#Best turntable under 500 upgrade#

And he bought one for his friend, who loves it too.вЂќДЇor Steinberg, Prestige, and Davis, this record player checks other appealing boxes too. Although Davis has never used the 120 or the 120X, вЂњI bought a 120 for my nephew and he loves it. вЂњIf I were starting over right now, IвЂ™d probably get thisвЂќ due to the quality you get for the price, says the DJ of 20 years. Unlike turntables with a вЂњbelt driveвЂќ (a motor powered by replaceable belts that wear down with use and may need to be swapped depending on the type of record you play), a direct drive will rarely, if ever, need service, explains Prestige, who saysВ it can handle records of all sizes without any fiddling under the hood. This record playerвЂ™s key feature is the magnet-powered вЂњdirect drive,вЂќ which is usually only found in professional-grade turntables or other, more expensive units. It actually replaces our expertsвЂ™ beloved LP 120 (although discontinued, the 120 is still in stock here), which Mark Steinberg, the chief technologist and turntable specialist at B&H Photo and Video, says heвЂ™ll recommend to any customer - but he especially suggests it to those newer to vinyl who want something a little nicer to play their records on. The Audio-Technica LP 120X is modeled - not so subtly - after what is probably the most iconic turntable of all time, the discontinued Technics 1200.

#Best turntable under 500 upgrade#

вЂњSee how that works, and then if you see yourself wanting something better, you can upgrade slowly down the line,вЂќ explains Mike Davis, owner of New York CityвЂ™s Academy Records. Most models on this list contain a built-in preamp, since our experts say that such turntables are the easiest and most straightforward to use.

While the turntables below are best suited for those new to playing vinyl, they arenвЂ™t necessarily вЂњentry level,вЂќ because even the least expensive option contains quality parts and will last for some time with regular care. (Audioengine powered speakers, like the A2+ model on this list, are a good brand to start with, according to DJ Prestige of Fleamarket Funk.)Д®ach of our experts had their own favorite turntables for beginners, but they all advised avoiding one very popular, all-in-one record player that comes in a suitcase: вЂњWhatever you do, donвЂ™t get a Crosley,вЂќ said Prestige, who claims that if youвЂ™re serious about your new hobby, you should look for machines with better sound quality (and with needles that wonвЂ™t вЂњeventually ruin your recordsвЂќ). But thatвЂ™s not true, according to the experts we spoke with - including DJs, record-store owners, and general vinyl geeks - all of whom assured us that you donвЂ™t need more than a turntable and a pair of powered speakers, or speakers with a built-in amplifier, to get started. The world of record players and vinyl can be intimidating to the uninitiated, because the gear that playing records requires (preamps, amps, receivers) can make it seem like an expensive, overly complicated hobby. John Cusack in High Fidelity, appreciating some vinyl.