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4 Best Turntables for Vinyl Newbies and Audiophiles Alike
Easy to set up and unpretentious, this is way to go.
Vinyl got a bad rap for a while there. Though you still might find Reddit types who try to one-up you by knowing more obscure blues artists from the American South or avant-garde artists from the pre-war era, it's a pretty welcoming scene now. I mean, you can buy new Taylor Swift albums on vinyl, so yeah, it kind of had to open up.
That said, the world could benefit from getting more into vinyl. Sure, streamed music sounds great coming from nice digital speakers, soundbars, and headphones, but there really is something nice about collecting and listening to vinyl. First, there's just a much more massive breadth of music on vinyl—the fun, kooky shit. Plus, the audio setup process, no matter how rudimentary, makes you feel a bit more connected to your music. It's nice. And to help out anyone entering the vinyl world, we sent our audiophiles on a quest to find the best options out there. This is what they found; this is what you should buy.
Audio Technica AT-LPW50BT-RW
Pros
- Incredibly easy to use
- Supports bluetooth, so you can use existing modern speakers
- Decent quality, a solid turntable
Cons
- Not as fun and analog as other options
This Audio Technica isn't for audiophiles. It's a decent turntable that's admittedly a little bit pricey. But it more than makes up for that with the fact that it has a built in preamp, and it support bluetooth connectivity.
The bluetooth bit is obvious, you can connect this turntable to any of the bluetooth speakers or headphones you already own.
But what's a preamp? Essentially, it's the mediator between turntable and amplifier or speakers; it sort of translates the sound for your speakers. Since the preamp is built into this record player, all you need to do is connect to an amp or speakers, via RCA or aux connection. That makes this speaker a million times easier to use, making it great from new vinyl adopters or those who are just A/V challenged.
Pros
- Great Price
- Clean consistent sound
- Package includes everything needed for set up
Cons
- Doesn't support 78rpm records, if you have a vintage collection of those
We featured this turntable in our Home Design Awards, and since then nothing has really changed for us. For anything that's not vintage or exorbitantly expensive, this is the best on the market.
It looks good, with a sturdy solid wood plinth that has a couple different color options. It's high quality, with a dense acrylic platter, a lovely Nagoka MP-110 phono cartridge, and a convenient auto-stop function. It's a great option for beginners and serious audio freaks alike.
Audio Technica AT-LP60X-BK
Pros
- Great price
- Easy to setup with RCA or bluetooth output
Cons
- Just meant for entry level
Another Audio Technica that's great for beginners. Whereas that first model (the AT-LPW50BT-RW) could be enjoyed by anyone, this is definitely a beginner only turntable.
Again, it has a built-in phono preamp, so it connects directly to a stereo. But, it also does bluetooth connection. It's the type of thing that a lot of vinyl heads hate, but it's a great starting point for those who are starting to enjoy digging through dusty old albums.
For the price, it's an incredible starter option, but don't expect it to grow with you very much.
Pros
- Eases you into all the A/V stuff
- Included speaker is actually not too bad
- Good stylus, sound comes out nice and clear
Cons
- Just a bit lightweight, doesn't feel too luxe
Maybe even external speakers are a bit much for you to set up. Whether it's for space reasons, or just real lack of interest in all the nerdy vinyl-head stuff, this is an incredible no-fuss turntable.
The built in speakers are surprisingly high quality, and they'll be more than adequate for a small apartment. Though if you eventually outgrow them, the built in preamp means you can once again connect straight to your stereo via the RCA output.
What to Know Before Buying a Turntable
So full disclosure, even we aren't on the level of a lot of audiophiles. For that, you can go hit the forums, but you can trust us for an easy-to-buy roundup. Vinyl has become such a massive industry that we looked for record players that could be enjoyed by anyone—valuing ease of setup and looks over nerdy things like stylus options or wow and flutter.
Ease of use - Though being easy isn't the "point" of vinyl, it makes things a lot more enjoyable. We love a turntable with a built in preamp because you can just connect straight to a stereo. And while we might personally draw the line at bluetooth connection, we can't deny it's a huge factor for a lot of consumers.
Looks - Exactly what it sounds like. We don't want are stuff to be ugly. When we're looking at entry-level turntables, this is actually a massive factor.
Sound quality - This is where we have to tamp down our personal audiophile status. Realistically, very few people are going to be able to catch subtle nuances in sound quality. (Lord knows we can't!) What matters is that these turntables have a decent stylus and preamp to give you good sound. All the options here do that.
Analog vs digital - The OG Hipster vinyl resurgence was mainly a pushback against overly digital music... whatever, don't really care. Though we will say, getting into the analog sound weeds can be fun. It's fun to hook things up. It's fun to learn about how sound is made. Beyond that, it's honestly mostly novelty. We won't hate on anyone that wants their turntable to have bluetooth capabilities.
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