Best Turntable Reviews 2017

There are over hundred, if not thousands, types of turntables available in the market today, in a wide range of prices. For example, you can get some record players for as low as $20 to $30 per piece, while others may cost you up to $30,000 or even more designed for professional use.

So, first, you will need to establish a budget so that it will help you narrow down your search.

Turntables that cost less than $100 are considered cheap players, but it will help you get your toes into the water before committing to something substantial.

Turntables that cost between $300 and $500 offer you the most out of your investment. At this price point, you will be able to find brand-new high-quality turntables, without any difficulty, it just depends on what features are a “must-have” for you.

Turntables in the $500 or more price point are really great pieces, particularly designed for collectors and serious audiophiles. But once you get past the $1000 price mark and into tens of thousands of price range, you will be looking at more art pieces and extreme collectibles.

For our review, we wanted to collect a range of five record players that had something to offer the average user and also didn’t break the bank. The turntables in this review range from $129.99 to $322.95, so not for the fanatical audiophile, but a mix of reasonably priced tables for beginners, hobbyists or start-up collectors.

Knowing how to find the 'right' turntable involves assessing what you need and knowing what to look for. Besides the price factor, you should also consider these crucial features before looking for a turntable.

Do you need a belt drive or direct drive turntable?

• Belt drive turntables are for audiophile community, while the direct drive turntables are for professional disc jockeys (DJ).
• Direct drive turntables allow DJs to rotate the platter backwards with their hand, which creates cool audio effects. It also offers very consistent rotational speed.

Do you need a manual or an automatic turntable?

• Turntables are also classified as either manual or automatic. Manual turntables require the user to lift the arm manually and place it on the spinning record, prized by many audio enthusiasts.
• On the other hand automatic turntables can play itself with just a push of a button, and highly suitable for people who simply want to sit back and enjoy listening to some good ol’ records.

Or, perhaps you want a turntable with a built-in phono preamp that will raise the volume up to a manipulative level.

If you’re stuck choosing, refer to above points to make your decision smoother and hassle free.

Turntables usually look and operate very simply, but there are many small parts that work together to produce high-quality sound. If you see someone going for a high-end turntable (over $500, for e.g.), then trust us when we say that they are paying for increased precision and stability rather than anything else.

A turntables main purpose it to place a needle on a moving record to produce music. It's such a simple mechanism, you say, but do you know that a single record groove is smaller than a width of a human hair?

Here are key components that play a huge role into re-creating the sound on the record with as much precision as possible.

• Plinth - It's the foundation of a turntable that ensures its stability for good playback. It could be made from wood, metal, or plastic.
• Platter - The rotating component over which the record spins. The heavier the platter, the better. Most platters can play at the speed of 33RPM and 45RPM, but you will need to buy an additional turntable if you wanted to play a rather old 78RPM format record.
• Tonearm - The arm designed to place the needle gently over the record to produce sound, which also maintains a consistent sound/speed of the record.
• Cartridge/stylus - A stylus is a needle, and a cartridge is a housing that supports the stylus. Many people recommend that you "spend some extra money on a good cartridge" because even a slight upgrade can improve the sound quality of your system dramatically.

One should focus on the ease of use before looking for a turntable because you will be using your hands a lot of time compared with other music playing devices.

It's important to assess the original set-up of a turntable right from the beginning, including how easy it is to attach the platter, belt, and any other adjustments that are required before using it. What about the manual? Well, it has to be thorough with easy to understand instructions, clearly explaining speed selection and cueing a track.

If you’re an avid hobbyist then you probably won’t have any problem operating an old-fashioned record player. However, some of you millennials out there might find it easier to start off with a modern, technology based turntable. Kids and their technology nowadays!