I researched the best vinyl record player because I recently started building a small vinyl collection and want something that delivers great sound quality without damaging my records. I have been comparing different turntables lately because I want something reliable that will last for years. I went through reviews from trusted sources like Wirecutter, What Hi-Fi?, and Reddit threads, and after comparing many options these two kept coming up as the top choices:
However, I am having trouble deciding which one would be better for me and I would love to get your expert advice. I’m hoping maybe some audiophiles or people who have experience with vinyl on this forum can also share their advice. I mostly listen to classic rock and jazz at home, but I also want something that is beginner-friendly and worth the investment in the long run, so I’m not sure which one would be more suitable or personally recommended for me. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.
If your budget is around ~£$€500, I’d probably look at the Pro-ject Debut Carbon EVO, and opt for the acrylic platter. This gives you options for upgrading and is excellent value.
Later, consider upgrading the cartridge. In my experience, changing the Ortofon Silver (midway between Red and Blue) to the Bronze took my modest deck to an entirely different level.
I absolutely HATED the Fluance RT85. It’s a pile and I couldn’t send it back fast enough. And if the Audio-Technica is in the same list, it’s a pile too. Best is subjective, but I’d recommend looking at Rega, VPI, Clearaudio or EAT. The cheaper Pro-Ject tables are meh, but still better than an RT85. I do like their RPM series.
As to why the RT85 is a pile, it was noisy and became unbearable the closer the tonearm got to the center of a record. Thought I had a ground-loop, but nothing helped. They did send a replacement, but it was just as bad as the first. I also wasn’t too impressed with the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge and have grown to dislike the entire 2M line.
Clearaudio and EAT start at ÂŁ1,000+, so not a realistic option. And, VPI are ten times this!
So, not the greatest of recommendations.
The Rega Planar 1 (and the Plus with built-in phone stage) are within budget. But I’d still opt for the Project as this is “beginner-friendly and worth the investment in the long run.”
I have a Fluance TT. Build quality is good for the cost.
Swap the cartridge from the AT that it comes with for something better and get a decent phono stage and you’ll have a good starting point.
Edit: just be careful buying a Fluance TT from Amazon. Not sure if it was an Amazon picking error or the Fluance stock was wrongly listed but I got the wrong version before they sent the correct one.
Nowhere did he mention budget. He’s asking what’s worth investing in long run, which isn’t going to be Fluance or Pro-Ject. There’s zero reason to start with a below-average turntable. As much of a Rega fan as I am, there’s no way I’d feel good about recommending anything with the RB110 or RB220 tonearm. He’s better off starting with a better turntable with a budget cartridge (e.g., Planar 3 with an Nd5) than a crappy turntable with an upgraded cartridge.
Not having any experience from the TT’s you mention, i would in general recommend a Rega Planar 2 (or 3).
It is a solid player, which will give you years of service, offer upgrade paths or simple cartridge replacement (predefined mounting).
Neither one of us know that. You’re making the assumption that he’s looking for a budget player. I’m making the assumption that he wants something that will grow with his collection and will enjoy using. It would have been helpful if budget would have been mentioned, hopefully they’ll come back and add some clarification. But a few years ago I was in his shoes and I took the advice of someone who recommended Fluance, then spent the next 2 months shipping record players and cartridges back and forth. I wasted a lot of time and too much money and I’d hate to see another music enthusiast make the same mistakes I made.
Would be helpful if you included your budget rather than us guessing it :). Having said that I had a Rega P1 for many years (that I replaced with a Rega P6) that I was very happy with. I’ve also heard various Projects TT in the same price range that sound pretty good.
I have the Music Hall Classic, which I really like. Decent built in phono amp as well, and the stylus can be easily upgraded from the Spirit it comes with (a MH branded ATVM95E) to an ATVM95ML down the road without swapping the cartridge.
My fear is at that price range there isn’t much of an upgrade path in the future. If you’re ok with that, Rega Planar 1 which comes with an Rega carbon MM cartridge, which I believe is a custom spec AudioTechnica AT91. The cartridge isn’t anything to get excited about, but you could upgrade to an Nd3 or Nd5 in the future. I just really dislike the RB110 tonearm, although they say it’s been recently reworked (along with the RB220) to have better tolerances. If you can stretch the budget, the Planar 2 with Nd3 cartridge is a considerable step up.
My personal opinion is that Rega starts to get really interesting with the Planar 3. I see that Upscale Audio has white factory B-stock Planar 3 with Nd3 on sale for $1185.75, full factory warranty. I know it’s twice you budget, just throwing it out there.
I’m sure others can give better recommendations than I can. I didn’t have a good experience with inexpensive turntables.
OK my 2 cents.I’ll start by saying I’ve only heard the Rega P1 and P6 and the Project entry level turntable from 20 years ago. So you should take what I say with a pinch of salt.
Firstly, I was very happy with the Rega P1 - I used it for about 10 years before upgrading to the P6. The P6 is clearly a better sounding turntable but the P1 didn’t suck and was a major upgrade from my early 80s NAD turntable (the one with the “ruler” tonearm). It’s a good entry level turntable. And it’s made in the UK (which is a big plus for me). But it’s completely manual. No auto lift at the end of a record, you have to manually move the belt to change speed - all of your money goes into the playback mechanism. However based on reading around, there are probably better choices now.
For the 2 turntables you list in your first post, based on reviews and specs, I think the Fluence is clearly the better turntable. The Ortofon 2M Blue is a much better cartridge - getting this quality of cartridge in a deck in this price range is incredible good value for money. The plinth is a better plinth. I would not buy the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB - I think its an entry level DJ deck, not a deck for audiophile playback which I assume is what you are after.
An alternative I would consider is the Project Debut Carbon EVO. On paper and based on reviews, it is a really good alternative to the Fluence. The Sumiko is a good quality cartridge. The build quality is excellent.
I think you’d be happy with either the Fluence or EVO.
It’s worth noting that the Fluence does a better job of dealing with the end of the record - it turns off - than the EVO but neither lift the arm automatically. I recommend this $50 accessory - Q UP Tonearm Lifter.
If it were me I’d pick one (I’d pick the Project because they have been around for a long time and I trust their quality but that’s my bias), buy it on Amazon, try it for a week and if I hated it, return it and buy the other one.
maybe look for something used.
