You already know that everything old ends up coming back into fashion. Sometimes as we remembered it and other times with an aspect very similar to what it had in the past, but with more current touches. The same is what has happened with turntables, equipment that is once again in great demand among music lovers. Today we are going to explain everything you need to know before buying a turntable and, in addition, we will show you a selection of the most interesting ones.
How to choose the best turntable
The first thing you should know about these devices that will allow us to listen to “old-fashioned” music is what parts they are made of. Focusing on the main thing, they are composed of:
- Arm : it is that “limb” that we see on one side of the record and that, when listening to music, must be leaning on it. There are 2 different types: automatic (more comfortable and with a better calibration) and manual (we will have to press it against the disc ourselves, but this offers greater precision and makes the disc suffer less when changing songs).
- Needle : calling it by this name it sure sounds more familiar to you, but it is actually inside the pickup capsule , which is responsible for “reading” the discs. There are 2 different kinds of this cartridge: magnet (cheaper) moving coil (more accurate). If both models are well calibrated, only those experts in sound subjects will notice slight differences.
- Base : the part that we use to support the turntable on any surface. This usually includes rubber feet so that the equipment does not move when touched.
- Plate : place where we will “drop” the disc. There are 3 different types of turntables: belt (they reach the nominal speed for reproduction slowly and deteriorate faster but, on the other hand, are cheaper), direct drive (more expensive but with the advantage that, since they lack parts mechanical, they deteriorate slowly) and pulley (they are more easily damaged by their number of parts but, in return, they reach nominal speed quickly and their price is affordable).
- Motor : in charge of driving the entire turntable mechanism. The most common in current models is that it is a direct current motor.
Now that you know what parts a turntable consists of, it is time to talk about those essential details that you should take into account before buying it . In addition to taking into account the differences that exist between the different types of components (with their pros and cons) that we have already mentioned, you should think about:
- Weight : weighing like this may seem old-fashioned, but in this case, “if it weighs, it’s good.” This is because, due to the way it works, playing music on a turntable is greatly affected by vibrations . Therefore, the heavier this equipment is, the better it will absorb them.
- Disc diameter : depending on the disc that you are going to use in this device, you can find sizes of 7 ″, 10 ″ or 12 ″ . It is very important that the turntable accepts all these sizes so that whatever vinyl you put on, you can reproduce it.
- Vinyl angular velocity : This parameter is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm) and the usual values are 33, 45 and 78 rpm . As you can imagine, it is vitally important that your turntable is compatible with these values in order to use it.
These are the fundamental characteristics that your turntable must have yes or yes. Then, there are others that can be a good addition in some situations:
- Speakers : in some models we find 1 or 2 speakers attached to the body of the device. These are usually not of great quality . But, if what you want is portability and practicality, it may be a good aspect to consider.
- Connectivity and connections : as we mentioned at the beginning, some things from the past return with certain “modern” details that are intended to improve our experience when using them . In this case, the some turntable models incorporate: bluetooth connectivity, USB ports, audio jack or S / PDIF port, among other details.
Best turntables you should consider
Now that you know all those important points to consider before buying a new turntable, it is time to choose one to take home. With the success that these have in sales again, the market is filled with hundreds of different models.
To make your search a little easier, we have made a selection with those turntables that we have found most interesting.
PRIXTON VC400 turntable
This PRIXTON VC400 is the most economical model of this selection. It is capable of using discs of all sizes and, with speeds of 33.3 / 45/78 rpm. It has Bluetooth connectivity, 2 small 3W speakers, USB port and headphone jack. And, as you may have noticed from its aesthetics, it is completely portable by converting into a “travel suitcase”.
VIFLYKOO turntable
If you like the more classic design, with wood finishes, an interesting model can be this VIFLYKOO turntable. It incorporates two speakers in its body to be able to music anywhere and without external equipment. It is compatible with sizes of 7 ″, 10 ″ and 12 ″, in addition to speeds of 33, 45 and 78 rpm. And if you don’t want to put a vinyl on it, you can always use it as a wireless speaker thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity.
VOKSUN turntable
Another turntable for lovers of vintage design is this model from the company VOKSUN . Finished in leather and wood, this model hides two small speakers discreetly on its sides. And, of course, we can connect to it via Bluetooth to play music from our phone. Regarding its compatibility, we can use in the vinyl with a size of 7 ″, 10 ″ or 12 ″, and speeds of 33, 45 and 78 rpm.
ION Audio Max LP Turntable
A model quite similar to one of the above is this one from ION Audio . Finished in wood and with two speakers that appear on the top, this turntable has Bluetooth connectivity, as well as USB and jack output. Although, in this case, there is also an identical model finished in black.
Audio-Technica AT-LP3WH turntable
Increasing in price, we come to the AT-LP3WH model from the well-known Audio-Technica company . With black or white finishes, this turntable has 2 speeds: 33 and 45 rpm. It has an automatic arm, a magnet capsule and compatibility with 7 ″ and 12 ″ discs. A turntable designed for those who enjoy a more modern design and, also, great fidelity in sound as this company is used to offering us.
Audio-Technica At-LP5X Turntable
Finally, we fear another model from Audio-Technica . What’s more, it is the older brother of the previous one, the At-LP5X . It has 3 speeds of use (33, 45 and 78 rpm) and compatibility with 7 ″ and 12 ″ discs. Upgrade your pickup with a dual moving magnet system with a replaceable stylus. The platter also adds a rubber damping mat that prevents clipping of unwanted frequencies.