Question: How do I set up my AT-LP60 turntable? Answer: Audio-Technica offers a variety of turntables that differ slightly in operation and features. The AT-LP60 turntable is a popular choice for casual listening. One reason for this popularity is the turntable’s fully-automatic operation, which allows the user to put on the record, press play, walk away and enjoy the analog sound. Proper setup of the turntable is, of course, important, but the AT-LP60 has a fairly simple setup process, so you’ll be up and running in no time. Audio-Technica AT-LP60 Turntable Setup Belt and tone arm setup

  1. Carefully remove the turntable from the packaging and verify that all of the parts and accessories are present. You should have:
    1. Turntable with dust cover and pre-installed cartridge and stylus
    2. Die-cast aluminum platter with the drive belt attached to the bottom ring of the platter.
    3. Audio-Technica slip mat, 45 RPM adapter, two stereo audio adapter cables, and the user manual.
  2. Place the platter on the turntable’s center spindle, making sure the platter is fully seated.
  3. Rotate the platter by hand until the large rectangular opening with the red ribbon is positioned in the upper left corner of the turntable, also known as the “10 o’clock” position. This will expose the brass colored motor pulley. (Note: make sure you are exposing the brass pulley and not the white plastic post at the “2 o’clock” position.)
  4. While holding the platter steady, remove the tape holding the red ribbon to the platter, then use the ribbon to guide the drive belt (attached to the underside of the platter) over the brass motor pulley. Make certain the belt is properly seated on the motor pulley so it is riding in the pulley’s groove. This is important to ensure that the turntable operates at the proper speed. Also, verify that the belt is not twisted on the motor pulley.
  5. Once the belt is properly installed on the motor pulley, you may remove and discard the red ribbon.
  6. Place the slip mat on the platter and (with the tone arm still fastened to its rest) rotate the platter ten times in the clockwise direction. This is to make certain the automatic mechanism is fully cycled.
  7. Remove the plastic tie that is securing the tone arm to its rest and discard the plastic tie.
  8. While holding the tone arm in the rest position, carefully remove the plastic stylus guard by slowly pulling the guard forward. Be careful not to damage the stylus. If the stylus does come off, you may refer to this previous blog post to learn how to reinstall the stylus.
Connection setup
  1. Connect the turntable’s permanently attached power cord to an AC outlet with the proper voltage for the AT-LP60 you are using. The voltage of the AT-LP60 can be found on the label located at the rear of the turntable.
  2. Connect the RCA (red and white) plugs to your desired playback device (commonly a stereo receiver or powered speakers).
    1. If connecting to inputs on a stereo receiver specifically labeled “PHONO,” move the switch on the rear of the turntable to PHONO. This bypasses the turntable’s internal RIAA magnetic phono preamp, which isn’t needed since the stereo receiver’s PHONO input has the same RIAA magnetic phono preamp.
    2. If connecting to any other input on a stereo receiver (Aux, Line, Tape, CD, etc.) or connecting directly to powered speakers, move the switch on the rear of the turntable to LINE. This engages the turntable’s internal RIAA magnetic phono preamp. You may need to use the included adapters to convert the RCA connection to a 3.5 mm connection depending on the input on your specific device. Refer to our previous post on connecting to speakers to see how the adapters can be used.
The video below covers these same setup instructions along with helpful visual representation. It is that easy! Sit back, put a record on, press the Start button on the front of the turntable and enjoy! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Audio Solutions Department.