The best record players and turntables for beginners and enthusiasts
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Streaming services like Spotify make it easy to hear just about any song instantly, but there's still something special about listening to vinyl. Pulling an album from its sleeve, placing it on the platter, and hearing that first note creates a physical connection you just don't get from a digital playlist. The best record players make music feel intentional and hands-on, and for many listeners, vinyl's warm, full sound beats compressed streaming every time.
But with so many players on the market, vinyl can be an intimidating hobby to get into. After more than a decade of testing audio gear, I've spent countless hours listening to record players at every price point. To help you find the best turntable for your needs, I reviewed models ranging from beginner-friendly options to more premium setups. My top pick is the U-Turn Orbit Special, which delivers excellent sound quality and a thoughtfully crafted design. But if you're just getting into vinyl, the Victrola Automatic is a standout starter option, thanks to its ease of use, Bluetooth compatibility, and wallet-friendly price.
I focused this guide on the best record players under $1,000. While serious audiophiles can certainly spend more, you don't have to break the bank to get great sound. If you love the idea of owning your music and building a physical collection, these turntables are all worthy options.
Our top picks for the best record players
Best overall: U-Turn Orbit Special - See at Amazon
Best for beginners: Victrola Automatic - See at Amazon
Best midrange: Fluance RT81+ - See at Amazon
Best for enthusiasts: Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 - See at Amazon
Best all-in-one solution: House of Marley Rise Up - See at Amazon
Best overall
The U-Turn Orbit Special is a sleek, modern turntable that strikes an impressive balance between performance and price. At around $549, it offers excellent sound and craftsmanship, thanks to premium components like an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge, an acrylic platter, a one-piece magnesium gimbal tonearm, and smooth electronic speed control.
In testing, the Orbit Special delivered full, rich, natural audio with clarity and texture you won't get from cheaper players. It's a mostly manual turntable, but the built-in 33 1/3 and 45 RPM electronic speed control makes switching record speeds quick and convenient.
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Though sold as a preset configuration, U-Turn also lets you customize your Orbit build — from swapping cartridges to adjusting features like speed control. A built-in preamp isn't included by default, but you can add one at checkout for $80. However, Bluetooth connectivity isn't available as an option, so this is strictly a wired experience aimed at listeners who prefer the purest signal path.
Beyond its audio performance, the Orbit Special is also a design statement. Its minimalist look and seven color options make it easy to fit into any room, whether you're curating a listening space or adding a stylish centerpiece to your living area. It looks as good as it sounds — and that's saying something.
Best for beginners
The Victrola Automatic is a great starter option for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of vinyl. It's perfect for people who are tempted by the idea of listening to records but are put off by some of the hobby's manual controls and complicated technical aspects.
Victrola offers a range of models, but the Automatic's budget-friendly price, ease of use, built-in Bluetooth support, and decent overall sound quality make it the brand's best record player for beginners.
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I spent several weeks comparing different entry-level turntables, and the Victrola Automatic stood out above the rest. Its compact size means it can fit in most locations, and it also features Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to easily stream to any wireless Bluetooth speaker without worrying about cables, an AV receiver, or an amplifier.
It's also fully automatic, with controls to play, repeat, lift the tonearm, and switch between speeds. This minimalist design allows you to simply place a record down, press a few buttons, and enjoy your music. There's even an automatic repeat function, allowing you to keep your music playing indefinitely — a rare feature on competing entry-level models I've tested. I also appreciate the built-in, selectable preamp.
However, there are a few trade-offs with the Automatic that you should keep in mind. The unit is entirely made of plastic, including the tonearm. Due to the construction, the buttons feel a bit cheap and produce a loud, clicky sound when pressed. The player's Audio-Technica AT-3600LA cartridge is solid but not as high-end as those found on pricier players, so this isn't the best turntable for discerning audiophiles. That said, it still sounds respectable for this class and is perfect for more casual listeners.
For turntable recommendations under $200, check out our guide to the best budget record players.
Best midrange
Fluance's RT81+ is a great choice for people looking to upgrade from an entry-level turntable. It's my top midrange pick for the best record player under $500. This model costs about $350, has a solid wood construction, and uses premium components, which breathe life and sparkling clarity into that trademark analog sound that vinyl lovers crave.
Beyond the solid body, the RT81+ uses three adjustable rubber feet to help isolate the sound from vibrations. A 3mm acrylic mat also helps create a better sonic experience with less static than felt. This unit boasts precision and quality that you can both feel and hear. Its deep, resonant playback is impressive for its price point.
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The RT81+ also includes a selectable preamp in case you aren't quite ready to invest in a separate unit. And if you ever do want to buy a dedicated preamp, you can simply add one to your audio chain and deactivate this function. However, the player only supports wired playback, so there is no Bluetooth option.
It's a small feature, but I also appreciate the player's ability to automatically stop a record once the music has finished. This isn't a fully automatic player, so it won't automatically return the tonearm to its starting position. However, you can have it stop spinning when side A has come to an end.
Best for enthusiasts
The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 is a worthy consideration for music enthusiasts who want a premium record player. This turntable drips cool with its ultra-modern, clean-cut design. It's also available in several tempting satin color options.
On the music side, the EVO 2 features a custom Pick it MM EVO cartridge made in partnership with Ortofon. The carbon fiber tonearm is stable and precise, and helps resist resonance. The height-adjustable feet, featuring TPE damping, enhance stability and help reduce unwanted vibrations. There's an electronic speed control for 33 1/3 and 45 RPM record options, cleverly hidden out of sight.
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The Debut Evo 2's design and components make the record player feel sturdy and elegant to use, resulting in a superior auditory experience. There are no compromises when it comes to delivering great performance. The clarity and richness in the music I listened to were immediately evident. I also noticed more consistency across the records that I played.
As a record player geared more toward experienced listeners, the EVO 2 lacks some of the conveniences that casual buyers might look for, like a built-in preamp and Bluetooth support. However, those features are less attractive to enthusiasts, as most will want to use a dedicated preamp and focus on wired playback to achieve the best audio quality.
The EVO 2 builds upon the strengths of the brand's previous Carbon Debut model to deliver a truly stunning experience. It's a joy to use and spin vinyl albums with. If you want a premium turntable but don't want to spend more than $1,000, this is easily one of the best record players to get.
Best all-in-one solution
The House of Marley Rise Up is a rarity in the world of turntables. It's an all-in-one model with built-in speakers that actually sound good. This makes it the best record player for listeners who want everything needed to enjoy a record, all in one device.
The Rise Up replaces my previous pick in this spot, the Qlearsoul One-Q. Though that model is still a solid option, House of Marley's player offers much better sound quality, and it only costs about $40 more.
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As an all-in-one player, the Rise Up features integrated stereo speakers. This means you don't need to worry about buying a separate pair or an amplifier. However, there are plenty of cheaper all-in-one players on the market. What sets the Rise Up apart is that its speakers are genuinely solid. The speakers on most rivals are mediocre at best, but the Rise Up delivers detailed, full audio and ample volume.
And though most listeners will be happy with the built-in speakers, the player also supports connecting external speakers through an RCA or Bluetooth connection. Bluetooth also works in the other direction, enabling you to wirelessly stream music from your phone to the Rise Up's speakers.
The turntable utilizes an AT3600L cartridge, which is dependable and offers good playback value for the price. That said, it can't match the performance of more expensive cartridges. You can, however, swap in a different cartridge later on if you ever want to upgrade. The Rise Up isn't a fully automatic player, but it is able to stop spinning once a record gets to the end, which is a convenient perk.
Finally, the Rise Up also gets special notice for its environmentally friendly design, which uses responsibly sourced materials, including a bamboo finish and a recycled slipmat.
What else we considered
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The Qlearsoul One-Q was my previous pick for the best all-in-one record player. And though I now consider the House of Marley Rise Up to be a better overall value, the QlearSoul is still a decent alternative that costs a bit less.
The player comes with a respectable AT-3600L cartridge, which is also used by the Rise Up. But the device's weakest link is its four built-in speaker drivers. They sound a bit harsh compared to most dedicated speaker options and are beaten by the Rise Up's speakers. There are RCA connectors on the back, though, allowing you to connect to a separate pair of speakers if desired. You can also use the player's built-in speaker to play audio from other sources via the device's AUX input or a wireless Bluetooth connection.
Again, the Rise Up is a better option overall, but the Qlearsould One-Q is a solid runner-up that still stands above most all-in-one players I've tested.
How we test record players
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To find the best record players, I tested several models by listening to dozens of vinyl records. To get a proper comparison, I connected each one to three different speakers: a Sonos Era 100 stereo pair, a Marshall Stanmore III, and a pair of Edifier R1280T bookshelf speakers. I kept the speakers' volumes at 50% throughout the tests.
While I listened to a host of records on each one, I also ensured that I used the same two on each of the units tested. I used the Bond 25 (The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) album and Georgia's "Euphoric" to get a sense of two extremes: one with orchestral instrumentation and the other heavy on electronic sounds.
For relevant models, I also connected them over Bluetooth to assess the ease of connection and to evaluate their wireless audio quality. While it's preferred to use a wired connection to get the best sound, connecting a record player wirelessly is a convenient option for casual listeners.
Across the various tests and sessions, I listened for clarity of detail and depth. Although not directly competing with each other, I did note how the differently priced models performed in relation to one another. I kept an ear open for mechanical sounds and distracting clicks and ticks. I also looked for the smoothness of the parts and the feel of how each record player operated.
I also observed how each looked sitting in a place where I've kept a record player for the last five years. Was it suitable to be out and visible in a living room, or was it better in a place with less attention on it? This is ultimately subjective, but some players have stylistic flourishes that will be more appealing to most people.
Record player FAQs
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Should you buy an automatic or manual record player?
An automatic record player will move the tonearm for you and place it in the precise location. It will also lift it up once the music finishes. This makes an automatic player easy to use, and it's nice not to have to monitor it so closely. The flip side of that is that there are more parts and a greater potential for things to break or go wrong. Moving parts might also introduce unwanted noise or vibrations. Manual record players are simpler in that way, and they tend to be the player of choice for purists who want premium sound. There's no right or wrong choice here, just what suits your listening style better.
Do records sound better than streaming music?
The answer to this question depends on several factors. Whether you're spinning a record or streaming music, sound quality varies based on the source and equipment.
With a well-kept album, a good turntable, and solid speakers, vinyl can deliver a wider sound spectrum and higher dynamic range than compressed streaming tracks. However, many of the best music services, including Apple and Amazon, now offer lossless, high-resolution audio that can surpass the fidelity of vinyl. Digital music also has the advantage of not degrading over time, unlike records.
That said, vinyl's warmer, more organic tone appeals to many listeners, even if it's less technically accurate. Ultimately, the decision between records and streaming comes down to personal preference and whether you like the experience of vinyl collecting, the physical act of playing a record, and the unique warmth of a record's sound signature.
What are the main components of a record player?
A record player has several key components that work together to convert the grooves on a vinyl record into sound. The main elements are the platter, tonearm, and cartridge/stylus. Some players also have a preamp built in.
The platter is the spinning surface on which the record rests. The tonearm holds the cartridge, which houses the stylus (or needle) that tracks the grooves. As the stylus moves, the cartridge turns those vibrations into an audio signal.
That signal then goes through a phono preamp — either built into the turntable or separate — to boost it to a level your speakers can use. From there, your speakers (powered or connected through an amp) handle the actual sound.
What do 33 1/3 RPM and 45 RPM speeds mean?
RPM stands for revolutions per minute, so 33 1/3 RPM means that the record plays correctly when it's spun 33.3 times per minute. Both 33 1/3 and 45 are the most common speeds, and they are supported on most record players. There is a 78 RPM option, which is a bit more difficult to find support for. If you're buying modern records, you shouldn't have to worry about the less common speeds, as most albums are 33 1/3 RPM.
What record sizes are there?
The size of a record typically corresponds to the speed at which it plays. For example, a seven-inch record plays at 45 RPM, and a 12-inch record usually plays at 33 1/3 RPM. The less common 10-inch record typically plays at 78 RPM. Be aware that you may need a center adapter to play seven-inch records that have a 1.5-inch center hole.
Where should you put a record player?
A record player should be placed on a fixed, level table or other suitable piece of furniture. It's essential that the surface the player is on remains stable, without slanting, vibrating, or moving in any way, as this can disrupt playback.
Does a record player require an amplifier and a preamplifier?
Preamps and amplifiers are often required to use a record player with external speakers. A preamp boosts the cartridge's audio level, which is a necessary step to properly hear a record through speakers. Some of the best turntables include a preamp built in, and they are also sold separately. If you're using passive speakers (ones that don't have a battery or plug into a wall for power), you'll also need an amplifier to power them.
Audio receivers are convenient solutions for both of these needs, as they serve as speaker amplifiers and many include built-in preamps for connecting to a record player. You simply wire your speakers to a compatible receiver's terminals and then plug your record player into the receiver's phono input.
Meanwhile, if you use speakers that already have their own amplification built in, you don't need to worry about a separate amp.
What's a record player cartridge, and how important is it to the overall experience?
There are numerous components that make up a record player, but the cartridge is arguably the most crucial to sound quality. It contains the needle that touches the record, and it turns the analog grooves into an electrical signal.
A high-end cartridge is often the part that's most worth splurging on. However, just as you wouldn't spend the money to put a Ferrari engine into a Corolla, you want to ensure that all the components surrounding the cartridge are of the same quality and support an elevated listening experience.
Do record players support Bluetooth?
Some record players support wireless Bluetooth. This feature enables you to connect your player to a pair of wireless speakers, providing easy playback without the need for cables or amplifiers. For speaker recommendations, check out our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers.
However, wireless playback introduces compression, so if you want the very best sound quality, we recommend sticking with a wired connection. For this reason, many midrange and high-end turntables geared toward audiophiles omit Bluetooth support.
In our guide to the best turntables, both the Victrola Automatic and House of Marley Rise Up support Bluetooth playback.
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