Top 6 compared
The best record players
New records or old ones boxed up in the basement, played through built-in speakers, a wireless speaker or the stereo you already own.
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The top 6 at a glance
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#1Best overall
Fluance RT81
Over $3009.3/10
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#2Best premium
Audio-Technica LP120XBT-USB
Over $3009.2/10
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#3Best automatic
Sony PS-LX3BT
Over $3009.2/10
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#4Best all-in-one
1 BY ONE with speakers
$200–$3008.9/10
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#5Best budget
Seasonlife R608
$50–$758.6/10
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#6Best suitcase player
Retrolife R609
$75–$1008.6/10
A record player spins a vinyl record while a stylus follows the groove, and the cartridge that holds the stylus turns those tiny movements into an electrical signal. A hi-fi deck has no speakers of its own and needs separate ones to play through; an all-in-one has speakers in its case and plays on its own, and a suitcase player adds a carry handle.
Albums play at 33⅓ rpm and singles at 45; the old shellac 78s need a third speed and their own stylus. The signal from the cartridge is too quiet for most speakers until a phono preamp boosts it, so many decks build one in, with a switch to turn it off for an amplifier that has a phono input; an all-in-one has its amplifier inside.
What matters
- An RCA output to a stereo or powered speakers, now or later.
- Bluetooth out for wireless speakers, or Bluetooth in to play a phone.
- An automatic arm, if you’d rather not lower the stylus by hand.
#1Fluance RT81 Elite Belt-Drive Turntable
Over $300
Audio-Technica’s AT95E cartridge on a counterweighted arm, a heavy wooden plinth on isolation feet and a phono preamp built in, so it plugs straight into powered speakers or a stereo. Fluance was founded in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in 1999.
What owners say: Owners single out the sound, find it easy, even fun, to put together and are pleased with the build and the built-in preamp. Some like its heft and some don’t.
Heads up: There’s no Bluetooth, so it can’t send a record to a wireless speaker or headphones: everything goes by cable.
A closer look: Before the first record, balance the arm and set the counterweight to the 2 grams the cartridge is made for, with the anti-skate to match. Leave the preamp switch on LINE unless the amplifier has a phono input of its own.
- Heavy base on isolation feet
- Audio-Technica cartridge
Best for: Isolating vibration
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45
- Built-in speakers
- No
- Bluetooth to speakers or headphones
- No
- Plays a phone over Bluetooth
- No
- RCA output
- Yes
- Plays into a stereo with no phono input
- Preamp, can switch off
- Operation
- Arm lowered by hand, stops at the end
#2Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB Wireless Direct-Drive Turntable
Over $300
A full-size manual deck for serious listening: a direct-drive motor, a pitch control that locks to the right speed, a tonearm lowered by hand, and all three speeds. The record goes out three ways: to a stereo by RCA, to a laptop by USB for copying albums, or to Bluetooth speakers and headphones.
What owners say: Owners praise the sound and the design, call setup straightforward and rate the Bluetooth link highly. On speed stability they differ, one owner hearing records play slightly off tempo.
A closer look: The AT-VM95E cartridge takes a replaceable stylus: a worn tip is swapped without changing the cartridge, and for shellac 78s Audio-Technica’s AT-VMN95SP stylus, sold separately, fits in its place. A plug-in cueing light helps place the stylus in a dim room, and free software such as Audacity records each side over the USB cable.
- Direct-drive motor
- Pitch control with speed lock
- Cueing light for dim rooms
- USB out to record albums
Best for: Digitizing records
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45, 78
- Built-in speakers
- No
- Bluetooth to speakers or headphones
- aptX
- Plays a phone over Bluetooth
- No
- RCA output
- Yes
- Plays into a stereo with no phono input
- Preamp, can switch off
- Operation
- Arm lowered and lifted by hand
#3Sony PS-LX3BT Wireless Turntable with Full Auto Playback
Over $300
One button starts it: the arm lowers itself, finds the groove and returns to rest when the side ends, and Bluetooth sends the record to wireless speakers, headphones or a soundbar, with higher-quality aptX Adaptive sound on those that support it. The preamp is built in and switchable, so a stereo with or without a phono input works too.
What owners say: Owners are taken with the fully automatic play, the sound and how little effort it takes, and one found Bluetooth pairing simple.
A closer look: The audio cable is built in, so a stereo or powered speakers connect without hunting for a cord, and the 45 rpm adapter stows in a slot under the deck. Stopping part-way through a side is one press too, and the arm goes back to its rest.
- Audio cable built in
- 45 rpm adapter stows underneath
Best for: Hands-off play
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45
- Built-in speakers
- No
- Bluetooth to speakers or headphones
- aptX Adaptive
- Plays a phone over Bluetooth
- No
- RCA output
- Yes
- Plays into a stereo with no phono input
- Preamp, can switch off
- Operation
- Fully automatic
#41 BY ONE Bluetooth Belt-Drive Turntable with Built-in Speakers
$200–$300
A magnetic cartridge with an Audio-Technica stylus and an adjustable counterweight, the parts of a hi-fi deck, but with the speakers built into its wood-and-metal cabinet, so nothing else needs connecting.
What owners say: Good sound, a handsome cabinet and an easy first setup please owners, and it pairs with any Bluetooth phone. Vibration is the complaint: some see the record wobble or the arm shake as it plays.
A closer look: Stand it on a solid, level shelf rather than a hollow one, which helps keep the record and the arm steady as it plays. An aux input plays a phone or CD player by wire through its speakers.
- Audio-Technica stylus
- Adjustable counterweight
- Aux input for a phone
Best for: Longest warranty
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45
- Built-in speakers
- Yes
- Bluetooth to speakers or headphones
- No
- Plays a phone over Bluetooth
- Yes
- RCA output
- Yes
- Plays into a stereo with no phono input
- Preamp built in
- Operation
- Arm lowered by hand, stops at the end
#5Seasonlife R608 Vintage Record Player with Speakers
$50–$75
Everything a first record player needs in one box: stereo speakers, three speeds and a lift-off dust cover. Springs in the base help soak up knocks to the shelf, and Bluetooth plays a phone through it between records.
What owners say: Quick to get going and good-looking, by owners’ accounts. Sound, connections and playback speed draw mixed reports, with some hearing records run a little slow.
A closer look: A pair of powered speakers plugs into its RCA output when a fuller sound is wanted. Set the speed to the one on each record’s label and fit the 45 rpm adapter from the box for 7-inch singles.
- Spring suspension in the base
- Adapter for 7-inch singles
Best for: Cost friendly
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45, 78
- Built-in speakers
- Yes
- Bluetooth to speakers or headphones
- No
- Plays a phone over Bluetooth
- Yes
- RCA output
- Yes
- Plays into a stereo with no phono input
- –
- Operation
- Arm lowered by hand, stops at the end
#6Retrolife R609 Bluetooth Suitcase Record Player
$75–$100
A faux-leather suitcase with bronze-finish screws and grilles and a sturdy handle, so it can follow you from room to room. It plays 7, 10 and 12-inch records at all three speeds, and an auto-stop switch halts the platter when a side ends.
What owners say: Its sound and looks win praise, and owners are content with how easily it runs and pairs. They disagree on how reliable it is and on its value.
A closer look: With the lid shut it carries like a small case to a friend’s place with a stack of records, but it runs from a plug-in power adapter rather than a battery, so it needs an outlet when it gets there. The headphone jack suits late-night listening.
- Bronze-finish screws and grilles
- Plays 7, 10, 12-inch records
- Headphone jack
Best for: Moving between rooms
- Speeds (rpm)
- 33⅓, 45, 78
- Built-in speakers
- Yes
- Bluetooth to speakers or headphones
- No
- Plays a phone over Bluetooth
- Yes
- RCA output
- Yes
- Plays into a stereo with no phono input
- RCA line output
- Operation
- Arm lowered by hand, stops at the end
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1Fluance RT81 | #2Audio-Technica LP120XBT-USB | #3Sony PS-LX3BT | #41 BY ONE with speakers | #5Seasonlife R608 | #6Retrolife R609 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best automatic | Best all-in-one | Best budget | Best suitcase player | |
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| Price | Over $300 | Over $300 | Over $300 | $200–$300 | $50–$75 | $75–$100 |
| Speeds (rpm) | 33⅓, 45 | 33⅓, 45, 78 | 33⅓, 45 | 33⅓, 45 | 33⅓, 45, 78 | 33⅓, 45, 78 |
| Built-in speakers | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth to speakers or headphones | No | aptX | aptX Adaptive | No | No | No |
| Plays a phone over Bluetooth | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RCA output | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plays into a stereo with no phono input | Preamp, can switch off | Preamp, can switch off | Preamp, can switch off | Preamp built in | – | RCA line output |
| Operation | Arm lowered by hand, stops at the end | Arm lowered and lifted by hand | Fully automatic | Arm lowered by hand, stops at the end | Arm lowered by hand, stops at the end | Arm lowered by hand, stops at the end |
| Best for | Isolating vibration | Digitizing records | Hands-off play | Longest warranty | Cost friendly | Moving between rooms |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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