The moment in which one is struck by the charm-of-vinyl comes for many, not just for the music-hungry. The world of hi-fi is full of enthusiasts who are hardly willing to compromise, but it is a fact that not everyone who wants to be able to listen to a record is willing to spend two thousand euros, or many more, to build themselves. a plant: especially if it is the first. Potentially you can spend many thousands of euros, or you can start by spending less than two hundred: there will not be the slightest comparison, but for someone it may be enough to enjoy the experience of choosing the record in the store, to handle the case, to put on it. the stylus, and to turn it every quarter of an hour. Hearing small speakers croaking, in a much lower quality than would be achieved with a free subscription to Spotify and a pair of headphones for thirty euros, but so be it.
Someone else might want to spend the bare minimum to have a complete system, made up of turntables, amplifier and speakers. And perhaps someone else would like to spend the bare minimum to have a complete and dignified system. We've gathered some tips for those who fall into these three categories: Those looking for more prestigious stuff usually know enough to only want to compare themselves with other audiophiles, in person. Many of the products on this list can be found on Amazon: both compact and cheaper turntables and more expensive ones. If you can, however, go to a hi-fi shop to hear how the real systems sound: they will hardly let you try the turntable – which therefore can be bought online without problems – but it is normal that they make you hear an amplifier matched to various crates, and vice versa. Physical stores often have prices similar to online ones, but with the possibility of greater assistance and perhaps some offers on used items.
Compact turntable: 65 – 257 euros
Audiophiles skip this paragraph to avoid illness. The others know that almost everyone passes through here, before building a real system: that you will be able to appreciate even much better if you have passed through these boxes, and that presumably it can be exploited with a minimum collection of records that will have accumulated in the meantime. . Maybe don't use them for that first Beatles Abbey Road print you found in the attic, as there is a risk that the records will be ruined in the long run. There are many types, portable and non-portable, compatible with Bluetooth, with output for amplifiers, etc. And they are also good as gifts.
Numark PT-01 (65 euros)
Pitchfork recommended this: compared to the Crosley, which follows, it allows you to convert vinyls into digital files, thanks to the 'USB output.
Crosley Cruiser Deluxe (99.99 euros)
Crosley is an American brand, one of the best sellers in the portable turntable sector, and this is its most popular in a slightly refined version. It can read both 33 and 45 rpm, can also work as a Bluetooth speaker and has a headphone and RCA output, to connect a better pair of speakers.
Teac MC-D800 (257 euro)
This system appears in almost all the lists of the best all in one turntables, and is already a step above those portable. It has two real speakers, however small, and a slightly more stable platter. It also looks different in the living room. It doesn't have a lot of volume but it also acts as a radio, reads CDs, receives Bluetooth audio and converts discs to digital format.
An economic plant: 278 – 535 euros
A traditional system is made up of a turntable, an amplifier that receives and processes the signal, and a couple of speakers. Many amplifiers are not designed to handle the signal of a turntable, which is lower than that of – for example – a CD player: they therefore also need – we come to that – a box to connect between the turntable and the amplifier, and that amplifies the signal.
Audio Technica AT LP-60 (159 euros with a pair of speakers)
For an economical and novice solution, but without resorting to an all-in system one, you can start from this simple model of Audio Technica, a historic Japanese brand. It is already pre-amped, so it can be connected to any type of speaker. Together, two are sold, small ones, to start immediately.
Lenco L-85 (135 euros)
WhatHiFi, the most popular audio product review site, recommended it. He says it's the best budget turntable around, hands down. It comes in different colors (they cost a little more) and also converts vinyls to digital.
Onkyo A-9010 (196 euros)
WhatHiFi recommends it, which says it is the best amplifier in this price range, explaining that «the design is functional , more than flashy, but what is crucial is the engaging and energetic sound ». Also for Pitchfork it is the best choice.
Roth Oli RA1 (119 euros the pair)
They recommend unreservedly WhatHiFi and Vinyl Factory, writing that at this price there is nothing better: they have great dynamics and great details for small sizes, and are ideal if the room you use the turntable in is not very large.
Indiana Line Nota-X (from 160 euros per couple)
Indiana Line is an Italian company, and the Nota line is excellent for those on a budget that is not very high but wants to take home some excellent speakers. There are the 240 X models (160 euros on Amazon or ePrice), 250 X (180 euros on Amazon) or 260 X (210 euros on Amazon or ePrice), and they are progressively more powerful and larger in size. It depends on how much you want to spend.
A good system: 979 – 1242 euros
If the things seen so far continue to not convince you, or if you come from a mess with an economic system and want to change the league, this section is for you. However, it is not certain that you should immediately take all the components of your system by spending over a certain amount. For example, you can give yourself a good turntable, and combine it with the Onkyo amplifier and a couple of speakers recovered from an uncle: over time you change first one piece, then the other, and build a serious system. You will hear conflicting opinions as to where the greatest expense should be reserved: whether in the turntable, the amplifier or the speakers. In reality, there is very little unanimity.
Audio-Technica AT-LP120USB (265 euros)
Appears in almost all lists for systems that do not exceed the total cost of 1,000 euros: including that of Pitchfork and WhatHiFi. It has a built-in phono pre-stage, which means that if your amp doesn't have a turntable output, there's no need to buy one of those separate boxes. It is direct drive, and not belt driven: we talk about the way the platter turns, which in this case functions like the historic Technics platter. But you don't need to know much more. It also has a USB output and is a “modern” solution, even aesthetically, and some purists don't like it.
Rega Planar 1 (319 euros)
Rega is a historic British brand and this is its basic model. Unlike the others, this is already a serious hi-fi product, and rest assured you have an item that carries a great history. It is belt-driven and the arm does not have an automatic return: once the record side is finished, it remains there to idle, and you have to get up from the sofa.
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (370 euros)
Pro-Ject is a fairly young Austrian brand, but in less than thirty years it has become one of the most popular by audiophiles: and offers several relatively affordable solutions. The Debut Carbon is probably the best: it gets its name because it has a carbon arm, a detail that makes it better according to some. If you ask the shopkeepers, they will likely praise Pro-Ject or Rega depending on what they sell. If they have both, you can listen. If you want to overdo it there is the Debut Carbon Esprit, with the acrylic platter (a better material) and a more beautiful head.
NAD C316BEE (339 euros)
NAD is a famous Canadian brand, which has produced some of the most popular amplifiers ever. The C316BEE is one of the introductory models – like the others, it sacrifices a bit on the aesthetic to focus on sound quality.
Marantz PM6006 (454 euros)
It is one of the most recommended in this price range – by WhatHiFi and Vinyl Factory, among others – and it is guaranteed to buy a Marantz product, one of the most historic brands in the Hi-Fi sector. On WhatHiFi it got five out of five stars, which put it somewhere between the Onkyo A-9010 and more expensive models from Cambridge Audio. It does not have a USB input.
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 (375 euros per pair)
In 2015 they won the award for the best speakers in this price range on WhatHiFi, which says they have a very balanced sound and excellent bass, for their size.
Dali Zensor 3 (418 euros the pair)
WhatHiFi especially appreciated the spatiality of the sound and the quality of the details. They cost a little more than the Audio Bronze 2, but are a little bigger.
Pre-phono boxes: 61-131 euro
Your turntable may not be pre-amped – only some budget models are. Your amplifier may not have a turntable input (called a “phono”): usually very old or newer ones do. However, there is no need to worry, and indeed it is normal to have to use a pre-amplifier, which increases the signal produced by your turntable and makes it suitable for passing through the amplifier. The world of pre-amplifiers is a reproduction of the world of Hi-Fi, in a small way: it starts from twenty euros and reaches thousands. Let's say that by spending between 60 and 130, as for the two we have chosen, you already buy a good product. And of course it must be proportionate to the rest of your system: if it falls within those proposed in this article, with one of these two you are fine.
Pro-Ject Phono Box MM (61 euros)
Rega Fono Mini A2D (131 euro)
Heads: 55 – 160 euro
We assume that the needles of the turntables must be changed: because after a while they sound bad and ruin the records. The big debate is how often to change them: the truth is that it depends on a lot of factors, first of all how much you use the turntable. A good indication may be to change it every 1000 hours of listening. You can buy just the needle, or you can decide to change the whole cartridge (i.e. the box that connects the needle to the turntable arm) and make it more beautiful than the one you have, to improve the sound. You get noticeable improvements by changing the cartridge: if you think about it it is the thing that actually transforms the grooves of the vinyl into the sound. Also in this case, the expense must be proportionate to your turntable: before spending more on the cartridge than for the rest, think about it for a moment. But spending half it can make sense.
Shure M92E (55 euros)
It is a cartridge for those who have few pretensions, but do their job.
Ortofon 2M Red (93 euros) or Blue (160 euros)
These are the two most recommended models for those who wants to make a significant upgrade to its system without spending hundreds of euros. They are a guarantee, among those in the know.
Bonus: the vinyl brush
Because vinyls must be cleaned, to remove dust without damaging them. Then they must be stored with care and handled by the edges, again to prevent dirt from accumulating in the edges. Here too, you can spend as much as you want: from 10 euros for this one, which is fine, to 23 euros for this other one from Audio-Technica.
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