Our Experts CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. What to consider Design There are four main elements to a turntable: the plinth or base, the platter on which the vinyl record sits, the motor and the arm. The best designs offer extended bracing and isolation between each of these elements to reduce the noise, which can affect the sound quality of vinyl.
Cartridge The best turntables feature a user-replaceable cartridge, which allows you to experiment with a higher-quality cartridge (such as an Ortofon 2M Red). Price Turntables start at around $50 and can cost as much as a mortgage, but the rally good ones start at around $300. Audiophile-quality models start from $1,000.
Belt or direct drive Direct drive is almost exclusively used by DJs — in turntables such as the Technics SL1200 — whereas belt driven models are consumer-focused. Pre-amp Unlike most types of players, a turntable needs a pre-amp to bring music up to “line level”. Otherwise it sounds like pixies singing in a cave.
Some models offer a switchable onboard preamp which can enable you to use a better phono stage down the road. Speed switch If you play a lot of singles or own audiophile pressings then you will likely want a hardware switch to choose between 33 1/3 and 45. Instead, some models require you to remove the platter and move the belt to change speeds.
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