Turntables

DECKS TO KEEP THE VINYL REVIVAL THRIVING

Pro-ject Primary E £159

Best turntable under £200, Awards 2020 ★★★★★ Pro-ject has revised a budget deck to nail the under £150 market – and has succeeded on every front. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 11 x 42 x 33cm

Audio Technica AT-LP3 £199

Best turntable under £200, Awards 2017 ★★★★★

A fully automatic turntable that doesn’t scrimp on performance, this is the ideal entry-level deck for those looking to dip their ‘vinyl toes’ in. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 13 x 44 x 35cm

Sony PS-LX310BT £200

August 2019 ★★★★★

A no-nonsense, fully automatic turntable with built-in phono stage and Bluetooth, offering a surprisingly musical sound. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 11 x 43 x 37cm

Rega Planar 1 £249

Best turntable £200-£500, Awards 2020 ★★★★★

This revamped entry-level deck from Rega doesn’t sound anything like an entry-level deck. Pleasingly solid, accurate and agile – it’s a lovely listen. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 12 x 45 x 36cm

Sony PS-HX500 £249

Best USB turntable, Awards 2018 ★★★★★

A turntable with the ability to rip vinyl into hi-res files, but it’s also an entertaining deck with a big, open sound. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 11 x 43 x 36cm

Pro-ject Essential III £259

October 2017 ★★★★★

Another excellent turntable from Pro-ject. The Essential III is easy to set up and offers a detailed and musical performance. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 11 x 42 x 33cm

Audio Technica AT-LP5 £299

Awards 2016 ★★★★★

A pleasure to use and listen to, the LP5 boasts both ease of use and the added bonus of a USB ouput. At this price there’s none better. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 16 x 45 x 35cm

Pro-ject Debut III S Audiophile £325

June 2018 ★★★★★

Its solid design, smart finish and natural treble reinforce the Debut range’s knack for delivering great, affordable sound. Speed 33⅓ & 45rpm Size (hwd) 12 x 42 x 32cm

Rega Planar 1 Plus £329

July 2018 ★★★★★

All the sonic talents of the Planar 1 with an equally talented phono stage built in. The Plus is a winning combination of convenience and excellent quality. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 12 x 45 x 36cm

Rega Planar 3/Elys 2 £649

Best turntable £500-£1000, Awards 2020 ★★★★★

Rega builds on the 3’s predecessor by adding extra servings of clarity, precision and insight. The result is the best RP3 yet. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 12 x 45 x 36cm

Technics SL-1500C £899

Best turntable £750-£1000, Awards 2020 ★★★★★

With a really good built-in phono stage and an auto-lift function, this Technics is a beautifully made, fuss-free record player that sounds great Speed 33⅓, 45, 78rpm Size (hwd) 23 x 16 x 12cm

Clearaudio Concept £1195

Best turntable £800-£1200+, Awards 2017 ★★★★★

A thoroughly sorted, easy-to-own package with tremendous sound, combining punch, extension and tonal variation in equal measure. Speed 33⅓, 45, 78rpm Size (hwd) 14 x 42 x 35cm

EAT B-sharp Super Pack £1368

July 2018 ★★★★★

EAT’S entry-level deck is a fine one that can count among its talents a sense of control, sure composure and a well judged sonic balance. Speed 33⅓, 45, 78rpm Size (hwd) 14 x 46 x 35cm

Rega Planar 6/Ania £1469

Best turntable £1000-£2000, Awards 2020 ★★★★★

A refined, articulate and precise turntable that’s lovely to listen to. It requires good system-matching to get the best out of it though. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 12 x 45 x 37cm

Rega Planar 8/Apheta 2 £2439

Best turntable over £1000, Awards 2019 ★★★★★

Clever engineering and sky-high standards make this Rega’s most ambitious and boundary-pushing turntable yet. It’s gorgeous in sound and design. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 13 x 42 x 32cm

Vertere DG-1 Dynamic Groove £2850

Best turntable over £2000, Awards 2020 ★★★★★

The Vertere DG-1 is up against some mighty competition, but given what we’ve heard it can go into any such comparisons with confidence. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 13 x 38 x 37cm

VPI Prime £4200

Awards 2015 ★★★★★

A confident-sounding package that can organise with the best and maintain composure even when faced with the most challenging music. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 18 x 54 x 40cm

VPI Prime Signature £6000

February 2018 ★★★★★

This upgraded version of the standard Prime builds on that model’s strengths, with more insight, stronger dynamics and a lovely stability. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 18 x 54 x 40cm

Vertere Acoustics MG-1 Mkii/mystic £9300

Online ★★★★★

Renders sound with a combination of precision, agility and dynamic dexterity that we haven’t heard bettered by any rival near this price. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 18 x 54 x 40cm

Clearaudio Innovation Wood/davinci V2 £15,900

2010 ★★★★★

This gorgeous, mind-blowingly expensive turntable is so good, we’ve been using it as our reference deck for years now. Extravagant, but it’s worth it. Speed 33⅓, 45, 78rpm Size (hwd) 14 x 47 x 39cm

Linn Klimax LP12 £18,670

July 2017 ★★★★★

A mightily expensive deck that has the unmistakable feel of real quality. It’s startlingly better than previous LP12 turntables. Speed 33⅓, 45, 78rpm Size (hwd) 14 x 45 x 36cm