The home hi-fi system has changed a lot over the years, from turntables and radio receivers to cassettes, CDs and wireless streaming – and right back round to turntables again. The vinyl revival’s old news by now, but turntables are still a new addition to many an audio set-up, from baby’s first hi-fis to well-established living-room stacks.

If you’ve been umming and ahhing about adding a turntable to your own setup, you can take a look at our guide to the best Prime Table turntable deals - but if you want something straight off the bat, there's money off both the Sony PS-LX3BT and Sony PS-LX5BT wireless Bluetooth turntables over at Amazon.

The Sony PS-LX series comprises two variants of Bluetooth-enabled automatic turntable. The LX3BT is the cheaper of the two and is a very user-friendly affair, with full auto playback controlled by some slick buttons at the front. It’s a functionally plug-and-play device, with no calibration or counterweighting necessary. Even the moving-magnet cartridge with which it’s equipped is a fully built-in thing, furnished with a warm-sounding replaceable stylus.

The LX3BT is the more expensive of the two but that extra dough buys you a few functional upgrades, a smarter-looking aluminium platter and a better tonearm, replete with a more detailed cartridge/stylus assembly. Both turntables share the same design language, and, more or less, the same essential features – features which make them extremely attractive for newbies to the vinyl revival.

The automatic mechanism is one such feature, as is the built-in phono preamp that makes plugging into existing hi-fi systems a breeze. More important, though, is the Bluetooth connectivity. Both the LX3BT and LX5BT support aptX Adaptive Bluetooth transmission, so you can cast hi-res audio of your records to a Bluetooth receiver of your choosing. It’s nifty stuff, and dynamite for the hybrid hi-fi.

I’ll be the first to admit that Sony’s prices are a little pricey, generally – and that here, the LX series faces stiff competition from a suite of the best budget turntables. But with Amazon Prime Day, Sony gets the upper hand thanks to these lovely deals.

Want more? Want something to play on your new turntable? Take a look at our Prime Day vinyl deals and for everything else, check out Louder's hand-picked Prime Day music deals.

Rock icons Deep Purple have hooked up with renowned Swiss audio equipment manufacturer Revox to produce a limited range of products to mark the band's upcoming Splat! album.

The range includes a limited run of 25 B77 MK III reel-to-reel tape machines, 50 T77 turntables, and 200 Studiomaster A20 wireless speakers. All the products have been signed by the band members – Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, Roger Glover, Don Airey and Simon McBride – who will be appearing in person at this year's High End audio show in Vienna, Austria, on June 4. The band will be at the Revox booth between 2-3pm.

Prices for the three products place them firmly at the wallet-pummeling end of the market, with the wireless speaker retailing at €586.55 (£508/$686), the turntable at €5,878.15 (£870/$1176), and the reel-to-reel machine at a mortgage-wrecking €16,802.52 (£14554/$19,662). Although, to be fair, that's roughly ten thousand euros cheaper than the similarly-specced Alice Cooper machine Revox produced last year.

“The musical experience with these limited-edition products, combined with the unique music of Deep Purple, is pure and offers a clarity that only analogue sound can provide,” says Christoph Frey, CEO of the Revox Group.

In addition to the three pieces of equipment, which can be pre-ordered from Revox now, the company is selling four different varieties of Splat! on 1/4” 2-Track analogue tape, with prices ranging from €595 to €1498.

Splat! is released via earMUSIC on July 3. The band released a single, Arrogant Boy, earlier this week, and will embark on a European tour in June, with North American shows scheduled for August and September. Further European dates follow, climaxing in a run of UK shows in November. Full dates below.

Deep Purple tour dates

Jun 11: Espoo Metro Arena, Finland
Jun 12: Tampere Nokia Arena, Finland
Jun 14: Kristiansand Dirty Old Town Live, Norway
Jun 18: Clisson Hellfest, France
Jun 20: Meppen Emsland Open Air, Germany
Jun 24: Mönchengladbach SparkassenPark, Germany
Jun 27: Coburg Open Air, Germany
Jun 28: Ulm Klosterhof Wiblingen, Germany
Jul 04: Gredos Músicos en la Naturaleza, Spain
Jul 05: Pamplona Navarra Arena, Spain
Jul 09: Málaga Starlite, Spain
Jul 10: Cádiz Tío Pepe, Spain
Jul 16: Pisa Summer Knights, Italy
Jul 17: Este Music Festival, Italy
Jul 19: München Tollwood Festival, Germany

Aug 04: Raleigh Red Hat Amphitheater, NC
Aug 08: Clearwater The BayCare Sound, FL
Aug 09: Hollywood Hard Rock Casino, FL
Aug 12: Wantagh Jones Beach Theater, NY
Aug 13: Mansfield Xfinity Center, MA
Aug 15: Halifax Scotiabank Centre, NS
Aug 17: Laval Place Bell, QC
Aug 18: Toronto RBC Amphitheatre, ON
Aug 19: Ottawa Canadian Tire Center, ON
Aug 21: Detroit Pine Knob, MI
Aug 22: Salamanca Seneca Allegany Casino, NY
Aug 24: Indianapolis Everwise Amphitheatre, IN
Aug 25: Highland Park Ravinia, IL
Aug 27: Prior Lake Mystic Lake Casino, MN
Aug 29: Winnipeg Canada Life Centre, MB
Aug 31: Calgary Scotiabank Saddledome, AB
Sep 02: Abbotsford Abbotsford Centre, BC
Sep 04: Lincoln Thunder Valley, CA
Sep 05: Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA
Sep 06: Highland Yaamava Theatre, CA
Sep 08: Chula Vista North Island Credit Union Amp, CA
Sep 10: Las Vegas Planet Hollywood, NV
Sep 11: Long Beach Long Beach Amphitheater, CA
Sep 12: Sparks Nugget Event Center, NV

Sep 29: Sofia 8888 Arena, Bulgaria
Oct 01: Cluj BT Arena, Romania
Oct 02: Budapest Laszlo Papp Arena, Hungary
Oct 04: Bratislava Tipos Arena, Slovakia
Oct 05: Vienna Stadthalle, Austria
Oct 07: Prague O2 Arena, Czechia
Oct 08: Lodz Atlas Arena, Poland
Oct 10: Belgrade Stark Arena, Serbia
Oct 11: Skopje Boris Trajkovski Arena, Macedonia
Oct 13: Athens Telekom Centre Arena, Greece
Oct 16: Zurich Hallenstadion, Switzerland
Oct 17: Milan Unipol Forum, Italy
Oct 19: Barcelona Sant Jordi Club, Spain
Oct 22: Paris Adidas Arena, France
Oct 23: Antwerp Lotto Arena, Belgium
Oct 25: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Oct 26: Stockholm Avicii Arena, Sweden
Oct 28: Oslo Spektrum Arena, Norway
Oct 29: Gothenburg Scandinavium, Sweden
Oct 31: Leipzig QI Arena, Germany
Nov 01: Hamburg Sporthalle, Germany
Nov 03: Dortmund Westfalenhalle, Germany
Nov 04: Berlin Uber Arena, Germany
Nov 06: Frankfurt Festhalle, Germany
Nov 07: Nuremberg Arena, Germany
Nov 09: Amsterdam Ziggodome, Netherlands
Nov 10: Strasbourg Zenith, France
Nov 12: Bordeaux Arkéa Arena, France
Nov 13: Nantes Zenith, France
Nov 15: Lyon LDLC Arena, France
Nov 18: Newcastle Utilita Arena, UK
Nov 19: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK
Nov 21: Birmingham BP Pulse Arena, UK
Nov 22: Manchester AO Arena, UK
Nov 24: London Eventim Apollo, UK
Nov 25: London Royal Albert Hall, UK

Find Deep Purple tickets.

Getting into vinyl isn’t so much a single event as it is the start of a long, sometimes-expensive, and often-obsessive journey. This journey is punctuated by graduations. You might start with a budget hi-fi speaker, and move up to a fuller-sounding hi-fi stack; you might start with charity-shop bookshelf speakers, and graduate to richer-sounding floorstanders; you might start with a budget turntable cartridge, and graduate to something altogether better.

Each kind of upgrade you bring to your home listening setup provides a different kind of benefit, all of which work together to pull the very best out of your physical media. I would argue, though, that the single biggest material impact you can make to the sound of your records (at least, outside of jumping from a portable party speaker to a serious hi-fi setup) is right at the end of your record player’s tonearm.

So what difference could a new stylus really make to the quality of your listening experience – and is it worth it? Read on!

What’s in a cartridge?

The turntable cartridge is a treasure trove of clever engineering moves, which collectively make it possible for you to extract highly-detailed audio information from the bumps and notches in your hard-won Record Store Day purchases. These can be boiled down to three key components: the stylus, the cantilever, and the pickup.

The stylus is the bit that actually touches your record; it follows the bumps and notches in the groove closely, using a gem tip (typically diamond), communicating the information held within as motion. This motion is passed through the cantilever, to which it is attached.

On the other end of the cantilever, in the body of the cartridge, that motion is communicated to an electromagnetic pickup, which turns it into electrical information – the very same information that leaves the turntable for your phono preamp or integrated amplifier.

Most cartridges you’ll come across are moving-magnet (MM), which means the cantilever is outfitted with magnets that move relative to static coils, thus disturbing the electromagnetic fields they create. At the top end of the cartridge spectrum, you’ll find moving-coil (MC) cartridges, which work the opposite way. These are far more delicate, and often attributed to much more detailed results.

My experience with both styli was, to say the very least, remarkable. For the AT-VMN95EN, the jump from bonded to nude is a lot more impactful than you might expect; it gives a whole new feel to your record collection by virtue of quicker transient response and an altogether more robust, structured low end.

If you like listening to the heavy stuff, you’ll find guitars and drums are treated far more favourably here than with the less-detailed VMN95C or -E. Transient sounds are so much quicker off the mark, and there’s so much more rewarding weight to strums, plucks or whacks.

As for the VMN95SH, that fine, edged tip does an incredible job of extracting high-end information. Instruments sound glossier, glassier and much more three-dimensional. Cymbals and percussion shine brighter than ever, while transient information is given the presence and texture it truly deserves. The soundstage is so much easier to parse, with well-separated instruments and crystal-clear articulation.

Another advantage of line-contact styli like this one is that the deep-penetrating tip often eliminates a great deal of surface noise; it gets past the dust that would otherwise interrupt blunter implements, making for an altogether cleaner listen. My Queens Of The Stone Age records have never sounded so pristine!

Generally, my suggestion would be that it isn’t worth jumping to a line-contact style of stylus if you’re still using entry-level hi-fi equipment. The AT-VMN95SH commands a relatively high cost, for fidelity benefits your budget speakers might not have the capability to properly realise. Still, the reduced surface noise is a hard benefit to overlook – and sonically, for my better-than-budget hodge-podge hi-fi system, the AT-VMN95SH was an unmitigated joy.

As a first upgrade, though, the AT-VMN95EN is a no-brainer improvement well worth your time and money. It unlocks so much more of your records than you might expect; a great leap in quality for a not-too-unreasonable price.

How do I replace my stylus?

Upgrading an Audio-Technica VMN95 stylus is incredibly simple. All you do is slide the stylus cover back on, under the cartridge body, then gently pull down with a rocking motion. If your turntable, like mine, has a removable ½” headshell, you’ll find it easier to do this with the headshell off and in your other hand.

If you have Audio-Technica’s AT-LP70XBT, with its built-in cartridge body, you won’t be able to do this, but that’s fine; just secure the tonearm to its rest, and carefully wiggle the old stylus down and out.

Installing the new stylus is even easier. With it safely nestled in its cover, line up the tab with the opening on the cartridge body and press in. It’ll click in, and you’re done! A painless process, and one which requires much less fiddling than replacing your cartridge completely.

Also consider

The VMN95 series of stylus upgrades is comprehensive and, in my mind, brilliant. It isn’t the only option on the block, though. Upgradeable styli are catching on elsewhere, too.

Rega’s entry level Planar 1 and Planar 2 turntables, for instance, ship with the Rega Carbon cartridge as standard; once you’ve gotten comfortable with your Rega turntable, you can upgrade the sound without replacing the cart by buying a Rega Carbon Pro stylus replacement.

Ortofon’s OM-series cartridges enable you to upgrade their styli, too, with a big roster of their own: the OM 3E, 5E, 10, 20, 30 and 40 respectively, which range from basic bonded elliptical styli to nude fine-line styli and beyond.

For the real newcomers amongst us, using an Audio-Technica AT-LP60X, an AT-SB727 Sound Burger or a basic suitcase player, you’ll be listening to your records through the ubiquitous entry-level AT-3600L and its conical stylus. Now, you actually stand to experience one of the bigger quality jumps of all of us, with the AT-3600LE elliptical upgrade.

Read more

• How to clean your record player and vinyl collection
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl in prime condition
• How to calibrate your turntable: A step-by-step guide
• Cool vinyl record storage ideas
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition

Getting started with vinyl is a heady and exciting thing. Every new 12” you buy is an absolute thrill, and that never really goes away; there’s the immediate joy of having a physical thing that represents your love for a band or genre, then there’s the slow-burn warmth of watching your wider collection grow with your tastes.

The annual spectacular that is Record Store Day only fuels this flame, whether it’s rare represses or exclusive new stuff. But, as with all collections, your records need maintenance. And, as with all household trinkets, tchotchkes and artefacts, your record player needs occasional attention. Without this, dust and dirt can make a great thing sound clicky, scratchy and weird – or even damage your hard-won collection.

Listening to vinyl records was never going to be as convenient as digital streaming, and, by virtual of being physical, it can never be as theoretically ‘clean’. You’re a wax-head now – and keeping your turntable and record collection clean is all part of the fun.

Why clean at all?

Keeping anything vinyl-related clean is, effectively, a never-ending and wholly Sisyphean struggle against one main villain: dust. It's the bane of any vinyl enthusiast’s life, and now it is the bane of your life too; congratulations! Dust is, thankfully, largely harmless. But letting dust accumulate for any length of time can lead to bad results down the line – and even failing to deal with dust in the short term can present serious issues for your records.

Indeed, the biggest reason for which you want to keep your record player clean is, in fact, your records themselves. These plastic discs are notorious dust magnets, and determined to pick up dust from wherever they can, be it in the air or off your record player’s platter.

This dust settles quite happily in your record’s grooves, and is then smushed yet further in by the stylus as your record plays. All the while, your stylus is detecting the dust in the groove, on top of the audio information it’s actually trying to hear; this is the source of most pops, crackles and surface noise when you’re listening to a vinyl record. And it’s not good for your record, or for your stylus.

Meanwhile, with respect to record players, the accumulation of dust can certainly be a threat to regular operation. Automatic turntables can see their mechanisms getting gunked-up and slow; record players with button-operated active electronics can get unresponsive. It’s all bad beans.

Dusting your record player

Thankfully, cleaning your record player, and keeping it clean, is not a difficult task. It’s simply a matter of keeping the dust off where possible, via regular dustings using a cloth or brush. Of course, record players are ungainly things to dust, with lots of irregular surfaces and sticky-out-y bits – some of which are, of course, extremely sensitive and prone to damage.

My personal life-hack for keeping a record player dust-free is to use a fine-bristled brush. It handles irregular surfaces elegantly, and poses far less risk to your stylus and tonearm than a heavy hand wielding a microfibre cloth. If you’re a dab hand, though, a microfibre cloth can work wonders in picking up dust without just redistributing it.

Even clean houses are surprisingly dusty places (and we, surprisingly dusty people). So, this should be a regular endeavour for you, even if you don’t see that much visible dust on your turntable. Most of the work is more or less done for you if your record player has a dust lid pre-installed on it; keep it shut between uses, and you’ll find far less dust to dust overall.

Cleaning the stylus

Your record player’s stylus is the single most delicate aspect of your whole hi-fi, and should always be treated with the appropriate level of care, respect and/or fear. It also loves to accumulate dust, particularly from deep within your records’ grooves.

When cleaning your record player, take care not to bump or knock the cartridge or stylus, as you could bend or even break the cantilever; an expensive mistake, to say the least. Treat it separately, and give it a gentle tickle from beneath with a carbon-fibre stylus brush. You can also get stylus dips (which are not as tasty as they might sound) – little gel-filled pots that clean off your stylus for you. Two or three light dunks, and your stylus is clean as ever.

Deep-cleaning, and removing grime

Turntables aren’t immune to the grossnesses of everyday life, and can accumulate grime in the places we regularly interact with them – especially the tonearm, tonearm lever and buttons or switches, where our fingers are most consistently grabbing at things.

Household sprays or detergents could risk either the finish of your record player or its mechanical or electrical operation, so avoid these altogether. Instead, clean your tonearm and any touch points using localised applications of high-concentration isopropyl alcohol (IPA – not the delicious beverage), spritzed or dabbed on to a microfibre cloth.

For your platter and for any rubber mats provided, you can keep things clean with some distilled water and a mild detergent; legitimately, washing-up liquid is the ideal for this. If you use a felt slipmat (like my charming custom “Sick Sad World” mats at home), a handheld vacuum or even a lint roller can do the trick.

It’s also good practice, once in a blue moon, to lift off the platter assembly altogether and examine what lies beneath. Belt-drive turntables can sometimes grab dust and gunk, even though they’re typically covered over; Most rubber belts are safe to clean with IPA, so use it judiciously when cleaning around under the platter.

Keeping your records clean

Your record player isn’t the only victim of dust and grime; indeed, it isn’t even the main character. What we’ve done is establish good practice to keep things clean, so you can focus on the real protagonist: your records.

When you play a record, it’s customary to give it a cursory wipe with an anti-static brush or velvet pad first, to remove surface dust added from within the sleeve or picked up from the platter. It’s an important step, and one that significantly reduces the potential for pops, clicks and the accrual of gunk on your stylus during play.

I’m afraid to say, though, that cursory wipe-age is most certainly not enough for the sanctity of your dear records. No amount of velvet paddery can completely exorcise your vinyl of caked-in dust and gunk – and the more you play your Record Store Day holy-grail finds, the more your stylus pushes said gunk into the groove.

Dirty grooves are a common reality for second-hand records, of course, but new records aren’t immune. All manner of particulates can get into the grooves from the manufacturing and packaging process, including fibres from paper sleeves. As such, every record in your collection stands to benefit from a deeper, and even slightly extra, form of preparation: vinyl cleaning.

There are many systems and devices out there for proper wet-cleaning of vinyl records, but I think the easiest and most accessible is the Spin Clean. This quintessential manual record-cleaning system is very beginner-friendly, and involved enough to get a majority of the gunk out of your records. Simply assemble it according to the manual, add distilled water into the well and two capfuls of the provided detergent over its cleaning pads and you’re ready. Records are cleaned one at a time, by manually rotating them three times each way; they’re dried using the supplied cloth, and the results speak – or, at least, sound – for themselves.

Vinyl enthusiasts with a little more time on their hands might find more gratifying results from motorised, ultrasonic record cleaning baths, which can clean multiple records at a time and with deeper, safer groove penetration. Others still, with a little more to spend, might find great convenience in automated record-cleaner/vacuum systems, like the Pro-Ject VC-E Mini. But for you, starting out on your vinyl journey and with a preference for spending your hard-earned on more records, the Spin Clean is exactly what you need.

These are the building blocks for an exceedingly tidy life when it comes to your record player and record collection. With these tools at your disposal, you’re in the best possible position to move forward clear of clicks and pure of heart. Your records and your ears will thank you!

Read more

• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in prime condition
• How to calibrate your turntable: A step-by-step guide
• Cool vinyl record storage ideas
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Direct-drive vs belt-drive turntables: What's the difference?

When it comes to buying a new record player, your options have never been broader. This is both a blessing and a curse for the newer vinyl enthusiasts among us, as it creates a double-edged sword of potential; newer technological crammings have made today’s turntables more versatile than ever, and the jumping-on of dozens of budget brands has made it harder than ever to pick between them.

There is, of course, a rich central seam of reliable turntable manufacturers in the midst of this particular field, among which is much-lauded Austrian brand Pro-Ject.

Since the ‘90s, it’s been the word when it comes to sleek, minimal turntables that deliver the goods – and at tantalising price-points, too. The Pro-Ject T1 EVO BT is one such tantalising prospect, albeit at the upper bounds of what might be considered a budget turntable. Is it worth your attention?

Features

The key selling point for the Pro-Ject T1 EVO BT is, true to the name, its Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. It’s wireless-capable, with aptX HD transmission – guaranteeing (at least, for compatible receivers) a base level of wireless fidelity that more-than passes the sniff test for casual hi-fi applications.

Though it’s named for its wireless connectivity, the Pro-Ject T1 EVO BT is a highly connectible piece of hi-fi brilliance. Not only is there an RCA phono out, for conventional connectivity to a phono preamp stage, but there’s also an RCA line output. This makes it even more beginner-friendly, enabling newer converts to the vinyl cause to hook up to a hi-fi amp without needing to spend more on a separate phono stage.

There’s something here, though, that Pro-Ject don’t shout about – and which other turntable manufacturers fall shamefully short on. The T1 EVO BT provides simultaneous output to both its wired outputs and to its Bluetooth output, meaning you can effectively play a record on three systems at the same time. This is ideal household stuff; you can be listening to the same vinyl in the kitchen, living room and outdoors, provided you’ve got one long-enough cable to reach the farthest wired destination – and without needing to buy fancy multi-zone hi-fi systems. I’ve not seen this elsewhere, and, to be honest, I’m a little stunned.

The sound fed to these various outputs comes via an Ortofon OM 10 cartridge, a decent enough moving-magnet cart from the entry-ish level of Ortofon’s OM series. The beautiful thing about it is that, like with Audio-Technica’s VM95 series cartridges, the styli are upgradeable.

If the OM 10 starts to show its flaws before long, particularly with an upgrade to your speakers, you’ll be able to buy the next one up for better sonic performance without having to replace the whole cartridge. As it stands, though, the OM 10 is comparable, if a little inferior, to the VM95E – a decent starting point, if a little underpowered for the price.

Design

Visual design is, really, where Pro-Ject excels. It’s a winning formula across Pro-Ject’s product range, of sleek plinths, sharp vertices and smart materials – and a formula which wins again here, thanks to the T1 EVO BT’s fancy frosted glass platter. I love this as a material decision; it’s equal parts aesthetic gloss and sheer practicality, being both high-mass and highly fetching.

The T1 EVO BT comes in three variants: black, white and walnut. I’m not the biggest fan of wood-veneer turntables – I think they’re inescapably dated, as far as design goes – but here, with my walnut-variant review sample in my room among my mid-century things, I don’t mind it so much. That austere design approach lends it a degree of gravitas, of which other turntable designs aren’t quite capable. But it’s not all about looks.

Despite the T1 EVO series still being very much in Pro-Ject’s budget-turntable bracket, I had some hopes that it would harbour some more, well, evolved design choices than those of its even-budgetier sibling which I reviewed last month, the new Pro-Ject E1.2.

Unfortunately, it seems the E1.2 series actually borrowed from here, with a lot of specs being actually quite comparable – and with the T1 being in possession of that same unsure three-footed base, that tips easily with upward force. That tri-foot design is meant to make levelling easier, but for my money it just makes using it harder. And for the money the T1 EVO BT commands, one essentially receives a glass platter and some slightly pricier electronics. At least installation is just as easy as the E1.2.

Sound

The first impression you get from the Pro-Ject T1 EVO BT is, unfortunately, not amazing. The motor has a quiet, but steady and quite whiney hum to it – one that’s worse on start-up, where it pitches up and then back down a bit, demonstrating the small struggle it seems to face with that glass platter.

We’re not here for torque, though – and fortunately, it’s sunlit uplands from here. Though it takes a moment to get up to speed, the T1 EVO BT’s motor is stable throughout, if left undisturbed. The Ortofon OM 10 is a perfectly capable little cartridge too, and even-handed enough to be fair to any of the heavier stuff in your collection.

I started out listening from the phono out, through my Vestax mixer’s phono stage and into my Cambridge Audio integrated amp. I was feeling uncompromising when I started my review, so first on the roster was Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra’s Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything, the much of which is a blooming mass of fuzzed-out guitars and insistent saturated violins. This is not a ‘high-fidelity’ record; it’s protest music, raw and fulsome – and the OM 10 handles its un-sanded edges uncritically.

Throughout, there is an impenetrable fug of low-end information, from blown-out bass and deep-dead drums, rendered in fullness. The quieter back-half of second track Austerity Blues is a quiet-clatter of choired voices, driven violins and saturated loops, and illustrates the T1’s simultaneous keenness for higher-end information.

For something a little more pristine, I gave Queens Of The Stone Age’s …Like Clockwork a crack. Josh Homme’s voice is a crooner’s delight throughout, revealing some great depth in the cart’s mid ranges. Drums are pleasantly thocky without being to emergent or sharp, as best evidenced by The Vampyr Of Time And Memory; transients settle, here. My God Is The Sun is a hugely impactful listen, if a little crammed in places.

Bluetooth took a little while to engage, but when it did, I was pleasantly surprised. Many analogue-forward folks have gripes with the idea of Bluetooth for vinyl transmission, but when it sounds as decent as the aptX HD transmission does here, I don’t think they have much to stand on. Even with less-saturated moments on Fuck Off Get Free, like the genuinely-upsetting Little Ones Run on the B-side, I couldn’t detect any undue colouration.

While we’re here, I had the opportunity to A-B the line and phono outputs using a DJ mixer, and giving me a chance to test that built-in preamp with a little more closeness. I will say it sounds to be a little on the brighter side, but this is by no means a bad thing; it just lends a little more to the slight treble preference the OM 10 cart professes – and perhaps even tames some of that uncritical low-end reproduction, particularly on thuddy masters like …Like Clockwork.

There are aspects to the Pro-Ject T1 EVO BT that I’m not the biggest fan of. The three-footed base is more nuisance than nous, and, despite being partial leg-up from its little-sibling E-line price-wise, it shares some construction and key specs in common. That said, its techy improvements are inarguable – and I can’t lie about how good it sounds when it’s left to its own devices, through any of the outputs you deign to use.

It’s audiophile-adjacency at its near-best; a strong performer, and one I was glad to get Homme-y with, but one likely to be overshadowed by turntables either side of its price.

The alternatives

If you’re cash-strapped, the Pro-Ject E1.2 series presents a similar value prospect to the T1 EVO BT; there’s not much practical difference, outside of certain individual downgrades. If you’re not altogether fussed about a built-in preamp, let alone an Ortofon cartridge, you stand to save a bunch on the base E1.2.

Elsewhere, Audio-Technica’s AT-LP70XBT is, again, cheaper. Though you lose in visual design smarts and overall mass, you gain an automatic mechanism, and a built-in cart that takes AT-VMN95-series cart upgrades. For the same as the T1 EVO BT, you could have a solid player with a top-flight micro-line stylus.

The Record Store Day 2026 hype is ramping up, and by now you've probably got your wishlist locked in ahead of the big day.

But have you thought beyond the records themselves? Sure, picking up a bunch of rarities and exclusives is going to deliver the biggest buzz and fuel your VAS (vinyl acquisition syndrome) the most, but it's important to understand the need to protect your records for their long-term survival and optimal audio; and that's why I've compiled this quick guide to the essentials every vinyl collector needs: a vinyl rescue kit, if you will.

Below, you'll find everything from tried-and-tested vinyl cleaners and a vinyl brush for eliminating dust-gathering static from your records, to storage units to prevent grime or warping and inner sleeves to ensure your records are well looked after and stored correctly. You're welcome!

Here at Louder, we also have guides covering portable record players, budget turntables and record players for beginners. And, if you want to listen to your records in private, we also have a list of the best headphones for vinyl listening.

Record Store Day 2026 is practically upon us, bringing with it the opportunity to lay your mitts on a load of exclusives, rarities and one-offs, whilst also supporting your local record store. What could be better?

Now, if adding some new RSD picks to your collection means your vinyl pile is set to topple, it's high time you explored some proper vinyl storage solutions, or expanded your existing storage to accommodate all your new acquisitions; you do know the importance of storing your records properly, right?

Thankfully there are some seriously neat (and surprisingly affordable) options to keep your records in check and to add a deluxe twist to your music listening space.

Here, I've uncovered smaller desktop solutions for easy access to your latest finds, to storage for up to 200 records if your collection is forever growing. I've even found options that integrate your turntable and speakers with your records for some true feng shui.

Got some cash left over from your RSD shopping? These are some cheap upgrades to improve your vinyl setup, that start from as little as £9.

Austrian turntable brand Pro-Ject is one of the key poster-children for affordable performance when it comes to record players – and a highly deserving one, to boot. In its 35-ish years, Pro-Ject has pushed the envelope not just for good sound at a good price, but also for good style. A trademark minimalism, stripping the turntable back to its elegant essentials.

Pro-Ject has a wide range of record players to offer you, and one of them has to be the cheapest. Right now, it’s the E1.2: a re-do of Pro-Ject’s entry-level flagship, the E1, and an extremely enticing one at that. Not only does it improve heavily on Pro-Ject’s budget offering, but it elevates expectations for entry-level turntables across the board. Let’s find out how.

Features

The Pro-Ject E1.2 is, true to type, a relatively bare-bones affair, and to its credit. It’s a manual belt-drive turntable with little in the way of modern conveniences, beyond a rocker switch for powering the turntable into 33 1/3 or 45 RPM operation.

The E1.2’s two key improvements on its predecessor are a new platter, and a new supplied cartridge. The E1.2’s platter trades polymer for die-cast aluminium, making for a comfortingly weighty piece of vinyl-hosting paraphernalia that adds more stability to the playback of records. The cartridge, meanwhile, is Pro-Ject’s own design, the Pick It MM E; a conical moving-magnet cartridge with a warm sound profile, and a serious leg-up on the entry-level (but nonetheless surprisingly good) AT-3600L that shipped with the E1.

In the box, you get: the turntable itself; a lid for said turntable; a power supply; and a box of accoutrements, including the belt for the belt drive, a 45 adapter and some calibration tools to make setup as easy as possible out of the box. No RCA cables here – because the E1.2 comes pre-outfitted with a permanently-attached one. In the short term, I don’t mind this at all, but in the long term it can make dealing with a potential cable fault a little bit more arduous than it needs to be.

The built-in cable is partially a function of the E1.2’s lack of built-in phono preamp – another potential sticking point for newer turntable converts. You’ll need one (or a hi-fi amplifier with one built in) to get anything out of this; if you don’t fancy this extra little hunt, you’ll be glad to learn that E1.2 is one of three variants – the others of which offer a built-in preamp, and also trade the hardwired cable for conventional RCA sockets.

Design

The most striking thing about the E1.2, as with anything from Pro-Ject’s oeuvre, is its simplicity. The visual design is clean and uncluttered, matte-black mechanisms and an austere obelisk of a plinth signalling the E1.2 as, at once, a plainly practical utility and living-room artwork. Mine is, to coin a phrase mid-centurily walnut in finish, but you can get a much cleaner white or black variant too.

As far as setup is concerned, the Pro-Ject E1.2 is delightfully easy to get up and running – for a turntable that takes any degree of getting-up-and-running. Whether a newer arrival to the world of vinyl, or a recent convert from the cheaper, come-as-they-are automatic or suitcase turntables at the entry level, you might find this amount of assembly daunting anyway. Worry not, though; it’s as simple as wrapping a belt around a wheel and capstan, then placing the platter on top. Plug some stuff in and get it calibrated, and you’re away!

On the calibration front, Pro-Ject even supplies you with the tools necessary to get your record player set-up and playing at its best – something you don’t see with a lot of other brands catering to the sub-$/£250 price point. There’s no adjustable anti-skate, but this isn’t for lack of anti-skate at all; it’s pre-calibrated for the Pick It MM E cart, at the factory.

This might present frustrations for those hoping to make some serious cartridge upgrades in the mid-to-distant future – but when most popular carts ask for 2-ish grams of tracking force, it’s not all that much of a big deal. Besides, if you’re in a position to worry about anti-skate on an expensive new cartridge, you’re also in a position to afford an expensive, better-specced new turntable too.

Speaking of easily-forgettable nuisances, there are some other small ways in which the Pro-Ject E1.2 demonstrates its low price. For one, there’s the austere three-footed chassis, which makes the E1.2 feel a little easier to disturb than other players. A single, central back foot means you can’t lift the dust lid with one hand when you want to use it, lest the whole thing tip back and potentially dint a precious corner of the plinth. This never realistically impacts the playing of records, but it does present a minuscule vexation when you’ve your record of choice in one hand already.

For another, there’s the tonearm rest, a tastefully minimal arm with a clip on the end. The arm moves in its socket, and can sometimes pull out enough to swivel a little with the tonearm; again, two hands are sort-of necessary to keep everything where it needs to be when setting a record to play. But this isn’t a grab-and-go record player for those short of time or patience; these paltry pains can surely be forgiven.

Sound

Pro-Ject isn’t lying when it describes the sonic profile of its Pick It MM E cartridge as “warm”. There is a phenomenal weight to the lows and mids, as capably demonstrated by my turntable-testing mainstay (and rare candidate for “best album ever made”), Queens Of The Stone Age’s Songs For The Deaf. No-One Knows is tight and controlled, despite those stacked guitars and that rollicking runaway bass. The kick is delightfully hoofy without ever losing definition, and there’s growl aplenty atop the weightier qualities of the heft on display.

‘Control’ is a great word by which to describe the Pick It MM E more generally, the cart being a great example of controlled sound reproduction in action. Transients sound natural and unforced; there’s no unnecessary reinforcement of bassy frequencies, meaning often-muddied instruments and parts come through with distinction. The drums on First It Giveth and A Song For The Dead are a rare three-dimensional delight.

The word ‘warm’, meanwhile, can be a double-edged sword, as realised by a slightly less-focused engagement with the upper reaches of the treble range. Cymbals are there and proud, but there’s a slight, perceptible high-end roll-off that has a habit of turning ‘s’es into ‘sh’es. Natural as the transient response is, it doesn’t extend up to the tinkier, tiss-ier elements of the kit.

Sometimes, though, this is to the Pick It MM E’s credit. Brighter, more obnoxious instrumental mixes like that of Mitski’s addictive runaway Where’s My Phone, from Nothing’s About To Happen To Me, benefit greatly – that lack turns into control, again. Meanwhile, Mitski’s rich, “warm” voice fully shines against an ever-crescendo-ing band threatening to break out of the record itself.

Besides which, that general preference for lower-end representation doesn’t mean the E1.2 can’t handle brightness altogether. My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless is a cavalcade of sounds, remembered more for the chaotic sound-tapestries of Kevin Shields than anything else; album opener Only Shallow is more straightforward than the album’s reputation, and exceedingly bright, from telephonic lead vocals to high-tuned snares and piercing drum overheads. All of this, rendered clearly and exuberantly (if a little “sh”-y in places).

Mitski’s bar-lounge ballad I’ll Change For You is a brilliant conduit by which to understand the E1.2 and its cartridge at their best. Those tight snare rim-shots poke up through a plucky, woolly bass; strings sear silkily atop, and Mitski’s well-controlled voice is articulated with striking, affecting presence. A smooth croon-y heartbreaker for the modern age, presented impeccably.

The E1.2’s specs with regard to wow and flutter could be better on paper, but to my ears there’s very little sonic instability to speak of. Everything is smooth and buttery, playback consistent and tonearm quite happy handling whatever record deformities my aging collection had to throw at it. I will say that the motor can be a little noisy when getting up to speed, but that it quietens down quickly enough; it could be quieter, but it’s not noticeable at any distance.

The Pro-Ject E1.2 undoubtedly wears its budget price point on its sleeve in places, but it doesn’t do so with any sense of shame. These simple mechanisms and austere design choices are made mindfully, and with pride, in service of a phenomenal-looking manual record player that just works. And really very well, at that. As far as the cheaper turntables go, it’s hard to imagine getting a better base sound out of the box from anything else.

4. Alternatives

The Pro-Ject E1.2 is one of three entry-level variants, the other two of which are: the E1.2 Phono, which comes with a built-in phono preamp for even more plug-and-playability (and RCA ports, as opposed to the hardwired cables of the E1.2 reviewed here); and the E1.2 BT, which features separate Line Out and Phono Out ports as well as a Bluetooth transmitter for wireless playback on any receiver of your choosing. If these conveniences appeal, you may consider paying that little bit extra to avail of them.

If adjustability and customisability are both high requirements on your list, you might look to the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT – a much larger, much more maximalist turntable, but one with lots of adjustability (right down to the supplied VM95E cart, which can be upgraded via a range of styli for much less than a new cart altogether).

The Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT is a neat little upgrade to a pre-existing entry-level record player in the Audio-Technica turntable roster – the darling of budget turntable guides the world over and probably one of the most-recommended “first turntables” in history. This gold-standard starter turntable is still very much available, and very much one of the best bang-for-buck turntables you can buy in the beginner price range; the LP70XBT, quite simply, is better.

Features

This is a fully automatic turntable, designed to take all the tremulous fiddlings of playing your precious records in its own stride. No shaky hands scraping styli across the grooves here; just the dependable figurative hands of the Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT, placing and removing the tonearm calmly on your expectant behalf.

Using this mechanism, by the way, is gratifying to say the least. The start and stop buttons press in with thick, chonky feedback, and the tonearm moves with a slow sureness that puts me well at ease. When the record ends, the stop mechanism plays out automatically too, so you don’t have to worry about wearing either your stylus or your inner groove when you leave a record on while doing other bits. There’s a slider at the base of the tonearm so you can select the size of record you’re playing (7” or 12”), which sets the sensitivity of this stop function; your singles won’t be stopped prematurely this way.

The ‘BT’ in the turntable’s title points helpfully towards its Bluetooth functionality – transmission, more specifically, and using the Qualcomm aptX Adaptive codec where devices are set to receive it. That’s some supple-sounding wireless connectivity, further simplifying any first forays into spinning plastic. Using it is as simple as pressing the dedicated button on the face of the unit – it’s one-touch, and no-fuss.

This wireless connectivity is serviced, also, by a built-in phono preamp – which you can also use for wired connectivity to a variety of sources. As we’ll discover, this phono preamp is surprisingly good.

As for the standard in-the-box gubbins, there’s an RCA cable with earth terminals supplied, a plastic 45 adapter for your older 7”s and a lid for keeping dust (and cats) out of the equation.

Design

The Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT’s visual aesthetic also gets a considerable upgrade from the LP60XBT, with a smart plastic chassis in possession of some very pleasing vertices. In comparison to the LP60XBT, it’s sleeker, slimmer and much better-looking atop your sideboard/record shelf/hi-fi unit of choice. I like the thin silver band that that runs around the lower edge, giving it a bit of visual lift.

I’m a big fan of the elegance on display here, particularly with the execution of some record-player essential mechanisms – like, for instance, the tonearm lift. It’s a sleek design, where a flush platform rises out of the tonearm base to lift the tonearm via a ball-ended foot. It looks cool, and it’s smooth as anything too. Little details like these make me happy, and they’re everywhere.

If I were to gripe about anything design-wise, it would be the weight of the LP7070XBT overall. It’s light and plasticky, which immediately makes one think “weak” and “unstable” – even though it’s neither of these things. The turntable is designed to play stably, and it does; for someone used to dense blocks of record-playing goodness, it’s initially unnerving.

Others with more turntable experience might bemoan the lack of counterweight adjustability, but it’s actually great – being perfectly balanced for the tracking-force requirements of VMN-95-series styli and fuss-free for the beginner.

Sound

The star of the show, really, is the LP70XBT’s sound, made possible by the new AT-VM95 cartridge system. The VMN95C stylus supplied is the cheapest of the bunch, a conical stylus that, naturally, doesn’t quite penetrate to the deepest details in the groove. Nonetheless, there’s some remarkable detail, and dynamic range too, with thanks to the moving-magnet assembly behind that built-in-cartridge curtain.

Land Of Talk’s Applause Cheer Boo Hiss is on full and frenetic display here, and a great demonstration of the AT-LP70XBT’s handling of higher-end information. Trebly guitars crash wave-like (and enjoyably) against trashy hi-hats throughout the record, but especially in the aptly-named Sea Foam; the near-telephonic vocal mix of Summer Special is delicate and peaky, giving way to the febrile drums of its interstitial phrases.

I found, anecdotally, the low end to be a little less-defined with the conical VMN95C stylus than with leg-up elliptical sibling, the dependable VMN95E (the green one you’ll see shipped on many other entry-ish level turntables, and which I use at home on the daily). But there isn’t that much in it. Land Of Talk’s kicks remained hoofy, and the bass had huge punch when it needed to be.

To get a better handle on that low-end performance, I stuck on Queens Of The Stone Age’s Songs For The Deaf. And when the mix opened out into full-bore glory in …Millionaire, I gawped a little. There’s some very impressive heft here, full and wide and deep (if a little pillowy in the lower extensions of the bass guitar).

In fact, it revealed the high-end shortcomings of the VMN95C stylus more so than any low-end lack, namely a roll-off at the highest highs that softens some more direct elements. Transients aren’t as immediate as they could be, but that – and all other sound shortcomings – is easily fixed by simply getting a new, better AT stylus at some point.

All this, it’s worth saying, while using the LP70XBT’s built-in phono preamp, which, itself, sounds surprisingly great. I didn’t miss my other preamps at all when testing this with the onboard preamp switched in, which says a lot for the viability of this record player in the long term.

I will acknowledge one of my bigger beefs with the Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT: it’s a bit noisy in the room. Whether or not you deign to engage the automatic starter mechanism, the sound of the turntable in operation is undeniably louder than it probably ought to be. It’s not audible over records, if you play them at the minimum volume they deserve to be played, but it’s a small nuisance besides.

All told, I think this is a phenomenal piece of entry-level equipment, that punches well above the expectations of that same entry level. The fact you can upgrade the stylus is such a boon, too, and something you don’t tend to find on other budget turntables.

Between this, the surprisingly stable playback and the incredibly decent built-in preamp, you have a reliable starter turntable that’ll last you so, so much longer than the rest.

Alternatives

The Audio-Technica LP60XBT is the closest alternative you’ll find on the market, being the predecessor unit with much of the initial DNA. It’s cheaper and just as handy with your precious records, even if its cartridge is a slight downgrade.

If you don’t mind ditching some of the modern conveniences that make the AT-LP70XBT such a great all-rounder, then you might look instead towards something like the Pro-Ject E1.2. This is a manual entry-level turntable, but one which looks more to your potential future curating a home hi-fi stack to end all home hi-fi stacks.

It's the final day of Amazon's Spring Deal Days event in the UK and if you’re looking to buy a great-value record player to spin some excellent vinyl, there's money off two brilliant Audio-Technica turntables right now.

First up is 24% off the Audio-Technica ATLP60XBT - down from £199.99 to £152.99. The deal covers both the black and white versions of the wireless, belt-driven automatic turntable.

Next up is the silver edition of the Audio-Technica ATLP120XUSB, which is down 20% from £299.99 to £239. If the black colour variant is more your style, you can also pick one up with a discount as it's been reduced from £299.99 to £245 - that's 18% off the RRP.

The name Audio-Technica is synonymous with listening quality – a fact that’s reflected by the many awards the Japanese company has picked up over the years. So I'm always excited when we see its products going for much less than the usual price. This Amazon Spring Deal Days sale sees not one but two record players going cheap – and both of them are very capable machines.

First up, there’s the ATLP60BXT - an entry-level turntable that not only looks sleek and stylish, but it delivers a satisfying user experience, too. It’s easy as pie to use, thanks to its fully automatic, belt-driven operation, while a choice of 33 ⅓ and 45rpm speeds enables you to switch from playing albums to singles without fuss.

An integral dual moving magnet phono cartridge with replaceable diamond stylus adds a touch of class to the turntable’s sonic performance, and there’s wireless capability, too, meaning you can easily hook it up to Bluetooth speakers or headphones. With a choice of black, white or gunmetal colourways, you should have no trouble blending this baby into your home set-up.

Sitting slightly higher up the price scale, the ATLP120XUSB has a broader set of features than its stablemate. It's included in our guide to the best Audio-Technica turntables for good reason. It's a manual, direct-drive turntable that offers three speeds (78rpm being added to the aforementioned two), adjustable dynamic anti-skate control; a professional anti-resonance, die-cast aluminium platter; and – as the name suggests – the ability to convert your records to digital files via USB. Again, there’s a choice of colours here, with both the black and the silver giving off a fun yet sophisticated vibe.

With just hour to go until Spring Deal Days is over, you'll have to be quick to grab these discounts - and don't forget to check out a number of vinyl storage discounts that are available in this year’s Spring Deal Days sale too.

Audio-Technica: outside of DJ-mainstay brands like Technics, probably the most dependable turntable brand in the world. If you’re getting an Audio-Technica record player, whether it’s a bare-bones budget spinner or a full-featured direct-drive workhorse, you’re guaranteed to be getting something somewhat good. It speaks to the brand’s storied history with turntables – one of tradition, innovation, and… burgers?

The Audio-Technica ‘Sound Burger’ (sold in the US as the ‘Mister Disc’) was a 1983 invention, a short-lived but surprisingly good portable record player, doomed by coming along just as other, infinitely more portable audio formats started to take the centre stage. Despite this relative impracticality, the Sound Burger gained a cultish fandom of its own in the intervening years – a combination of its strikingly ‘80s design and trademark Audio-Technica smarts. And now it’s back.

Initially revived as a limited-edition anniversary celebration in 2022, the new and improved Sound Burger was an instant hit. Enough so that it found a permanent place in the Audio-Technica roster in 2023, as the AT-SB727. It’s old-school and new tech in a very compelling portable package – but how good is it?

Features

The Audio-Technica AT-SB727 Sound Burger is a techy rework of the original AT-770, keeping everything that made it great while adding some extremely welcome quality-of-life improvements. It looks and acts practically the exact same way it did in the 80s – but now there’s: a better Audio-Technica cartridge; a USB-C rechargeable battery with 12 hours of life in it; a built-in phono stage; Bluetooth connectivity; and a multi-purpose line output for wired connectivity to most things audio-receiver-y.

The main event here is its portability, of course, something achieved by the very clever system by which it earns its fast-foody name. The device is one large, long clamshell, that makes a given vinyl record the meat in its proverbial sandwich. Place your record in, clamp it shut and you have a remarkably sturdy portable record-playing device.

Such portability necessitates some smart compromises. There’s no platter to speak of, meaning much of the record is suspended in mid-air by its own integrity. Despite this lack of surface area, the record receives torque aplenty from a nifty spindle assembly, assisted by a 7” adapter that doubles as a clamp-helper and a tonearm rest when the Sound Burger isn’t in use. Due to the light weight and platterless design, you can expect a bit more needle-jumping than usual if you’re banging around on the same surface; don’t do that, and you’ll be fine.

Portable record players writ large have a poor reputation, owing in large part to the heavy-handed, record-damaging nature of the OEM tonearm assemblies used by the vast majority. Looking at the Sound Burger, with its light tonearm and spring-assisted counterweight, you’d be forgiven for thinking it could pose the same risk to your precious Black Sabbath discography.

Since the Sound Burger has no conventional platter, I tested this, albeit imperfectly, by measuring the tracking force with a scale perched on a sacrificial record. For the nerds: the AT-3600L stylus with which the Sound Burger is furnished asks for 2.5-3.5g of tracking force to perform optimally; I measured 3.64g.

This figure is undoubtedly higher than the true measurement, owing to the extra height of the scale atop the record. With this, then, I think I’ve loosely illustrated that the Sound Burger is most definitely not going to carve up your records. In fact, it’s pretty well calibrated to perform at its best.

Design

Really, the design of the Audio-Technica AT-SB727 is a feature in and of itself. It’s a stunning piece of portable equipment, with a pleasingly retro aesthetic and some clever user-friendly flourishes to its name. As far as portable players go, it couldn’t be much easier to use.

There’s an ‘off’ position for the tonearm, at the furthest extent of its sweep; you put it here while putting your record in place. The 45 adapter is also a spacer for the lid, and goes over your record (or, for 45s, simply does its job as an adapter). With the Sound Burger on, moving the tonearm into place activates the motor – so click the lid shut, place the stylus and you’re away. There’s no auto-stop at the end, but I’ve never been huge on them as a feature anyway.

Bluetooth is one-touch and automatic; I connected the Sound Burger to my Kanto Ren active speakers with one press of each Bluetooth button for each device; a healthy white-flashing LED tells you when it’s pairing, and when it’s paired. Pretty much everything is one-touch operation; there’s no rocket-science here, just good design.

Sound

Here, the fundamental reason for which the Sound Burger is, above all, a surprise: it actually sounds good. Not fine, not decent, but good. Actually good.

There’s no reason it shouldn’t spec-wise, of course; its AT-3600L cartridge is a gold-standard budget cart that outshines pretty much all competition for sound-per-pound. That platterless design, as expected, does rob the Sound Burger of some stability, but the 7” adapter does a great job of putting some back.

Idles’ Brutalism sounded every bit as throaty as you’d expect, imbued with all its expressive, febrile, brittle angst. Queens Of The Stone Age’s Songs For The Deaf was a dense delight, every honked-out guitar riff a fulsome thrust of low-middy heft. It’s good. It’s good.

So surprised was I at the fullness of Sound Burger’s sound representation, that I AB-ed it with my workhorse Vestax turntable, through a DJ mixer. The difference was minor. Unsurprisingly, better cartridges sound better; surprisingly, the Sound Burger’s playback more or less kept up with a quartz-controlled direct drive, and the phono stage sounded just about as good as my mixer’s.

I momentarily left the heft behind, in favour of my current favourite DJ-secret-weapon 7” – a repressing of Master Plan, Inc’s energetic shot-glass of optimist funk, Bright Light, Big City – to test the 7” adapter properly. It was a reassuringly snug fit, and played back sturdily, revealing a crystal-clear remaster with no single detail missing. It sounded better than it sounds played out, on knackered Technics 1210s through a club sound system.

Here, I’ll venture that it’s a small shame Audio-Technica haven’t plumped for slightly better Bluetooth transmission than the perfectly cromulent SBC codec. Practically speaking, though, using this with a fair-to-middling Bluetooth speaker or daring to take it to the park with you, you aren’t going to notice at all.

Besides, if you’re going to use this at home, you might as well just plug it straight into to something. Which you can do easily, with the 3.5mm line out, and with the handy 3.5mm-to-RCA breakout cable Audio-Technica so kindly provide. And which I did, when listening to QOTSA. It was mega. Realistically speaking, the bigger potential issue – and again, not much of one – is the volume of the Sound Burger’s needle talk.

Needle talk is the sound that comes directly from the needle vibrating in the groove, a tinny acoustic phenomenon that offers an exciting glimpse at the science of analogue sound reproduction, but that also impacts your enjoyment of records played at low volumes or in small rooms. This minor nuisance is amplified (figuratively speaking) when using Bluetooth, which comes with no small degree of latency; hearing hissy, trebly moments of high energy from your record before they’re genuinely reproduced in your hi-fi makes for a slightly distracting experience.

Of course, this is a function of a few things endemic to the Sound Burger, from the platterless design to the spring-assisted tonearm. And it’s a problem easily solved by a) turning it up, and/or b) moving the Sound Burger away from your listening position. Small beers, really, in something that’s clearly not designed to be the next audiophile turntable du jour. And even then: it’s good. So good. It’s Actually Good.

It’s a portable turntable that weighs as much as a loaf of bread. And it’s good.

I love it.

The alternatives

The Audio-Technica Sound Burger AT-SB727 is easily the best-performing portable record player on the market, and is likely to be for some time to come. As such, I can’t really recommend anything in the way of a direct alternative to the Sound Burger. Cheaper suitcase-style players are just that – cheaper – but also bring some risk to the safety of your record collection.

The Sound Burger is roughly equivalent in spec to the Audio-Technica AT-LP90XBT – a full-fat record player that also benefits from a full platter. So, if you want a cheaper beginner turntable with a bit more stability, and don’t mind losing the design and aesthetics of the Sound Burger in the process, the LP60XBT is the way to go.

If you’ve a little more in your budget, you might consider the Audio-Technica LP70XBT; a leg-up automatic turntable that marries plug-and-play-ability with upgrade-friendly longevity.

If you're just starting out on your vinyl journey or are looking to bolster your collection with some of the best albums of 2025, I've picked out a selection of records covering rock, metal, prog and alternative that have lit up the music scene over the last 12 months.

Below you'll find everything from Ghost masterpiece Skeleta to Classic Rock's album of the year, The Overview by Steven Wilson, with several other crackers in-between that'll make your record player sing.

We also have guides covering portable record players, budget turntables and record players for beginners. And, if you want to listen to your records in private, we also have a list of the best headphones for vinyl listening.

As any passionate record collector will tell you, sometimes you've just gotta pay for quality. But that doesn't mean you can't still grab a great deal on a high quality turntable system this Cyber Monday.

We've got a whole range of hubs you can browse, covering everything from turntables and CD players, to vinyl and merch, we've got round-ups for just about every bit of music deal you could hope to find.

But some deals deserve a little extra attention. Currently at its lowest-ever price with Sevenoaks, the Technics SL-1500C Direct Drive Turntable is a great deal for someone looking for a top-quality turntable set-up without breaking the bank.

Cyber Weekend is in full swing and there are savings galore just about everywhere you'd care to look. Vinyl, speakers, band merch... Pretty much everything you could think about. So you've got yourself a killer CD collection - but what are you listening to them on?

Whether you've already got a set-up and want to upgrade, or a first-timer looking to get a good audio set-up, there's plenty of deals to dive into.

Speaking of which, both Amazon UK and Amazon US are currently offering savings on Philips Stereo HiFi Systems. Read more about the deals they're offering below.

Black Friday might be over, but the deals certainly aren't. This weekend you can still bag some massive savings on all things music, with deals to be found on everything from speakers and headphones to MP3 Players and turntables.

"But how do I find the best deal?" We hear you cry. Well, we have a whole bunch of handy hubs to help you on that, regularly updated to help you snag the best deal.

Speaking of, if you're in the market for a new turntable, you'd do well to check out Amazon this Cyber Weekend. They're currently offering some big savings on the PS-LX310BT (try saying that in a hurry) with deals for both US and UK consumers. Check out those deals below!

Myself and the Louder team have been keeping tabs on piles of Black Friday record player deals and I had to double-take when I saw that Amazon had lopped an astonishing $300 off the price of the Victrola Stream Onyx. It’s down from a hefty $899.99 to $599.99 - a Black Friday-busting 33% discount.

The two-speed, belt-driven Victrola Stream Onyx is available in both matte blue and matte green and is designed to pair seamlessly with a Sonos set-up, but it’ll also connect to other Bluetooth speakers.

It has a light, aluminium-cast tonearm, a built-in phono pre-amp, a removable head shell, adjustable counterweight and Audio-technica At-VM95E or Ortofon OM5E cartridge.

It’s easy to set up and using the dedicated Victrola Stream app lets you adjust the settings to help you get a brilliant audio performance.

Victrola say: "Whether streaming wirelessly in up to 24-bit/48-kHz lossless FLAC or using the RCA output for a traditional setup, the Stream Onyx offers a seamless blend of modern technology and classic vinyl performance."

For more discounts, don't forget to check out our favourite Black Friday music deals page, which we're updating regularly.

More Black Friday content

• Black Friday music deals: Headphones, speakers, turntables & more
• Black Friday vinyl deals: Prepare to spin a box set bargain
• Black Friday CD deals: Classics, remasters & more
• Black Friday streaming deals: Discounts on TV, film & music services
• Black Friday CD player deals: Top bargains on CD players
• Black Friday MP3 player deals: Digital players for less

If you’re a regular Louder reader, you may remember that, back in 2021, I gave the Sony PS-LX310BT turntable a stonking good review, awarding this fully automatic, wireless record player the maximum five stars.

Well, fast forward to 2025 and Amazon has massively reduced the price of that turntable for its Big Deal Days event. Instead of the usual $449.99, you can now get it for just $198 – that’s a discount of 56%.

UK customers don't have such a big discount, but Amazon have reduced the price by 5%, with the record player down from £208.35 to £197.38.

Looking to buy a new turntable? Well, big online retail events are always a good bet for finding great discounts – and Amazon’s latest sale has really come up trumps. There are some amazing Prime Day turntable deals to be had, and frankly this 56% price drop on the Sony PS-LX310BT is the best of the lot.

Sony has always made terrific audio products, and this automatic, two-speed turntable is certainly no exception. Easy to operate with a simple stop-start function, the PS-LX310BT features a high-quality aluminium tonearm and platter, which work together to provide exceptional stability.

Improving your listening experience yet further, there’s a switch around the back that allows you to switch the gain to match the audio level of your records. It’s a nice touch and makes a real difference.

With Bluetooth functionality, you can hook the deck up to a wireless speaker or headphones, meaning there will be no messy leads trailing across the floor. And the PS-LX310BT will also connect to your computer by USB, enabling you to rip those rare records to MP3 ready for listening to on your morning commute.

As for how it looks, this Sony deck is about as minimalist as it gets, meaning it’ll blend in with just about any home decor. Allow it to go about its business unnoticed as it fills your home with beautiful music.

For more last-minute discounts, check out our guide to the best Prime Day music deals and if you're looking for something to play on your new record player, take a peek at all our favourite Prime Day vinyl deals.

Gadhouse have put a fresh spin on their original Brad Retro record player by introducing the MKII - a super-affordable, budget record player that will suit newcomers to the world of vinyl.

The Brad Retro MKII is said to combine “vintage charm and modern convenience” with the new belt-driven model featuring an updated motor to reduce vibration, and a custom Gadhouse Ruby stylus. Like the original turntable, the MKII has three speeds: 33/1/3, 45 and 78 RPM.

Gadhouse add: “The MKII also boasts improved isolation technology, minimising external noise and preserving the warmth and richness of vinyl sound.

"The inclusion of RCA outputs allows for seamless integration with external speakers from the likes of Audio Pro, enabling listeners to create a tailored listening experience in any environment. An auto start/stop functions makes things even easier too.”

The Gadhouse Brad Retro MKII also has built-in 10W dual speakers, a clear dust cover, pitch control, USB-C charging, Bluetooth 5.3 and comes in a variety of colours.

It’s available now in the UK priced from £99 and can be purchased through Currys.

Read more

• Best record players for beginners: Get up to speed with our top picks
• Best portable record players: Turntables for small spaces
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in prime condition
• 9 cheap upgrades you can make to improve your vinyl setup

We’re into the fourth and final day of the Prime Day turntable deals and we’ve been lucky enough to see some head-spinning bargains. But perhaps my favourite is seeing the excellent Sony PS-LX310BT on sale in both the US and UK - a product that sits top of our guide to the best Bluetooth turntables.

You can pick one up from Amazon in the US with 23% off, with the price reduced from $449.99 to $348 - a saving of more than $100.

And if you’re checking in from the UK, you can get the same turntable with a 25% discount, with Amazon tumbling the price from £239 to £179.55.

But with Prime Day coming to a close at midnight tonight, you’d best be quick to add it to your online shopping basket before time runs out.

Great tunes should really be played on a good-quality turntable – and the Sony PS-LX310BT is certainly that. For an entry-level deck, this record player has a lot going for it, ensuring that you’ll get the listening experience your music collection deserves.

Sony is known for the great sound quality its products deliver, and this turntable doesn’t disappoint in that area. In our review of the PS-LX310BT, we mentioned how it offers a “lively, entertaining listen” and “performs competently across all ranges”.

The PS-LX310BT comes with a built-in phono preamp, which means you can hook the turntable straight into some speakers (either wired or wirelessly) and start playing your records right away. Operating the thing couldn’t be easier, thanks to its one-step auto playback, and with two speeds at your disposal, you can switch between playing albums and singles at will.

Finally, this sleek turntable can be connected to a computer via USB, allowing you to rip your vinyl to MP3 – useful for when you want to hear your records on the move. Of course, in an ideal world, you’d be able to stick the PS-LX310BT in your rucksack and spin your discs on the train – but hey, you can’t have everything.

For more last-minute discounts, make sure and check out Louder’s main Prime Day Music deals page, and we're also collecting all the Prime Day vinyl deals and Prime Day Lego deals - but with Prime Day coming to a close at midnight tonight, these bargains won't hang around for long.

Oh, and you might also want to read our guide to the best budget vinyl care kits that are going cheap in the Prime Day sales. Gotta keep those LPs in good condition, right?

I’m a strong supporter of (investor in?) the vinyl revolution. My growing collection is much loved and played hard; I have a mix of brand new records and second-hand gems, which range from ‘charming crackle’ to ‘unplayable’. I have one particular well-worn copy of The Police’s 1981 album Ghost in the Machine that’s seen better days. Let’s call it a challenging listen. But it was cheap! The skip starts just as the first chorus kicks in and it’s impossible to get beyond without lifting the needle.

• Shop all of today’s best Prime Day deals at Amazon
• Our guide to the best vinyl record cleaners

This is just one example of a few criminally uncared for records in my collection. I’ve done some trawling of this year’s Prime Day vinyl deals and I came across this absolutely huge ultrasonic vinyl cleaning gadget, complete with auto-drying function. Even with the $100 Prime Day discount, it’s still $499. And it looks like a bread maker.

I’m sure it would breathe so much new life into my record collection, but imagine how much wax you could buy for that…

So, I figured until I decide to sell a kidney, I’m going to look for a cheaper solution. The good news is that Prime Day has plenty of affordable options. These three will do exactly what I need and none of them cost more than 20 bucks:

If you’re on the lookout for a last-minute Cyber Monday record player discount, then let's not waste any more of your time and instead point you in the direction of the Audio-Technica LP5X, which has been reduced by 21%, with the price dropping from £379.99 to £298.95 over on Amazon.

If there’s one thing that’s going to make your – or someone else’s – Christmas, it’s being able to listen to some great music on vinyl. And now there’s a chance to buy something really good to play that vinyl on, at a price that won’t break the bank.

The Audio-Technica LP5X is a cracking bit of kit that packs in all the qualities that have made the Japanese firm one of the world’s leading audio manufacturers. Built from robust aluminium, this fully manual, direct drive turntable boasts a number of features designed to improve your record-playing experience, including a J-shaped tonearm that’s been engineered to minimise tracking errors, a switchable MM/MC phono/line preamp, and a heavy rubber damping mat for improved low-frequency reproduction.

With a choice of three speeds, you can play LPs, singles, and even your grandparents’ old 78s if you really want to. And there’s even a USB socket for connecting the turntable to a computer and converting your vinyl music to MP3 files – a great option if you want to hear your music on the go.

For more discounts, don't forget to check out our guide to the best Cyber Monday record player deals, and for some new records, take a peek at our favourite Cyber Monday vinyl deals.

More Cyber Monday content

• Cyber Monday music deals : All the bargains in one place
• Cyber Monday Marshall deals : Speakers & headphones on sale
• Cyber Monday streaming deals : Explore music, film & TV offers
• Cyber Monday CD deals : Collect all the essential albums
• Cyber Monday CD player deals : Give your collection some love
• Cyber Monday Lego deals : Discounts for Lego fans of all ages

The Cyber Monday deals are almost over for this year, but if you act quickly there's still a very good deal or two to be had before the sales once again close for the year at midnight. There's always a few decent turntables guaranteed to be on Cyber Monday sale, and this year is no exception.

The deal which has caught our eye is on a Denon DP-400 turntable, currently going for 40% off at Amazon. With a list price of $499, currently going for $299.98, that's a whopping $199 saving.

Denon is a company who know their stuff when it comes to turntables. Founded in 1910, they were the makers of Japan's first phonograph, and count passion for audio, respect for artistry and a wholehearted embracing of technological innovation as their guiding principles. When the 70s hit they evolved into consumer products and became one of the leading audio brands on the market.

Cut to now, and they're still making competitive turntables for audiophiles, beginners and everyone in between. The DP-400 in question here is technically a low-budget model, especially at its current price of just under $300, so it uses some lower-spec elements, but while you’ll sacrifice some sound quality for convenient features, you can always swap the cartridge later for a better sound (the turntable's tonearm is plastic, but the headshell is really easy to replace, so upgrading is a doddle).

The sound quality isn't fantastic, but if your amp and speakers aren't high-end you'll probably be happy, and the main joy of the Denon DP-400 is the ease of operation.

More Cyber Monday deals which are still live

• Cyber Monday music deals : All the bargains in one place
• Cyber Monday vinyl deals : Get your collection up to scratch
• Cyber Monday record player deals : New gear for less
• Cyber Monday Marshall deals : Speakers & headphones on sale
• Cyber Monday streaming deals : Explore music, film & TV offers
• Cyber Monday CD deals : Collect all the essential albums
• Cyber Monday CD player deals : Give your collection some love

Walmart are hosting a massive sale on record players and turntables for Cyber Monday - but you'll have to be quick if you want to grab a deal. Several products are already showing limited stocks and the offers are only running for a limited time. 

That said, there are plenty of options to explore on the Walmart website, with a massive range of products to check out. If you need a hand finding a great player, we've picked out a few of our favourites that we felt were worth highlighting. 

To start, there are massive savings available on the classic-style Udreamer record player with speakers. Originally $225.99, you can now grab this bundle for just $82.99, saving $143 on an exceptional audio set-up that's perfect for first-time buyers and dedicated music lovers alike. 

If you'd rather have something with a bit more mobility, Walmart are also offering Udreamer's suitcase audio turntable for less than 50% of its original price, now available for just $40.60. 

So far as looks go, you'll struggle to find something more unique than Direct Power's 10-in-1 record player. Designed to look like a chest/music box, this player has built-in speakers and offers multi platform support with the capacity to play CDs and cassettes as well as plug-ins for both USB and audio jacks, and Bluetooth capabilities to wirelessly connect to other devices, as well as AM/FM radio support. All of that is available for just $122.99!

There's also a big saving to be found on the Jensen MC-1250 BT Turntable. This device is perfect for the music lover who never had the heart to part with their old collections; thankfully, with its own tape deck, 3CD changer and Bluetooth compatability, you don't need to as the player supports a variety of formats. Now $199.99 - down from $269.99, this is the ideal pick for anyone who also wants a sleeker, more modern take on the record player. 

There are plenty of options to pick from across Walmart's Cyber Monday sales, so be sure to explore and find the player that's best for you. Thankfully, the Walmart website also tracks when stocks are running low on particular products - for example, there is a warning that 65% of the RetroAudio Record Player deals have already sold out, so be sure to pick up a bargain while you still can! 

More Cyber Monday content

• Cyber Monday music deals: All the bargains in one place
• Cyber Monday record player deals : New gear for less
• Cyber Monday Marshall deals : Speakers & headphones on sale
• Cyber Monday streaming deals : Explore music, film & TV offers
• Cyber Monday CD deals : Collect all the essential albums
• Cyber Monday CD player deals : Give your collection some love
• Cyber Monday Lego deals : Discounts for Lego fans of all ages

It's beginning to look a lot like... well, Cyber Monday, actually. And Amazon have unveiled a massive range of savings on record players to help you get into the saving spirit.  

Now you might already have a good audio set-up at home with your very own turntable, but what about when you're on the go? Victrola have you covered if you've ever wanted a more portability, their suitcase record player currently available for $39.99. That's a massive 43% reduction, making it the perfect pick for music lovers who want to be able to move their player around, while the Victrola's bluetooth capabilities mean it can also play music from other devices when paired. 

A little more traditional - in both aesthetic and function - is Udreamer's vintage-style three-speed record player. Designed with a classic wood phonograph look, you can currently pick this one up for $39.98 on Amazon US. That's another 43% reduction, and although it has a decidedly old-school look, it also has Bluetooth capabilities meaning you can still enjoy cross-device compatability.

So how about more premium options? FancyRabbit specialise in high quality audio players specifically designed to give you a superior listening experience. Magnetic cartridges offer high definition audio, reducing surface noise and distortion, while its 4 in-built speakers offer a rich, well-balanced tone. 35% off means you can now get this excellent player for $175.99, down from $269.99. 

The Cyber Monday deals aren't only available on Amazon US, either. There's an impressive range of deals available through Amazon UK falling within the Black Friday/Cyber Monday bracket, allowing you to pick up top quality record players for less. 

If you're looking for something sleek and elegant that won't take up too much space in your home, you should check out the deal on the Sony PS-LX310BT. Reduced by 21%, you can now pick up this turntable for £189, down from an original price of £239. 

If you're looking for a bigger set-up, ANGELS HORN have an impressive bundle including a record player, Hi-Fi Turntable system and bookshelf speakers. That whole package is now just £205.19, down 24%. 

There are literally hundreds of deals to pick from across both Amazon US and UK, so be sure to check through and explore to your heart's content and keep an eye on our hub for Cyber Monday deals on a wide range of products. 

More Cyber Monday deals

Save on Paramount+ with Cyber Monday deals 

Cyber Monday Lego deals: Let your imagination run wild with Star Wars, Harry Potter, The MCU and more

Cyber Monday streaming deals: Settle in with a great bargain on streaming services

Cyber Monday Music deals: Save on classic CDs, new albums and more

Cyber Monday CD Player deals: Top bargains on CD players

Cyber Monday record player deals: Spin yourself some savings on great record players

Black Friday is with us once again, and with it the promise of wide-ranging deals and discounts sure to frustrate the old bank balance. Still, there’s no better time of year to invest in your hi-fi, whether you’re hoping to capitalise on a bargain or simply looking to put your first system together.

Amazon has your back this time around, and particularly so with this cozy little deal on a turntable that perfectly straddles ‘low-budget’ and ‘hi-fi’ – the Fluance RT81, discounted 15% to a steal of a price at $211.97.

Fluance’s RT81 is a powerhouse player for its price, boasting some primo specs in a field saturated by less-precise entry-level models. A lot of thought’s gone into the design of this turntable, from its tracking-friendly s-shaped tonearm to its well-finished high-mass MDF plinth. An integrated phono preamp makes for a versatile unit, too, capable of slotting into any home hi-fi or speaker system.

This is weighty belt-drive turntable that more-than delivers – with partial thanks to the Audio-Technica AT-VM95E cartridge it ships with, which represents a serious leg-up in quality over other cheaper players. The VM95-series cartridges have upgradeable styli, too, so you can iterate on the great sound quality of the RT81 without having to invest in a new cartridge altogether.

With its 15% discount, applied to a retail price of $249.99, you can get this already-reasonably-priced turntable for $38 cheaper. The RT81 comes in one of three colorways at this price – namely, Piano Black, Piano White or Walnut. This is an incredible price point for what you’re getting: a super-serviceable turntable that’ll make your hi-fi system sing.

For more turntable discounts, head over to Louder's pick of the best Black Friday record player deals and don't forget to take a look at all the Black Friday vinyl deals.

More Black Friday deals

• Black Friday music deals: Headphones, speakers, turntables & more
• Black Friday CD deals: Classics, remasters & more
• Black Friday CD player deals: Top bargains on CD players
• Black Friday Marshall deals: Headphones & speakers on sale
• Black Friday streaming deals: Discounts on TV, film & music services
• Black Friday Lego deals: Build a great deal right now

Being in possession of a turntable is, it’s safe to say, pretty neat. The world of physical media never really left, but it feels more “back” than ever in 2026 – particularly with an especially loaded Record Store Day dropping on 18 April. Owning a record player is your front door into this world; a world of tactile sound, active listening, and analogue fidelity, a world apart from the lossy audio of lesser streaming platforms.

But if you’re new to the world of turntable ownership, you might not know that you could be missing out on getting the very best from your deck. There are many different things that impact how good your records sound, from the quality of your hi-fi amp to that of your speakers – but before you start spending away on new hi-fi bits and pieces, your first port of call should probably be to make sure your record player is set up and calibrated correctly.

Maybe you’ve bought your first turntable, or invested in a vintage one. Maybe you’re installing a new cartridge on your existing turntable, and need to set everything back up again.

Whatever the reason – and even if there’s no reason – you should know how to calibrate your turntable.

Why calibrate your turntable at all?

Turntables are not altogether complicated in design, construction or operation, but their performance is heavily impacted by a number of complicated-seeming variables. If your stylus isn’t where it should be when you play a record, it could be wearing one side of the record’s groove out; if your tonearm’s weighing heavy on your vinyl, you could be damaging both record and stylus. Phasing, crosstalk, distortion, bounce-outs – these problems and more are all mitigated by calibrating your turntable, the results of which are like night and day.

Here, a small caveat: you might not have a turntable that needs much, if any, calibration. Newer, quality budget turntables are increasingly designed with out-of-the-box functionality firmly in mind; for instance, if you’re a proud owner of something like Audio-Technica’s LP70XBT automatic turntable, you’ll find it pre-calibrated in all the ways that count. But in most cases, when you’re working with a turntable above the entry level, there’ll be some key adjustments you can make for the betterment of your records, your equipment and your ears.

What do you need?

First, you’ll need something called a tracking force gauge, for measuring the weight of your stylus as it applies to the records you play. Any digital scale with a precision of 0.01g will do here, but you can find quite a few scales online that are specifically designed for this task.

The next thing you’ll need is something called a cartridge alignment protractor. This is a measuring tool which sits on your turntable’s platter, anchored by the spindle, and which allows you to perform most of your cartridge alignment steps. There are a few different types you can get, and some you can print off yourself, which can use any of three different alignment standards (more on which later).

Finally, you may want to pick up something called an azimuth ruler. This is typically a clear plastic or glass block which sits vertically on your platter, designed to butt up against the front of your cartridge and the side of your tonearm, so as to quickly measure and adjust azimuth and VTA respectively. These aren’t hugely necessary, but they are decent for getting quick results!

Step 1: Set your tracking force

The tracking force is calibrated by adjusting the counterweight to the rear of your tonearm. Too light and your stylus is more likely to bounce out and skate around your record, risking damage to the wax. Too heavy and your needle will actively abrade the interior surfaces of your groove, ruining your records and eventually ruining itself.

The ideal tracking force is defined by the cartridge you’re using. For instance, the ideal tracking force for an Audio-Technica VM-95E cart is between 1.8 and 2.2mm; as such, you’d be aiming for 2mm tracking force. Set your counterweight such that your tonearm is balancing on its pivot – and if it has a numbered indicator ring, set that to 0.

Now, place your tracking force gauge on the platter (ensuring it’s calibrated and properly zeroed), move your counterweight in a little, and set your stylus down on the gauge. Keep reseating the counterweight until you get the desired weight, and with that your tracking force will be set.

Step 2: Align your cartridge

To cut a long story short, your stylus’ relationship to the record groove changes as it sweeps into the centre. The more it changes, the more the sound of your records can be impacted, typically by distortion and harsh sibilance.

The ideal relationship between your stylus and groove is tangential – that is, that your stylus is neither digging inwards nor facing outwards. But with pivoting tonearms, this can only happen at two points on a given record. As such, you’re aligning your cartridge to get the best possible results, using these two ‘null points’ as a guide.

The position of these null points, and hence the sound of your record as a whole, is dependent on two things: stylus overhang, and alignment angle (or zenith angle). Your alignment protractor is your template for setting these, and will be itself calibrated to one of three standards: Baerwald, Stevenson and Lofgren B (though Technics turntables have their own calibration standard altogether). For most, the Baerwald standard is the happiest medium – and the standard used on most basic alignment protractors.

Place your protractor on the platter, loosen the screws holding your cartridge in place a little, and then pull your tonearm over to the first null point on the protractor. You want to line the stylus up with the dot at the centre, and then twist the cartridge so that the cantilever is parallel with the lines. Lightly tighten it into place, then move the stylus over the second null point towards the centre – and repeat the same steps. Go back and forth until you’ve found a happy medium between the two, and Bob’s your uncle!

Step 3: Set your cartridge azimuth

Your cartridge’s azimuth is how it sits horizontally, when you face it end-on. Adjusting the azimuth adjusts how the stylus sits in the groove; you want the stylus to be vertical, and hence reading the left and right channels of encoded audio somewhat equally. If it isn’t vertical, you’ll get more crosstalk and a less focused stereo image in your speakers. For most systems, you won’t need to do much here; but for peace of mind, you can use an azimuth ruler to reference and adjust your cartridge against.

Butt your ruler up to the end of the cartridge, and see if the cart lines up with the markings; if it doesn’t, shim one of the screws holding the cartridge to its headshell to tilt it slightly. This isn’t the most accurate method, though, as most styli aren’t perfectly perpendicular to their respective cartridge body. Theoretically, then, you’d get better results from placing the stylus down on a small mirror to establish its perpendicularity.

If you’re seriously serious about your hi-fi – or if you’ve invested in a high-quality line-contact stylus – you’ll want to measure the level of crosstalk in your turntable’s outputs with an oscilloscope or digital multimeter, and make more informed adjustments accordingly – generally, you’re aiming for as close to complete channel separation as you can manage.

Step 4: Set your Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA)

The vertical tracking angle (VTA) is the angle made between your record and the cantilever that holds your stylus, adjusted by lifting or lowering the tonearm at its base. Some record-playing fossils would have you believe that setting it correctly is a matter of life and death. Luckily, it isn’t!

Each record has its own ‘ideal’ VTA relating to the way its master disc was cut – besides which, there are a great many variables, from the subtle warp of some records to the thickness of the vinyl itself. To maintain the ideal VTA, you’d be adjusting your tonearm height practically every time you changed the record – which some people do! Still, each to their own.

For most cases, you can safely set your tonearm to be pretty-much parallel with your record, in order to achieve an acceptable VTA; your azimuth ruler will also have long horizontal lines for checking VTA against, so use these to reference and set your tonearm angle.

I take a somewhat cavalier approach to VTA, as you may have surmised – but there are times it really does matter. Again, if you’ve invested in a line-contact stylus, you need to think a bit more carefully about VTA and its corresponding SRA (stylus rake angle), in order to ensure you’re getting the precision your stylus is capable of.

Step 5: Do it all again

Just kidding. Well, half-kidding. Every change you make will have knock-on impacts on other aspects of your calibration, most obviously with setting your stylus overhang and setting your tracking force. Thankfully, you won’t need to make any major moves – all you’re doing is making sure that everything’s still where you left it, and adjusting accordingly.

Step 6: Set your anti-skate

The final piece of the puzzle is your record player’s anti-skate – the outward-pushing mechanism that counters your tonearm’s inertiatic desire to yeet itself towards the spindle during play. Most turntables have a dial for setting this, but some Pro-Ject turntables use a wire-suspended weight with a notched post for changing its leverage.

Many guides will tell you to set your anti-skate one-to-one with your cartridge’s recommended tracking force – and many seasoned audiophiles will tell you that 10% of your cartridge’s tracking force is closer to the money. The real answer is somewhere between these extremes, and a good rule of thumb would be: the costlier your cartridge, the less anti-skate you’re likely to need.

Hey, you did it! It’s a bit of work getting a turntable fully calibrated, but that bit of work is hugely worth it – whether improving the sound from your hi-fi, or simply protecting your records for the long term. The next record you play will be a reward in and of itself, for the sheer difference you’ll hear in your system.

Key terms

Unsure about some of the terminology I've used in this guide? Here's a brief explanation of the key terms:

Alignment Protractor
A measurement scale placed on a record player’s platter, which enables cartridge alignment.

Anti-skate
A mechanism on turntables that counteracts the centrifugal force experienced by the tonearm, keeping the stylus from pressing against one side of the groove.

Azimuth
The ‘tilt’ of the cartridge, as you look at it head-on; this describes the verticality of the stylus as it sits in the groove, with respect to the groove walls.

Bounce-out
When a large bump or ridge in a record’s groove, or warping of the record itself, causes a record player’s stylus to physically bounce out of the groove.

Cartridge
The assembly at the end of the tonearm, which houses the stylus, the cantilever on which it is mounted, and the pickup that converts the stylus’ movements into electrical signals.

Cartridge Alignment
The tangential alignment of the cartridge with the groove, at two pre-determined ‘null points’ on a record; this is done with an alignment protractor, by loosening the cartridge’s attachment screws and ‘twisting’ it in its headshell.

Counterweight
The weight at the rear of the tonearm, on the other side of its pivot point

Cross-talk
The extent to which one channel of stereo audio can be heard in the other. In ideal circumstances, left and right audio signals are completely separate from one another; where a stylus’ azimuth is not set perfectly, information from one side of the groove can appear in the signal of the other side.

Distortion
The alteration of an audio signal, by way of clipping or saturation.

Headshell
The bracket onto which the cartridge is affixed, and which itself affixes to the end of the tonearm. Most turntables have a ½” headshell; some budget turntables have no headshell, favouring an integrated tonearm and cartridge assembly.

Platter
The rotating plate on which a vinyl record is placed, on a record player.

Spindle
The vertical spoke at the centre of a record player’s platter, which receives the hole at the centre of a given vinyl record.

SRA
Stands for Stylus Rake Angle, referring to the verticality of the stylus as it sits in the groove, with respect to the direction the groove travels.

Stylus
The needle at the end of the cartridge, which ‘feels’ bumps and ridges in a record’s groove and translates them to kinetic energy, later translated to electrical signals by the cartridge.

Tonearm
A pivoting arm that holds the cartridge and its stylus, enabling the stylus to travel inwards as a record progresses.

Tracking force
The weight applied by the stylus to the record’s surface; this is adjustable using a tonearm’s counterweight, and needs to be adjusted to the ideal tracking force for the cartridge.

VTA
Stands for Vertical Tracking Angle, referring to the angle at which the tonearm dips relative to horizontal.

Read more:

• Does vinyl really sound better than other formats?
• CD vs vinyl: Which sounds better and why it matters
• Cool vinyl record storage ideas
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Direct-drive vs belt-drive turntables: What's the difference?
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in prime condition

Listening to records is an incomparable thing. It’s magical to have that music physically there, and its supporting artwork in glorious 12.5”x12.5” for you to scrutinise. As someone starting their turntable journey, though, you might have discovered there’s a whole world of nerdy decision-making beneath this cool experiential exterior.  

Perhaps the first proper engagement any of us have with this world (past investing in decent hi-fi equipment to begin with) is with shopping for a new turntable cartridge – which is something you should absolutely do, whether your record player’s a second-hand special or a brand-new consumer unit. But why should you? And how do you even install one?

Why replace your turntable cartridge?

Naturally, you’ll be in the market for a new cartridge if you’ve bought a turntable that doesn’t come with one, or inherited a turntable with a broken stylus. Even if you’ve bought an older player with an apparently-working cartridge, you should strongly consider replacing it anyway. 

This is because styli can wear down over time, damaging your records and making them sound worse for the privilege. The cartridge itself could also be compromised, where old and ailing rubber knackers the stylus’ suspension. Rather than finding out the hard way, a new cartridge could be the path of least resistance to a refurbished device.

New turntables aren’t safe from the glowing potential of a new cartridge, either. The stock cartridges that come with turntables are often good, but not great – and spending a little money on an aftermarket cartridge could dramatically improve the quality of sound from your hi-fi.

Step 1: Find out which type of cartridge you need

First off, you need to identify what kind of cartridge your turntable takes – or if you can replace its cartridge at all. Many entry-level and suitcase-style turntables have integrated cartridges which can’t be replaced, though some of these will enable you to swap styli (such as the Audio Technica LP70xBT, which uses Audio-Technica’s own replaceable VM-series styli with an integrated cartridge).

Outside of these, there are three conventional standards for cartridge design, one of which will fit your turntable:

1/2", or standard mount

An overwhelming majority of turntables use 1/2", or standard-mount, cartridges. These are affixed to the tonearm’s headshell by two parallel screws, and electrically connected to wires via four large pins at the rear. The two screws are a dead giveaway – and if your turntable is currently cartridge-less, just look for two parallel slats in the headshell.

DJ cartridge

On decks designed for DJing, the tonearms are terminated by sockets as opposed to headshells, into which DJ cartridges are slotted then tightened into place. This makes for a more secure mechanical connection for both the cartridge and its contacts, providing much-needed stability against jogging, scratching or otherwise heavy-handed performance behaviour. 

DJ cartridges are designed for heavier tracking forces and not so much for fidelity, so if you’re playing records casually at home, you might not be too keen on the results these give you. Luckily, you can also get an adapter for these kinds of tonearms, which mates with the socket and provides connectivity for standard mount cartridges.

P-mount

The P-mount cartridge is a rare type and a bit of an outlier; the P-mount design is mostly found on linear-tracking turntables, a briefly-popular 80s innovation which uses rods or tracks to move the cartridge in a perfectly straight line towards the centre of the record. This cartridge has four pins, like the standard mount, but thinner; these mate with a socket in a P-mount headshell, after which a single screw holds the assembly together. If your record player lacks a conventional pivoting tonearm, it may take a P-mount cart.

Step 2: Choose your replacement

Now you know which type of cartridge to get, you can start to drill down into the fun part: picking out the right cartridge for your setup. First, you’ll want to choose between moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) cartridge types. 

Moving magnet cartridges are generally cheaper and more accessible, with a relatively high signal output and sometimes even the capability to switch styli. MC cartridges are generally expensive and low-output, but offer vastly improved fidelity. If you’ve spent some good money on a good phono preamp and some primo speakers, you’ll benefit greatly from an MC cartridge – otherwise, an MM cartridge will absolutely fit the bill.

Next, the stylus. Different styli have different tip shapes, which confer their own unique benefits either in sound or in cost. If you’re upgrading you should consider ignoring conical or elliptical styli, and opt instead for something with a fine-line style tip; these are often better-sounding and better for the long-term health of your records. If you want to get a little more in-depth about any of this, you can read more here on why your choice of stylus and cartridge matters.

Step 3: Remove your old cartridge

Cartridge chosen, purchased, and in your now-trembling hands, it’s time for the nerve-wracking bit. Steel yourself and locate some decent side-clasp tweezers, for your first job is to carefully remove the wires from the rear pins of your cartridge. 

Do this while the cartridge is still secured to the tonearm, and you’ll have a less troublesome time of it. These wires are thin and brittle, and will be all the more brittle if your turntable’s birth-year starts with 19; make sure to only grasp the connector tip when you pull, and not the wires themselves.

These four wires are two pairs, for the left and right channels respectively. Modern turntables are kind enough to colour-code them: red and green are right-channel positive and negative respectively, while white and blue are left-channel positive and negative. If your turntable doesn’t have colour-coded wires, make a note of which go where (and use masking tape to mark them if necessary). Cartridge de-wired, you can now remove the mounting screws holding it to the headshell.

For P-mount cartridges, the cartridge is socketed in place and held there by a single screw, which goes all the way through. Unscrew it completely, and then pull on the cartridge to remove. 

For DJ cartridges, releasing the assembly is as simple as unscrewing the nut holding the assembly together, and lightly pulling.

Step 4: Connect your new cartridge

Now it’s time to seat your new cartridge – the steps for which are pretty much the inverse of the previous step. Hold your cartridge in place beneath the headshell, holes aligned with slats (and stylus still sheathed), and affix it with your screws. Cartridge in place, it’s time to painstakingly return the wires to their relative pins. Be patient, slow and smooth, and they should eventually seat themselves comfortably.

Both DJ cartridges and P-mount cartridges are as breathtakingly simple to install as they are to remove, both being a case of plugging then screwing back in place. However, DJ cartridges often come with rubber O-rings designed to slip over the shaft that meets the tonearm socket, and protect the socket from damage relating to over-tightening – so make sure you’ve slid these on before you screw them into place.

Step 5: Calibrate

Your cartridge is in and all that’s left to do is calibrate it. P-mount cartridges retain some popularity for their plug-and-play convinience, needing absolutely no calibration before they’re good to go; most turntables, though, need some attention before they’ll play the way you want them to. 

In a nutshell, you’re calibrating the weight the stylus applies to the groove, and the alignment of the cartridge with respect to the groove. This really is a subject all of its own. In the meantime, you can pat yourself on the back for a tricksy job well done.

Related content

• Does vinyl really sound better than other formats?
• Cool vinyl record storage ideas
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Direct-drive vs belt-drive turntables: What's the difference?
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in prime condition

Dutch audio firm Lenco have used the consumer and electronics show IFA Berlin to unveil three new budget turntables - and all are well-priced and should be of interest for those setting out on their vinyl journey.

As reported on What Hi-Fi, the three new turntables are priced between £199 / €219 and £449 / €499 and all come with removable dust covers and have two playback speeds of 33⅓ and 45rpm.

The fully automatic and belt-driven Lenco LBTA-165 leads the charge and features a Audio-Technica AT3600L moving magnet cartridge and that's paired with an in-built phono preamp so you’ll be good to go straight off the bat. The record player also has Bluetooth connectivity so you can easily wirelessly connect your headphones or speakers. It’ll retail for £199 / €219.

The second unit to be revealed at IFA Berlin is the belt-driven, manual Lenco LBT-215BK which is more expensive with a price point of £299 / €329. The extra financial outlay gives you access to a USB port, allowing you to transfer your tracks to digital through your laptop, and the moving magnet cartridge takes the shape of Audio-Technica AT-VM95E. The LBT-215BK also has Bluetooth capabilities and a built-in phono preamp.

The last of the trio to be announced at the show is the Lenco L-455BK which comes in at £449 / €499. Unlike the other three models, there’s no Bluetooth here but it does have a Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge. It’s also able to convert your favourite tracks to digital and has a switchable phono preamp. It also features automatic rotation speed checking and correction to provide excellent audio delivery.

All three turntables will be released in October, with a final date still to be confirmed.

Related content

• Does vinyl really sound better than other formats?
• Best vinyl records to test your turntable: The albums you need to own
• Some of the best vinyl record storage ideas
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in prime condition

Collecting vinyl records is fun. Big, beautiful sleeve art, liner notes and lyric sheets, the tactile step-by-step of prepping your turntable and hi-fi – all in service of actively and purposefully listening to something you treasure. The format survived near-extinction in the late 20th century, having bounced back on a wave of format nostalgia – and for a keenly-held view on how they sound.

Everyone’s heard it before, whether from a frenzy-eyed friend or from an enthusiastic music-forum regular with an Electric Wizard album cover as their profile picture: the immortal, oft-cited and never-sourced words: “Vinyl sounds better." We’re often even inclined to nod a bit. But why?

The suggestion that vinyls (and yes, ‘vinyls’ is grammatically correct; do not make me die on this hill) have something over other listening formats is not without merit, but it's one that’s justified with some wonky science and common misconceptions. 

Here, I'll be taking a broad and general glance at the medium with a view to setting the record straight on whether or not vinyl really does sound better, what that might even mean at all, and, ultimately, why you shouldn’t care that much anyway.

Forms and formats

Looking at it objectively, there is some clear logic to the suggestion that vinyl records sound better; after all, records are an analogue format. If digital music files are often compromised by lossy digital compression, then surely a vinyl record is better for being a physical format, with waveforms that are mechanically interpreted? While a logical thought process, the answer is a little more complicated – and mostly ‘no’, at that.

Records win an easy victory against low-bitrate mp3s, which suffer tangibly from compression artefacts, and put up a decent fight against streaming platforms such as Spotify (where audio normalisation can over-compress already-slammed tracks). But, just as scratched, dusty and well-loved old records don’t stand for the potential fidelity of vinyl as a format, so too are lossy audio files a poor example of what digital really means for audio. Besides which, records are a flawed format all of their own. 

Despite being analogue, vinyl records still have a noise floor to contend with, giving them a palpable boundary for resolution. Also, the dynamic range of a good record on a good day is somewhere in the region of 70dB, where the dynamic range of the average 16-bit CD can reach up to 96dB. The spiralling-in of the record’s groove also means each successive track on a given side passes the stylus slower, squeezing the frequency range and introducing fresh tracking difficulties which risk distortion.

In search of warmth

Thankfully, fidelity and resolution aren’t the only factors that influence the better-ness of one listening experience over another. Character is a key part of the equation and the leading argument that many choose when evangelising about vinyl over digital. A lot of talk about the experience of listening to vinyl leans toward the ineffable, but one word crops up more often than others in talking about how vinyl sounds: warmth.

Vinyls are described as warmer-sounding than digital formats, a characteristic difference and very real effect caused in large part by their aforementioned limitations. The slight roll-off of higher frequencies, especially further into a record, tames harshness; the mid-range is well-preserved and well represented to the point of prominence. 

Bass, though, is an interesting problem as it is counterintuitively difficult to accurately represent bass on a record without causing the stylus to bounce out of the groove altogether. This brings us to another part of the equation altogether, which contributes both to the warmth of vinyl and to the general assertion of vinyl as better.

Getting the most from vinyl

The limitations and character of the vinyl format require an expertly-engineered approach at the mastering stage. Mastering engineers are dark-artists, that are solicited for their arcane powers today in service of producing punchy and volume-competitive songs for radio streaming. But the job of mastering is far more than making music loud and better – indeed, it exists as a direct consequence of vinyl, the name coming from cutting engineers and the ‘master disc’ that would stamp records.

Vinyl masters, then, are their own beast. They implement RIAA equalisation to reduce bass information and boost high-end information, an EQ curve countered by hi-fi hardware to improve low-end performance. They play ball with the limits of the form, they make compromises to better suit the music, and in turn can often result in listening experiences that genuinely, tangibly differ from the digital listening experience.

A sound investment

Of course, records don’t sound good in a vacuum; you need something to play them on! Getting the most out of your records means budgeting for a hi-fi system that represents them well – and that could include one of the best turntables with a decent cartridge, a phono pre-amp, an amplifier, and a set of turntable speakers to hear it all with. 

Budget or all-in-one set-ups can often surprise in terms of quality, but are ultimately and clearly superseded by hi-fi setups with more investment – investment which can easily reach five figures at the audiophile end of the spectrum. 

This has a dual impact, too; not only can someone invest a lot of money in a high-quality record-playing setup, but that investment represents personal investment in an opinion. If someone with a top-flight Pro-Ject turntable is telling you that records sound better than streaming, are you going to be surprised that they’ve reached that conclusion?

In conclusion

So, what am I saying here? Technically speaking, the vinyl format is demonstrably worse for sound fidelity than the average CD, but in practice can sound warmer and richer – both against the common lossy audio formats used by streaming services, and with thanks to mastering engineers doing great work in creating bespoke and beautiful masters for physical releases. Also, the money you spend on your hi-fi can inform your opinions on record fidelity. 

But this a cynical place to leave things and doesn’t really speak to the truth of listening to and enjoying records. After all, vinyls are, in a word, fun! Dusting the record, placing the tonearm, poring over gatefold art and listening actively – this is ritualistic, experiential, and makes for a mode of listening entirely different from asking Siri to play Dopethrone please.

That the limitations of the vinyl format should diminish their enjoyability is ludicrous – but so too is attributing untruths to artificially elevate its capabilities. Here, a radical suggestion from me to you: enjoy your records!

Related content

• Why your choice of stylus and turntable cartridge matters
• Best vinyl records to test your turntable: The albums you need to own
• Cool vinyl record storage ideas
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Direct-drive vs belt-drive turntables: What's the difference?
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in prime condition

If you’re reading this, I don’t need to sell you on the concept of buying one of the best record players around. Whether a recent convert to vinyl, or someone whose hi-fi has been a living-room staple for years, you’ll be aware of the ineffable and indiscriminate joy of dropping the needle in the groove, putting eyeball to liner notes and admiring the album artwork.

What you might not be as well-versed in, however, is the manner in which a good turntable hi-fi system outputs hi-fi goodness. A turntable has many variables, from the way in which the platter is driven to the material construction of the tonearm, each of which have their impacts on stability and noise. However, it’s the turntable’s cartridge that ultimately governs how your records sound. And there are a few different kinds to know about.

Anatomy of a cartridge

A turntable cartridge is, as the name implies, a discrete unit – one which does all of the ‘work’ in translating the contents of your vinyl grooves to electrical signals. The stylus makes contact with the record and transfers the resulting vibrations up into a transducer system; the resulting electrical signals are sent down the tonearm to the output stage.

As the name also implies, cartridges are (at least, often) replaceable elements on a turntable. Unless yours is a hardwired cartridge on an entry-level turntable, swapping your cartridge is a finicky-but-simple undertaking, and one which opens up a world of sound-upgrade possibilities.

All about the stylus

In many ways, the stylus is the tip of the iceberg (pun absolutely intended, and no I will not apologise) when it comes to cartridge design. The purpose of the stylus is to interpret the waveforms of a record’s groove as kinetic energy. Stylus tips are usually made from diamond, to benefit from its hardness and accurate energy transfer. These tips are fashioned to the cantilever via a secondary material (bonded), or directly (nude) – the former is more robust, and easier to make besides, but the latter is lighter and more precise.

The shape of the tip is another key variable in the reproduction of a cartridge’s sound. The most common tip shape among cheaper cartridge designs is conical, where the tip is a cone with a uniformly rounded end. These are easy to make and fine for general purposes, but the next step up in sound quality is considerable. Elliptical styli have more sharply-angled sides, allowing for more contact with the groove’s walls and a higher-fidelity reproduction.  

At the top end of the stylus spectrum, you’ll find ‘fine-line’ style tips, with sharp angles and nifty cuts. These truly get to the bottom of the groove, and produce high-quality sound across the frequency spectrum. Micro-linear tips resemble those used on vinyl-cutting discs, with a sharp, precise tip that dramatically improves high-frequency pickup; Shibata-type tips, once designed for quadrophonic records, but also excel on stereo - and with minimal impact on the groove. 

That’s the broad strokes of styli and their design – but what happens to the vibrations they pick up? As far as transduction is concerned, there are three principal types of cartridge: moving magnet, moving coil, and ceramic. Let's look at all three.

Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges

Moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) cartridges both use the principle of electromagnetism – and, in some senses, resemble the function of a guitar’s pickup. Magnets and coils are used to create an electromagnetic field – the disturbance of which generates electricity in the coils.

In an MM cartridge, the magnet is attached to the other end of the stylus’ cantilever, and suspended beneath two coils (one for each channel). The relative movement of the magnet results in induced voltages that reflect said movement. 

MM cartridges are the most common type of cartridge, for being relatively easy to construct and producing a nice, high-powered output voltage (relatively speaking, of course). However, magnets are heavy – and the weight of the stylus cantilever can rob some records of their detail.

Moving Coil (MC) cartridges

Moving coil cartridges use exactly the same essential principle, but in reverse. Here, the coils are the moving part, attached to the needle and vibrated beneath a permanently-fixed magnet according to the waveforms of the groove. 

The result is a much smaller output signal, but one which contains more detail within it. The coils are much lighter than the magnet, and hence the cantilever can transmit more kinetic information, albeit at a lower voltage. However, these kinds of cartridge are far more expensive to engineer and manufacture, as reflected by their considerable market value.

Ceramic cartridges

Rather than using electromagnetism to translate kinetic energy to electrical energy, the ceramic cartridge uses the piezoelectric effect. A ceramic cartridge’s needle directly exerts its kinetic energy on two samples of piezoelectric material, which produce voltages proportional to the pressure they experience. 

Fun a design as this is, it has a handful of shortfalls. Cheaper ceramic cartridges need to weigh heavily on a record to reproduce it properly, leading to quicker wear. These designs also suffer from a reduced bass response, which results in thin-sounding audio. 

Cheaper suitcase-style record players are notorious for their use of inexpensive ceramic cartridges, which exact a heavy toll on the records they play (and for less-than worthwhile results). Better-designed ceramics have their strengths, though, for instance in the playing of old-school 78s.

Which turntable cartridge should I get?

Now you’ve got the skinny on turntable cartridges, you’re in a better position to make some decisions regarding your own setup.

Moving magnet cartridges are a highly affordable option, and still capable of producing incredible sound for their price. They also have the added benefit of stylus upgradeability, as exemplified by Audio-Technica’s VM series. Because the coils are the only hard-wired bit, you can swap your stylus for different or better tip types whenever you like. Any turntable that ships with a VM-coded Audio-Technica stylus is a great option for this low-faff kind of upgrading. 

If money and practicality are less of an object, Moving Coil cartridges are the better buy for their often-dramatic improvements in sound fidelity over other cartridge types. This is practically universal, too. Fidelity and dynamics know no genre; even your slammin’-est thrash LP will sound clearer, tighter and more accurately stereo-balanced via an MC cartridge than an MM one. Sumiko and Hana are both highly-regarded Moving Coil cartridge producers, with an extensive range of options between them.

This superior sound reproduction can be heard in most even half-decent hi-fi setups, but returns will of course diminish the cheaper you go – particularly when it comes to components like your phono pre-amp, which has much more heavy lifting to do with the lower output voltages of MC cartridges.

Ultimately, there are more variables at play than just the cartridge – and even with regards to two different cartridges on the same turntable, feelings about which is ‘better’ can only ever be subjective (unless it’s a ceramic cartridge on a suitcase turntable – in which case, you’re objectively odd for preferring this, and what is wrong with you?). Your hi-fi setup will only ever be as good as its weakest link – but why should that weakest link ever be the cartridge? 

Related content

• Does vinyl really sound better than other formats?
• Best record players: Turntables tested for every budget
• Best vinyl records to test your turntable: The albums you need to own
• Cool vinyl record storage ideas
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Direct-drive vs belt-drive turntables: What's the difference?
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in prime condition
• 9 cheap upgrades you can make to improve your vinyl setup

Victrola have been in the audio business for more than 115 years, and at least three of those trips around the sun have gone into creating the Victrola Automatic - a new addition to the audio firm’s ever-growing range of turntables.

The company are on a roll at the moment, with news of the Automatic coming after we were impressed with the Sonos-friendly Victrola Stream Carbon earlier in the summer. 

Victrola's emphasis with the Automatic was to give this record player more of a mass appeal, with a focus on making a turntable that’s easy to use, lovely to look at and one that should be perfect for beginners to get to grips with. 

It has both wired and wireless functionality so you can hook up a variety of speakers and headphones, a switchable onboard preamp and the company’s own VINYLSTREAM™ Bluetooth.

The Victrola Automatic has a front-facing power and output selection button, along with control buttons that sit flush on the unit - and there’s also a repeat button which will replay the side of your album when pressed. In addition, the Victrola Automatic’s tonearm has an Audio Technica AT-3600L moving magnet cartridge.

Victrola’s CEO Scott Hagen says: “Our team has been working on a fully automatic turntable design for over three years, but we weren’t going to release it to the market until we had something that looks better, performs better, and is easier to use than any other turntable on the market in its class. I’m more than confident to say Victrola has delivered.

“We again have a product that challenges the conventional approach on behalf of new customers’ needs, and it’s resulted in a beautiful, easy-to-use, quality-centric, and affordable turntable.”

The Victrola Automatic is currently available at Amazon US priced at $199, and it’ll launch in the UK from October 1 for £219.

Related guides

• Best vinyl record storage: Keep your records safe
• The best record players: Treat your vinyl to something special
• The best portable record players: Portable turntables for small spaces
• The best budget turntables: Spin your sounds for less
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in tip-top condition
• 7 ways to make your vinyl sound better: Get the most from your set-up

Since the pioneering release of the simple, sleek and supple-sounding Pro-Ject 1 turntable in 1991, Austrian hi-fi brand Pro-Ject has resolutely settled into its well-earned renown for record players iconic and reliable. Its no-nonsense approach to quality turntable design has seen the production of minimalist units with incredible sound reproduction, from the entry level right to the tippity-top of the market - and that's led me to document the best Pro-Ject turntables you can buy right now.

You’re here because you’ve heard of Pro-Ject before, whether you’ve seen one of its striking obelisks in a friend’s living room or simply heard its name on the wind. You might also be aware of Pro-Ject’s reputation for turntables of quality construction and with commitment to great sound. These qualities apply to everything Pro-Ject makes – which, when it comes to choosing your next turntable, can make narrowing the playing field a little tough. 

In an effort to make things a little simpler, I've compiled a handful of the best turntables on Pro-Ject’s roster. From beginner-friendly starter models to audiophile-grade hardware phenomena, here are six of the best Pro-Ject turntables.

The Louder choice

The VT-E BT is one of the more striking turntables on the market, let alone in Pro-Ject’s roster – and not just because if can play records vertically. But mostly because it can play records vertically. Look. Look at it. It plays records vertically. …look. As well as playing records vertically it also plays with form in a quintessentially Pro-Ject fashion. This would look as great on your wall as it sounds on your wall. 

It's a nifty spring-primed mechanism that allows it to play records vertically (did I mention that?), a mechanism which is pre-adjusted for your ease of ease after installation. An Ortofon OM-5E translates records beautifully, and a low-noise DC motor keeps things ticking along affably.

On top of the fact it can play records in a vertical manner, the VT-E BT is also refreshingly versatile. A switchable built-in preamp makes it plug-and-play, and a Bluetooth transmitter gives you the option to remove the ‘plug’ from that process. This well-built vertical-playing masterpiece extends far beyond its initial gimmick (which is, if you hadn’t gathered, that it can play records vertically!).

Best mid-price

Pro-Ject’s Debut Pro B is an extremely smart-looking manual turntable, building on the success of prior Debut models with a fresh and clever approach to its sound. The essential USP for this accessible slice of audiophilia is its ‘True Balanced Connection’ – a principle borrowed from the other side of the music industry glass.

Balanced audio connections, as utilised by audio engineers and live sound techs to send audio from microphone to mixing desk, make clever use of phase to eliminate unwanted noise induced in a signal (for the curious, look up ‘common mode rejection’); a purpose-designed balanced moving-magnet cartridge and a mini-XLR output on the rear together provide the Debut Pro B this robust alternative means of routing audio.

You’ll need a mini-XLR-compatible phono preamp to benefit from this True Balanced connection, of course, but there is also a phono out and ground lug for conventional connection. As for operation, the Debut Pro B is thoroughly and enjoyably manual, with a satisfying toggle for 33 and 45RPM speeds, and 78RPM a nudge of the belt away. 

Between high-quality, high-tolerance adjustment paraphernalia and a meticulous approach to providing fidelity along with affordability, this turntable is a well-priced wonder. 

Best automatic

The A1 Automat is Pro-Ject’s first entrant into the world of automatic turntables, and an intriguing entry at that. This corner of the market is predominated by the inexpensive – by no means a bad thing on its own, but something which can invite varying levels of build quality and longevity. Here, Pro-Ject marries its own commitment to quality design and quality builds with the convenience of the all-automatic entry level.

The A1 comes with an Ortofon OM10, a moving magnet cartridge with a gratifyingly detailed sound; it’s mounted to an aluminium tonearm, pre-aligned and pre-set for tracking force, making it as plug-and-play as it reasonably gets with turntables.

A built-in phono stage yet further improves the plug-and-play appeal of the whole operation, leaving you with an exceedingly satisfying automatic player suitable for every living space.

Best premium

To mix transport metaphors, the RPM 10 Carbon is a top-flight turntable from the good ship Pro-Ject, trucking in a near-unmatched flotilla of performance and stability criteria. On first impressions, though, its design is thrilling – particularly for the fun way in which it deconstructs the conventional (or, at least, common) form of the turntable. 

The perimeter-belt system is driven by a motor posted up on the rear-left of the hefty base plate, while the rear-right hosts the tonearm – from which an output cable runs directly. The verticality and topography of the unit make it seem as if the moving, record-holding and record-playing parts of the RPM 10 Carbon are stacked oddly atop one another, at once minimal turntable and art installation. 

At a shade under £4000, it is art-installation-adjacent in price as well as aesthetics. But that price is buying you one of the lowest-noise and most stable turntables going. The RPM 10 doesn’t come with a cartridge (at this far end of the price spectrum, there’s no presuming what you want from your hi-fi set-up), but it does come with the promise that your records will never be treated better.

Best upgrade option

The Pro-Ject X8 borrows from the higher echelons of audiophile-friendly turntables, to bring smooth and stable play to a slightly more accessible format – ‘slightly’ being the operative word at this post-£2000 price point. Still, this high-end beauty could save you thousands more for being a cleverly-designed player with a distinctly ‘executive’ aesthetic.

A hefty aluminium platter (weighing in at over 5kg – rivalling the complete weight of most mid-range turntables) provides stability and energy absorption, touting benefits for the colouration of records and for the stability of playback. On the electronical side of the equation, an Ortofon Quintet Blue moving coil cartridge provides clarity, fidelity and responsiveness befitting the X8’s stability.

The X8 might be above many budgets already, but it is a doorway to the wider world of audiophile-grade turntables. Its low noise, low distortion and high upgradability factor may see you lingering comfortably in that doorway for a while.

Best all-in-one

The Juke Box E1 is a full-service turntable from Pro-Ject, that goes beyond the customary phono preamp built into most low and low-mid range record players. 

This is the full monty – a record player, Bluetooth receiver and 100-watt hi-fi amplifier in one. The record-playing bit takes after the entry-level E1, being a better-than-entry-level entry level affair – one that uses a great choice of cartridge too, in the Ortofon OM 5E.

There is also an E1 set available, which bundles a pair of Pro-Ject’s Speaker Box 5 bookshelf speakers in along with the turntable. This set is truly all you need to get started with listening to vinyl, and its one of the absolute best starts you could get at that.

FAQ

Pro-Ject is a manufacturer that covers a great deal of bases, from entry-level units for first-time record owners to audiophile-level units that cost five figures. Where other manufacturers often succumb to major compromises in build quality and stability in play at the lower end of the price spectrum, Pro-Ject sort of doesn’t. 

The vast majority of Pro-Ject turntables, for one, are built within driving distance of the brand’s Austrian headquarters. This means more oversight, and more control, over the translation from design to product, and a better approach to construction quality in general. 

Pro-Ject’s position as an upmarket turntable brand both explains and informs its commitment to quality design, too, meaning wow and flutter are not as prominent a consideration as with other brands’ lineups. 

Picking out the right turntable, whatever the brand, is about priorities. What are your necessities, and what do you value? Necessities would include your maximum budget, and your expectations for whatever you buy – be they integrated phono preamplification, or Bluetooth compatibility for headphone listening. What you value, however, would touch on matters of build quality, tonearm stability and motor smoothness, amongst others.

With what we know above in mind, you can be sure that any Pro-Ject turntable you buy will be of quality construction, and of a minimum stability when it comes to to playing records. Of course, the more you spend, the better things get, so budget still matters. Upper-range Pro-Ject models use weight smartly, with high-mass models like the X8 and RPM 10 Carbon boasting impressively low noise and near-negligible percentages for speed drift.

Your own circumstances matter a lot here, as more expensive turntables can cost even more money to get situated in the ideal hi-fi set-up. The more expensive Pro-Jects come without a cartridge, let alone a phono preamp for ease of install – and if you’re likely to find yourself missing either, you should probably be looking in the sub-$/£1000 range anyway. This is where you’ll find accessible, easy-to-set-up models like the T1 or A1 Automat, and even complete hi-fi sets like the E1 Juke Box Set.

How we test

When writing this guide to the best Pro-Ject turntables, a number of criteria were put under the microscope including how the record players sound, how stable performance is, design and extra bells and whistles such as Bluetooth and if a phono pre-amp is built into the unit.

I've covered a number of price points and the six Pro-Ject turntables I selected cover a broad range of the audio firm's offerings, and also take into account whether they're automatic or belt-driven, if the turntables can be upgraded and how easy they are to get up and running straight out of the box.

Investing in a Pro-Ject turntable does come with a cost, from good mid-priced options to high-end behemoths, and I've tried to cover this in my top six picks. But no matter what style of record player you prefer, I hope you'll find something of interest in the turntables above and I'll add more entries where applicable.

Audio-Technica have revealed details of a new addition to their wide range of turntables: the AT-LP70xBT - a record player the Japanese audio firm say is perfectly suited for those taking their first steps into vinyl.

The sleek-looking unit is a fully automatic, belt-driven turntable which performs at both 33⅓ and 45 RPM and also contains a built-in, switchable phono-preamp.

It’s Bluetooth enabled so you can hook up it up to your wireless speakers or connect to wired speakers with the included RCA cable.

Audio-Technica say: “Acting as a sophisticated gateway for audiophiles taking their first steps into the world of vinyl, the AT-LP70xBT combines the tactility and warmth of analogue audio with the convenience of Bluetooth technology to deliver a seamless listening experience for any setup.

“While the AT-LP70xBT is ideal for fledgling vinyl enthusiasts, its sound performance will delight even the most seasoned audiophiles. Its stylish three-piece anti-resonance chassis provides a solid foundation to dampen unwanted noise, replicating music with sparkling clarity and detail.”

The AT-LP70xBT also features a removable dust cover and will launch in mid-late August in three colour variations: Black/silver, white/silver and black/bronze priced at £219 / €249 / $249.

Related content

• Best Bluetooth turntables: The best wireless record players around
• Best vinyl record storage: Keep your records safe
• The best record players: Treat your vinyl to something special
• The best portable record players: Portable turntables for small spaces
• The best budget turntables: Spin your sounds for less
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition

Amazon Prime Day is hitting its stride on both sides of the Atlantic - and we’re delighted to see plenty of head-spinning Prime Day turntable deals steaming in - including this particular 5-star Sony record player discount in both the US and UK.

The Bluetooth-enabled Sony PS-LX310BT holds the no.1 position in our guide to the best Bluetooth turntables and the price is down from $249.99/£239 to $178/£189 on Amazon right now, making this a Prime Day deal not to miss.

So why do we rate the Sony PS-LX310BT Bluetooth turntable so highly? The first thing is that it’s straightforward and fuss-free to set up straight out of the box - and that, along with the turntable being fully automatic, makes it a great choice for those just starting out on their vinyl journey.

Design-wise, it’s minimalist and lightweight, coming in at just 3.5kg and there’s only a few controls to get things spinning along nicely. It’s a two-speed, belt-driven unit with built-in phono preamp  and has an aluminium die-cast platter which helps the Sony PS-LX310BT retain stability while you rock out.

This model can also be paired with up to eight devices simultaneously, so you can hook up your speakers, headphones and soundbar for a bit of welcome flexibility.

Overall, it’s an excellent option, especially at this price, with our five-star review stating that it “delivered a lively, entertaining listen, and it performed competently across all ranges.” Read our full Sony PS-LX310BT here.

For more deals, check out our guides to the best Prime Day music deals and Prime Day vinyl deals pages.

Shop more Prime Day deals

🇺🇸 US deals

• Jump to the best deals on Amazon US
• All Amazon Prime Day deals
• All of today's top turntable deals
• Sony PS-LX310BT 29% off
• Victrola Eastwood II 20% off
• Audio-Technica AT-LP3XBT 9% off

• Best non-Amazon sales
• Best Buy: Turntable deals for every budget
• Target: Prime-beating deals
• Victrola: Check out their full range
• Walmart: Save cash and spin your wax in style
• Word Wide Stereo: Home audio savings

🇬🇧 UK deals

• Jump to the best deals on Amazon UK
• All Amazon Prime Day deals
• All of today's top turntable deals
• Sony PS-LX310BT 21% off
• ION Audio Max LP 20% off
• Audio-Technica LP120xBTUSB 12% off

• Best non-Amazon sales
• Currys: From Audio Technica to Sony
• Argos: Explore their budget record players
• John Lewis: Shop the latest turntable deals
• Richer Sounds: Shop all the latest offers

Amazon Prime Day will take place on July 16 & 17, a two-day sales event that’ll bring with it bargains galore on a huge number of music-related products. And even though we’re a week away, Amazon have got the party started early by knocking 21% off the price of the Audio-Technica LP5X turntable, taking the price down from £379.99 to £299 - a saving of £80.99.

This solid, direct-drive device features in our guide to the best Audio-Technica turntables - and it’ll give you a stable experience thanks to its metallic gimbal suspension system which reduces tracking issues as you spin your vinyl.

The three-speed Audio-Technica LP5X has a moving magnet cartridge, is fully manual and has a built in phono preamp - and its J-shaped tonearm has been inspired by the design of the Japanese firm's first turntables from the 60s and into the 70s.

While it does offer USB output (and there's a cable included), there’s no space for Bluetooth with the LP5X - but if you have a wired speaker or two, this isn’t going to be a problem.

It’s a rock-solid performer with the anti-skate systems joined by a heavy rubber damping mat and aluminium platter for weight and further stability. There's also a dust cover included.

With Amazon Prime Day fast approaching, we’ll be keeping our eyes on all the best bargains and bringing them to you in our Prime Day music deals, Prime Day turntable deals and Prime Day vinyl deals pages.

Related guides

• Best Bluetooth turntables: Discover the best wireless record players
• Best vinyl record storage: Keep your records safe
• The best record players: Treat your vinyl to something special
• The best portable record players: Portable turntables for small spaces
• The best budget turntables: Spin your sounds for less
• 9 cheap upgrades you can make to improve your vinyl setup

Victrola's stacked roster of accessible and entry-level turntables run the gamut from stylish suitcase affairs to sleek sitting-room hi-fis, each with a worthy USP or world-first angle. This, the Victrola Stream Carbon, has a niche but hugely welcome point of difference – being one of the only fully Sonos-compatible streaming record players on the market. 

Sonos themselves have engaged with turntable manufacturers before, and their own web-shop still boasts a number of bundles featuring the Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB. However, these still require a wired connection to the speakers to work. Victrola’s Stream series has identified a need and produced something uniquely shaped to fill that need exactly. 

From seamless connection to on-board control, the Victrola Stream Carbon is a comprehensively friendly answer to a somewhat niche question. But how does it fare?

Design

The Victrola Stream Carbon cuts a pretty sleek form, with a posh matte-black/silver two-tone that leans ‘executive’. The body is largely matte black, textured veneer, with a satin-finish fascia bearing just the logo and a single rotary encoder knob. The whole unit reflects this clean, minimal approach – even the back of the unit, with its few outputs and sockets ensconced in a tidy recess.

At 6kg, the Victrola Stream Carbon isn’t the heaviest turntable going, but still takes some moving. This is in large thanks to its generously-proportioned MDF body, a body which sits quite low to the surfaces on which it is placed. Rubber feet are recessed into the base of the body, giving the Victrola Stream Carbon a low-profile, near-monolithic presence in your living space. 

The body’s heft is contrasted with lightness, particularly where the tonearm is concerned. The tonearm is proudly carbon-fibre, setting itself off against the black of the body with a dappled almost-pearlescent finish. An aluminium counterweight controls the floaty-lightness of this tonearm, with a single knurled screw for setting where it sits.

It’s the little touches like these that make the Victrola Stream Carbon feel that little bit more considered in design. For instance, the retaining clip for the tonearm is held in place by magnets as opposed to a catch – a satisfyingly simple idea, that also serves to protect the tonearm lifting mechanism from damage-by-carelessness.

Features

The Victrola Stream Carbon’s major selling point is in the name. It's a Sonos-compatible streaming turntable, meaning it can cast its output to any Sonos device or system. This is huge for those with a Sonos system as their main hi-fi at home, who will no longer need a separate setup or a clutch of additional wires and adapters just to listen to their records. 

Pairing with Sonos is a cinch through the proprietary Victrola Stream app, which handles the hairy work of connecting them via Wi-Fi on your behalf. The rotary encoder knob on the front of the turntable can control the volume of your Sonos system, and pressing it in enables you to connect to or disconnect from a default playback group without navigating any apps.

Beyond its stream-friendly USP, the Victrola Stream Carbon has most everything you’d expect from a mid-range belt-drive turntable: a counterbalanced tonearm with anti-skate, an aluminium platter, and the ability to play at 33 and 45 (controlled electrically by a turn-switch by the counterweight). A bonus here is the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge (fitted to a well-machined Victrola headshell), particularly where cheaper cartridges are often found on similarly-priced turntables elsewhere.

Victrola doesn’t shout about it, but the Stream Carbon also smuggles in an integrated phono preamp, so you can send line-level signal out via RCA to any hi-fi or powered system, without needing your own preamp to manage. This is neat, but there’s no option to turn it off – meaning it’s not so friendly with some integrated hi-fi systems, as this writer discovered to the brief detriment of his hearing.

Sound

When set up in the right conditions, though, the Stream Carbon thankfully sings. It's a clear, present and friendly soundstage, that doesn’t clutter up too much in the presence of dirt. The first record up was Fuzz’ debut Fuzz, a righteous 40-minutes-ish of freak-out psych-rock that can test the patience of many systems. The Victrola Stream Carbon keeps up, albeit losing the tiniest bit of definition at the peaks of Earthen Gate and Hazemaze – but the album’s quieter moments are creamy-clear and cosy-comfy.

Next up was Talk Talk’s Spirit Of Eden, to get a feel for how the Victrola Stream Carbon handles sparseness. The answer is: capably. Mark Hollis’ plaintive crooning is given a plush pedestal, and the mellifluous soundscaping of his various collaborators (particularly on I Believe In You) are distinct without being too well-separated. Overall, the Victrola Stream Carbon is a musical thing with a surprising depth and richness to it. 

The alternatives

Wireless Sonos-linkable turntables are not otherwise a ‘thing’, making Victrola’s Stream range essentially without equal for its capabilities. However, Bluetooth turntables are far less of a rare thing, and, while incompatible with Sonos’ wirelessness, will happily connect to a great many other systems.

The Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT is a worthy alternative and has the added benefit of being an ideal choice if you’re in the market for your first turntable. It also has a built-in phono stage and delivers a balanced sonic performance.

Another deck worth considering is the House Of Marley Stir It Up Bluetooth turntable. It’s made from sustainable materials, looks the business and the audio output is spot on.

Related guides

• Best vinyl record storage: Keep your records safe
• The best record players: Treat your vinyl to something special
• The best portable record players: Portable turntables for small spaces
• The best budget turntables: Spin your sounds for less
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in tip-top condition
• 7 ways to make your vinyl sound better: Get the most from your set-up

If you’ve ever spent more than a minute or two thinking about hi-fi, you’ll have heard of Audio-Technica. This is one of the more recognisable names in audio, and a brand responsible for some seismic changes in the way we listen to music over the past 60-plus years.

While they've made, and continue to make, waves with their headphones and studio-quality microphones, the real gold is in their comprehensive range of record players and related paraphernalia. Audio-Technica’s chief accomplishments relate to their development and pioneering of quality turntable cartridges from day dot; it stands to reason that their record players reflect that same commitment to quality, even across the broad spectrum of price in which their products sit.

And broad truly is the word, as Audio-Technica continue to produce everything from automatic entry-level affairs to DJ-friendly workhorse performance tools. In your own search for a new record player, be it your first or last, you’ll have come across something Audio-Technica before. The trick is knowing which, in a worthy field, are absolutely worth your time.

Here, then, I've compiled an eight-strong list of the best turntables on Audio-Technica’s roster, taking into account a wide variety of specs and use cases. Each of these Audio-Technica turntables are great in their own way – and one of them could well be your next record player.

The quick list

Our top pick

The Audio-Technica AT-LP3XBT sits squarely in the mid-range of the brand’s roster – but borrows its best features from both above and below, to create a supremely high-quality and versatile belt-drive turntable at an un-sniffable price point. The AT-LP3XBT retains the essential fully-automatic form and function of its entry level sibling, the AT-LP60X, but benefits from some key advancements.

An adjustable counterweight and anti-skate mechanism for the tonearm ensure your records sound their full-throated best without unnecessary wear. The tonearm’s also fitted with Audio-Technica’s AT-VM95C cartridge, the stylus for which can be easily swapped out for a different tonal response or dynamic.

Vitally, the AT-LP3XBT also features Bluetooth functionality, courtesy of a high-fidelity Qualcomm aptX codec – which greatly enhances your connectivity options. Listen to records unbounded by the extent of your wires. Ultimately, the Audio-Technica AT-LP3XBT is a phenomenal mid-range turntable for any hi-fi; it’s well-built, well-designed, easy to use and sounds great played loud. A great, first, second or third turntable.

Best portable

The Audio-Technica AT-SB727 is a modern-day remaster of an infamous product from hi-fi days past – the Sound Burger, a portable turntable that competed with the likes of the Sony Walkman in the early 80s.

The Sound Burger may have lost that battle, but it’s won the war, having been popular enough to elicit a fresh reboot some 40 years since. Today’s AT-SB727 keeps the iconic looks and functionality of the original, albeit with a modern twist.

C batteries are out and USB-C is in, as the modern Sound Burger boasts 12 hours playtime via a rechargeable lithium-ion cell. The Audio-Technica AT-SB727 also features nifty Bluetooth connectivity alongside a conventional 3.5mm out, because it’s kind like that.

This is a highly versatile, surprisingly hi-fi and thoroughly chic portable player – albeit, predictably, less stable than normal table-top affairs. Still, it could handily hold its own against many a pricier turntable, and would look great while doing so.

Best budget

The Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT is an upgraded iteration of their quintessential – and hugely popular – entry-level record player, the Audio-Technica LP60XBT. The LP60XBT is a fully-automatic plug-and-play turntable bringing stable playback to an affordable price point; the LP70XBT fits exactly the same bill, but with some dramatic improvements at every turn.

The biggest upgrade is that of the turntable’s sound. The LP70XBT improves on its predecessor by using an integrated cartridge that takes Audio-Technica’s VMN-series replacement styli. The turntable ships with the entry-level AT-VMN95C conical stylus, which already sounds hugely detailed, but upgrading is as simple as sliding it out and replacing it with your VMN-series stylus of choice.

This, coupled with the elegant, well-balanced, J-shaped tonearm, makes for a uniquely hi-fi listening experience on an automatic player at this price point.

The next-biggest upgrade is easily that of its looks. The LP70XBT is a well-apportioned unit with some nifty ergonomic choices, and a hugely pleasing aesthetic overall. It makes an extremely fine first turntable, and a worthwhile budget record player with plug-and-play upgradeability that adds years to its life.

Best direct-drive

In a break from standards set by Audio-Technica’s LP2 and LP3 entries, the AT-LP5X is a direct-drive turntable – and a highly accessible one too, with a hi-fi focus and a distinctly nostalgic visual angle. Its J-shaped tonearm hearkens back to Audio-Technica’s early days of turntable production, but also provides a practical utility via improved tracking.

This stylish tonearm is accompanied by a clever gimbal suspension system that further reduces tracking issues, and counterweight and anti-skate systems to give you more control over how the turntable plays. An aluminium platter adds weight and stability.

The AT-LP5X features a built-in phono stage, but lacks Bluetooth – so your finished hi-fi system will be wired in some way. However, the AT-LP5X does have a built-in AD converter via USB output, in case you wish to mate your turntable digitally. If you’re looking for stability, look no further.

Best for DJs

This is Audio-Technica’s top-flight turntable, a bona fide workstation of a record player designed for professional DJs and sound systems. A high-torque motor delivers consistent playback speed, and the DJ cartridge it ships with (the AT-XP3) ensures the stylus stays literally in the groove while playing.

Being a DJ instrument through and through, and hence designed to mate with DJ mixers and power-amp setups, the AT-LP140XP doesn’t ship with an integrated phono stage. It does, though, ship with an array of playback features, including a pitch adjuster with +/-8%, +/-16% and +/- 24% range settings and a reverse button.

Many of these features are designed purely to benefit mixing and beat-matching in a performance setting – which, for professional DJs slinging the heavy stuff, might not be quite as essential as they are for hip-hop and electronica sets. Still, they can be highly useful for crafting a seamless set from your extensive collection.

Best upgrade option

The AT-LPW30BK is, relative to other Audio-Technica turntables, somewhat distilled. While it does feature a built-in phono stage for convenience, there’s no Bluetooth connectivity or USB functionality. This is a hi-fi turntable through and through, dispensing with the bells and whistles in favour of quality mechanical design.

The aluminium tonearm is light and reassuringly sturdy, and the sensor-equipped belt-drive system shock-absorbingly stable. This turntable is also the cheapest in Audio-Technica’s roster to feature an adjustable tonearm counterweight and a dynamic anti-skate mechanism, which – in tandem with the VM95C cartridge, give you serious control over the treatment and sound of your records.

While the AT-LPW30BK may be a little austere in design, it is a precisely engineered and affordable thing making it a highly accessible upgrade to automatic entry-level affairs.

Best dynamic sound

Audio-Technica’s AT-LPW50BTRW is by no means the most full-featured among Audio-Technica’s roster, but nothing is missing, per se; rather, it’s a sleek and stylish, vintage-veneered work of engineering expertise.

The belt-drive system is quiet and stable, benefitting from a clever sensor that tracks and adjusts the motor’s speed accordingly. The belt drive also contributes to an overall low-resonance design, enhanced by a carbon tonearm and the turntable’s MDF plinth – which itself sports a fetching vintage rosewood-style veneer.

These efforts to reduce resonance work wonders for softer, high-dynamics records; they can, however, rob a little heft from louder vinyls, which may give some Louder readers pause for thought. If you’re listening eclectically, Audio-Technica turntables don’t get much better than this.

Best for recording

The Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB is a USB-capable turntable with some professional features up its sleeve. A heavy aluminium platter is driven directly, by a motor which trades torque for noise minimisation; this is a blessing for getting good, clean captures of your rare records, which this player is adept at delivering thanks to its well-designed tonearm assembly.

The turntable also features pitch adjustment controls akin to those found on professional DJ turntables, albeit a little less comprehensive. You can adjust the pitch up or down between two ranges – +/-8% and +/-16% - courtesy of the tempo range toggle above the slider.

These features can be a lifesaver when it comes to digitising your collection, particularly if you are digitising older (and less accurately-timed) 78rpm records. These controls can also let you ‘tune’ older recordings to the same relative pitch, making playlisting a much more harmonious experience.

Read our full Audio-Technica LP120XUSB review

FAQ

If you’re not already something of a hifi-head, it can be hard to know exactly what you’re looking at when choosing between turntables – let alone turntables from a sole, respected brand like Audio-Technica. If turntable features and specs are a little confusing to you, the following questions might help you narrow things down a little easier.

How we test

When putting together this guide, I took into consideration multiple factors including price, design, sound, stability, Bluetooth functionality and extra features. The turntables from Audio-Technica are well regarded among music fans and the differences between them can vary from small to radical.

Going through the list, I wanted to cover a variety of bases so I put the eight choices into the categories I thought fitted them best: budget, portability, USB recording etc and delved into what differentiated one from another.

Some have Bluetooth while others sport a 3.55mm headphone jack, so where applicable, I mentioned those features. Stability is another important area when it comes to record players - no one wants their vinyl records to skip after all, so I took into account that factor too. For example, the portable Audio-Technica AT-SB727 is a great option for music on the go, but there are better options available if a desktop player is what you're after.

I hope you find something of interest in my list and I'll be looking to update the products included here when they become available.

Read more

• Best Bluetooth turntables: The best wireless record players around
• Best vinyl record storage: Keep your records safe
• The best record players: Treat your vinyl to something special
• The best portable record players: Portable turntables for small spaces
• The best budget turntables: Spin your sounds for less

Tape players are staging a comeback. The original portable audio format is capturing the imagination of music fans once again, as sales creep back from the boot sale of oblivion - so if you're looking to kickstart a new hobby of collecting tapes or rekindle golden memories from the 80s, you're going to need one of the best cassette players around.

The compact cassette was a Hi-Fi fixture for decades, both as a pre-recorded alternative to vinyl and later CD, and as a home recording format, where it was used for everything from mixtapes, to bootlegging live shows. It also famously ushered in a revolution in personal listening when Sony introduced the Walkman in the 1980s.

Eventually though, technology made the format redundant. Digital audio took over, first with alternatives like Mini Disc and Digital Audio Tape (DAT), and then MP3 and streaming.

Yet against all odds, it’s now back and selling again. According to the BPI (British Phonographic Institute), pre-recorded cassette sales surpassed six figures annually for the fourth consecutive year in 2023, topping around 136,000 units. Last year’s best selling cassette was Guts by Olivia Rodrigo, which shifted nearly 8500 copies during its first week of release.

Many artists on Bandcamp also offer limited-edition cassette runs, making them extremely collectable too.

So if you've picked up some official albums on cassette recently, or stumbled across a stash of homemade mix tapes from days gone by and want to rediscover the joy of the the tape, then here are my picks of excellent cassette players you can purchase right now.

The quick list

Best portable

An homage of sorts to the original Sony Walkman, this high performance portable from Hi-Fi disruptor FiiO is a real head turner. A sensation at the 2024 CES tech show, it apes its predecessor in style, but improves with a solid aluminium chassis which feels great in the hand, and a USB-C rechargeable battery.

Offering a standard 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, it’s well worth pairing this player with a decent pair of headphones. My only criticism is that the tape compartment is a bit of a faff to open - but once you master the knack, the playback experience is satisfyingly tangible.

Best hi-fi option

Double the decks, double the fun! The Teac W-1200-B represents the high-end of the audio cassette market. A classic double deck design, it combines copious recording options and serious sonic sensibilities.

There’s one-touch dubbing, with variable pitch control, plus A-B repeat for when you need to loop that mind-bending guitar solo. Simultaneous recording on two tapes? It can do that too.

And if you want to relive rather than rewind, it’s ready for some classic rock karaoke, courtesy of built-in microphone input and mixer.

For those with a collection of old, valued cassettes, the Teac W-1200-B is probably the best quality option to bring them into the digital age. It has a USB output for recording in CD quality (48kHz/16-bit PCM) to USB stick or SD card, with Dolby B noise reduction to reduce tape hiss.

Best all in one

“Cassettes, CDs, records. A Jedi craves all these things,” Yoda was never heard to say, but he would doubtless have been excited by this all-in-one music system. The Force is strong in this one, with a side-mounted cassette player, turntable and slot-loading CD player built-in. The system also comes with a pair of stereo speakers, and has Bluetooth connectivity, plus Vinyl to MP3 recording - you can back up albums directly to SD card. With AM/FM radio, an AUX in, plus LCD screen backlight, and full-function remote control, we reckon that’s all your boxes ticked.

Best retro system

The Denver MCR-50 is a time-travelling, 8-in-1 music centre. It plays cassettes CDs, and vinyl records, all from a vintage-style enclosure. Good to go straight out of the box, stereo speakers are built in, while an equaliser helps fine-tune the audio to match your metal preferences. The MCR-50 isn't just about playback; you can also convert cassettes or vinyl to MP3 - just plug in a USB flash drive.

The look is very retro, but a blue backlit LCD screen adds a modern touch, as does the full-sized remote control.

The MCR-50 isn’t only about legacy formats, you can also connect your smartphone over Bluetooth, or an Echo Dot via AUX IN, and there’s a headphone socket for when you want to listen to old Steve Hillage albums on the sly.

Best file converter

Budget-priced, the DIGITNOW! BR607 cassette player will resurrect your tape collection as MP3 files, no PC required. The player sits neatly in the hand, and is equipped with a standard 3.5mm jack for headphone listening. The BR607 can convert an entire C90 to MP3, or save each song as an individual MP3 file in Auto mode. Just don't expect audiophile-grade sound though.

Whether you're playing back your favourite tapes or archiving old recordings, this player operates more in the realm of nostalgia than hi-fi, but given it costs less than a round in the pub, let’s not be too picky.

Best budget option

This portable tape player may be as cheap as chips, especially considering it also doubles as an MP3 converter. With a USB connection to your PC or Mac, it provides a low cost way of digitising your tape collection, but there are caveats. You’ll need to download Audacity, the free recording software, to handle the conversion. For those who shy away from delving into unfamiliar PC software, this could make tape back-up with the Reshow a bit of a challenge.

AAA battery powered, you can also use it on the move. Plug any headphones into the 3.5mm AUX jack. For this price though, I find it difficult to resist.

FAQ

Cassette sales may be slightly on the up, but the choice in what you can play them on remains limited. This isn't really a surprise given tapes' small market share when it comes to how we digest music. The good news, though, is there’s still a solid choice available, whether you want to relive the days of portable playback, or make your own recordings at home.

If you’re buying a cassette player to listen to pre-recorded cassettes, look to see if it offers Dolby B noise reduction (or an equivalent). Dolby B goes a long way to minimising tape hiss on cassettes, resulting in cleaner, better quality sound.

If you’re buying on the second-hand market, condition is everything. Ensure that any cassette player has been well maintained, and avoid anything that looks like it’s been mouldering in a shed for decades.

It's also worth noting before you buy how many cassettes are available to purchase. More and more mainstream artists are releasing tapes along with vinyl editions of their latest albums, but the choice, at the moment, is limited.

However, a quick glance on Bandcamp will show you that more artists using that particular platform sell cassettes through their merch tab. It's a fun way to collect albums - and although they are manufactured in limited quantities, buying them will give more money directly to the artist.

How we test

When I was a teenager back in the 1980s, the vast majority of my music collection was in the form of cassette tapes - so it's pleasing for me to see the humble tape make something of a comeback.

That said, they're not as convenient to use as vinyl or streaming, but they're a nice option to have and collecting them won't take up too much space. So when testing some of the best cassette players currently on the market, I used several new releases along with some older tapes - which surprisingly performed well given the passage of time.

I took a look at the players' mechanisms, design and ease of use - along with how they performed and took into account their aesthetic appeal. Price was also a factor, with several on our list coming in at the cheaper end of the market. That's no bad thing if you're just discovering music cassettes for the first time and don't want to go all-in on an expensive piece of hi-fi equipment.

In addition, many modern cassette players can also convert tracks into MP3, so where applicable, I looked at how easy this was, if a flash drive was needed or if an additional software download was required.

Related guides

• Best turntable speakers: Take your vinyl listening to the next level
• The loudest headphones on the planet: You want volume? You got it
• Best Bluetooth turntables to put a modern spin on your vinyl
• Best outdoor speakers: Sound systems that'll rock the outside world
• The best speakers for your home: Overhaul your sound system

Playing vinyl on a record player is, for millions of people, one of the greatest joys in life. Sure, streaming music digitally is super-convenient, with the likes of Amazon and Spotify providing access to millions of songs at the touch of a button or with a simple voice command. But nothing compares to the feeling of removing a physical record from its sleeve, placing it on the platter, dropping the stylus into the groove and hearing that warm crackle as your favourite tune kicks in.

As with many things in life, though (cars, your health, marriage), you’ll need to put in a bit of effort to keep your system running smoothly. Yes, you could spend a small fortune on a fancy new turntable, but if you don’t treat it with some TLC, it could end up sounding as crummy as that dodgy Dansette you picked up at a garage boot sale when you were 14. 

So, how do you care for a record player to ensure that it delivers an amazing listening experience, year after year? In this article, we’ve got some guidance on everything from cleaning to storage. And pretty much everything can be done with items you have at home, or for a very small outlay.

1. Get the duster out

If dust is left to accumulate on your record player, it can start to impact your listening enjoyment. Not only will these pesky particles end up in the grooves of your records, potentially causing all kinds of damage, but they can then transfer to your stylus, resulting in build-up and, ultimately, a horribly distorted sound.

To prevent such horrors, give the surface of your turntable, the platter, the tonearm and the cartridge a regular once-over with a soft anti-static brush such as the Boundless Audio Record Cleaner Brush or a microfiber cloth like these ones from Spincare. While you’re at it, remove any grime from your needle with a dedicated stylus brush – one recommendation is the Clean-IT from Pro-Ject Audio Systems. 

Just in case they have attracted dust, it’s good practice to clean your records after each use, too. Spincare’s Vinyl Record Cleaner Kit is a great all-in-one solution and doesn’t cost the earth, but if you choose to do the job with a good old-fashioned cloth and spray, just be sure to avoid harsh chemicals or alcohol-based cleaners. This stuff from Record Remedy should do the job nicely.  

2. Strike a balance

To maximise your listening pleasure, ensure that your tonearm is properly balanced. Failure to do so can lead to unnecessary wear on your stylus, not to mention distortion of the music – and we don’t mean the good kind of distortion, like you might hear on a Nineties grunge record. No, this kind of distortion will resemble a bee stuck in a drainpipe, and will make all of your records sound crap. 

Thankfully, you won’t need to spend ages balancing things on each end of the tonearm to find the right balance, as you can buy gadgets to do the job for you. We like the Neoteck Upgraded Digital Turntable Stylus Force Scale Gauge – but they’re all much of a muchness, and similarly priced. 

3. Force the issue

Vinyl records tend to be worth a lot of money (especially the really old ones), so you’ll want to keep them in good nick. You can help matters by tweaking your turntable’s tracking force to ensure that your stylus sits correctly in the grooves. This is achieved by adjusting the counterweight, which is the circular dial typically found at the head of the tonearm. On most record players, the required tracking force is between one and three grams – check your user manual to find the exact setting for your turntable.

4. Check, mate

Turntables come in two varieties – belt drive and direct drive. If yours is the belt-driven type, you’ll need to regularly check the belt for signs of wear and tear. Though turntable belts can last for up to five years (depending on how often they’re used), Pro-Ject Audio Systems recommends that you replace them “every year or at least every two years”. 

Lubricating your motor is also a good idea if you want to keep the belt functioning correctly – for instructions related to your particular turntable, refer to your manual.

5. Cover up

If you had a nice bike, you wouldn’t leave it outside all night to be battered by the wind and rain, would you? The same principle applies to turntables – protecting yours from the elements. What do we mean by ‘the elements’? Well, we’ve already mentioned how problematic dust can be, so using a cover is always a good idea. Some turntables come with one in the box, but if not, something like this basic dust cover would work a treat. 

There are other hazards to bear in mind, though, including direct sunlight, radiators/boilers and areas of the home that have high moisture levels. Dare we say it, kids are another potential danger to both your record player and your records. What scallywag wouldn’t want to play around with that fun, spinny thing on the tabletop? But a quick yank of your tonearm could result in some pretty costly damage, so where you position your turntable long-term is certainly something to consider. If only you had a cheapo turntable they could play with – where’s that dodgy Dansette when you need it?

Related content

• The best budget turntables: Spin your sounds for less
• Embrace wireless with the best Bluetooth turntables
• Keep it clean with the best vinyl record cleaners
• How to properly set up a record player: Get the most from your wax
• 7 ways to make your vinyl sound better: Get the most from your set-up

Record Store Day 2024 lands tomorrow (Saturday 20 April), bringing with it a raft of exclusive, limited edition and quirky vinyl drops to help celebrate all that is wonderful about independent record stores and the medium of vinyl itself.

With RSD releases announced from Apocalyptica, At The Gates, The Black Crowes, Ace Frehley, HIM, Paramore, Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones and loads more, there’s so much to get alternative music fans excited. You can check out the full list here and see what delicious vinyl treats your local store will be serving up on the day.

Now, such is the rarity of some of these LPs, that you may choose to keep your fresh wax firmly in its sleeve. However, if you’re planning on spinning your new buys to death, you’re going to want to make sure your vinyl playing rig is up to scratch.

If you’ve been considering an upgrade, we’ve hunted down the best record player bargains online right now, whether you’re on the lookout for a great budget turntable, or a Bluetooth deck to beam your sounds straight to your favourite headphones or speaker.

Amazon have officially launched their big Spring Deal Days shopping event in the UK, with money off all manner of products - from Amazon devices to speakers, headphones, Lego kit, booze and more. 

Spring Deal Days runs between March 20-25 and amid the first flurry of deals, I spotted that three of out top-rated products in our best budget turntables guide are on sale - starting with 24% off the House of Marley Stir It Up wireless Bluetooth record player in black. It's down from £211.44 to £161.39.

There's also money off the Audio-Technica LP-120XUSB and Sony PSLX310BT record players.

House Of Marley’s Stir It Up turntable is, like all their products, made from sustainable materials - and that includes 30% reclaimed organic cotton, 30% reclaimed hemp and 40% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It’s also a great a performer that delivers a warm, punch sound, with our review stating it was “as good as any other deck we've heard in this price range, and in some cases much better.” 

As for the direct-drive Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB, the Louder team reckoned it’s one of the best mid-priced turntables on the market thanks to the audio's clarity and detail, stylish design and the fact it can also convert your vinyl to digital files.

The Sony PS-LX310BT, meanwhile, was awarded it a full five stars here at Louder, with its minimalist looks and its “lively, entertaining” audio delivery pushing it above many of its competitors.

Related content

• The best record players: Treat your vinyl to something special
• The best portable record players: Portable turntables for small spaces
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in tip-top condition
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Best vinyl record storage: Keep your records safe

House Of Marley have put a fresh spin on their Stir It Up turntable with a new limited edition version - released to celebrate the release of Bob Marley biopic One Love.

The film has been produced in collaboration with the Marley family and is the first-ever portrayal of Marley’s life and music on the silver screen. It hits movie theatres from February 14 and stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as Marley and Lashana Lynch as his wife Rita.

The familiar bamboo-finished design is intact on the Stir It Up: One Love, but each of the 250 Bluetooth record players comes with a certificate of authenticity, with the film title and product number laser etched into the the top left-hand corner of the wooden plinth.

Like all House Of Marley products, the Stir It Up: One Love turntable has been crafted using environmentally conscious materials, including sustainable bamboo, recycled plastic, recyclable aluminium, REGRIND silicone and REWIND fabric. The company supports global reforestation and ocean preservation and more information can be found on the Project Marley website.

Marley’s son Ziggy Marley, who is one of the producers of the film, says: “Audiences will witness an intimate portrayal of my father's life - an inspiring journey of overcoming adversity and the creation of his revolutionary music. It's a rare opportunity to gain insight into Bob Marley's creative genius."

He adds: “House of Marley's limited edition turntable echoes Bob’s principles, creating a haven for fans to immerse themselves in an album from start to finish. It becomes a tangible extension of Bob Marley's journey, seamlessly complementing the cinematic exploration. Once you listen to vinyl, the quality and warmth you feel is a totally different experience.”

The two-speed, belt-driven Stir It Up One Love turntable features Bluetooth 4.2, has a replaceable cartridge and has USB to PC recording capabilities. There’s also a built-in phono preamp and a 3.5 Aux Out port.

The House Of Marley: Stir it Up One Love turntable will also be released on February 14 priced at £249.99 and is now available to pre-order from HMV.

Related content

• The best record players: Treat your vinyl to something special
• The best portable record players: Portable turntables for small spaces
• The best budget turntables: Spin your sounds for less
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in tip-top condition
• How to store vinyl: Tips on keeping your collection in great condition
• Best vinyl record storage: Keep your records safe

If you've been on the lookout for an excellent turntable deal, then Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to discover amazing discounts - and I've found a brilliant bargain that's got me in a spin.

That's because Amazon have slashed the price of the House of Marley Stir It Up record player by a mind-blowing 55%, taking the price down from £219.99 to just £99.99. Less than £100 for an excellent turntable is one of the best Black Friday deals I've seen so far and I'm pretty sure this will be snapped up quickly.

The stylish and eco-conscious House Of Marley Stir It Up turntable takes pride of place in Louder's list of the best budget turntables, offering a great set of features including a built-in phono stage, an Audio-Technica moving magnet cartridge and USB to PC recording.

The Stir It Up record player is an automatic, belt-driven turntable, it delivers superior sound quality thanks to features such as a replaceable Audio-Technica 95E elliptical stylus and aluminium headshell, plus a built-in preamp with a low SNR (signal-to-noise ratio). 

One of the things that makes House Of Marley products stand out from the crowd is their use of sustainable materials - and the Stir It Up is no different. It's been made from natural bamboo, REGRIND silicone and REWIND fabric, meaning you can immerse yourself in your music safe in the knowledge that you’re also doing your bit for the environment. 

Completing the spec list are a speed control, enabling you to choose between 45 and 33rpm, a 3.5mm audio output socket, plus USB to PC recording, giving you the option to transfer your favourite vinyl to digital files.

All of this for less than £100 is brilliant value, but get your skates on as I don't know how long this Amazon deal will last.

If you're looking for more discounts, keep your eyes on our guide to the best Black Friday record player deals, Black Friday vinyl deals and all the other Black Friday music deals.

If you’re after a new turntable but you’ve been waiting for this year’s Black Friday record player deals to land, then you’re in luck with this brilliant early deal on a top-rated deck. While Amazon’s official Black Friday deals are yet to drop, you can currently get a hefty 20% off Audio-Technica’s much-lauded AT-LP3BK turntable, enabling you to jump on the vinyl bandwagon while saving serious dollar.

How much exactly will you save? Well, this belt-drive turntable usually retails for $249, but today you can pick it up for just $199. That’s an absolute snip when you consider that this particular record player features in our guide to the best budget turntables, and earned a coveted 5-star rating in our rave review where we exclaimed: “for ease-of-use and sound quality, Audio-Technica's fully automatic, belt-drive record deck is hard to beat at this price point. Team it with a decent pair of speakers and we guarantee you won't be disappointed.”

Walk into any music store and you’ll quickly realise that vinyl is very much back in fashion. We wholly approve of this record-playing renaissance – after all, what’s not to like about dropping a needle onto a classic album and hearing it blaring out of the speakers in all its organic finery? 

Of course, you’ll need a turntable to enjoy this experience – and one of the most attractive offerings out there for the budget conscious is the Audio-Technica AT-LP3BK. The Japanese brand’s reputation speaks for itself, and this fully automatic, belt-driven turntable lives up to expectations. 

Features such as a universal headshell, a balanced tonearm and an anti-resonance, die-cast platter combine to deliver the kind of stability you’d expect from record players costing twice the price, while a handy selector switch means that you can swap out the turntable’s AT91R dual moving magnet cartridge with a moving coil one if you so wish. The built-in preamp is the icing on the cake. 

Explore loads more discounts and early Black Friday deals on audio equipment on our Black Friday music deals page.

House Of Marley have announced the latest addition to their popular Stir It Up turntable range in the shape of the Bluetooth-enabled Stir It Up Lux model.

The company founded by Bob Marley’s son Rohan report it has “improved sound quality, performance and next level tracking ability” over the popular original model.

Like all House Of Marley's products, the two-speed Stir It Up Lux has been crafted using sustainable and recycled materials and features an elliptical stylus, an aluminium head-shell, a bamboo plinth and includes a glass platter along with an anti-skate mechanism, in-built phono pre-amp and Bluetooth 5.3.

Bob Marley’s daughter, the singer and entrepreneur Cedella Marley, says: “Vinyl is the most genuine way to listen to your favourite music. There’s no skipping tracks so you’re listening to the album exactly as the artist intended you to. That’s everything for a musician. 

“Immersing yourself deep in the roots of an album with House of Marley’s new Stir it Up Lux turntable is an unforgettable experience.”

A press releases adds: "Producing the highest fidelity audio experience possible with a sleeker design, the Stir It Up Lux honours Bob Marley’s legacy of love for music and the planet by providing the most authentic form of music through a sustainable choice that can satisfy the soul."

The new unit is available now in the UK priced at £349.99, with US details to follow in due course.

Related content

• The best budget turntables: Spin your sounds for less
• Best record players for beginners: Get up to speed with our top picks
• How to properly set up a record player: Get the most from your wax
• Direct-drive vs belt-drive turntables: What exactly is the difference?
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in tip-top condition
• 7 ways to make your vinyl sound better: Get the most from your set-up
• Cheap upgrades to improve your vinyl setup

The Prime Day music deals have started to come in - and there are some head-spinning deals on turntables doing the rounds. The first to make me sit up and take notice is a 30% saving on the price of the Audio-Technica AT-LP3BK on Amazon - it’s down from $249 to $174.30 - a price drop of more than $74.

And as if that wasn’t enough, I also spotted 10% off the Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT-USB-BK turntable, which has a new Prime Day price of $249 - that’s down from $279.

And if you're based in the UK, you don't have to feel left out, because Amazon have knocked a prime 25% cut from the regular price of the Audio-Technica AT-LP3BK - reducing it from £259.99 to £194.65.

In Louder’s review of the fully automatic, belt-driven Audio-Technica AT-LP3BK, we were quick to give it a score of 5/5 thanks to its top audio performance and ease of use. It also has a phono preamp built in - something that’s not always guaranteed when buying a turntable in this price bracket - and it means there’s no need to splash out extra cash this Prime Day.

It’s also easy to set up, making this an ideal choice if your taking your first steps on your vinyl journey. It also features high in our list of the best budget turntables where it finds itself up against some stiff competition.

The AT-LP60XBT-USB-BK, meanwhile, is another nice bit of kit from the Audio-Technica team. It’s another fully automatic, belt-driven record player with built-in phono preamp - but with this, you’ll be able to rip your vinyl collection into digital files by hooking it up to your PC or laptop and comes highly recommended.

And if you're looking for more options, take a look at our Prime Day turntable deals page. We've also picked out the best Prime Day vinyl deals too, so you'll have something to spin on your shiny new turntable.

Rega have announced they’ll continue their 50th anniversary celebrations by releasing a special edition of their Planar 3 turntable.

The Planar 3 50th Anniversary Edition will only be available throughout 2023 and is packed with features including a walnut effect plinth with custom aluminium bridge, an RB330 Precision tonearm, Neo turntable PSU MK2, smoked dust cover and 50th anniversary badges on the unit and cover.

Rega say on their website: “We are celebrating our 50th anniversary with a very special edition of the legendary Rega Planar 3 - a turntable package designed and developed to maximise the performance from this model.”

We’re very excited by this announcement as the original Rega Planar 3 sits at the no.1 position in our guide to the best record players thanks to its fab sound and solid design. 

In our Rega Planar 3 review we put the turntable through its paces with a variety of music, including Nirvana's Nevermind, saying the album “sounded more fun and detailed than ever, with Kurt Cobain's hoarse howl, Krist Novoselic's grinding bass and Dave Grohl's rhythmic blitz all getting a Butch Vig-orating new lease of life.”

In January this year, Rega revealed they’d be announcing a “selection of ground-breaking new products” throughout 2023 and launched their Green Grade initiative last month.

Related content

• Best budget turntables: Our pick of the best cheap record players
• Best vinyl records to test your turntable: The albums you need to own
• Best bluetooth record players: Put a modern spin on your vinyl records
• Best portable record players: Turntables for small spaces
• Cool vinyl record storage ideas
• How to properly set up a record player: Get the most from your system
• Here are the best classic rock albums to own on vinyl
• Direct-drive vs belt-drive turntables: What's the difference?
• Best vinyl record cleaners: Keep your vinyl collection in prime condition

If you, like me, have come to amass a rather weighty collection of records then you’ll know the importance of having your record player properly set up. Unlike CDs or streaming services, turntables require care and attention to get them singing correctly. 

If you’re new to vinyl it may seem daunting, but allow me to convince you otherwise. With a few basic, common-sense steps and an understanding of the way record players operate you’ll be up and running in no time at all. Let’s dig into how to set up a record player. 

1. Location

Before I dive into the types of gear you’ll need and how to set it up properly, one of the most important things to establish is where your record player - and its additional equipment - will be situated in your home. This is important on a number of levels. First there can be a bit of fine-tuning required when you set up your record player for the first time and you don’t want to get everything calibrated and then decide you're going to have to move it to another spot. Find your place and then proceed to connect everything up and calibrate. 

Second, record players don’t take kindly to being wobbled around or moved. Ideally, you want it to be somewhere out of the way of heavy foot traffic in your home, where accidental bangs and knocks are unlikely. Additionally, consider the placement of your speakers and how they’ll provide the best sound for the space in which they’re located. 

Bookshelf speakers are great because they're small and unobtrusive, however higher-end systems may incorporate larger speakers so experiment with how best to place them in the space you have available.

2. Equipment

The gear you’ll use will vary according to your setup, but your record rig will most likely consist of a player, an amplifier and a set of speakers. There are many different variables at play even with just these three product groups but my advice here should be pretty universal. 

Starting with the record player itself, you’ll have either opted for a basic plug-and-play version which requires little in the way of setup and can function straight out of the box, or you’ll perhaps have something a little more advanced which requires some extra TLC. The first thing to establish is whether your record deck has a phono amplifier built into it or if you’ll require external amplification. 

If it has a dedicated phono amp output, it means the player amplifies the signal directly into your speakers, so it should be a little easier to set up. If not, you’ll need to connect the player to an amplifier before connecting your speakers to the amp’s outputs. 

Usually with record players and phono amps, you’ll find the connections to be RCA, with a separate connection for both the left and right sides, although it’s not uncommon to find 3.5mm or ¼” jack connectivity as an alternative. 

3. Calibrating your setup

There are two main elements you need to consider when setting up a record player, and this applies to all decks - whether you have a budget turntable or a pro record player. First is the cartridge which contains the record player’s all-important stylus, or needle. Sometimes during transit these can become decoupled, so take a second to ensure it fits snugly and doesn’t wobble around too much. You can also check that the stylus is perpendicular to the cartridge itself. Occasionally they can find themselves nudged to an angle which means it requires either delicate realignment or replacement. 

Next, let's take a look at the tone arm. This is the long arm connected to the base that houses the cartridge and it's here that some problems can occur if it’s not properly set up. You’ll notice your cartridge has an adjustable weight at one end which balances the point of contact between the stylus and the record itself. Too heavy and the stylus digs into the record grooves which can result in distorted audio and potentially damage to your record. Too light and the arm won’t stay in position. 

Additionally, you’ll find most record players have some form of anti-skate functionality. The simple premise here is that left to its own devices, the tone arm will naturally want to draw back in on itself so the anti-skate setting helps keep it in place while it’s being used. 

Each record player will come with clear instructions on how to set each of these components up correctly so even if you’re the kind of person who normally skips the manual, I would advise to give it a cursory glance at the very least.

Conclusion

Despite how it may sound, record players are fundamentally simple devices which require a little bit of care and attention to get them sounding their best. People with far less technologically savvy than me have been using them for years, so by arming yourself with a bit of knowledge and a degree of respect for the setup process, you’ll be able to enjoy that warm, vintage tone for years to come.

Related guides

• 7 ways to make your vinyl sound better: Get the most from your set-up
• Here's our pick of the best Bluetooth turntables
• Best vinyl record storage: Keep your records safe and sound
• The 20 best classic rock albums to own on vinyl
• The best vinyl records to test your turntable
• Best vinyl record cleaners: keep your collection in prime condition
• Find the best portable record players: Turntables for the smallest spaces
• Best headphones for vinyl: Amazing headphones for your record player

Lenco have marked the start of spring by unveiling their brand new Lenco LBT-225WA Bluetooth turntable.

It’s the latest entry into the Swiss audio firm’s growing range of record players and joins the likes of the Lenco LBT-188, which sits in our list of the best Bluetooth turntables.

The new belt-driven Lenco LBT-225WA has been finished in striking walnut wood while its onboard tech allows you to hook it up your external Bluetooth speakers or Bluetooth headphones. You’ll also be able to transform your vinyl collection into digital files thanks to its USB player with direct encoder to MP3 capabilities.

The Lenco LBT-225WA features two speeds: 33 and 45 rpm and also boasts a glass platter for your vinyl to sit on.

Lenco add: “The turntable also comes with top-quality components, including a high-quality AT-VM95E cartridge, carbon fibre tonearm, counterweight, anti-skating weight, and RCA connectors. The removable dust cover keeps the turntable clean and protects it from damage.”

Lenco add: “With user-friendly controls and top-quality components, the Lenco LBT-225WA record player is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a turntable that combines style and functionality.”

The Lenco LBT-225WA is available now for £349.99 from HMV. Check out a gallery of the turntable below.

Related buyer's guides

• Best budget turntables: Our pick of the best cheap record players
• Short of space? Then check out the best portable record players
• Keep your records in tip-top shape with the best vinyl record storage
• Best phono preamps: Upgrade your vinyl music system with a phono stage
• Best headphones for vinyl: Amazing headphones for your record player

Back in the day, it wasn’t unusual for people to rock up at parties wielding their own record player. While it sounds bizarre now, turning up with your own deck was seen as a surefire way to woo potential love interests. It also guaranteed you got to listen to your own music all evening.  

If you want to recreate those heady days – and you don’t fancy carrying your vinyl spinner around in a carrier bag – then you might wish to consider a suitcase turntable. As the name suggests, these are record players contained within a transportable case making it easy for the owner to haul their groove machine from A to B.     

On this page, we’ll be focusing on the aptly named Victrola Journey. Marrying vintage looks with modern technology, this Bluetooth-enabled deck appears on the surface to be a real bargain. To find out if that’s the case, we’ll be paying close attention to its design, features and, of course, sound quality to help you make the right buying choice.   

Before we start, one thing worth mentioning is that Victrola has a long and proud history. The US manufacturer has been making record players since 1906, and such is the company’s prestige, the Grammy award statuette is modelled on an early Victrola phonograph.  

Victrola Journey review: Design

As previously stated, the Victrola Journey is classed as a suitcase turntable – though it should probably be called a briefcase turntable, since it comes in a hard, compact case with a carry handle. While black is an option you can also choose one of the more vibrant styles, which include turquoise, a UK flag design, a vintage map print and tie-dye. 

Though the faux leather cladding looks a bit cheap the overall build quality is good – which is just as well if you’re planning to take it to parties. The Victrola Journey is also a cinch to operate. Simply open the lid, pop the plug into the wall and you’re good to go. You don’t have to connect any speakers as there are stereo ones built into the front of the system. However, if you want more than the 2 x 3W of power that they offer, you can easily hook up your own speakers via a set of RCA leads. 

The Victrola Journey is essentially a manual turntable, meaning you’ll need to lift the needle across to the record by hand, thus setting the platter in motion. However, you can choose whether you want the platter to stop manually or automatically at the end of your listening session using a switch that sits atop the plinth. 

Other controls that can be found on the surface of the deck include an on/off/volume knob and a three-speed selector. You’ll also find a headphone jack, which is a nice thing to have although we’d rather it had been located at the back of the machine as you could end up with cables trailing all over your vinyl as it’s playing. 

Victrola Journey review: Features

The fact you’re reading a turntable review suggests you’re fond of vinyl music. But that doesn't necessarily mean you don’t enjoy playing tunes on your phone or tablet, too. Happily, thanks to the Victrola Journey’s Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity you can wirelessly pair your device (from up to 10m away) and stream music from any of the best music streaming services straight to the turntable’s speakers. Disappointingly, though, the Bluetooth only works in one direction, meaning you won’t be able to wirelessly pair the record player to external speakers - you’ll need to use the aforementioned RCA leads for that. 

You can also use those RCA leads to connect a non-Bluetooth device to this suitcase turntable, which could be useful if you have an old cassette deck or radio that you want to integrate into an all-in-one music system.   

Victrola Journey review: Sound

Here's the most obvious sentence you’ll read all year: the Victrola Journey will not appeal to audiophiles. Of course it won’t – there are records that cost more than this thing. But what about everyone else? In all honesty, most discerning music fans would probably baulk at the sound that comes out of the Journey’s built-in speakers; tinny and lacking in detail, it’ll hardly do justice to those classic Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin albums.  

While the turntable sounds noticeably better when hooked up to a pair of decent external speakers, it still doesn’t come close to the quality you’d get from one of the decks in our best budget turntables guide – and understandably so, seeing as they tend to cost a lot more. We can’t help feeling that hooking the turntable up to external speakers defeats the purpose of it being in a suitcase, anyway, as you’d have to lug those speakers around, too, somehow.   

That’s not to say that the Victrola Journey is a complete non-starter and for kids or people taking their first steps into the world of vinyl, particularly those on a tight budget, it’s a perfectly adequate record deck.

Victrola Journey review: The alternatives

If you’re looking for an entry-level turntable but don’t like the suitcase style, we wholly recommend the Rega Planar 1 – the top choice in our best budget turntables guide. Yes, it’s more expensive than the Victrola Journey and no doesn’t come with speakers built in, but it looks and sounds the business. 

As we mentioned further up the page, the Victrola Journey's Bluetooth capability only works in one direction – i.e. it’ll let you stream music from your phone or tablet, but it won’t allow you to connect wirelessly to an external speaker. One turntable that does enable the latter is the ION Audio Air LP. Only slightly more expensive than the Journey, this stylish deck also offers USB recording, not to mention presentable sound quality.

Related buyer's guides

• Best headphones for vinyl: Amazing headphones for your record player
• Short of space? Then check out the best portable record players
• Best phono preamps: Upgrade your vinyl music system with a phono stage
• Keep your records in tip-top shape with the best vinyl record storage