2021 Entry-Level Turntable Buyer's Guide

Table of contents

Introduction

This is a detailed, up-to-date list of many of the new entry-level (under US$300) turntables available today that should deliver satisfactory performance and sound quality, and with proper care, will not cause any excessive wear to your records.

Not every turntable that is on this list may be suitable for your requirements and preferences, and not every turntable that is not on this list is necessarily bad. We recommend that you read and watch reviews (such as the ones linked below) before making your final decision of which one to buy. And depending on what is available in your area, a good-quality vintage turntable may offer better performance for your money than a new one, as long as it is in good working condition or the refurbishment it needs is cost-effective and within your skill level.

Except where indicated, these turntables do not include speakers and will require a pair of powered (active) speakers -- or an amplifier or receiver and conventional passive speakers -- in order to reproduce sound. For recommendations of which equipment to choose and help on setting it up, you might want to check out AudioKarma, r/BudgetAudiophile, or other audio forums online. Some retailers also offer turntables bundled with a pair of powered speakers and/or other accessories at a discounted price.

Many of these turntables also offer USB output for connecting to a computer so you can easily transfer your records to digital audio files. Some offer Bluetooth output for playing the turntable's audio through connected devices.

Prices and availability are subject to change. I do not have any affiliation with the web sites offering these turntables for sale, and will try my best to keep this list updated, but feel free to contact me via Reddit, YouTube, or AudioKarma with additions and corrections.

Technical details

All of the turntables on this list have a counterbalanced tonearm with a magnetic phono cartridge, a tracking force of 3.5 grams or less, a wow & flutter rating of 0.25% or less (where specified by the manufacturer; 0.20% or less for turntables above $200), and a built-in pre-amp (a.k.a. phono stage -- see this list if you prefer a turntable without a built-in pre-amp). Unless otherwise indicated, they all include a conical diamond stylus, a belt-drive mechanism with easily switchable 33-1/3 and 45 RPM speeds, a cueing lever or button, a dust cover, and a 45 RPM adapter.

The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of each turntable is indicated if it is known. The fact that the vast majority of these turntables are built by the same handful of OEMs (Hanpin, Ya Horng, and Leetac) helps to explain the design similarities between many of them, and illustrates that in this price range, choosing a turntable which has the features you want and is within your budget should be your main deciding factor, rather than which brand name it is sold under.

"Plug and play" beginner turntables

The following turntables offer adequate performance and good sound quality at an affordable price. They are easy to set up and simple to use, with a fully automatic mechanism (except where indicated), but are non-adjustable and have limited upgrade options. Some models include built-in speakers, so you can play records with no extra equipment required.

Adjustable beginner turntables

The following low-cost turntables feature adjustable tracking force and an upgradeable standard half-inch-mount phono cartridge. This gives better flexibility and a more hands-on experience, but they are more complex to set up (see this detailed turntable setup guide video if you need help). Unless otherwise indicated, these turntables have a manually operated tonearm, so at the end of a record you have to pick it up and return it to its rest by hand.

Entry-level audiophile turntables

The following turntables are more sophisticated than those listed above, with superior performance and better build quality, and are more ideally suited to dedicated vinyl enthusiasts. All have a manually operated tonearm except where indicated, and adjustable anti-skating. Many have a strobe and pitch control to ensure accurate playback speed, and some have a direct-drive motor with quartz lock for those who demand the most stable speed.

Under $150:

$150-$200:

$200-$250:

$250-$300:

Turntables without a built-in pre-amp

For those who intend to use an external pre-amp or a receiver or amplifier with a magnetic phono input, the following turntables do not include a built-in pre-amp, allowing potentially higher audio quality than those which do.

Recently discontinued turntables

The following turntables are no longer being manufactured, but may also be worth considering if you can find a New Old Stock, refurbished, or gently used example. All have a built-in pre-amp and manual tonearm unless otherwise indicated.

Helpful resources for entry-level turntable users

The following tutorial videos will guide your buying decision, help you get the most out of your turntable, and troubleshoot and resolve common problems that may arise.

Turntables to avoid

The following brands are popular choices for people looking for their first record player or to give one as a gift. For many, these turntables adequately serve their intended purpose of providing an affordable, simple, and fun way to begin (or rediscover) playing vinyl records.

However, these brands of players generally have poor to mediocre sound quality, substandard build quality, problems with skipping on some modern bass-heavy records, and inferior speed stability and accuracy. They also usually come with a lower-quality sapphire or ruby stylus (needle) that may cause increased groove wear if it is not replaced regularly and/or upgraded with a diamond stylus.

Although the tales of these record players "destroying" records are greatly exaggerated, these brands are best avoided if you are shopping for a new record player or turntable (aside from the exceptions noted). This does not necessarily include vintage turntables which were sold under some of these brand names up through the 1970s and 1980s.

Nonetheless, if you already have one of these record players and it seems to work OK, it should be safe to use until you're ready to upgrade to a better turntable -- see below for helpful information.

Helpful resources for inexpensive record players

The following tutorial videos will help you learn the facts about today's popular inexpensive record players, troubleshoot and resolve common problems with them, and improve their performance with simple upgrades.

Turntables not recommended

The following turntables met all or most of the objective requirements to be listed in this Buyer's Guide, but were excluded for the reasons listed below.

This Buyer's Guide is copyright (C) 2019-2021 by VWestlife. It may be freely reposted for non-commercial purposes as long as credit is given and a link is provided to this web page (http://www.amstereo.org/turntableguide.htm).