Should I wait until Black Friday to buy a record player?

Should I wait until Black Friday to buy a record player?: Man listening to music on a record player
(Image credit: Westend61 - Getty)

As we wait for the Black Friday record player deals to start to filter through on November 25, you might be wondering if you should wait until the sales begin to grab yourself a new turntable or take the plunge now. 

In our experience, the best record player deals really do become available around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so if you’re considering grabbing one of the best record players around, it would be worthwhile waiting a few more weeks.

Here, we’re going to offer some practicle advice about how you can get a brilliant Black Friday record player deal and tell you what sites will be offering the best bargains once the big sales weekend gets under way.

Reasons to buy a record player on Black Friday

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The best prices
While there are sales on specific record players throughout the year, the majority of the best deals across the board happen over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend. Most of the big online shopping sites will be cutting prices, including Amazon, John Lewis, Currys, Walmart, Best Buy, Target. Keep your eyes peeled for bundle deals and big price drops.

Great deals for Christmas
The last few years have been a challenging time for all of us, and retailers are no different and will want to take the the opportunity to shift stock over Black Friday. It’s an ideal way for them to move products from their shelves in the run-up to Christmas to make way for 2023’s models and that means big savings for you too. It’s also a great time to purchase an early Christmas gift for yourself or friend or family member who’s after a new turntable.

Online competition means good prices
No online retailer will want to be left behind when the Black Friday record player deals start. If one of the major players reduces their price on a turntable, it’s likely their main competitors will do the same. We also expect to see money off refurbished models - and don’t forget about older stock. Sure, some of the newer models will have more bells and whistles, but don’t discount record players from a few years ago as they’ll still be great products.

Should I wait until Black Friday to buy a record player?: Woman listening to vinyl

(Image credit: Westend61 - Getty)

What is Black Friday?

It wasn’t that long ago that Black Friday was a US-only event which was held to mark the start of the hectic Christmas shopping season. It was a way for bricks and mortar stores to reduce costs on their stock ahead of the festive season and always takes place the day after Thanksgiving - the fourth Thursday in November - when many Americans are on holiday. However, with the rise in online shopping habits, the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have grown, with retailers around the world getting in on the act by reducing costs on a wide range of products. While some high streets stores hold sales over the weekend, Black Friday is now better known for online deals.

How can I find a great Black Friday deal?

Most of the big online retailers will mark Black Friday with sales, so whether you’re looking for a new record player, headphones for vinyl or vinyl box set, you’re likely to get them for less at the end of November. Our advice is to keep track of the items you’re interested in and keep checking over the Black Friday weekend to see if the item has come down in price. Here at Louder, we’ll be keeping track of all the best Black Friday record player deals and Black Friday vinyl deals and more to make things a bit easier for you.

Should I wait until Black Friday to buy a record player?: Man playing guitar while listening to music

(Image credit: Catherine Falls Commercial - Getty)

What type of record player can I expect a deal on?

So the big savings of turntables has yet to start, but if you’re looking to do a wee bit of prep before Black Friday, keep your eyes peeled for savings on record players from the likes of Sony, Audio-Technica, ION Audio, Victrola, House Of Marley and Denon. 

Last year there were top savings on the Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT, the wood-finished ION Audio Max LP turntable, the Crosley Voyager and the excellent Sony PSHX500. We expect to see cash off these models again later this month plus more deals from the big brands.

More Black Friday guides

Black Friday record player deals: Quick links

While the Black Friday record player deals are still land, there are plenty of top offers available right now from some of the biggest online shopping retailers, so you might be able to grab a bargain early.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald newspapers, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.