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There is something about listening to your favorite tunes on that can’t be beaten — despite the ubiquity of streaming devices. The best record players play sound that is richer, warmer and there’s just something undeniably special about holding a record in your hands.
Luckily, music enthusiasts on the lookout for a new record player have a lot of great options in 2022. Not only can you find , but there are also plenty of affordable, , tải game w88club including vintage record player options and current models with connectivity. Here we’re going to focus on brand-new products, so if you’re a vinyl enthusiast and have at least $100, you can find something decent. The , for instance, is a solid selection for a little over $100.
Superior sound often comes with spending more money, but it’s not necessary: Any of our best record player picks should provide great sound to have you spinning vinyl through the ages. This recently updated guide is divided into two sections: the best turntables between $100 and $1,000 and the best turntables at that $300 sweet spot. If you’re a music lover, dust off your vinyl collection and keep reading.
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How to set up a budget turntable
The best turntables from $100 to $1,000
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Fluance RT82 offers everything you could want except an onboard preamp, so if you have a receiver or amplifier with a dedicated phono input, this is the model to get. I was mightily impressed by the well thought-out inclusions with the Fluance. Auto-start on/off, adjustable feet and even a little bubble-level were designed with the user in mind. This high-quality turntable had one of the most entertaining sounds of the $300 turntables, with plenty of insight into recordings as well as a healthy bass kick.
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Ty Pendlebury/CNET
If you’re just starting out in vinyl or looking for a cheap turntable to give as a gift, the inexpensive Audio-Technica AT-LP60X belt-driven turntable offers the warm sound you’ve heard about. Plus it offers fully automatic operation. It also includes a limited upgrade path with a choice of line or phono output, allowing users to add their own preamp. This automatic turntable option is a great value.
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Sarah Tew/CNET
The Pro-Ject may be a little over $400, but it shows how spending a little more can reap benefits. In terms of sound quality it really can bring out the best in your records. It offers refined treble, an expansive, detailed midrange and supple bass. It looks lovely too with its glass platter — second only in appearance to the Audio-Technica (but the Pro-Ject sounds better). The T1’s only “problem” is that it’s ergonomically awkward — the switch is deep on the left-hand side instead of on the front, and you need to apply a bit of upward force to remove the tonearm from the rest. The Pro-Ject T1 is sometimes on sale for under $300 and it’s a great deal at that price.
Ty Pendlebury/CNET
The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO offers everything you want in a player for the money: excellent sound quality, ease of setup and use, and striking looks. You would have to spend twice as much on another brand (*cough* Rega) to get better sound.
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Ty Pendlebury/CNET
Rega has made turntables for over 40 years, and was the first to develop the lightweight plinth or base that’s now seen in most modern turntables. Even at $1,125 the Planar 3 only sits in the middle of the company’s range, but it’s arguably the best value. It’s also a thing of elegance, with a simple to set up design and the beautiful RB330 tonearm (if you’re into that sort of thing). If you’re a tweaker you can customize almost every part with a wide selection of third-party upgrades. With the right cartridge the Rega Planar 3 offers an exciting, fun sound, while also looking great and just being a complete blast to use. It is highly recommended. (Note that the Rega comes in two versions — without a cartridge for $1,125, or with the Rega Elys installed for $1,395. Get the cheaper one and install whichever cartridge you want. A good dealer will add a new one without charging an installation fee.)
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The best of the rest, around $300
For this section, I’ve chosen a selection of turntables priced around the $300 mark, including the Fluance RT82 listed above. This price level is a sweet spot as these vinyl record players are no longer simple toys, but can be considered true hi-fi: They offer elevated vinyl record sound quality and high-quality components. With an analog or manual turntable, you’ll be constantly removing a vinyl record, moving the tonearm and spinning up an actual motor — so it’s worth spending a bit more for record players that will last.
I also considered record players from the bigger electronics manufacturers, such as , Denon and Yamaha, but didn’t find any around $300 that beat the quality of the ones listed.
Each of the turntable models I tested for this buyer’s guide has at least something to recommend it, but a couple stood above the rest with solid builds, user-friendly features and excellent sound quality. Let’s dive in and check out the top picks for the best record player for around $300.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Among audiophiles the name Crosley has a bad rap, but it still manages to produce some excellent hi-fi models. The C10A is a case in point: It was engineered with help from Pro-Ject, but it offers even more refinement than you may expect from either company (the T1 below excepted). This vinyl record player sounds good, it looks great, and if you can get it under $300, it’s a bargain. We don’t like it quite as much as the Fluance overall, but it’s a solid-runner-up.
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Sarah Tew/CNET
Arriving in the middle of the pack in terms of both build and sound quality, this is a good turntable at a good price range. It had an even-handed response with all types of music but wasn’t as engaging as the Pro-Ject and Fluance tables.
If you’re looking to plug a modern turntable straight into any receiver (that is, one that lacks a phono preamp or phono stage) then this is the model we’d opt for.
Sarah Tew/CNET
With its carbon-fiber tonearm and natural wood veneer plinth, the Audio-Technica was my favorite design, but a mixed bag in terms of sound quality for vinyl. The table was the boomiest sounding model when plugged into the same phono preamplifier as the others. When I tested its own preamp it was much less bassy, though also less exciting, and this was presumably due to a better match with the cartridge.
Though the Music Hall’s onboard preamp sounded better, the Audio-Technica could be the one to get if you want an all-in-one package that also looks great.
Sarah Tew/CNET
There’s no denying the U-Turn Orbit Plus looked striking with its red plinth and acrylic platter. I also appreciate that the tonearm has been upgraded from the with a new gimbal bearing. While it’s better sounding than I remember from the original, the U-Turn couldn’t compete with the sound of the others. It sounded truncated with a lack of extended high frequencies, and on the hardware side the lack of a cue lever felt like a glaring omission. Note that you can also get this model with a built-in preamp for $70 more.
The best record players compared
|
Best overall |
Runner-up around $300 |
Best around $400 |
Best plug and play |
Best design |
Best for newbies |
Best ultra-budget |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Product |
Fluance RT82 |
Crosley C10A |
Pro-Ject T1 |
Music Hall MMF-1.3 |
Audio Technica AT-LPW40WN |
U-Turn Orbit Plus |
Audio Technica AT-LP60X |
|
Price |
$300 at Amazon |
$291 at Amazon |
$429 at Amazon |
$299 at Amazon |
$349 at Crutchfield |
$329 at U-Turn |
$129 at Amazon |
|
Cartridge |
Ortofon OM10 |
Ortofon OM5E |
Ortofon OM5E |
Audio Technica AT3600L |
Audio Technica VM95 |
Ortofon OM5E |
Audio Technica AT3600L |
|
33/45 speed switch |
✔ |
✘ |
✘ |
✔ |
✔ |
✘ |
✔ |
|
Onboard preamp |
✘ |
✘ |
✘ |
✔ |
✔ |
✘ $329, ✔ $399 |
✔ |
|
Adjustable feet |
✔ |
✘ |
✘ |
✘ |
✘ |
✘ |
✘ |
|
Platter |
Metal |
Metal |
Glass |
Metal |
Metal |
Acrylic |
Metal |
|
Removable headshell |
✔ |
✘ |
✘ |
✔ |
✔ |
✘ |
✘ |
|
Weight (lbs) |
14.1 |
12.1 |
11 |
11 |
10.4 |
12.5 |
5.7 |
Above anything else, sound quality is the main reason to upgrade to a better turntable. Compared to an all-in-one design by the likes of Victrola or the cheaper Crosleys, the lack of integrated speakers means the designers can concentrate on things like better motors and upgraded tone-arms. These are hi-fi components that can stand alongside stereo systems worth many thousands of dollars in a way that a $100 turntable can’t.
From left to right: Music Hall MMF-1.3, Fluance RT82, U-Turn Orbit Plus, Audio Technica AT-LPW40WN and Pro-Ject Primary (which is discontinued).
Sarah Tew/CNET
There are four main elements to a turntable: the plinth or base, the platter on which the vinyl record sits, the motor and the arm. Both external and internal noise can affect the sound quality of the vinyl and the idea is to ensure that vibrations don’t travel from one to the other of these components and the vibrations don’t interfere with sound.
All of the $300-ish vinyl record players offer a belt drive design which helps isolate the rumble of the motor from the pickup or stylus. Each turntable also includes either a removable head shell or a replaceable cartridge which allows you to experiment with a higher-quality cartridge (such as an Ortofon 2M Red).
