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Pros
Cons
Cartridge Audio-Technica AT-VM95C
33/45 speed switch Yes
Onboard preamp Yes
Weight (lbs) 6.4
With a high degree of usability, a refreshed look and engaging sound the Audio-Technica AT-LP70X is the turntable to get if you want great sound without paying too much. The AT-LP70X is so much better than the budget champion AT-LP60X that it's hard to believe there's only $60 between them. If you're choosing between the two, and you can afford it, get the AT-LP70X. It's that good.
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Pros
Cons
Cartridge Audio Technica AT3600L
33/45 speed switch Yes
Onboard preamp Yes
Weight (lbs) 5.7
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 you to add your own preamp. This automatic turntable is a great value and is only pipped by its even-better stablemate.
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Pros
Cons
Cartridge Ortofon OM5E
33/45 speed switch No
Onboard preamp No
Weight (lbs) 11
The Pro-Ject may be pricier than our main pick, 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 AT-LPW40WN (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.
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Pros
Cons
Cartridge Sumiko Rainier
33/45 speed switch Yes
Onboard preamp No
Weight (lbs) 12.4
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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Pros
Cartridge Ortofon 2M Blue
33/45 speed switch Yes
Onboard preamp Optional
Weight (lbs) N/A
The Orbit Theory may look similar to the original Orbit Plus, but this is a vastly superior turntable. Seemingly every component has been upgraded -- from a hardwood plinth to a solid magnesium tonearm -- and U-Turn charges handsomely for these improvements at $999.
The record player is assembled in the US, while the new arm tube is also manufactured here, and the Orbit incorporates almost every "must have" feature (save for automatic operation). The model has adjustable feet, speed control, a nifty tonearm lift and almost everything is preinstalled at the factory. While the package also comes with a felt mat, I found it sounded better without. Placing the record directly on the acrylic platter is also hella cool.
I listened to the Orbit Theory against my reference Rega Planar 3 with a Goldring E3 cartridge, and the Orbit performed surprisingly well. Sound quality was helped enormously by the Ortofon 2M Blue, which exhibited the same sound signature I'd heard before on the Fluance RT-85 and the Project Debut Pro. Only here, with the Orbit Theory, the brightness was better kept in check. Bass was deep and tight, the midrange expressive and detailed, while there was still that treble forwardness that people often associate with digital. The model I received had the optional (and defeatable) $70 phono amp onboard. If you don't have a preamp of your own, it sounds pretty good, though upgrading will pay dividends with better bass.
While the Orbit Plus was a fairly average model for the money, I was impressed with the newest product. So impressed that the supercharged Orbit Theory is now my favorite turntable under $1,000.
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Pros
Cons
Cartridge Sumiko Rainier
33/45 speed switch Yes
Onboard preamp No
Weight (lbs) 13.2
Entry-level turntables are great for people getting into the vinyl hobby, but if you really want to unlock the sound quality encased in your records it's worth upgrading. The Pro-Ject Debut Pro is a high-quality record player offering many usability features the competitive Rega Planar 3 doesn't.
For instance, the Sumiko Rainier cartridge comes preinstalled, and the combination of adjustable feet and electronic speed change are a godsend for user-friendliness. The only tip I would give a potential buyer of this turntable is to buy a stylus force gauge as the "plastic see-saw" in the box is finicky to set the tracking weight correctly.
Once setup is complete, though, the sound the Pro produces simply astonishes. If you've ever heard of vinyl described as "warm," this is definitely not that. When paired with a decent system, a high-quality turntable like the Pro-Ject should sound as good as, if not better, than the equivalent digital file. Through testing, I found the Debut Pro has a way of making even well-worn records sound hi-fi with plenty of high-end detail, an expressive midrange and surprisingly deep bass. If your music needs some pep -- if your records make you sleep rather than dance -- this player is a great way to energize your system. The downside to the Pro-Ject's enthusiastic presentation is that with the "wrong" record, the sound could become a little fatiguing.
When you pair "true hi-fi" performance with day-to-day ease of use and drop-dead good looks I can't think of another turntable apart from the Orbit Theory that can hold a candle to it. That said, it is also worth looking at the pared-back Rega Planar 3, as it offers a touch more sonic subtlety and one of the best tonearms out there.
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Pros
Cons
Cartridge Ortofon 2M Blue
33/45 speed switch No
Onboard preamp No
Weight (lbs) 13.23
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 or more, the Planar 3 sits just 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 a number of different configurations, such as without a cartridge ($1,125), with the Ortofon 2M ($1,364) or with the Rega Elys ($1,395). If you get the bare table you can choose whichever cartridge you want, and a good dealer will fix one without charging installation fees.
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Product | Fluance RT82 | Audio Technica AT-LP60X | Monolith by Monoprice Belt Drive Turntable | Pro-Ject T1 | Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO | Pro-Ject Debut Pro | U-Turn Orbit Theory | Rega Planar 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $300 | $149 | $250 | $449 | $599 | $999 | $999 | $1,399 |
Cartridge | Ortofon OM10 | Audio Technica AT3600L | Audio‑Technica AT‑VM95E | Ortofon OM5E | Sumiko Rainier | Sumiko Rainier | Ortofon 2M Blue | Ortofon 2M Blue |
33/45 speed switch | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
Onboard preamp | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | Optional | ✘ |
Adjustable feet | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
Platter | Metal | Metal | Metal | Glass | Metal | Metal | Acrylic | Glass |
Removable headshell | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Weight (lbs) | 14.1 | 5.7 | 9.7 | 11 | 12.4 | 13.2 | n/a | 13.23 |
Most of the turntable models I've tested for this buyer's guide have at least something to recommend them -- whether it be design, sound quality or both. The following are ranked in order of commendability.
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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. The best designs offer extended bracing and isolation between each of these elements to reduce the noise, which can affect the sound quality of the vinyl. All of these record players offer a belt drive, which further reduces noise over direct-drive designs.
The best turntables feature a user-replaceable cartridge, which allows you to experiment with a higher-quality cartridge (such as an Ortofon 2M Red). Other convenience features to look for include an electronic speed switch (no more removing the platter) and a switchable onboard preamp which enables you to use a better phono stage.
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All of these turntables offer a phono-level output -- an unamplified signal that needs RIAA equalization. I used a combination of gear including a Rotel RA1592 amplifier, Onkyo TX-NR696 and TX-RZ50, Q Acoustics 3050i tower speakers, and the Cambridge Audio Duo preamp.
For receivers and amps that lack phono input, you'll need a phono preamplifier. CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg recommends the $100 Schiit Mani phono preamp as a quality budget option.
Two of the models offered a switchable line-level output -- the Music Hall MMF-1.3 and the Audio-Technica AT-LPW40WN -- and this is handy if you don't have or don't want an external preamp. You can plug these models into anything that accepts RCA cables. I also plugged these two directly into the amplifier and compared them against each other.
It's worth noting that some of the models are unavailable outside North America, such as the Crosley C10A, Music Hall MMF-1.3, Fluance RT82 and the U-Turn Orbit Plus. If you're looking for the best alternative to the Fluance RT82, I would recommend the Pro-Ject T1.
As part of the tests listened to a number of different albums including these four artists: Bob Marley, Slint, LCD Soundsystem and Miles Davis. On each turntable, I listened for bass response (was it boomy or clean?), midrange detail (low-level instruments and echo effects) and high frequencies (were they recessed or too loud?). The best turntables performed well across all genres.
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Music fans have been debating the differences between digital and analog since the introduction of CD in the early '80s. There is no true "winner," as both have their respective strengths. Digital offers ease of use, portability and should sound the same on Day 1 as it does on Day 10,000. Vinyl offers a fuller, richer sound and it's also more fun thanks to its tactile nature. Many people have collections which encompass several formats: streaming, CDs, vinyl records and even cassettes.
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It's worth noting that all of the models I tested come with a dust cover, but in every instance bar the "suitcase" I used them with the lid off. While every other aspect of a turntable is damped, the dust cover usually is not. It's a simple piece of plastic designed to keep dust off your vinyl while not playing music. If left on, it can cause feedback when the volume is up loud enough. It's best to remove the cover before playing a record: Players look and sound better that way.
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While you can spend extravagant amounts on a turntable, the true sweet spot for a record player is around $300. The best models at this price are not simple toys and can be considered true hi-fi. They offer elevated vinyl record sound quality and high-quality components. Unlike cheaper players, spending a bit more on these models will buy you a turntable that's built to last.
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While a turntable like the Pro-Ject Debut Pro could be considered a serious piece of hi-fi, suitcase models like the Crosley Cruiser Deluxe are essentially toys. That's OK, and as long as you treat them as such you shouldn't run into any problems.
Whether turntables like this will destroy your records or not, though, is hotly contested, but the moving parts can be of a fairly basic quality. For example, the stylus on our Cruiser review unit was a chunky plastic/ceramic combo instead of the aluminum/diamond you'd see on almost any other turntable. The stylus itself was also quite large, which could lead to greater wear, and when plugged into a separate hi-fi the player sounded like an AM radio.
The other factor that could lead to damage is that it is typically children who use these suitcase record players, and they aren't as careful with their records as experienced users. While we know people who've used suitcase models without issue, it is worth paying a bit more for a player like the Audio Technica LP60, which offers superior build quality and also sounds better.
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Source: cnet.com