Stanton ST.150 Turntable with Cartridge and S-Shaped Tone Arm

Ever wondered what it would be like if a CDJ and turntable had a lovechild? You're basically looking at it (DON'T even mention the Numark CDX...it's not anywhere near this) I'd been a CDJ user for a long time, with a brief fling with some less-than-stellar entry level Gemini turntables. I knew how to mix on vinyl, but generally preferred the CDJ for its added features, reliability, etc etc. Well I started growing bored with my setup, and I wasn't spinning as much as I used to, so I sold off everything and bought two of these with a Traktor Kontrol Z2 mixer. I considered a pair of Tech 1200s, however at the absurd price people were asking for a set of used ones, and these proved to be a better deal ($373 per table from Amazon Warehouse Deals). Since everyone compares almost any set of TTs to the iconic Technics 1200, I'll follow suit and use it as a reference point. Torque: Plenty on tap, more than the 1200. Adjustable start/stop times (to give you that slow spin-up/spin-down sound if wanted). Durability: I have a feeling this thing could stop a bullet. Heavily damped, never had a problem with vibration. Of course, this is also a bedroom setup and I haven't put this thing on a subwoofer with 1200W going through it, so take that with a grain of salt. However according to info I read elsewhere online while researching this table, this thing is considerably more dampened than a 1200, however this comes with some extra weight (Technics are roughly 30lbs, these suckers are 45lbs a POP). If you're putting them in a coffin, be ready for a workout. I opted for individual cases for just this reason when I travel with them. All in all, for basic playback operation, you're looking at something pretty close to the 1200. However these are considerably newer than the 1200s, and as such, have a lot of modern features available that really allow this turntable to shine over the 1200, in my opinion at least. Line preamp: This is perhaps the best thing anyone has come up with for DJ turntables. I can't stand walking into a club, setting up the house Techs, and realizing one of the ground lines is jacked up, or someone screwed up trying to ground it internally and just left it there. Not a problem with this bad boy. There is a built in digital line preamp available that boosts the phono input to a line level signal. These tables are also internally grounded, something that I would have done via mod to a set of 1200s anyway, so this was an added perk. However this is only the half of it. With this line preamp, it enables you to do all sorts of nifty things like pitch lock, key lock, and oh, you know...+/- 50% PITCH BEND. This lets you do all sorts of nifty tricks with track tempo. The standard +/- 8% is still available, as well as +/- 25. After being on CDJs for so long, the wide pitch bend feature has probably been my favorite. Stop/start buttons on either side, so whether you have them in standard or battle position, reaching the stop/start shouldn't be a problem. A Stanton 680 cartridge comes with the turntable, and for a stock cart/needle combo, it's not half bad. I use these with timecode records and Traktor Scratch Pro 2, so at the moment can't attest to how they sound when playing straight vinyl. As a DJ/scratch cart though, it does pretty well. Die-hard turntablists will probably replace it with the classic M44, but for people like me just starting their foray into vinyl, it'll serve just fine as a starting point. Also, saving an extra $100 on not having to buy a needle/cart combo was a bonus for me. Finally, this table will spin 33, 45, and 78rpm records. A 45 adapter comes with the table, however there is no slot on the table to put the adapter when not in use like there is on a 1200. I have no 45s, so this was a non-issue for me. The fact that it has a 78 option I thought was a pretty cool perk. Let's go to the Con's now: One thing I liked on the 1200s and my old Geminis was the ability to put a spare cart in the corner of the table as a place to hold it. No such luck on these, but no big issue. I don't have a spare set anyways! This final part actually is a legitimate issue, and has been brought up in multiple reviews of this turntable: The ST-150 does NOT ship with a dust cover, nor is there an aftermarket one made, at least to my knowledge. "It's ok though, I'll just wipe it off occasionally" you say. This sucker attracts dust like crazy. I have to gently pull the dust out of the needles just about every session. Find a way to cover this thing, because it'll look like a massive 45lb dust bunny otherwise. Despite these shortcomings, I love this table so much that none of the cons I listed were enough for me to deduct a star. All in all for DJ use, this thing is just as good if not better than a Tech 1200. If I had to do it again, I'd probably choose this one over the 1200. For strict playback, it's almost identical, but the march of technology has given the Stanton a few extra bells and whistles that some people will love (myself included) and some people could care less about. For those looking for old school playback with new school features, you would be hard pressed to find a better turntable.

The movers wrecked my vintage Kenwood KP 2022A TT, so I ordered this as a replacement with the insurance money. I looked at Project Debut Carbon & Music Hall, but in the end I discovered that only the Stanton has a removable headshell. Since I use different cartridges for different applications; this is a MUST!!! Try holding the arm & messing around with tiny screws to change catridges on the others, let alone aligning them! This is one heavy mother & solidly made too. The double boxes (factory) took a bit of abuse from the shippers, but great styrofoam inside saved it from at least one puncture all the way through. The setup instructions are failry terrible but I got'er done with special care throughout. I'm not real sure what the 2gr weight on the headshell is for & it seems that you need to back the counterweight almost all the way back to get it balanced. I may remove it & rebalance, as I see no use for it at all, unless maybe the DJ's need it, but I'm far from that. Fortunately it just unscrews so I can put it back if required. On the test LP's the sound is great, but I haven't compared to anything directly yet. If I can get the old Kenwood fixed I'll see. The 680 cartridge sounds good compared to what I remember from my Shure M95HE. I REALLY like the options for output & the "secret" grounding switch that is not mentioned anywhere. Using phono out I needed it switched "off" & line out "on" to get rid of some humm??? I also like the little "needle light" which helps see if there is any dust or lint on the needle before you let it down. All in all, maybe I should have moved sooner so I could enjoy the new technology. Lots of switches & buttons to play with too! The only bad thing is that it's fully manual, but I'll get used to that. I used to manually cue with the Kenwood, but an auto return would be nice in case you get "busy" before the side is done. Any 65 year old DJ's out there look out!

Some features not mentioned in the manual, Stanton web site or other reviewers. 1 The underside of the platter is a thick coating of vibration dampening rubber. 2 The top deck is 1/4 inch steel plate and 3 the sides and underside are rubberized to dampen vibration and give grip to make handling easier. 4 The cartridge is a 680v3 now and for stylus pressure in audiophile use should be adjusted without the 2g weight on the headshell.. I am an audiophile and recently tried a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon believe me it couldn't compare to the 150 in any respect. The Debut was delicate and unstable. The 150 is Gibraltar solid and completely silent. All controls have a solid feel. For those who want to know Stanton informed me that the digital out was off of the line level out not the phono so its bandwidth is limited as a result. A good external phono amp should be used in audiophile applications. I adjusted stylus pressure to 3.5g then checked it with my Pro Scale LC50 and the scale read 3.52g so the counter balance is very accurate. The 680v3 stylus picks up little Lp surface noise but I will be using my Shure M97xe. I recommend replacing the felt mat meant for scratching with a rubber one which will facilitate cleaning records more easily. I recommend using the stanton headshell for other cartridges to ensure good electrical connection since using an Audio Technica shell proved a poor connection. Stanton customer service has been very good. I have received detailed answers to my 4 phone calls. The Pro Scale LC50 is available from [...]. They gave me great customer service as well . 2/12/13 to overcome hum dont bother with a hum destroyer which I tried. Use a good external phono preamp and do not ground it. Switch the ground lift to lift position. Then run an insulated wire from the ground post or a screw on the center back of your receiver or preamp to the ground on a metal power conditioner (surge arrestor) I own a Monster power conditioner. If your surge arrestor does not have a ground post use a screw on the metal chasis of the arrestor. This completely eliminated all hum for me and I now hear only silence at max volume (no record playing of course). If this does not work instead of grounding to your arrestor ground directly to the wall receptacle. Throw the breaker off first. The only reason I didnt give 5 stars was the hum problem and Stantons rudeness the last time I called. Make no mistake about it I would not own any other turntable in the under $800 price point and I have reviewed all the offerings in this range. I called Stanton about the problem and now I was treated rudely They told me the table was defective and to ship it to California for service!.

Not a dj , just a record lover, especially old records ie. 78's and edison's but also like 33's & 45's too . So I needed a turntable to play all types of records well, one that was built to last. The Stanton ST-150 has proved to be more than up to the task. If I could give it 10 stars I would , it's built like a tank and now I can play every type of record I own on one turntable ! Just have to change to the appropriate stylus. The weight of this turntable and platter makes it very stable. The three pitch settings of 8% 25% and 50 % along with it's fine tuning sliding scale of 12 allow you to adjust the RPM's to play just about any record at it's proper speed. The motor is extremely powerful , which is great news for spinning edison's that can challenge some other turntables , but the ST-150 handles them with ease. If you like playing records of all RPM speeds this turntable is simply outstanding ! I've used this turntable for about 2 months now and I like listening to all RPM types of records on it ! I would recommend this turntable to anyone who wants to enjoy listening to their historical recordings of edison's and 78's up to their latest 45's. Simply put the Stanton ST-150 will play them all and make them sound their best for their condition ! In reference to the hum that some other reviewers noted I too had that issue for about 30 seconds , until I plugged both the turntable and receiver into the same outlet. Once plugged into the same outlet no more hum . If you choose the Stanton ST-150 I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Now back to playing some vintage discs !

This beautiful, responsive turntable is suited for hiphop DJs and other experienced users of high end turntable, not so much for the casual listener like myself perhaps. It starts and stops instantly, since it is belt less, and has a few incomprehensible controls that seem to be catering to the needs of scratchers and mixers that are entirely superfluous for the player of music to enjoy music. It sounds nice, especially since I bought a decent cartridge to replace the stock DJ-style cartridge it comes with. Replacing a cartridge is difficult, requiring tiny wires to be wrenched out of tight connections, and then jammed back in. I had to use a needle nose pliers to remove some of them. Tiny screws need to be removed and replaced, and they are easy to lose. There is a 2 gram weight screwed into the top of the cartridge carrier that I still haven't really understood, about which I'll say more in the setup problems I found. Setting up this turntable seemed to be almost impossible, if one follows the vague, almost incomprehensible instructions they provide. There is a separate weight that needs to be installed on the end of the tone arm. Fine. But it slides on the tone arm and can be positioned almost randomly anywhere, without any indication I could see or feel as to where it needs to be positioned. I spent days trying to figure out where they expected this weight to be positioned. In one positions, the needle would go straight upward, in another, it went down. Finding the position that allowed it to float freely, neither up or down, was impossible until I removed the 2 gram weight. Once I balance it, I was able to reinstall the weight and make all the calculations about how heavy I wanted my weight to be - I simply guessed than between 2.5 and 3 grams would be sufficient. I think I adjusted the anti-skate correctly, but am still unsure. What I realized is that the manufacturer of this turntable has no interest in providing any guidance for anyone interested in any use for this turntable but scratching and mixing records. This is probably why you can't turn the damn thing off all the way unless you dig around deep behind it to a very well hidden switch, which, if you don't keep your turntable on anything but a surface where it is easy to reach around the back and under it, you will never turn it off as long as you own it. If I were sophisticated enough to judge the sound quality, I would weigh in on it, but I feel like I bought the wrong turntable for my needs.

All I have to say is that if you have ever had the chance to use a technics 1200 turntable, then you would understand why this is garbage compared to the original. Take my advice and invest in the pioneer 1000. They got it right.

This turntable is garbage compared to the technics. When you try and scratch with this platter the needle moves all over the place. People are saying to put paper in between the pivot of the spindle on the rear of the arm. What the heck! You should not need to do anything on a brand new piece of equipment. I will get my $ 700.00 back and take my chance on a used 1210. I say until stanton gets it right, bring back the old 680 cartridges and leave the turntables to someone else. Very disapointing stanton

I have been a dj for 10 years now and swore by my Technics. They were a solid turntable, but they did have some flaws. The flimsy ground wire was one, as well as minor stability issues. The Stanton on the other hand has noe of those issues. It has more torque than the 1200's, grounded wires that are removeable which allows for better sound quality with different cables. Its heavier than the 1200 which means grenades could go off by it and it won't budge. Overall I couldn't be happier with these tables.

Such a great turntable. Stability, Torque, Pitch, everything about this turntable is the best. much recommended

I managed to buy one of these for what I thought was (at the time) a steal - £120. I have been the happy owner of a pair of SL1200mk2's since 1994. I read that the Stanton ST-150/STR8-150's were far superior and had significantly more torque. Due to a project I am working on I decided to buy one and having messed with it, I now feel I am in a position to review it - If not compare it. Firstly, this turntable was no doubt designed around the SL1200. It is an OEM unit (a rebadged item sold to be rebranded) and made by a Taiwanese company called Hanpin. Hanpin produce the same turntable with minor tweeks for Audio Technica, Reloop, American Audio and now Pioneer! Technics is the high end audio subsidiary of Panasonic, they have a team with a great pedigree and large budget that develops the high end audio-visual lines made in Japan - The SL series of turntables were originally designed for a very demanding customer - The audiophile. Now, a Taiwanese OEM turntable should'nt be an issue, as a lot of great stuff comes from there. However, the turntables are not spec'd and are made for a wide market, manufacturers with different budgets/buying power and they are also manufactured off site where there are often quality compromises and, well... There are a lot. The SL's have a well designed cast aluminium plinth which intricately holds the internals. It is then bolted to a thick molded nitrile type base which makes the SL's truly bombproof and give them the excellent damping characteristics. Hanpin went for the "Heavy means quality" trick. It's 16kg heavy - 5kg more than an SL and only due to a 10mm mild steel plinth! Not necessarily bad but having unscrewed mine from the cheap rubberised plastic base, it is just a flat plate which any hobbyist could acquire and tap a few holes in. I could go on with the internals but pictures speak a thousand words. Sound wise the Hanpin is ok, it incorporates the same brushless motor technology patented by Technics in the 70's but I don't think its Quartz drive which the Japanese (and Technics) pioneered. The platter is not flat, it's badly cast, not machined (there is a video of this elsewhere on the net). The torque is indeed good but I'm not sure if it's a significant difference to the SL as I think its just start up torque. The tonearm lets it down, again no comparison to the SL - It's clunkier, the bearing is poor and made from cast parts unlike some of the machined aluminium parts on the SL's. I like the removable LED target light, speed and pitch settings 33, 44 and 78 some little neat features like start and stop speed and reverse, but along with the digital out I can only think this is where the cost and development went - The bells and whistles. Everything else was done on the cheap - Including the all important tonearm. After owning it for a few weeks a hum developed - regardless of ground lift and phono/line select. After doing some googling I found its a common fault. Unfortunately as I bought mine used I do not have a warranty to fall back on. The verdict; It is an expensive but cheaply made clone that uses Technics patented technology, it has been designed for the DJ, unlike the SL's which were crafted for audiophiles. It fails on the fundamentals that got the SL's the reputation they have - Quality design. It could be so much better with the extra bells and whistles but Hanpin wouldn't be making it and it wouldn't cost £500.00. It's also worth noting the warranty is very limited (30 days on moving parts) and unlike Panasonic, Stanton's support is very limited in the U.K. - No stores, limited spare parts and no schematics available. If you want a turntable like the Technics SL1200/1210 save and buy a used one, they are a reliable investment. I hope this helps you make an informed decision.