Top 5 compared
The best record players
Starting a vinyl collection, or finally playing the boxes of records in the basement.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How this works
The top 5 at a glance
A record player spins a vinyl record while a stylus traces the groove, and the cartridge holding it turns those tiny movements into an electrical signal. A hi-fi deck has no speakers of its own; an all-in-one has speakers built into the case, so it works on its own, which suits a bedroom, a dorm or a kitchen shelf.
Albums play at 33⅓ rpm and singles at 45; 78s, the very old shellac discs, need a three-speed player. Bluetooth can go either way: out, to wireless headphones or a Bluetooth speaker, or in, playing a phone through the player’s own speakers. A manual deck asks for more setup and gives finer control, while an automatic one lowers and lifts its own arm.
What matters
- An RCA output, so it can feed bigger speakers later.
- A switchable preamp, for speakers or a stereo without a phono input.
- A stylus that can be replaced on its own.
- A lid or dust cover for between plays.
#1Audio-Technica AT-LPGO-BT Fully Automatic Bluetooth Turntable
$150–$200
Press start and it lowers the arm, plays the side and lifts the arm back by itself, so nobody has to handle the stylus. Bluetooth sends the record to a wireless speaker or headphones, and the cartridge is Audio-Technica’s own: the company started out making phono cartridges in Tokyo in 1962.
What owners say: A good first turntable, owners find: the start and stop buttons keep it simple, and Bluetooth links up quickly with the speakers already in the house. Old albums sound good through it.
Heads up: It has no speakers of its own, so pair it with a Bluetooth speaker or plug it into powered speakers or a stereo.
A closer look: Set the preamp switch to LINE for powered speakers or a stereo’s aux input, and to PHONO only if the amplifier has its own phono input. When the stylus wears, Audio-Technica lists the ATN3600L as its replacement, so there’s no need to change the whole cartridge.
- Stylus can be replaced separately
- Audio-Technica’s own cartridge
- Belt drive
Best for: Hands-off play, wireless speakers
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45
- Built-in speakers
- No
- Bluetooth
- Out, to speakers and headphones
- Connects to a stereo
- RCA, switchable preamp
- Style
- Automatic deck with lid
#2Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB Direct-Drive Turntable
Over $300
A full-size direct-drive deck with a balanced S-shaped tonearm, adjustable anti-skate and a quartz-locked pitch control, and it plays all three speeds, 78 included. A USB output records albums to a computer, and the switchable preamp lets it plug into powered speakers or a stereo with no phono input.
What owners say: Assembly takes owners about ten minutes, and it plays even old, warped records cleanly. They praise the solid build, and newcomers to vinyl pick it up quickly.
A closer look: Setup takes a few minutes: fit the counterweight, balance the arm, then set the tracking force and anti-skate to the figures in the manual. There are no speakers, so plan on powered speakers or a stereo, and the USB cable lets a laptop record each side with free software such as Audacity.
- Direct drive
- Adjustable pitch control
- Balanced S-shaped tonearm
- Damped arm lowers gently
Best for: Serious listening and digitizing records
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45, 78
- Built-in speakers
- No
- Bluetooth
- None
- Connects to a stereo
- RCA and USB, switchable preamp
- Style
- Manual deck with lid
#31 BY ONE Bluetooth Belt-Drive Turntable with Built-in Speakers
$150–$200
A magnetic cartridge with an Audio-Technica stylus and an adjustable counterweight, the parts of a serious turntable, but with speakers built into the wood-and-metal cabinet, so it plays records the moment it’s set up.
What owners say: Turned up all the way, it fills a medium-sized room, owners report, and the controls are simple enough for a first record player. Phones pair over Bluetooth without trouble.
A closer look: Adjust the counterweight before the first record, since it sets how firmly the stylus sits in the groove. Its Bluetooth works one way: it plays a phone through its speakers, but won’t send records to wireless headphones.
- Audio-Technica stylus
- Adjustable counterweight
- Aux input
- Detachable dust cover
Best for: Better sound from an all-in-one
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45
- Built-in speakers
- Yes
- Bluetooth
- In, from a phone
- Connects to a stereo
- To powered speakers
- Style
- Wood and metal cabinet
#4Retrolife R609 Bluetooth Suitcase Record Player
$30–$50
A black faux-leather suitcase with bronze-finish screws and grilles and a solid handle, so it moves from room to room with the records. It plays 7, 10 and 12-inch records at all three speeds, and an auto-stop switch stops the platter when a side ends.
What owners say: New collectors find it ready to play with clear sound as soon as it’s unpacked, and the handle makes it easy to carry between rooms. Parents say their children enjoy it too.
A closer look: A mode switch picks Bluetooth, aux or phono, so check it’s set to phono before lowering the arm onto a record. The headphone jack suits late-night listening, and with the lid shut it carries like a small case to a friend’s place.
- Plays 7, 10, 12-inch records
- Auto-stop switch
- Headphone jack
- Aux input
- Faux leather, bronze-finish grilles
Best for: Moving between rooms
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45, 78
- Built-in speakers
- Yes
- Bluetooth
- In, from a phone
- Connects to a stereo
- RCA out
- Style
- Suitcase with handle
#5Seasonlife R608 Record Player with Speakers
$20–$30
Everything a first record player needs in one compact box: stereo speakers, all three speeds and a lift-off dust cover, in a black vintage-style case. A spring-and-belt suspension under the platter helps soak up knocks to the shelf it stands on.
What owners say: The nostalgic look and the compact size please owners, and Bluetooth from a phone works well. The sound divides them: fine for some, thin for others.
A closer look: Put the dust cover back on between sessions to keep dust off the platter and the stylus. If the built-in speakers start to feel small, the RCA output feeds powered speakers, and the aux input plays a phone or MP3 player through it without Bluetooth.
- Spring suspension under the platter
- Plays 7, 10, 12-inch records
- Auto stop
- 45 rpm adapter included
- Aux and headphone jack
Best for: Starting a vinyl collection
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45, 78
- Built-in speakers
- Yes
- Bluetooth
- In, from a phone
- Connects to a stereo
- RCA out
- Style
- Box with dust cover
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Audio-Technica LPGO-BT | #2Audio-Technica LP120XUSB | #31 BY ONE belt-drive | #4Retrolife R609 | #5Seasonlife R608 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best all-in-one | Best portable | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Price | $150–$200 | Over $300 | $150–$200 | $30–$50 | $20–$30 |
| Speeds (rpm) | 33⅓, 45 | 33⅓, 45, 78 | 33⅓, 45 | 33⅓, 45, 78 | 33⅓, 45, 78 |
| Built-in speakers | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Out, to speakers and headphones | None | In, from a phone | In, from a phone | In, from a phone |
| Connects to a stereo | RCA, switchable preamp | RCA and USB, switchable preamp | To powered speakers | RCA out | RCA out |
| Style | Automatic deck with lid | Manual deck with lid | Wood and metal cabinet | Suitcase with handle | Box with dust cover |
| Best for | Hands-off play, wireless speakers | Serious listening and digitizing records | Better sound from an all-in-one | Moving between rooms | Starting a vinyl collection |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
