According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl record sales hit a 30-year high in 2021 – from 21.5 million units in 2020 to 41.7 million last year, or a 61% sales jump. And with all the vinyl records being made and sold, you need a way to play them. These days, the new record players have features like Bluetooth, color customization, built-in preamps, attractive styles, and more. We’ve rounded up the best record players with these features, so you can spin your vinyl properly. The Audio-Technica LP120 allows you to connect wireless headphones, speakers, or home stereos to the turntable, making it easy to use. One of the unique things about the Audio-Technica LP120 is that you can convert your vinyl records into digital audio files through the Audacity software available on Macs and PCs. That means that the rare, one-off record you found at your local record store can be turned into a digital file that you can listen to anywhere you want. Other features of this Audio-Technica turntable include a forward/reverse operation and variable pitch control with quartz speed lock. It also has playback controls and a target light that makes it easier to cue your records when it’s dark. Even though $250 isn’t exactly budget-friendly, cheaper versions of record players will cost you more in the long run (ultimately, they will ruin your records). However, if you can stretch your budget to $250, this option is a great entry to the world of record players. The Fluence RT81 Elite is known for its pure analog listening experience. Its Audio-Technica AT95E Cartridge allows for clear sound free of noise and distortion, since it rests on your records at just 2.0 grams of tracking force. There’s also a handy autostop feature to help prevent unnecessary wear on your needle. The turntable’s solid engineered wood plinth, which comes in three colors, reduces vibrations, so you don’t have to worry about where to place it in your home. Audio-Technica has been making record players since 1962 and is known for its entry-level turntables designed to introduce new listeners to the world of vinyl. Its latest record player is the AT-LPW50BT-RW, which uses Bluetooth 5.2 to stream your favorite albums to speakers or even wireless headphones. In addition, it has a built-in phono preamp that delivers an excellent listening experience, no matter how you choose to play audio. This Audio-Technica model is a well-balanced turntable that produces clear sounds on both old and new vinyls while looking sleek, making it well worth it’s price tag. Read the review: Audio-Technica’s new turntable puts a modern spin on an old classic The U-Turn Orbit Custom is an excellent option if you’re looking for something entirely customizable for your taste and needs. You can choose everything from the color, cartridge, preamp, cueing lever, platter material, etc. What’s great about customization is that you can pay as little as $200 but can add on features that’ll cost you more than $700, making this option perfect for both turntable beginners and audiophiles alike. One thing to note about this model is that its belt drive can be challenging to handle if you’re not used to it. Since it is attached to the outside of the platter, if you are rough with switching your records, you can inadvertently cause the belt drive to fall off. This can be a huge pain to put back on. Pro-Ject’s T1 Phono SB prides itself in “no hollow spaces,” meaning there won’t be unwanted vibrations on the plinth. In addition, this turntable is getting into more of the “audiophile” space, so it’s great for those looking to upgrade to their second record player. What’s exceptional about this turntable is its glass platter. At 8mm thick, it’s heavy, and heavy is always better in the vinyl world. The heaviness of the platter ends up reducing tonearm wobble from unwanted vibrations. One of the renowned brands in the record player world is Rega. Since the ’70s, this UK-based company has designed and assembled every product by hand to deliver the best music performance, and the Rega Planar 2 is a perfect example of this. The sleek, minimalist design paired with Rega’s carbon cartridge allows for a fantastic listening experience. The turntable is also outfitted with Rega’s RB220 tonearm with an adjustable anti-skate system to adjust the amount of bias (the sideways force on the cartridge to balance out the inward pull of the record groove) as the tonearm tracks the record, ensuring even tracking throughout playback. The one downside to this turntable is that you have to take the platter off to manually adjust the speed. While not a huge turnoff – and for many, it’s preferred – it’s not necessarily the best method. We purposely left out the Crosley Cruiser Turntable models, since they are known to ruin your records. However, higher-end Crosley turntables are still a decent option you can look into. Platter: The circular surface that spins and which the actual record is placed on. Counterweight: A weight at the opposite end of the tonearm from the cartridge that allows you to adjust the weight placed on the cartridge to reduce wear on your stylus (the actual needle). Tonearm: The tonearm holds the cartridge and allows it to glide through the grooves as the record spins effortlessly. There are three different types of tonearm shapes: straight, J-shaped, and S-shaped. Cueing level: Makes it so that the tonearm lifts and drops slowly, so you don’t damage the stylus. Cartridge: Holds the stylus and is located at the end of the tonearm. Converts the vibrations into audio. Be sure to be gentle throughout the entire process, since the stylus is delicate and can be damaged easy. Another feature to look for is anti-skate. This feature keeps it so the stylus is in the center of the groove rather than on either side of the groove. Your records might skip more or wear down faster if you don’t have anti-skate. Also, keep in mind that heavier is better, especially for the platter. This is because a heavier platter maintains speed consistency and prevents unwanted vibrations. Most importantly, the sound will be your deciding factor in what makes a good record player. Good record players produce a rich sound that is distinctive from any other audio format. Otherwise, here are some other new turntables worth the listen:
