Gear

The 9 Best Turntables for Your Vinyl Collection

Looking for fresh indoor hobbies? Why not start a record collection? These entry-level turntables will help you enjoy analog audio at home.

Vinyl's biggest selling point isn't the sound. It's the physical experience: shiny, delicate records; liner notes writ large; covers you want to frame and hang on your wall; and, of course, the way the stylus spins across the jagged surface, reproducing your favorite artists' music as if by magic.

Maybe you've always been interested in building a setup for listening to LPs and 45s, but you don't know where to start. Maybe you're like WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu, who owned a record but no turntable to play it on. Maybe you're just looking for an upgrade. No problem: there are tons of great record players to choose from, and most of them will easily connect to whatever audio system you already own. I've tested quite a few options, and these are my current favorites—from utilitarian, budget-friendly classics to more luxe options for those seeking audiophile-grade sound.

Be sure to check out our other audio guides, including the Best Gear for Learning Music and the Best Podcasting Gear.

Updated June 2021: We've added a new category for “prettiest turntables,” in which we've included the Pro-Ject T1 Houseplant Edition as well as other themed Pro-Ject models.

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  • turntable
    Photograph: Audio Technica

    For Beginners

    Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB

    The LP-120 is the most iconic entry-level turntable for a few reasons: It sounds great, the build is extremely durable, and it can be easily upgraded with fancier components down the road. I like this USB-enabled model because it allows you to plug the device directly into your computer so you can rip your records to MP3 files—great for preserving the playing condition of rarer vinyl finds while still getting to enjoy the music.

    It also comes with a phono preamp built in. This is a necessary component that raises the output signal of a record player so it can be listened to on a modern stereo system, a pair of powered speakers, or a set of headphones. Vintage stereo systems from the 1970s and ’80s often came with phono amps on board, but that feature is rarely found on modern-day audio equipment like digital stereo systems and smart speakers. So the inclusion of a preamp like the one on the LP-120 makes the record player compatible with the majority of stereos from every era right out of the box. Just plug it into anything with standard RCA (red and white) inputs or a USB port, and you're good to go.

    $279 at Amazon
    $279 at Sweetwater
  • Photograph: Audio Technica 

    For Tight Budgets

    Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT

    If you only plan to occasionally spin records, or if money is really tight, I recommend this cheaper Audio-Technica Turntable with Bluetooth. It easily pairs with our favorite Bluetooth speakers, which makes it great for setups where wires might be an issue. You can, of course, plug it into an actual stereo (it has a built-in phono preamp) to get the best analog audio, as anything sent over Bluetooth has been digitally converted and may not sound its best. But even running wirelessly, the LP60 does the job for most people who are just (ahem) scratching the surface.

    $149 at Amazon
    $150 at Best Buy
  • Photograph: Fluance

    For Classy Looks

    Fluance RT81 Turntable

    The Fluance RT81 sounds great, but I like it for a more shallow reason: It's beautiful. The wood-grain body and shiny metal components absolutely ooze class even though it sells for a still-manageable price. The last place I saw one? In a lawyer's house. Like the two turntables before, this one also comes with a built-in phono preamp, making plug-and-play listening very easy no matter what type of stereo you've got. We're also testing and really like the RT80, which doesn't have the wood veneer and includes some cheaper components but is just as simple to operate—and costs $50 less!

    $250 at Fluance
    $250 at Amazon
  • Photograph: Pro-Ject Audio Systems

    Best Sound for the Money

    Pro-Ject Audio Debut Carbon Evo

    It might seem backward that the turntable offering the best sound for the money is also the most expensive on this list, but bear with me. The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo sounds magnificent. Turntables don't get simpler than this; the Dubut Carbon doesn't have any of the bells and whistles you'll find elsewhere on this list. Pro-Ject instead opts for high-quality components arranged in the simplest configuration possible, like a carbon-fiber tonearm, a custom TPE-damped metal platter, and a house-made cartridge that typically retails for $150 alone.

    Downsides? The platter doesn't automatically stop spinning when the needle reaches the end of a record's side, so you'll have to stand up, walk over, and return the tonearm to its cradle a few times every hour. You'll also have to buy an external phono preamp (I like this one) or connect it to a stereo equipped with a phono input, since it doesn't come with a preamp built in.

    $500 at Pro-Ject
    $499 at Amazon
  • Photograph: Rega

    Also Amazing

    Rega Planar 1

    The Planar 1 is similar to the Debut Carbon Evo in its simplicity but offers even more premium components. There's a special motor that reduces music-muddying vibrations, and a high-mass spinning platter to keep your record stable and rumble-free throughout your listening. It's spendy, but this is widely considered to be among the best turntables under $1,000. It will definitely last you decades if you treat it properly. Like the other higher-end models on this list, the Planar 1 doesn't have a phono preamp built in, so you'll need to provide your own.

    $475 at Amazon
    $475 at Turntable Lab
  • Photograph: U-Turn Audio

    For a Modern Flair

    U-Turn Orbit Plus

    The clear, acrylic platters and bright colors of U-Turn's Orbit Plus may not appeal to everyone's taste, but the unit does showcase many of the biggest trends in turntables: great sound, sleek design, and a (relatively) affordable price. I like the way the Orbit Plus has you change speeds between 33 and 45 revolutions per minute, something you do when switching between larger, long-playing records and smaller, single-song records: you physically move the belt that spins the platter, lifting it from one rung of the motor to the other. It's like switching from the larger gear to the smaller gear on your bicycle's front chainring. Plus, it looks really cool to have an exposed belt spinning your tunes. There's no phono preamp on this one, so hook it up to a vintage stereo or save a few extra bucks to buy an external preamp.

    $289 at U-Turn Audio
  • Photograph: Sony

    For Ripping Records

    Sony PS-LX310BT

    This Bluetooth- and USB-enabled turntable features fully automatic playback. That means the stylus will lift and return itself to a resting position when it detects one side of a record is done. This makes it an awesome choice for ripping music from vinyl records to digital files you can play your computer. Rather than constantly watching for when a record needs flipping, just set it and forget it.

    $200 at Best Buy
  • Photograph: Houseplant

    Pretty Colors

    Pro-Ject Audio T1 BT

    Pro-Ject makes some of our favorite sounding turntables, but they also have a knack for creating some of the prettiest special edition decks. Reviews editor Julian Chokkattu tested (and loved the looks of) this limited version of the T1 BT turntable released in collaboration with Seth Rogan's cannabis brand, Houseplant. But this special edition is hardly the company's only cool-looking turntable.

    Pro-Ject has also done collaborations with The Beatles, Hard Rock Cafe, and various other visual and musical artists as part of its Artist Collection. You can't always find these for sale at retailers, though they're usually available on aftermarket sites like Ebay if you're desperate. Still, if you're looking for an especially cool-looking turntable, keep your eyes peeled for other Pro-Ject special editions.

    $429 at Amazon
    $450 at Houseplant
  • Photograph: McIntosh

    Instant Perfection

    McIntosh MTI100

    If you've got oodles of cash and no desire to mess with a separate amp, phono stage, and turntable, this behemoth from legendary audio brand McIntosh is what you're looking for. The turntable features an onboard tube preamp and solid-state power amp stage, allowing you to drop a record on the deck, plug in a pair of speakers, and immediately have a self-contained and singularly astonishing hi-fi experience.

    It's a McIntosh; the US-made gear from the beloved brand has been proven to last a lifetime and then some. Also, those fancy green tubes are almost the same color as the money this thing costs a heinous amount of, so you'll never forget what you spent on it.

    $6,500 at McIntosh
  • Photograph: Art Pro Audio

    Vinyl Listening Accessories and Tips

    Other Stuff You'll Want

    Apart from powered speakers or unpowered speakers and stereo receivers (in either case, all you need to look for is one with a red/white RCA connection), the main accessory you might need for your turntable is a phono preamp, if one doesn't come built in. Phono preamps take the quiet signal from the turntable and bring it up to line level—the level your stereo expects from CD players, tape decks, and digital devices. The phono signal is usually always passed to the amp through the red and white RCA inputs on the back. There are plenty of good, cheap options for phono preamps. I like the Art DJPreII, which costs a little less than $70. I wouldn't spend less than $50 on one, but you don't need to spend crazy money either. (There are plenty of options costing hundreds of dollars, and you can skip most of those.)

    Other basics you'll need are for maintenance and setup. You'll want a record brush (often included with turntables), a way to clean your stylus, and a level to make sure your turntable is set up properly. Check out this video to see exactly what you need to do before you play your first record.

    Lastly, if you need a place to store all those LPs and 45s you've been buying, try a Flipbin. The company makes handsome table-top bins for safely displaying and protecting your records.

Parker Hall is a product reviewer at WIRED, focusing on consumer technology. Previously, he was a senior staff writer at Digital Trends, where he focused on audiovisual and entertainment products. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied jazz percussion with Billy Hart. He remains... Read more
Writer and Reviewer
TopicsShoppingTurntablesMusicaudiobuying guides