The rubber mat is an upgrade from the RT80's felt mat, though they both have a built-in preamp. It's a manual turntable, so you'll have to get used to dropping the needle on your own, but it does offer an auto-stop function at least. “I love the sleek knob that easily changes the RPM and speed of the record, so you can switch between them easily," Chaney says. The turntable boasts a sleek-as-hell design, which is available in three finishes: piano black, piano white, and walnut.
(Just FYI: you'll need a preamp. We've got one down at the bottom.)
The Best Budget Turntable: AudioTechnica AT-LP60X
From college radio booths and beyond, the AudioTechnica brand is a perennial favorite of audiophiles. “This is the industry standard starter turntable,” Hahn says, calling it a “solid value." If you're trying to get into turntables, $149 is probably the least you'll want to spend, and it's not so expensive that you have to commit to it if you suddenly fall out of love with vinyl. Hahn is a fan of this beginner model because it has a built-in preamp, automatic play feature, and small footprint for squeezing onto a media shelf.
This specific model does not have a Bluetooth connection for syncing your music up to your speakers remotely, but the sister model AudioTechnica AT-LP60XBT does for slightly more money. Another downside: The diamond stylus is replaceable, but the cartridge is not, which means if you want to upgrade your turntable down the line, you'll have to spring for a totally new unit rather than upgrading specific components.
The Best Upgrade Turntable: Technics SL-1500C
Technics
SL-1500C Turntable
Public Records uses various iterations of the Technics SL-1200 turntable, Harris says, because “to date, no other producer of turntables tops Technics' stability and pitch control.”
Hahn agrees with the Technics praise, but calls the Technics SL-1500C model the best upgrade turntable as it's essentially the “hi-fi sibling" to the SL-1200 line, which for decades has been industry standard for DJs and record producers. The SL-1500C has a similar direct-drive motor as the SL-1200s, but takes things much further in terms of construction and custom-machined parts, which have less to do with getting the best sound but making sure the build quality is superb.
The high-end turntable has an auto-stop function, and the brand actually implemented that feature into the base of the tonearm, which Technics says “eliminates impacts to the tonearm." If there is anything not-so-superb about this model, it's the 2M Red Cartridge, which Hahn calls “basic” for a model of this price point. The fix? The $189 2M Blue cartridge for even better sound quality.
The Best Midrange Turntable: Rega Planar 1
Since the '70s, UK-based brand Rega has been producing some of the world’s best hi-fi products. The Rega Planar 3 is especially raved-about, but it’s also much, much more expensive than this more mid-tier Planar 1 model, which offers comparable sound quality. Chaney calls the entire brand's range of turntables “unbeatable in their precision to play a record faithfully and with the most accurate sound." And while some shoddier turntables might amplify a turntable's “retro, scratchy warmth,” Chaney says the Planar 1 is primed to retain a record's original quality because of its weight, preset force, and low-vibration motor.
The Best Turntable for Aspiring Audiophiles: Music Hall MMF 1.5.ttl
According to Hahn, the folks at Turntable Lab liked Music Hall's original MMF 1.5 turntable so much, they asked the brand to make one exclusively for them. “We picked this model because at this price point, it's rare to get all the features we look for: a real wood body, a high-quality S-shaped tonearm, and the Ortofon Silver cartridge, which retails for over $100 on its own,” he says. That S-shaped tonearm is great because it has anti-skate adjustment, so it doesn't drift (or “skate”) to the center of the record. It plays three speeds—33⅓ rpm, 45 rpm, and 78 rpm—which are easily controlled by a knob, and for the price point is a well-designed turntable with the sound quality to match if you're upgrading from a basic AudioTechnica.
The Best-Looking Turntable: Pro-Ject T1 Phone SB
Chaney calls this turntable “the most futuristic of the bunch,” and it's not just because of its sleek, streamlined appearance. The turntable is completely devoid of plastic for an environmentally friendly bed, and made even more striking thanks to its glass platter and wooden plinth elements. Most shoppers look to Pro-Ject's turntables for its looks, but it also has the sound quality to back up the beauty. The minimalist T1 Phono SB isn't the brand's most advanced turntable, but it is one of its best entry-level turntables, since it has a built-in preamp and Bluetooth connectivity for wireless compatibility.
The Best Turntable That Comes in Flashy Colors: U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus
Another attractive option, the U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus has a built-in preamp, which Chaney reminds us is “great for a beginner to drop a record and immediately enjoy great sound.” However, if you already have a preamp, you can opt out of getting one built-in and save $70. The turntable comes equipped with an OA2 gimbal tonearm and a Ortofon OM5E cartridge, which offer precision tracking and high-quality sound, plus an acrylic platter for more detailed playback. This turntable has the most splashy color options—so it's an excellent alternative to those lesser-quality record players we were saying to avoid—"but the quality and sound precision has all the features you want of a new turntable," Chaney explains. In this price range and easily accessible at places like Target, the Audio Orbit Plus is certainly a worthwhile buy.
The Best Turntable for Sonos Lovers: Victrola Stream Onyx
Here in 2020-whatever, it's entirely possible—probable, even—that your home audio system is wireless. Because why run speaker wire if you don't have to? If you're already a card-carrying member of the Sonos brigade, Victrola's Stream Onyx turntable is the simplest answer. Because this turntable is verified by the "Works with Sonos" program, you're guaranteed seamless connectivity with your Sonos speakers. And unlike other turntables that claim to work with Sonos, this one doesn't need an intermediary speaker or piece of hardware.
