There are several factors to consider before purchasing a new turntable or record player. Before pulling the trigger, think about the following things:
Price Range
There’s definitely a lot of truth in that old saying you get what you pay for. That being said, you can fully appreciate your vinyl collection on less expensive record players. There are two price levels that we like to target for different reasons.
Turntables under $100
These record players under $100 fall into the value category that most people are comfortable investing especially at the beginning of their journey into record collecting. These turntables, especially the audit technical and Sony models, are very reliable and will definitely put the needle on the record and let you pop up the volume. The downside of this range includes the fact that will be sacrificing some sound quality. Unless you are a serious audiophile, however, it might not even be noticeable. Another drawback is the inability to upgrade individual components of these record players. Here are a few good examples:
Audio-Technica LP60 ($99)
Jensen JTA-230 3 Speed ($99)
Turntables under $500
The next level of price points brings us to the $300-$500 range. The record players that fall into this category are the perfect area for beginner audiophiles. The sound quality from these turntables will be noticeably higher than the record players that are less than $100. These turntables are designed to allow upgradable components such as cartridge, belt, stylus, etc. Here are a few that we recommend along with average retail prices.
Pro-Ject Essential II ($299)
U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus ($299)
Denon DP-300F ($319)
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon ($389)
Rega RP1 Turntable ($445)
Music Hall MMF 2.2 2-Speed Audiophile Turntable ($449)
Audio Technica ATH-LP5 ($500)
