Turntables 101
Thinking of picking up your first turntable and at a loss as to what you should get? We are here to offer our suggestions, we are not turntable geeks. What matters to us is that the record spins, the tone arm drops and the stylus is able to read the contours of the record and translate that into music…all for your enjoyment. Researching what turntable to get can at times feel a bit daunting, but have no fear, grab a bourbon and read on. Hopefully we can distill the info into something helpful for you. As with anything in life there are always options so it is our aim to provide you with a good, better, best situation here. I should preface that we are not DJ’s, we are not trying to mix beats for a party, we are not trying to scratch records into some cool beats, we are suggesting good turntables that will play hours of records for your enjoyment and help you to find some peace and happiness through music.
Good ($99):
This is a good introductory turntable that will provide you with years of enjoyment — Audio-Technica AT-LP60X
A belt driven turntable that provides quality at an introductory price of $99 and it comes in a few color options for you. It is a simple installation to an existing amplifier via an 1/8” Y adapter (included) to your two RCA plugs in the back of your amplifier. If you ever had to hook up a Discman (What the hell is that?) to your stereo this turntable connects the same way. This turntable does not offer direct RCA to RCA connections to your amplifier. The good news about this turntable is that you can use the same 1/8” stereo Y-adapter to connect to other devices as this turntable only has the 1/8” stereo headphone jack as an output. For a hundred bucks this can’t be beat.
Better ($150):
So Y-Adapters, cables and hooking things up may not be your jam. You’re looking to bluetooth connect your turntable to an existing speaker setup or sound-bar — Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT
Forget the cables, simplify your life and just connect with Bluetooth. A belt driven turntable that has the capabilities of the ‘Good’ turntable with the added benefits of Bluetooth Technology. Depending on your preference this might be worth the $50 upgrade.
Best ($250):
You’re looking for the cat’s pajamas, the bee’s knees, and not quite the family heirloom, yet something that may live long after your death as a monument to your offspring for you deep rooted love of music and quality — Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB
This turntable offers the freedom you’re looking for. Unlike the previous two options this turntable offers an option for 78 rpm speed, it can connect to your amp via RCA -> RCA and your can connect via USB so if recording old skool wax to digital via Audacity or other digital software is something your considering or at least would like to have down the road then this turntable is for you. This record player provides a DC servo direct drive motor, meaning that its motor is located beneath the platter, rotating the platter directly whereas belt drives the motor is offset and a belt is wrapped around a spindle utilizing a pulley type of system. The benefit of a direct drive turntable is two fold: direct drive provide a more accurate playback speed and over time the belt in a belt drive will stretch, wear down, and need to be replaced.
Here at Upper Left Records, we make zero dollars off of Turntable sales. We are not sponsored by Audio-Technica. We have zero skin in the game as far as turntables are concerned. Just because we are writing about these turntables it is our objective for you to find the right turntable for you, that fits your needs and your budget. All of these turntables will spin the records and provide hours of music and fulfillment to your ears and soul. These are good options but they are also not the only option. We advise you use these suggestions as a starting point for your own research to find out what turntable will work best for you.
Once you’ve purchased a turntable, it will become a part of who you are. The tone arm becomes an extension of your own arm and when you’re ready to find the perfect vinyl record to spin on your turntable please visit our pop up record store events to find those essential albums to add to your collection.
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