The best turntables

The best turntable overall

The Sony PS-HX500 USB Turntable lets you play vinyl records and digitize them, so your record collection is portable.

If you're buying a turntable, it's probably because you like the sound of vinyl. But with the Sony PS-HX500 Hi Res USB Turntable, you're not limited to just listening to your records on the turntable.

The PS-HX500 has a USB port that allows you to play the vinyl on the turntable and rip the music to a high-res WAV or DSD file stored on a computer. That way, you can merge the best of both worlds: old-school vinyl records and new digital music files.

Now don't expect those digital music files ripped from vinyl to sound impeccable. Some people don't notice a significant difference, but others say the digital file doesn't quite capture the best parts of the sound of vinyl, nor does it match the pristine quality of original digital files.

Regardless of what the serious audiophiles say, the Sony turntable can record up to DSD 5.6 MHz audio quality, which is quite good. In its review, What HiFi said this is one of the best USB-ripping turntables you can buy — period.

Even with its somewhat high price, Home Theater Review says the PS-HX500 is a good value because of its excellent digital capabilities.

Although most buyers and reviewers rate the Sony turntable favorably, Wired says the overall design of the Sony PS-HX500 doesn't justify its price tag, as it doesn't offer enough high-end components versus other USB turntables in its price range.

Pros: Delivers the ability to rip vinyl music to a digital format, outperforms many other USB-enabled turntables, produces good audio quality on the turntable, stylish design and look

Cons: High price tag for an entry-level turntable, doesn't have high-end components

The best entry-level turntable

You can play your vinyl over your existing wireless speaker system with the affordable Audio-Technica AT-LP60-BT Bluetooth Turntable.

You easily can spend several hundred dollars or more on a new turntable and speaker system. But it's pretty tough to justify that kind of outlay if you are less interested in pristine audio quality from your vinyl and more interested in having fun playing your records.

The Audio-Technica AT-LP60 Bluetooth Turntable carries a lower price point than most turntables with decent audio quality, which makes it a good entry-level option. It can't quite match the rich audio quality of some more expensive models, but it compares favorably to similarly priced turntables.

This turntable is Bluetooth enabled, so you can connect it to your existing wireless speaker system at home. That way you don't have to spend extra money on wired speakers.

The PC Mag review says having the option of using Bluetooth wireless speakers or traditional wired speakers is especially helpful, although the Bluetooth pairing process can be tricky. Plus, when you're using the Bluetooth connection, the audio quality is better than expected, according to My Mac, giving you a nice option for porting your vinyl music anywhere.

However, don't expect to find high-quality components in this Audio-Technica turntable. Trusted Reviews called the unit "plasticky," but using cheaper components is understandable at this price.

Pros: Outperforms other low-priced turntables for audio quality, works with existing wireless speakers you may already own over a Bluetooth connection, fun for starting out with playing vinyl

Cons: Audio quality doesn't match pricier units, making Bluetooth connection can be tricky

The best minimalistic turntable

The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Turntable will grab your attention with its beautifully simple design, but it'll keep that attention with great music quality.

Those of you who are new to playing vinyl will want a turntable that's easy to set up, but also delivers good music quality for the price. The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Turntable is a popular choice because it checks all the boxes.

This Pro-Ject turntable will grab your attention with its minimalistic design. It doesn't have visible buttons or ports, so it's a simple turntable with arm on top of a base. You can get it in a few colors, including the red one pictured above.

Beyond its simple design, the What HiFi review says this turntable delivers sound clarity and detail far beyond what you'd expect from a turntable in its price range. Tech Radar calls the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon a perfect turntable for those who are new to playing vinyl.

However, the fact that you must manually change the spin speed is a disappointment because you have to remove the platter and manually move the belt to swap between 33 1/3 and 45 rpm.

Audio Advice says this turntable delivers a greater audio quality than other turntables in its price range, especially in terms of any distortion you'll receive, although it does lag behind high-end models in delivering bass sounds.

Pros: Very nice design that keeps it simple, delivers better and cleaner audio quality than you'd expect in this price range, works well for those new to vinyl or for those wanting a mid-range unit

Cons: Must manually change the platter speed by moving the belt, some components feel inexpensive

The best bargain-priced turntable

If you want to dip your toe into vinyl, but you don't want to break the bank, the Musitrend Turntable Portable Suitcase is easy to use and inexpensive.

Portable suitcase turntables are easy to use, and they don't cost all that much. If you're looking to jump back into the world of using vinyl, but you don't want to go broke doing it, you're probably looking at this style of turntable.

One of the most affordable suitcase-style turntables is the Musitrend Turntable Portable Suitcase record player. Now, this model will have little to no appeal for people who want the highest possible audio quality. The inexpensive components in the turntable just aren't of that quality.

Still, its $70 price point is tough to beat, so it's a popular choice among newbies who are joining the world of vinyl. Not only is the Musitrend Turntable Portable Suitcase unit inexpensive, but it also ships with a speaker built into the suitcase-style housing. That way, you don't have to spend extra money on speakers, according to the Lyrtech review.

However, don't expect much in terms of sharp audio quality with this simple built-in speaker. If you want better audio quality, you will want to spend some extra money on external speakers.

Mac Sources says this inexpensive suitcase-style turntable is perfect for listening to audio spoken records that accompany children's books, like you may have done as kids a few decades ago.

If you want an easy-to-use, basic turntable, Tabers Best Reviews says this Musitrend turntable is perfect. You just turn it on and begin using it immediately with no assembly or adjustments needed.

Pros: Very good price point for a starter record player, includes a built-in speaker to give you a good value, portable style turntable that's easy to carry, can be operated immediately out of the box

Cons: Music quality will be below average with built-in speaker, some components are not of a great quality

The best high-end turntable

If you have enough room in your budget and you're ready for a step up in the quality of your turntable, the Marantz TT-15S1 Reference Belt Drive Turntable is a winner.

When looking for any product, we all have a price in our heads that we think marks a good value. For example, I hate paying more than $12 for a pizza … unless it has Canadian bacon. Then the budget goes out the window.

When you start looking at picking up a turntable, we're guessing you probably have a price point in mind. We're also guessing it's not going to involve four figures, but if it does, this is your turntable.

Certainly, the Marantz TT-15S1 Reference Belt Drive Turntable isn't cheap, and it really isn't made as an entry-level turntable. But those who own and love using this turntable repeatedly call it an incredibly great value, as it delivers more features than what you normally find for the price.

Tech Radar agrees that it seems silly to call a turntable with a four-figure price tag a steal, but the range and clarity the TT-15S1 delivers does make it a good value.

One reason why this turntable is such a steal is because it ships with the Clearaudio Virtuoso phono cartridge, which has nearly a four-figure price point when sold separately.

World of Turntables calls this Marantz turntable the best one you can buy for less than $2,000, because it has a very easy-to-use design a produces excellent audio quality.

The Gear Patrol review says you'll be amazed by the difference in how your vinyl music sounds on this turntable versus a lower-priced turntable.

Pros: A good value versus other turntables in this price range, includes high-end cartridge for great sound quality, easily outperforms beginner-level turntables in terms of rich sound output

Cons: High price point for beginners, no dust cover included

How do turntables work?

Turntables are simple pieces of technology, according to Crutchfield. The needle (or stylus) is attached to a phono cartridge and tone arm. The needle fits inside the grooves on the record.

The grooves in a record have tiny peaks and valleys that represent the music in digital data form. (Think of digital ones and zeros as the peaks and valleys.) The needle converts the data in the grooves of the vinyl to an electrical signal that the phono cartridge reads. You'll place the vinyl record on the platter, which spins it so the needle can read the data in the grooves as the record moves beneath the needle.

If you want a turntable with better audio quality, look for the best phono cartridge you can afford. Some turntables even allow you to swap out the phono cartridge as an upgrade. It's also important to have a turntable that resists vibrations, which can cause misreads of the peaks and valleys, according to Pro-Ject Audio.

Usually, high-end turntables aimed at those seeking the best audio quality require you to buy all the individual components of your setup separately.

Simple, inexpensive turntables are the easiest to operate, as they have all components ready to go, but they fall behind in audio quality.

Modern turntables work a lot like their counterparts from decades ago, according to Consumer Reports, although some models include newer technology like USB ports, allowing you to convert your vinyl music to digital music. Others have Bluetooth capabilities, so you can send the audio signal to a wireless speaker system.

Depending on the one you choose, you may need a few accessories to use your turntable. Some turntables are open to the air, so you may need to buy a cover to protect it from dust. You may also need a receiver to pass the sound from the turntable to the speakers.

When it comes to choosing the speakers, you'll have the option of powered and passive speakers, as we at Business Insider discussed recently. Some speakers are connected to the turntable by wires, while others are wirelessly connected over Bluetooth. If it's a wired speaker, you'll need to match the right type of wire to your turntable output and speaker input, according to Record Head.