even though the Rega had the upper frequency edge, the LP7x provided an overall better overall balance during play. Offering superior bass and a very creditable upper frequency performance.

That conclusion actually sounded very similar to another turntable I have reviewed in the past, the Pro-Ject Debut EVO 1. So I drafted in the EVO 1 to see how it handled the LP7x.

PRO-JECT EVO 1

It’s interesting, the LP7x sounds like Audio-Technica’s version of Pro-Ject’s EVO 1. The sonic personality is very similar. It’s actually quite difficult to prise apart in terms of which one is better. Forced to choose though, I would say that the EVO 1 has a slight edge across the entire frequency spectrum but the LP7x offers a better build quality plus a superior interface: the plinth controls are easier to use and I like the VTA option.

I prefer the tonearm clip on the LP7x while the EVO 1 doesn’t include one while the included phono amplifier option on the LP7x provides a useful addition for those on a tight budget. The LP7x wins out in terms of available facilities.

CONCLUSION

I loved the Audio-Technica LP7x. For Audio-Technica 120x and LP5x turntable owners, as just two examples, the LP7x is a definite upgrade option, a real no brainer.

I also think the LP7x’s overall sonic balance means that it competes very well in this price point, add the easy-to-use and useful features and controls and you’ve got a great overall package that any vinyl fan should consider and consider very closely indeed.

AUDIO-TECHNICA LP7x TURNTABLE

Price: £699/€799

Website: www.audio-technica.com

GOOD: bass control, good upper frequency performance, controls and features

BAD: nothing