The STR8-30 is the lowest end direct drive turntable that Stanton currently offers. If you go any lower than this you’re hitting the STR8-20 which is belt driven. In fact, the only differences between the 30 and the 20 are that the 20 is belt driven and it weighs 1.1 Kg less than the 30.

Features:
While the STR8-30 is a decent turntable for the money, that’s just it. When buying TTs you’ll always get more for your money, and with the STR8-30 being priced at around $150 you know these aren’t the top of the line model. I must stress that these tables are for BEGINNERS ONLY. And rest assured that you’ll grow out of them fast. The low torque and stiff pitch fader with a slow response were not noticeable at first, but this is simply because these were the first turntables I ever touched. Comparing these to a decent Technics turntable would be like comparing an 89 Honda Civic to a Ferrari. But maybe I’m making these sound too bad. I’ll say this; after 3 months on the STR8-30s I got my first go at a pair of Technics 1200 MK2s and the difference blew my mind. To think that the Technics table was made to flow like butter while the STR8-30 was made very stiff and rigid was astounding. Anyway, let’s take a look at what $150 will get you:

A skip resistant straight aluminum tonearm.
A Stanton 500 B cartridge.
A standard aluminum platter.
A standard slip mat.
+/- 10% pitch control.

These don’t seem to offer much, so I decided to see what Stanton had to say about these tables themselves. Here are a few things they say on the website: “The STR8-30 is Stanton’s new entry-level direct-drive turntable.”, “…is an excellent choice for DJs on a budget”. First things first, if you’re a DJ on a budget then you save some more until you can get a decent pair of TTs that’ll perform to your liking. Of course if all you’re going to do with these is the occasional mixing and some small gigs where you don’t have to do much then yeah, these are some great TTs for the money. But as you can see, here on DJF we’re all looking for a little more than putting a record on a platter, placing the needle and hitting the start button.

But most of the disappointment in these tables came AFTER I experienced other tables and other more critical DJs who spin on better or higher end tables. So let’s take a look at what struck me originally when I first experienced these tables. The design of these is spectacular, the on/off switch being placed on top of the strobe is a plus especially when compared to tables where simply lifting the needle will turn them on or off. The start/stop button is large and round, very easy to hit, no searching for it, but it won’t be in your way, you won’t just accidentally hit it while mixing or spinning. While this table only offers 33 and 45 rpm, these buttons are nicely placed. Although they are close to the platter, they stay nicely away from accidental finger slips. The needles were a big plus for me. The 500B cartridge is very nice in my eyes. It isn’t top of the line but it’s still durable and even with some pretty old cables linking my mixer to my amp the sound was great. These tables are hard to skip, it takes quite a bounce to make the needle jump and this really impressed me.

Overall:
Overall these aren’t the worst turntables you could ever buy, but if you’re a serious DJ then they definitely are not the best you’ll buy. If you are strapped for cash like me then save your money a little longer. Going from low end to middle is definitely a big step and saving just a bit more money will definitely put you in middle quality turntable range. If there is one thing that Stanton gets right on the money it’s design and anti-skip. Let’s just hope that in the future they can produce something a little more high quality for the low-end market as they do for the middle market.

Ratings: (1 lowest- 5 highest)
Motor/Torque: 2
Durability: 4
Features: 1
Price: 4
Overall: 2

Specs:
+ / - 10 % pitch control
Strobe indicator.
Aluminum Platter.
Aluminum tone arm.
Comes with a dust cover and slip mat
Power: AC 115/230V~,50/60Hz
Dimensions: 450 x 350 x 140 mm
Weight: 4.6Kgs

More info: http://www.stantonmagnetics.com

written by: Ryn