Review on U Turn Audio Turntable Built Preamp by Mensur Long

Overall, this is a great entry-level desk with a few minor issues that are easy to fix. Setting up Orbit is not a difficult task at all. It's very good if you get this version with a built-in phono stage. The base is durable and has a solid weight. The legs absorb vibrations well. The engine has a shock absorber and has no noticeable rumble. The acrylic disc is much heavier than the Pro-Ject and spins great. The tonearm is nothing fancy, but I find it perfectly competent given the price, and the VTF is easy to set up with a weight at your back if you have a steady hand. All in all, the Orbit is a solid entry-level table that will have you breaking records in no time. However, there are a few things to watch out for, especially if you own expensive records or really care about sound quality. After about 750-1000 hours of listening and tweaking, here are a few simple things I've found to greatly improve the Orbit.1. Check VTF and cartridge alignment. U-Turn levels and calibrates the weight at the factory, but at the volume they sell, they won't take the time to do it as carefully as you do. The alignment on my desk was pretty close, but after a little adjustment there was a noticeable difference. U-Turn also simply sets the VTF to the Ortofon recommended weight, which isn't necessarily the best for tracking or your tonal preferences.2. Take the pins better than the OM5E. It's a great cartridge, but the worst thing about Orbit. The best choice that U-Turn offers directly is 2M Blue. I decided to just upgrade my stylus to OM20 and it's amazing! Choose at least 10 when it's time for a new one if you don't want to upgrade right away. The acrylic sheet is great and sounds best when the records are placed directly on it without a mat. However, U-Turn has calibrated its arm to work best with a 3mm mat. I've been using their cork mat for a long time, but with it you could hear the muting of certain frequencies, not without the mat. Without the mat, Orbit tended to jump where it hadn't jumped before. I bought a Hudson HiFi acrylic mat that solved all my problems right away. We strongly recommend doing this until the U-Turn comes out with a 3mm thicker washer.4. The additional tone arm lever is not really optional. It's a $40 substantial upgrade. It's great that U-Turn kept it as an option to keep the overall cost of the table down, but if you mind your notes and pen then you definitely need a .5. The built-in Pluto preamp itself is a bit lifeless. Sound quality is good, but it won't give you a warm, analog feel on its own. I bought a Schiit Valhalla 2 headphone amp which gives amazing analog sound quality (over 4 tubes), has a volume control and is headphone compatible. Adjustable anti-skating would be awesome. When you get to the middle of the plate you can see the anti-skate fighting the needle pretty hard. This works well enough, but I don't mind softening it up a bit.