This year sales of vinyl records, and record players, have skyrocketed in the UK. If you’ve inherited an awesome collection or are setting out on a new career path, our guide to choosing the right turntables will make help make it easier to decide.
Set your budget
Whether you want a career as a DJ or just to chill out to the smooth sound of vinyl records will ultimately decide which turntables you invest in. Budget plays a huge part too though and getting the right turntables for your needs will cost a bit of money.
If you’re in the market for an entire sound system (speakers, amplifier, turntables), allocate the largest portion of your budget to your turntables. This is where the sound quality starts and the best speakers in the world won’t make up for a set of cheap turntables.
Wireless or not
If you’re setting up a sweet spot at home to play your records, then a wired player is the way to go. If, however, you want to hear your records all over the house, invest in a wireless or Bluetooth record player and connect it to other devices and speakers.
Manual v automatic
Getting used to dropping the tone arm can be tricky to learn and if you have a treasured vinyl collection you won’t want to scratch the records. With an automatic record player, the tone arm will gently set itself in the right location on the record, minimizing the risk of damage.
If you’re confident in using a tone arm, then go manual and get a real feel for dropping the needle.
USB or Not USB
With a USB connected record player, you will be able to upload your mixes live to your computer, which is essential for any aspiring DJ. However, if you just want to kick back and listen to some old records there’s no need for additional connectivity.
Get the right speed (RPM)
Records are played at three different speeds or revolutions per minute (RPM): 33rpm, 45rpm and 78rpm. For most modern records you’ll only need to worry about the first two and a two-speed set of turntables would be your best investment.
If you have a large collection of vintage vinyl you want to play, invest in a three-speed record player to get the best sound quality possible.
Whether you want a career as a DJ or just to chill out to the smooth sound of vinyl records will ultimately decide which turntables you invest in. Budget plays a huge part too though and getting the right turntables for your needs will cost a bit of money.
If you’re in the market for an entire sound system (speakers, amplifier, turntables), allocate the largest portion of your budget to your turntables. This is where the sound quality starts and the best speakers in the world won’t make up for a set of cheap turntables.
Wireless or not
If you’re setting up a sweet spot at home to play your records, then a wired player is the way to go. If, however, you want to hear your records all over the house, invest in a wireless or Bluetooth record player and connect it to other devices and speakers.
Manual v automatic
Getting used to dropping the tone arm can be tricky to learn and if you have a treasured vinyl collection you won’t want to scratch the records. With an automatic record player, the tone arm will gently set itself in the right location on the record, minimizing the risk of damage.
If you’re confident in using a tone arm, then go manual and get a real feel for dropping the needle.
USB or Not USB
With a USB connected record player, you will be able to upload your mixes live to your computer, which is essential for any aspiring DJ. However, if you just want to kick back and listen to some old records there’s no need for additional connectivity.
Get the right speed (RPM)
Records are played at three different speeds or revolutions per minute (RPM): 33rpm, 45rpm and 78rpm. For most modern records you’ll only need to worry about the first two and a two-speed set of turntables would be your best investment.
If you have a large collection of vintage vinyl you want to play, invest in a three-speed record player to get the best sound quality possible.
