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Getting into listening to vinyl is easier than it’s ever been. The vinyl revival is less a revival and more so a ‘new normal’ of analogue-format listening, and one into which more and more people are thankfully buying. You need only look to the ever-growing success of Record Store Day to see the fruits of this revival; the appetite for physical media is larger than ever – and about as large as the queues that form outside your local record store one Saturday every April.
More broadly, to get into records is to get back into music as an active, mindful pursuit; to put music at your fingertips in a way streaming services literally can’t; to invest back into music libraries as things you own in the process. There's a bit of a roadblock to doing this, of course, in the way of hardware. Records need record players, and picking the right one can be difficult for someone not familiar with what makes a good record player tick – not in the least for the fact that the clearly-quite-good record players are often quite pricey.
Luckily, there are gems in the entry level. The budget record player market is actually extremely competitive, with many well-loved brands vying for supremacy through development of affordable, high-quality wax-spinning fare.
Even though budget turntables aren’t so hard on the wallet, you’re still investing your hard-earned cash – and deserve something that will deliver what you want and more. Which is where this guide comes in, to help you separate the wheat from the chaff and find the best budget turntables currently on the market.
There’s a turntable for everyone in this list, from plug-and-play automatic turntables to portable affairs and beyond. And, crucially, I’ve more or less left the world of identikit suitcase style record players behind; the turntables you’ll find in this list will actually go the distance, and won’t chew up your dad’s precious Pink Floyd records in the process.
If you’re still not sure what to go for, I’ve also put together some key tips on how to choose your budget turntable – and for more clarity, you’ll also find some frequently asked questions.
Best overall
✅ Buy if you want a fully plug-and-play turntable: Thanks to Bluetooth and a built-in phono preamp, there’s nothing this can’t play through. And, thanks to a step-up stylus, it sounds great too.
❌ Avoid if you want top of the range build quality: The AT-LP0XBT is a rock-solid option, but it's quite lightweight compared to some other turntables.
The lowdown: The Audio-Technica LP70XBT is one of the more recent entrants into the Japanese brand’s oeuvre, offering a spruced-up feature-set to the now-classic entry-level turntable, the LP60XBT. There’s a lot of familiar stuff here, and some new quality-of-life improvements – all of which add up to make the best budget automatic turntable going.
Features: The AT-LP70XBT is a two-speed automatic turntable, with a start and stop function that manoeuvres the tonearm on your behalf – to drop it into the lead-in groove, and to retrieve it from the lead-out groove and return it to its cradle. There’s a built-in phono preamp for ease of connection to just about any amplifier, and there’s a built-in Bluetooth transmitter for ease of connection to just about anything else Bluetooth-able.
On the cartridge front, the tonearm is unique for having a built-in cartridge assembly. This assembly receives Audio-Technica’s AT-VMN95 range of styli, and ships with the entry-level AT-VMN95C. Needless to say, you can upgrade this to a nicer one, without having to fiddle with headshells or pay for more than the stylus itself.
Build quality: I will say that the AT-LP70XBT is a little on the light side for my liking; I find a little more comfort in heavier record players, just for stability. But its lightness shouldn’t be much, if any, of a deterrent with respect to build quality, as it performs admirably as is. The integrated cartridge system and sleek tonearm (including an invisible counterweight at the rear) are great aesthetic touches, and speak to a general sleekness that puts this far above its predecessor.
Setting up: As to be expected, the AT-LP70XBT is extremely easy to set up. Placing the platter and installing the belt is remarkably simple, and there’s no additional calibration necessary before getting plugged in and getting going. The pre-set counterweight is perfectly within the ideal VTF for a VM95-series cart, and the fixed cartridge proved to be perfectly aligned for playback.
Bluetooth connectivity is one-touch, too. Connecting to my Kanto Ren speakers, which have no menu or screen to navigate, was surprisingly quick and easy. In all, a breeze to install.
Performance: I was quite impressed by the LP70XBT. As far as stability is concerned, there’s no wow and flutter to my ears – the specs have wow and flutter at <0.25%, equivalent to other decent turntables at the price point – testament to some clever design, and a reminder that high mass isn’t everything.
The sound itself was surprisingly solid, too, even with a lower-end stylus attached. The low end was full and energetic (if a little unfocused at times), and the high end was rich and clear (if a little blunt at times). My biggest bug-bear was with the volume of the LP70XBT’s mechanical noise, which can be distracting at low volumes.
"The AT-LP70XBT is a fully-automatic belt-drive turntable with great design and even better sound. The built-in preamp is a surprise, and the VM95E cart a slick-sounding starting point. There’s one or two compromises that prevent it from full marks – chief among which is a louder-than-average mechanical noise. This doesn’t interfere with the turntable's sound output, nor does it detract from the generally excellent performance."
Read our full Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT review
Best portable
✅ Buy if you like having fun with your collection: The SB-727 is gimmicky fun and trustworthy performance in a tech-forward, retro-chic package unlike any other. Worth a go, as a bedroom player, quirky out-and-about gathering-soundtracker, or just a piece of throwback excellence.
❌ Avoid if you want an upgradeable home hi-fi mainstay: The SB-727 was never designed to meet the solidity of proper, full-sized record players. If you want a proper turntable set-up, your money should go towards something conventional and upgradeable.
The lowdown: The Audio-Technica AT-SB727, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Sound Burger’, is an artefact of a bygone era – an 80s invention with an iconic look to match the affectionate nickname. And it’s back with some phenomenal new quality-of-life improvements. This kooky little portable turntable is a budget-friendly thing with a lot more going for it than its form.
Features: That the AT-SB727 is portable, and looks like that, should be features enough. But there’s more to love here – particularly in the form of improvements made to the original. It’s a dual-speed manual turntable with a unique clamshell mechanism, and which possesses a rechargeable battery accessible via USB-C.
As for audio, the main billing is the Sound Burger’s Bluetooth connectivity – the other major QoL upgrade it receives, besides the rechargeable battery, which lets you connect seamlessly to your headphones, party speaker or Bluetooth receiver du jour. It’s a small shame that the only codec on offer is SBC, but this won’t matter for 95% of Sound Burger folks. There’s also a 3.5mm out for headphones or wired hi-fi-ing (and for which Audio-Technica kindly include an aux-to-phono breakout cable in the box).
Build quality: The AT-SB727 is plastic near-through and through, and undeniably lightweight accordingly – but I suppose you’d hope it would be, being a portable turntable and all. Its lightness doesn’t lend much in the way of confidence to its performance, but as you’ll shortly find out, this lack of confidence is quickly disproven.
Indeed, if you match the on-paper specs of this thing with Audio-Technica’s budget-royalty turntable, the LP60XBT, you won’t find much (if any) difference between the two. Accept it or not, this portable and vaguely gimmicky turntable is objectively better than a considerably large number of full-size budget record players. And more fun to play with, too.
Setting up: This is pretty much ready to go out of the box, save for needing some time at a charging port to fill its capacious on-board battery. Setting-up is necessary each time you use it, though.
First, there’s a transport screw holding the tonearm in place at the back, which needs removing and replacing each time you use it. There’s also a tonearm cradle that doubles as a record spacer and a 7” adapter, which needs placing in or over the record you’re about to play. It’s simple, tactile, and fun when you close the clamshell around your record of choice. Bluetooth, like all other BT-enabled Audio-Technica turntables, is one-touch and reliably keen.
Performance: This budget turntable has no right performing as well as it does. Being in possession of similar specs to the AT-LP60XBT, there’s no surprises (barring some light instability from the lack of platter. The sound is full and clear, whether through the admittedly underwhelming SBC Bluetooth codec or wired into my hi-fi.
Naturally, there’s some worry with turntables like this; cheaper, gimmickier turntables are prone to damage records and sound bad doing so. But this is absolutely not the case with the AT-SB727. It plays a relative dream, even without a platter to stabilise your records (though don’t bump the surface it’s on, or you’ll know).
"This is a gimmicky retro-styled rework of a classic ‘80s product, but it’s future-friendly, immensely charming and just as good – if not better – than record players that ask for similar prices. Sure, it has some foibles, and might be a little pricey for some; still, for what it is and how it handles itself, I find this particular burger incredibly moreish."
Read our full Audio-Technica AT-SB727 review
Best manual
✅ Buy if you want to start your audiophile journey: The Pro-Ject E1.2 is as bare-bones as it gets for manual turntables, with a price to prove it. But that low price still, somehow, gets you some incredible build quality and performance.
❌ Avoid if you want modern convenience: The base E1.2 is devoid of even an auto-stop mechanism; if you want Bluetooth, semi-automatic features or even the option to plug your own RCA cable in, you’ll need a little more money – or to temper your expectations with other turntables.
The lowdown: Pro-Ject is the word when it comes to affordable audiophilia. Its turntables are well-crafted works of art, which balance cost compromises with high-quality builds and performance. The E1.2 is an updated flagship record player, and the cheapest point of entry into the Pro-Ject family.
Features: Being a stripped-back, no-nonsense manual turntable, there really is very little to report on here. It’s an austere affair with the looks to prove it; there’s a rocker switch for 33 1/3rpm, 45rpm and off, and that’s about it. No phono preamp, no fancy connectivity (it even comes with its own hardwired RCA cables) – just good sound, courtesy of Pro-Ject’s own Pick-It MM E cartridge.
Build quality: I'm always impressed by Pro-Ject's approach to design and construction, and the same goes here. While a little on the lighter side, the E1.2 is still a sleek and mostly well put-together thing. It’s clean, sharp, and solid enough – save for a rickety tonearm rest, which seems easily dislodged.
I do have another bug-bear with the E1.2, in the form of its feet of which it has three instead of the commensurate four. The single foot at the back centre results in a turntable that’s quite prone to tipping a little, especially if you’re trying to loose the tonearm from the clutches of its rest one-handed. Don’t do that, and you’ll be fine – but as a big fan of stable, high-mass turntables, this and the tonearm rest were admittedly hard to forget about.
Setting up: Given there’s little in the way of fripperies here, the E1.2 is a cinch to set up. Pro-Ject even supply their own calibration tools, so you can ensure the E1.2 plays its best straight away. There’s no phono stage, of course, so you’ll need one to plug those hardwired RCA cables into (or, at least, a hi-fi amp with a phono input). If not having a built-in phono stage is a dealbreaker, there is an E1.2 Phono edition that comes with one – though it comes with a commensurate boost in retail price.
Performance: This turntable is, true to its minimalist form, quietly excellent when it gets going. The Pick-It MM E cartridge has a luscious, warm sound profile, leaning into the high-end roll-off of its conical stylus as opposed to railing against it. The low end is supple and rich, and vocals are handled with aplomb. In the process of its getting-going, though, there’s a little motor noise to bear with – small beers in the grand scheme.
There could be better stability with respect to wow and flutter, but to my ears there was little to complain about; indeed, it sounds better out of the box than most new beginner turntables. Buttery, smooth, excellent.
"The E1.2 is an extremely tasteful entry-level turntable, using its manual operation to its benefit in creating a minimal record player with maximal sound quality. The Pick It MM E cartridge has a fantastic sound profile for its price, and the E1.2’s playback was buttery-smooth besides. As starting-points go for a brand-new turntable to kickstart a brand-new hi-fi journey, this is tough to beat."
Read our full Pro-Ject E1.2 review
Best Bluetooth
✅ Buy if you value hi-fidelity Bluetooth: This is outfitted with aptX HD Bluetooth 5.0 transmission, meaning HD-quality streaming to your speakers of choice – and, as a bonus, its analog outputs work simultaneously!
❌ Avoid if your budget is inflexible: This is an irretrievably pricey box of semi-budget fun, tickling the lower end of the mid-weight bracket. You get some decent specs for the money, but you can find much of these specs (albeit, sans Bluetooth) lower in the pecking order.
The lowdown: Pro-Ject is the brand to beat when it comes to affordable quality; it’s positioned itself as a manufacturer that bridges the gap between entry-level record players and mid-weight turntables, with a suite of products that pull from more expensive tastes. We’ve already seen the complete entry-level E1.2 – but here is something a little more poised to bridge that gap.
Features: This is a Bluetooth-connectible manual record player, with some familiarly suave minimalist aesthetics (including an undeniably beautiful glass platter). Where most Bluetooth-transmitting turntables make do with a basic codec, Pro-Ject are all-in on aptX HD – guaranteeing a base level of fidelity to supporting receivers. On the unit, you’ll also find separate RCA line and phono outputs, for wired connectivity to either an integrated hi-fi or a phono preamp. All the better to hear that decent Ortofon OM10 cartridge with!
Build quality: Pro-Ject’s build quality is a mixed bag at this price point. There are clear indicators of quality, and some clever design flourishes that maximise potential against price; still, there are elements that cause pause for thought. Ultimately, there isn’t much in the way of difference between this and the cheaper E1.2, save for the techy smarts held beneath.
Setting up: Getting the Pro-Ject T1 EVO BT up and running couldn’t be simpler. The belt is wrapped around the motor and the plastic sub-platter on which the glass platter is then placed; RCA connections are clearly signposted, and Bluetooth connectivity more or less automatic by way of a dedicated rocker switch on the side. My sample was perfectly calibrated out of the box, but Pro-Ject provide an alignment protractor, a tracking force scale and a small hex key so you can verify or adjust as you need. The lack of anti-skate adjustability here may be disconcerting for some more seasoned vinyl enthusiasts, but there is pre-set anti-skate ideal for the Ortofon OM series.
Performance: The T1 EVO BT performs admirably, both wired and wirelessly. In fact, I was most blown away by one of the lesser-sung features hidden in the T1 EVO BT’s functionality; its outputs are independent and parallel, meaning you can simultaneously connect to a Bluetooth speaker and play out through your hi-fi. I found this compelling all by itself, particularly when I was enjoying the same QOTSA record in the kitchen as my wife was in the living room.
Specs-wise, there isn’t much to shout about. It sounds and plays stable, but only about as stable as the E1.2 a little further down the pecking order. The OM10 cart sounds good, but not as good to me as equivalently-priced carts. The T1 EVO BT gives a great deal, but shows its entry-level roots in some key places.
"My first impressions of the Pro-Ject T1 EVO BT were mixed. It’s classic Pro-Ject from a visual standpoint, but its specs aren’t too far from those of the cheaper E1.2 range – and neither is its construction. Still, I was won over – by some highly practical connectability, and by its even-handed treatment of even the roughest-hewn experimental rock."
Read our full Pro-Ject T1 EBO BT review
Best direct drive
✅ Buy if you value stability: The AT-LP120XUSB is a truly unshakeable thing. It’s hefty, smooth-playing, practically knock-proof, and sounds supremely full to boot.
❌ Avoid it if you want an all-in-one vinyl recording solution: Despite the USB output being the leading USP, that digital recording functionality is too whiny for decent results.
The lowdown: Direct-drive turntables are not common at this end of the budget spectrum, and not a common want for young adopters of the vinyl format either – unless, of course, you’ve DJ-adjacent career aspirations. In direct drive turntables, the motor directly drives the platter; this provides more torque, making it easier for DJs to cue and mix songs. Some can be a bit noisier than their belt-drive counterparts, but they can also be much more stable in playback. If you want that torque-y stability, the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB is easily the best budget direct drive.
Features: The AT-LP120XUSB might be the most feature-rich turntable on this list – being that it takes after DJ-friendly turntable classics like the Technics 1210. For one, it’s a direct-drive turntable, supplemented by a tempo fader with a switchable range of +/-8% or 16%. A quartz-lock button negates the fader, setting the platter speed at a precise and immovable 33 1/3, 45 or 78rpm.
There’s a built-in phono preamp for ease of inclusion in your hi-fi, and there’s a digital USB-A output for recording your wax straight to a computer. Target lights, stroboscopic dots on the platter, a removable ½” headshell outfitted with an AT-VM95E cartridge… It’s a lot. And (almost) all of it is very good indeed.
Build quality: For the price, this is a remarkably solid piece of turntable equipment. It’s big, it’s hefty, and that big hefty aluminium platter imparts a great deal of confidence as to its playing stability too. There are a lot of neat touches here, from the smooth design of the target light to the satisfyingly clicky speed switch buttons.
Setting up: I found no pitfalls whatsoever when setting up this budget turntable. The dust lid slides on with ease, the rear ports are self-explanatory and easy to access, and there’s no finicky belt to slide into place when you mount the platter either. With a big fat start/stop button and some well-labelled buttons to guide you, you won’t go far wrong with your first play either.
Performance: For playing records, the AT-LP120XUSB is functionally faultless. Playback is smooth and stable, the VM95E cartridge sounds just as good as it always does, and the phono preamp is transparent enough too. The feeling is one of real solidity – unshakeable sound and stability in one.
The only fly in the ointment here, really, is the USB recording functionality – a shame, given how central that “USB” bit is to the name. There’s a persistent, low-level whine in the USB output, which I couldn’t eliminate after 30 minutes of troubleshooting. Though this is far from ideal, I don’t think you should be buying this for its USB output anyhow. And, as it happens, I do still think you should buy this.
"This is a remarkable piece of inexpensive direct-drive technology. It’s a supremely solid player, with unflappable stability in the face of bumps and bangs; it sounds pretty great too, even through its own built-in phono preamp. Unfortunately, it falls just shy of full marks for its price and capabilities, though, as a result of its disappointing USB-recording performance; a digital whine interfered with what could have been a slam-dunk."
Read our full Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB review
Glossary
33/45/78 – the various speeds at which vinyl records need to rotate, in revolutions per minute, to reproduce music at the correct speed and pitch. 33rpm records are most common, and the standard for 12” albums; 45rpm is used typically for 7” singles, but can also be used for higher-quality album pressings.
Anti-skate – a mechanism which applies a small amount of outward force to the tonearm, to counteract forces that push the tonearm inward and ensure the stylus remains central in the groove.
Automatic – a turntable with mechanisms that control the tonearm assembly’s placement at the start of a vinyl, and its removal at the end of a given side. Automatic turntables can be operated purely by button presses, save for the flipping of the record itself to the other side.
Belt drive – where a turntable’s platter is rotated via a belt, attached to a separate motor.
Cartridge: The assembly which interprets the information held in a record’s groove into an electrical audio signal. It comprises a cantilevered stylus and an electromagnetic pickup arrangement that translates the stylus’ movement into a corresponding electrical signal.
Counterweight: The weight at the rear of the tonearm, which offsets the weight of the tonearm and attached stylus.
Direct drive: Where a turntable’s platter is rotated directly by a motor.
Lead-in/lead-out groove: The silent parts of a vinyl’s groove at the start and end of a given side.
Manual: A turntable with no automated mechanisms for placement or removal of the tonearm. You must place the stylus on the record, and remove it, by hand.
Motor: The assembly which enables the rotation of a turntable’s platter.
Phono preamp: A preliminary stage of amplification, designed to boost the minute analogue audio signal produced by the cartridge in preparation for hi-fi amplification. Most budget record players have a phono pre-amp built-in for convenience.
Platter: The circular plinth on which a vinyl record is placed, and which revolves in order that it can be played.
Quartz lock: An oscillator, the rate of which is regulated by a quartz crystal, that locks the speed of the motor precisely. This ensures minimal deviation from the set speed.
RCA: A cable connecting standard, otherwise known as ‘phono’, commonly used for the output of turntables and the inputs for hi-fi amplifiers.
Spindle: The central rod that holds the platter, and which holds vinyl records in place.
Stylus: The ‘needle’ of a turntable, which interacts with the groove of a record. The stylus vibrates sympathetically to the information stored in a record’s groove.
Tonearm: The pivoting assembly on which the cartridge is installed. The tonearm allows the stylus to follow a record’s groove from outside to in, and also carries the cables that enable the resulting audio signal to be sent for amplification.
Tracking force: Often referred to as VTF, or Vertical Tracking Force. This is the weight that the tonearm assembly applies to a surface, as measured at the stylus. Cartridges have a recommended VTF for their design, which, in budget turntables, is typically pre-set by the turntable manufacturer.
Wow and flutter: Variations in the speed at which a record plays, resulting from an inconsistent motor or a less-than-perfect platter. The best budget turntables measure relatively low for wow and flutter, at least against the warbly quality of cheaper, bargain-bin fare.
Other topics to consider
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Sound: Sound is the most subjective criteria of them all, and something only you can really comment on with regard to your own wants. Sound is determined by a combination of all the above, as well as the presence or absence of certain mod-cons in your turntables-of-choice.
Again, there’s something of a correlation between price and sound, but not as steep a correlation as you might think. There are especially cheap turntables on this list that go toe-to-toe with units twice, even three times their price. If you want your best shot at heft, hoof and dynamic gut-punchery, I’d suggest you go for a solidly-built budget turntable with a levelled-up cartridge – the cartridge often being a real bottleneck for audio quality at the entry level.
Extra features: How keen are you on a feature-rich turntable? Depending on your setup, you might be in the market for a turntable with many bells and/or whistles – Bluetooth connectivity perhaps the most useful of the bunch for newer turntable owners. There are turntables that stream audio out to your speaker or receiver of choice; there are turntables with built-in amps and speakers, which can receive Bluetooth from other sources; and there are turntables capable of doing both.
Alternatively, you might just want a turntable that reliably rotates your records – in which case, you can get a much higher-quality record player for your money, having saved on the additional cost that such bells and/or whistles can tack on to a unit’s RRP.
As for a tip on a non-negotiable turntable feature; from my experience I would say that a dust cover is key. You won't believe how much dust a deck can gather over time, or how much trouble a pet can cause to an unsheathed record-in-play.
Warranty: An ancillary consideration, but one that’s still important if you’re a little wary about your purchase. Does your turntable come with fair warranty cover and does the brand offer decent customer service? If your turntable breaks, or you need to troubleshoot an issue, you may come to regret not having adequate cover.
Value for money: Last but certainly not least, does the deck represent a worthwhile investment for you? Go too cheap and you might be annoyed at having upgrade again, and sooner than later; spend too much on unnecessary features, and you may regret not saving that extra outlay and spending it on records instead. For me, the primary focus is always on how good a deck sounds – and it should be for you too.
FAQ
How important is sound quality on a budget turntable?
It might sound like an obvious thing to say, but sound quality should be your biggest priority when shopping for any new turntable. Why invest in a format if you’re not after hearing it at its best?
This doesn’t mean spending thousands on snake-oil audiophile equipment, of course. Rather, you want to ensure your turntable purchase returns you a bare minimum, full-spectrum quality of enjoyable sound – and treats your records well in the process.
Should I go with the big turntable brands?
While no company has a perfect record in the turntable arena, going with an established and well-respected brand is a shrewd way to start – after all a turntable is a very specialised, delicate bit of kit, and you’ll want to go with a brand with form, that you know you can trust.
Austrian brand Pro-Ject offers a fantastic range, while more mainstream brands like Sony and Audio-Technica are good at marrying true hi-fi audio quality with more modern features such as Bluetooth and USB recording.
At the budget end of the spectrum, I’ve also had great entry-level experiences with the likes of Lenco and House Of Marley – but for my money, the former three should be top of your list
What are essential record player features?
It really comes down to what you want to do with your record player. For example, will you need Bluetooth functionality to stream your sounds to a speaker or headphones? Or is the ability to record via USB a non-negotiable?
On paper, these features are great to have but there's no point wasting your budget on bells and whistles you are unlikely to use and, truthfully, the tech-iest turntable is almost never the one that sounds the best. This is why you’ll find options to suit all tastes in my round-up above.
Do I need a phono preamp?
If you’re boarding the vinyl train for the first time, you'll need to familiarise yourself with some key components, and in particular the phono stage. This is essentially a step-up amplifier - often referred to as phono preamp - that increases the record player’s tiny output to a level that a standard stereo amplifier can work with.
Many turntables - even those in my best budget turntables list - come already packing a built-in phono stage, as do some stereo amplifiers. For some however, a phono stage will be an additional cost, but one I reckon is definitely worth the investment.
Generally speaking, a phono-less turntable that goes through an external phono stage before getting to the amplifier will sound best, so consider going down that route if you’re serious about audio quality.
How easy is it to set up a budget turntable?
Setting up a turntable can be a fiddly operation, with components that need fitting and careful adjustment, but some are much simpler than others. In the majority of cases, budget turntables are plug-and-play, whether that means “plug it into your integrated amplifier” or “just plug it into the wall and turn it on, it’s got its own speakers for goodness’ sake”.
Some also have automatic functionality to make things even easier for you. Automatic functionality means that you only have to press a button for the tonearm to move into place and drop the needle into the groove at the start of the record. Fully automatic and semi-automatic turntables will lift the needle from the groove at the end, too, returning the tonearm to its place of rest on your behalf.
For many people, a little initial tweaking and manual operation are keys to the charm of turntable ownership, and the simplest decks are often the best-sounding even if just for that little extra personal investment – think mindfulness but for your records. Besides which, manual turntables are less expensive to manufacture, meaning more money for quality components.
How we test budget turntables
We’re music fans first and foremost here at Louder so, while we're certainly interested in the spec sheet of any record player we test, we’re less focused on the nitty gritty detail of a deck that will deliver marginal gains. For us, we’re all about how the turntable sounds.
Review samples are sent to Louder either directly from the brands, from their distributor, or through PRs who represent the brands and organise their reviews. On the odd occasion if we can't get hold of a sample, we will pay for one ourselves.
We integrate these decks into our own home sets ups and test them just as you would - by playing music and absorbing the sound in the comfort of our own home. We have sessions where we really focus on the sound - just as vinyl should be enjoyed - in addition to going about our daily lives with vinyl as the background soundtrack.
We also take into consideration how easy the record player is to set up, operate and adjust to work exactly as we want it. Anything that makes it harder to get on with listening to our favourite albums gets marked down.
Finally, we take a look under the hood of any other features a turntable offers, such as computer-connectivity for digitising our records, an automatic tonearm or built-in preamp.
Read more about how we test and rate products at Louder.
Why you can trust us
⚡ Louder was established in 2017 and founded on long-running brands including Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Prog (launched in 1986, 1998 and 2009 respectively)
⚡ Over 80,000 products reviewed on site, from music listening tech to albums and box sets
⚡ Our reviewers are all passionate music fans who draw on decades of testing experience
Louder’s reviewing team consists of music fans, musicians and professional product testers, who between them have accumulated decades of product reviewing experience, writing thousands of words on music listening gear across thousands of reviews on Louder. Our tests also inform our buyer's guide - just like this one.
As lifelong music fans, we're serious about the tech we listen to our favourite artists on. We want them to sound incredible, giving us all the detail those bands intended us to hear, and deliver the perfect balance of bass, mids and highs. We're looking for pure immersion in our chosen sounds, whether it's a classic '70s rock album, or a cutting-edge noise band.
And we test turntables with albums we know inside and out, and that we've listened to on a variety of systems already, so we know exactly what we should be hearing and when we're being short-changed by lackluster audio.
Meet the experts
Tom is a music and film fan who's been testing audio kit of all varieties for over 15 years - from turntables and headphones, to speakers and TVs - most of those at What Hi-Fi? where he is currently TV and AV Editor. Before What Hi-Fi?, Tom worked as Reviews Editor and then Deputy Editor at Stuff, and over the years has had his work featured in publications including T3 and The Telegraph, plus appeared on BBC News, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4 and Sky Swipe to talk tech. He also loves rock and metal and is a particularly big fan of Coheed and Cambria.
James Grimshaw is a freelance writer and music obsessive with over a decade in music and audio writing. They’ve lent their audio-tech opinions (amongst others) to the likes of Guitar World, MusicRadar and the London Evening Standard – before which, they covered everything music and Leeds through their section-editorship of national e-magazine The State Of The Arts. When they aren’t blasting esoteric noise-rock around the house, they’re playing out with esoteric noise-rock bands in DIY venues across the country; James will evangelise to you about Tera Melos until the sun comes up.
Paul has spent the past nine years testing and writing about gadgets and technology for the likes of Louder, T3 and TechRadar. He might not have the wealth or the looks of Tony Stark, but when it comes to knowing about the latest cool kit, Paul would surely give Iron-Man a run for his money. As for his musical leanings, Paul likes everything from Weyes Blood to Nirvana. If it's got a good melody, he's on board with it.
Scott has spent 36 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more for Louder. Over the last 11 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog.
28/10/25: The guide has been updated to include new text inserts and relevant links and further FAQ, while the glossary has been re-evaluated. 13/05/25: The guide has been updated to include the Audio-Technica’s AT-LP0XBT, while expert verdict entries have been added to products where applicable. The FAQ section has been expanded and we've also now included an extensive glossary so you can see at a glance further details on terminology. A section detailing why you can trust the Louder team has been added, and there's also a "meet our experts" section so you get to know the faces behind the creation on this guide.
