If you want to upgrade your record player, and you have a spare £12,999 (around $17,000 / AU$24,000) knocking about, this new high-end Ortofon cartridge could be for you.

The MC Vertex is the "most advanced moving coil cartridge" that Ortofon has ever made. Its new materials and tweaked geometry promise to give more accurate groove tracing and signal generation. Don't worry, there's a more affordable option for us mere mortals, too, with both models being unveiled at the High End Vienna 2026 show.

At the heart of the MC Vertex is the new Vertex diamond, whose scanning radius of 4 μm and extended contact radius of 110 μm makes for a more even pressure distribution along the walls of a record's groove. This means more stable tracking, lower wear and more consistent detail extraction.

The cantilever that the diamond is mounted on is also made of solid diamond. Because it's extremely rigid with a low mass, it will transfer energy efficiently and so remain controlled.

And the cartridge housing and internal core? Sadly they're not diamond – that would be asking a bit much – but titanium, and were produced using Selective Laser Melting for greater control of geometry, mass distribution and internal damping. All of which should make for a structure that's mechanically stable, and that reduces unwanted resonances for a clean, accurate signal reproduction.

There's also a refined magnetic system with a non-magnetic armature that reduces moving mass and eliminates unwanted magnetic interaction. This combines with high-purity silver coils to ensure the signal generation remains stable and linear with an improved transient response and precise tracking across the frequency range.

Ortofon's own Wide Range Damping system is onboard to help control mechanical behaviour. This uses a platinum disc between two dampers made from proprietary Ortofon rubber compounds to manage resonance across the audible frequency range but without compromising the dynamic response.

And if the MC Vertex is a little dear for you, Ortofon has also announced a follow-up to the MC X40, which is much more affordable.

The MC X50 (above) costs €1499 (around £1300 / $1700 / AU$2400), and claims to be the MC X Series' "most advanced implementation". The stylus and cantilever have been refined from the MC X40, to provide more control and consistency in tracking a record's grooves.

The nude Micro Ridge diamond pairs with a boron cantilever for high stiffness and a low moving mass, resulting in a fast and controlled response time. The rubber suspension is made by Ortofon with a compound that was developed purely for the MC X50, and works with the diamond stylus and boron cantilever for stable tracking and consistent contact with the groove.

Ortofon's more affordable cartridges have reviewed very well – the MC X30 won an Award last year, as did the Ortofon Quintet Blue in 2023. So it'll be fascinating to see how its mega high-end MC Vertex performs, and if the MC X50 can maintain the brand's high standards at the mid-range level.

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The introduction of a completely new cartridge range is a pretty rare event. Given the maturity of the technology, it often takes years, and sometimes decades, for manufacturers to develop new products that suitably advance the cause.

So, when an industry major such as Ortofon replaces its Quintet series of affordable moving coils with the all-new MC X range, we’re keen to have a listen.

This is a four-strong lineup, with the MC X30 sitting one down from the range-topping MC X40 (£895 / $999). The main difference between the four cartridges comes down to stylus profile, which gets increasingly more ambitious as the price increases.

The MC X30 uses a Nude Fine-Line stylus while the range topper features a rather exotic Nude Shibata. The first two rungs of the range feature elliptical profiles in standard and Nude forms.

Given that the entry-level model, the MC X10, retails for just £269 / $299, it is clear that Ortofon is attacking the affordable moving coil market with considerable aggression.

Having heard the complete range at the company’s rather nice demo room in Denmark, it is fair to say that it has plenty of reasons for such confidence.

For us, the Ortofon MC X30 is the real sweet spot of the quartet, though all the models make sense from a price/performance perspective.

Build & compatibility

The heart of the new MC X design is a MIM (Metal Injection Moulded) hexagonal-structured core onto which the moving coil generator assembly and connection pins are fixed.

This rigid structure promises greater precision in the way these components are mounted, as well as providing a structure of immense rigidity. The outcome of these positives should be improved sound quality.

The MC X30’s output is rated at a decent 0.4 mV, and so shouldn’t present any issues when working into a typical moving coil phono stage. Similarly, the 6-ohm internal impedance means that the conventional 100-ohm loading most phono stages present will be just fine. The recommended tracking weight of 2.0g is around par for the course and works well.

This is hardly a budget cartridge, so it only really makes sense with a relatively ambitious record player. Rega’s Planar 3 RS Edition (£999 / $1795) is a good starting point, with the MC X30 making sense up to the likes of the Technics SL-1300G (£2799 / $3299).

We, however, use it in our reference system to put a magnifying glass on its performance.

Our record player is the Technics SL-1000R, coincidentally the very same turntable that Ortofon used to demonstrate the MC X range on launch, feeding Cyrus’s Phono Signature phono stage, in turn fed by the optional PSX-R2 power supply.

To provide some context, we have the previous generation Ortofon Quintet Blue moving coil, a Nagaoka MP200 moving magnet, Vertere’s Sabre MM and our high-end Kiseki Purpleheart cartridges on hand for comparison.

The rest of our system is made up of the Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers. We also have a PMC Cor amplifier partnered with a pair of Epos ES-14N as an alternative.

Sound

It doesn’t take much listening time to realise that the MC X30 is a winner. It is a superbly balanced cartridge that ticks all the boxes, especially considering its price point.

As we listen to Orff’s Carmina Burana, the Ortofon delivers a cleaner and more precise sound than the talented Nagaoka MP200 (£449 / $449) or last-gen Quintet Blue. Detail resolution is excellent, and we can’t help but admire the crisp yet unforced manner with which the moving coil cartridge renders the leading edge of notes.

It is a pleasing performer tonally, too, with just the right balance of top-end bite and overall refinement. Instruments and voices come through with naturalness and fluidity, while there is enough subtlety on hand to draw sonic textures convincingly.

This Orff piece is hugely demanding when it comes to dynamics, and the MC X30 doesn’t wither when faced with wide-ranging swings, nor does it smother subtle shifts in intensity.

Stereo imaging is pleasingly expansive and stable. Instruments and voices are laid out with care and focus, and that focus remains unerring even when the music becomes busy. We enjoy the stability of the image and the controlled way the cartridge layers the musicians and sounds..

Switching to Mary J Blige’s No More Drama set shows that the Ortofon knows how to have fun. Both the Nagoka MP200 and pricier Vertere Sabre (£845 / $1199) show more enthusiasm when playing the track Family Affair, delivering rhythms with more zest, but the MC X30’s calmer, more controlled manner has plenty of appeal too.

We can hear deep into the mix and track low-level instrumental strands with ease. The lows are taut and punchy.

We have nothing but praise for the MC X30’s generally high level of composure and articulate nature. This is a cartridge that prefers to put the spotlight on the music rather than itself. We are just fine with that.

Verdict

The Ortofon MC X30 is a hugely talented performer. It is superbly balanced and delivers a high standard of clarity and precision.

Partner this moving coil cartridge with a suitably capable turntable and phono stage, and we’re sure you will be pleased. Highly recommended.

Review published: 16th July 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

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Ortofon has just released the replacement range for its long-running and highly respected Quintet series of affordable moving-coil cartridges.

The new Ortofon MC X is a four-strong range comprising the MC X10 (£269), MC X20 (£429), MC X30 (£599) and range-topping MC X40 (£875).

We were fortunate to have a quick listen to all four models at Ortofon's offices in Denmark, and our first impressions are hugely positive. Each model offers improved detail and finesse over the step below.

To find out more, we took the opportunity to sit down with Peter Wieth Hjordt, Ortofon’s product director and the driving force behind the new models.

What Hi-Fi?: What is your role at Ortofon?

Peter Wieth Hjordt: I work on both the commercial and technical side of Ortofon, which gives me the ability to bridge those two worlds and help the company make products that the customers, distributors and retailers are actually asking for, rather than just what we think they should buy.

I also work with the engineering team, driving the development of those new products.

How did you first get started in hi-fi?

I first got interested in the early 1990s when I went into the high-end department of a local hi-fi shop. I had saved a few bucks and was ready to buy something, but I couldn’t really get a proper answer to my questions.

So, afterwards, I contacted the person in charge of the high-end section (who wasn’t in when I visited) and ultimately ended up working there.

Over the next years, I studied so that I could fully understand the technical aspects of hi-fi while progressing through numerous retail shops to distribution, and then ultimately came to Ortofon.

What are the relative merits of moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges?

The big advantages of moving-magnet cartridges are the replaceable stylus – really good if you damage it or wear it out – and their higher output levels. They are easier to make, and the process can be automated.

The swappable stylus also means that it is easy to upgrade to the performance of models further up the range. The high output level of moving magnets also means that there is less of a demand on the partnering phono stage in terms of gain, noise levels and distortion.

Moving-coil cartridges have to be rebuilt if you damage the stylus, so it isn’t possible to repair or upgrade them in the same way. However, they have a lower moving mass, and that is critical to track the detail and dynamics of the signal in the record groove.

In terms of sound quality, provided your turntable and phono stage are good enough, moving-coil cartridges will tend to sound better.

What were the design priorities for the new MC X range?

With all the development work we have done in recent years, I knew right from the beginning that we could get better channel balance and a wider sound separation.

We could make big improvements in the magnet system as well as optimise the rubber damper (suspension) material. A lot of development has been done on rubber compounds over recent years, and I knew we could get better results.

All of this makes it possible to take performance to another level over the old Quintet range.

Stylus shape is the main differentiator between the various MC X models. Why is it so important, and what is the hierarchy?

The stylus is in contact with the sides of the record groove, not the bottom. The shape of the stylus dictates the amount of contact it makes and how accurately it can track the undulations. So, that’s why the narrower stylus profiles will usually sound better.

The most basic option is called Spherical, followed by Elliptical, both mounted on a titanium shank (that is then attached to the cantilever). The next step would be to get rid of the shank and mount the diamond directly to the cantilever, which we call ‘Nude’.

In such a design, the Elliptical diamond will be narrower in profile, giving a better sound. Fine-Line and then Shibata are next.

At the very top is a profile like our own Replicant 100, which has such a narrow shape that we haven’t found a way to make it better without turning it into a cutting head!

Cartridges are a mature technology. Where do you think improvements are possible?

It’s a tough question. There are many areas where we are focusing. We can improve the cantilever by introducing a more rigid material, such as diamond, but, of course, that is limited to only the most expensive cartridges.

Introducing a boron cantilever in an MC cartridge priced below £1000, as we have done with the new MC X40, gives some of the benefits, and I think that’s pretty magic. It allows us to deliver a high-end performance at a more affordable level.

Instead of using an extruded aluminium core and machining afterwards, making one using MIM (Metal Injection Moulding) and stainless steel, as we have with the new range... that is next level.

With this production method, new shapes and ways of designing the structure open up the possibilities. Also, refining the rubber compounds used in the cartridge suspension will make a huge difference.

What system do you have at home?

My main deck is a Technics SL-1210GR. I also have a Mark Levinson 331 power amplifier and Revel Performa F328 Be floorstanders.

I just sold my preamp so am in the market for a new one. It will be dangerous for me to go to the Munich High End show and see what is there!

What do you think the high-end Ortofon cartridge of 2050 will be?

That’s an interesting question. If we are looking at the same way of construction and sticking with the MC principle, I think we will have new, better ways of doing the magnetic system and suspension.

I’m sure there will be different materials and new alloys, as well as advanced AI simulations that help optimise the performance of every part.

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Ortofon has released the replacement for its long-running Quintet series of moving-coil cartridges.

The Danish cartridge specialist’s new MC X range consists of four models, the MC X10 (£269), MC X20 (£429), MC X30 (£599) and range-topping MC X40 (£875).

Every model shares the same generator system and housing, with their differences coming down to the type of stylus tip. The MC X40 uses a boron cantilever instead of the aluminium one found elsewhere in the series.

Ortofon’s engineers started with a fresh sheet of paper and have worked hard to push performance standards.

The foundation of the MC X models is a new honeycomb stainless-steel core to which the generator and housing attach.

It is made using Metal Injection Moulding technology, and reminds us a little of the design used in Ortofon’s futuristic, multi-thousand-pound MC-90X moving-coil design.

Each MC X cartridge features a newly developed magnet system and hand-wound coils made of ultra-thin, high-purity silver wire.

Ortofon hand-builds every model and even makes most of the parts on site, including the rubber used for the cartridge’s suspension. This level of control ensures quality and allows the company to more easily optimise performance.

Looking at the specifications, you will find that all the models measure remarkably consistently, from the sensibly chosen output level of 0.4mV to the entirely conventional 2.0g recommended tracking force.

They aren’t particularly heavy either, at 8.6g, so they should work well in a wide range of tonearms. Electrically, a typical phono stage with an MC input loading of 100 ohms will work just fine.

This consistency reflects the cartridges' sound, too. We had a chance to compare all four in Ortofon’s listening room in Næstved, Denmark.

The company has an impressive reference system fronted by a Technics SL-1000R record player, feeding the phono input of a Mark Levinson No 523 /No 534 pre/power amplifier combination, which drives Focal Scala Utopia Evo floorstanders.

We start with the entry-level MC X10 and are surprised by just how good it sounds for the money. Of course, we aren’t familiar with the room or system, so any definitive judgments will have to wait until we can hear it in a more controlled environment, but our first impressions are hugely positive.

This cartridge sounds cleaner and more detailed than we expected, delivering the music – we used Eric Clapton’s Unplugged set – with finesse and good dynamic expression.

Changing to the MC X20, with its Nude Elliptical stylus tip (rather than the standard Elliptical tip of its cheaper sibling) brings improvements.

The MC X20 sounds more detailed, but more importantly it delivers a calmer, more mature presentation that allows us to dig deeper into the recording.

There is greater finesse here, too, and a more subtle rendering of instrumental and vocal textures. Simply put, the MC X20 gives a more grown-up and composed performance than its junior sibling, and more than justifies its price premium.

However, if your budget extends to the MC X30, you may consider making that leap. Once again, we didn’t have a huge amount of listening time, but our impressions are that this model might just be the sweet spot of the new range.

The technical change of the stylus tip to a Nude Fine-Line profile may not seem profound, but the sonic improvement that results certainly seems to be.

You’ll need a suitably talented turntable, of course, and a system that has the required transparency, but given these, it is hard to argue the value that the MC X30 brings.

Our notes mention significantly improved clarity, subtler dynamics and a greater sense of naturalness. This is a less showy performer than the more affordable cartridges in the series, but it is hard to argue against its improved insight, refinement and control.

This is the first model in the range that shifted our attention from the mechanics of hi-fi reproduction to the quality of the music being played. Indeed, anything that puts the spotlight firmly on the music and emotion gets our vote.

So, where does that leave the range-topper? In a system as capable as this, there is no doubt that the MC X40 digs even more out of the record groove. It renders a notably larger soundstage than the X30 and resolves even more detail.

The change of stylus profile to a Nude Shibata, and the cantilever material from aluminium to the more rigid Boron, certainly provides an obvious performance improvement.

While the relatively short time we spent listening to the cartridges leaves us unsure over whether it matches the ’X30 in terms of overall musical cohesion and engagement, there is no doubt that the range-topper is the more informative and even-handed performer.

It certainly paints sound with a finer brush, and we suspect that will be enough to get many people to tap the card. That said, the price gap between the two cartridges is fairly hefty.

Overall, it is fair to say that we came away from Ortofon’s demo with plenty of admiration for its new MC X range.

We are convinced that it is a proper step up from the much-respected Quintet series, and can’t wait to put the models through our comprehensive test procedure in our listening rooms.

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Moving magnet vs moving coil cartridges: which is right for you?

Japanese manufacturer JICO has launched a new moving magnet cartridge, called the Clipper, and it is now available to buy in the UK. The brand has been manufacturing styli and vinyl accessories for decades – such as steel phonograph needles in the 1950s – focusing mainly on stylus replacements, and most recently making replica Shure 44 series cartridges after Shure left the cartridge manufacturing business in 2018.

The Clipper is JICO's first original moving magnet cartridge and includes some distinctive design technologies to stand out from the crowd. It boasts a dual-fit stylus design, which allows vinyl enthusiasts to swap and fit a variety of stylus options. The Clipper MM comes with its own stylus but is also compatible with a variety of different models including the the Shure N44 and JICO N44 styli, and even vintage Shure models. This allows users to upgrade and explore different sound profiles for their turntable system without having to swap out the full cartridge.

The included stylus for the Clipper MM has a solid nude diamond conical tip that measures 0.7mil with a tip diameter of 0.12mm, and "tracks grooves with exceptional clarity, delivering the smallest details from your vinyl records for a smooth and balanced sound", says JICO.

The Clipper MM also features a unique tapered S cantilever design, which claims to reduce the tip mass in favour of "exceptional vibration fidelity" and promises to deliver greater tracking precision and a dynamic, punchy sound.

The body is made of a glossy black resin and features Clipper’s ApexGlide headshell finger-lift, which gives it a distinctive look that is reminiscent of an airliner's tail fin. This aviation connection is deliberate, as JICO has named its debut cartridge after Pan Am Airways' business class seating, which was called 'Clipper Class' in the 1970s. The brand says: "We chose the name Clipper to convey that this product offers a slightly higher-quality model compared to standard, mass-market MM cartridges."

Available now, the JICO Clipper MM cartridge costs £399.95 / $500 with its original included stylus, while the CRCP/MK1 replacement stylus costs £109.95 / $135. You're not short of great cartridge options at this price, from the Award-winning Nagaoka MP-200 MM to the five-star Ortofon Quintet Blue MC, so the Clipper is in good (and competitive) company.

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The past few months have been a real treat for me. Due to a serendipitous sequence of circumstances, much of my time has been spent in the company of some of the most interesting, exotic and, simply, best record players on the market.

The most modest was the new Rega Planar3/Nd3 combination (£799 / $1395 / AU$1699). Now, the Planar 3 deck is about as well known as specialist record players get, having been in production for almost 50 years. Over that time it has consistently remained one of our go-to recommendations at its price, and this latest package simply reinforces that. It remains as musically talented a turntable as we have heard at this level. That its price remains unchanged from the previous Planar 3/Elys 2 package is also laudable.

Next up the price ladder comes Linn’s ‘entry-level’ LP12 Majik partnered with the company’s Koil MC cartridge (£3935 / $5320 / AU$7395). This is a good starting point on the LP12 ladder and delivers a decent dose of the legendary deck’s magic. Our main comparison for the Linn was the Award-winning Vertere DG-1S/Magneto combination (£3950 / $4995 / AU$7000) but at the same time, we also had the mighty SME Model 20 Mk2/Series V arm/Ortofon Windfeld Ti MC (£30,349 / $35,619 / AU$58,000) package ready for review. As a team, we spent some entertaining days swapping between the Linn, Vertere and SME, as well as our reference Technics SL-1000R/Kiseki Purpleheart MC record player (£21,494 / $20,000), before forming our opinions on the review products.

Good as all these record players are, the highlight has got to be the all-too-short time I spent listening to a system fronted by Wilson Benesch’s new Prime Meridian Turntable. This comes partnered with the company’s Graviton Ti Arm and Tessellate Ti-S cartridge. At the time of writing, this package weighs in at a frankly astonishing £203,000. And it isn’t even Wilson Benesch’s range-topper… 

Add the prices of the two Regas, the Linn, Vertere, Technics and SME to the Wilson Benesch and it totals £264,326. I feel privileged to have spent time with this collection of record players, more for the musical enjoyment I got and the experience of their exceptional engineering than anything related to price. However, I couldn’t help but notice that, while they all do the same job, their routes to success are very different.

One of Rega’s core philosophies for its turntables has been combining low mass with high rigidity. The ultimate expression of this is the limited-edition Naiad model that features ‘an ultra-lightweight’ carbon-fibre plinth with a Rohacell foam core with ceramic braces between the main bearing and arm to further add to the rigidity. The more humble Planar 3 doesn’t go to such extremes, of course, but its lightweight acrylic laminated plinth and twin phenolic braces adhere to the same philosophy. 

Any regular reader knows just how highly we rate Rega’s turntables and they have garnered a huge amount of five-star reviews and awards over the years. So the low mass/high rigidity approach appears to be the right one for record players to follow. 

But life isn’t so straightforward. Such an approach certainly works for Rega; but then we listen to high-mass alternatives such as our reference Technics SL-1000R or the SME Model 20 Mk2 and find that they sound fabulous.

Similarly, while the Rega, Vertere, Linn and SME deliver excellent results using belt-based drivetrains, we get equally persuasive results using the direct drive (where the motor spindle is directly connected to the platter) found in the Technics and Wilson Benesch. 

Are there specific traits that can be assigned to each type of drive? It is tempting to say that the direct-drive decks tend to sound more secure and exhibit more in the way of stability at low frequencies. Tempting, but then we try Vertere’s DG-1S with its clever flexible motor mount (that equalises belt tension) and hear much the same positive result. 

Belt drives isolate the sensitive stylus/record interface from unwanted motor vibrations, and so should benefit all aspects of sound quality; but both the Technics and Wilson Benesch prove astonishingly capable, so there are obviously ways around the issues.

Elsewhere, the Linn and SME both have suspended sub-chassis to provide isolation from external vibrations. This does make them less sensitive to positioning and support quality than more ‘solid’ designs such as the Rega and Vertere, but regardless, all the decks (with the exception of the Wilson Benesch, which doesn’t lend itself to be used on third-party supports) sound better when placed in a rigid, low-resonance support positioned as far from the speakers as practical. Once again, no single engineering approach seems to yield the best overall result.

The other interesting thing I noticed was that you get what you pay for. This is as obvious in the quality of the build as it is in the sound. Each of the decks I tried is a fine performer at its price point, but as we step up in price from the Rega to the Linn and further, there are clear sonic and construction benefits in doing so. That continues even when we switch from something as expensive as the SME Model 20 Mk2 to the Wilson Benesch. The Law of Diminishing Returns does kick in to a degree, but once you hear genuine improvements it is hard to go back. All this (obviously) depends on the transparency of the partnering system and how important squeezing that final percentage point of sound quality is to you. It matters greatly to me.

The conclusion? As a consumer, don’t get caught up in the engineering philosophy behind the design of a record player. There are so many ways to skin this particular cat. What matters most is the skill of the designer in delivering optimum results for the ingredients and budget available.

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Lenco has announced a new flagship turntable, which is said to combine premium hi-fi sound with a range of user-friendly connectivity options. 

The new LBT-345WA features an Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge and a custom carbon-fibre tonearm. It also includes a built-in phono stage, allowing active speakers to be hooked up, however, this can be bypassed if you prefer to connect the turntable to an external phono preamp. The cartridge can also be swapped out for a different model, giving you a way to upgrade the deck's performance further if you wish.

The turntable features stereo RCA and USB type-B ports alongside Bluetooth 5.2, which means you can stream vinyl to compatible wireless speakers and Bluetooth headphones. The USB output can be used to record your vinyl digitally to Mac or PC – a nice feature for those who want to archive their collection. 

The LBT-345WA comes with a chrome-plated record stabiliser, which can be placed on the centre of the turntable platter. This lightly presses on the record and ensures even contact with the turntable, reducing unwanted vibrations.

Winston Eade, the International Business Development Manager for Lenco said, "With an amazing value proposition and the inclusion of an Ortofon cartridge, this turntable stands as a testament to its superior design and functionality."

The LBT-345WA is available now in a gloss walnut finish for £449 / $549 / €479 / AUD829 and we are looking forward to seeing – and hearing – what it is capable of.

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Your record player is made up of three main parts. There is the deck itself, which is responsible for spinning the disc and providing the home for the tonearm and cartridge. It’s the cartridge that we’re going to focus on here. This is the part that actually touches the record groove and generates the electrical signal that subsequently becomes the music you hear out of your speakers.

• How does a vinyl record make a sound?

How cartridges work

A cartridge is essentially an electro-mechanical device. Let’s go back to some GCSE physics. If you move a magnet near a wire then current is generated in that wire. It sounds so simple, but that physics principle forms the basis of how microphones, speaker drive units and phono cartridges all work.

The main parts of a cartridge are its body, the cantilever which has the stylus tip at one end, a thin coil of wire and a permanent magnet. There is also the suspension that allows the cantilever to pivot as the stylus tip tracks the bumps in the record groove. At the other end of the cantilever you’ll find either the coil of wire or the magnet depending on the type of design.

The names say it all, really. In a moving magnet-type cartridge, it is the magnet that is fixed to the cantilever and moves while the coil of wire is fixed in place. The positions are reversed in a moving coil design. What difference does this change of roles make, given that the electrical music signal is generated in both cases?

More output, less ability?

The most obvious difference between the two types of cartridges is that moving magnets usually have a higher electrical output. Let’s put some numbers on it. A typical moving magnet cartridge such as Ortofon’s 2M Blue is specified to output 5.5mV. Just contrast that to one of the Danish company’s more affordable moving coils, the Quintet Blue, which delivers a claimed 0.5mV. 

These are fairly typical numbers, but there tends to be more variability in the moving coil ranks. It is possible to find high-end moving coils with far weedier outputs than the Quintet Blue, though. The lower output is usually due to a reduced number of coils or thinner wire, both of which reduce inertia and let the stylus react more responsively to the bumps in the record groove. The result?  A reduced output level but better detail resolution.

What does the lower output of a typical moving coil mean for you? Most obviously, you’ll need a phono stage that can amplify the signal that much more. The greater the gain of an amplifier, the more its character and distortions are multiplied. In simple terms, you’ll need a better phono stage. You'll also need a suitably talented turntable deck and tonearm to make the most of the cartridge's performance. All these things will cost more money.

Some cartridges try to blur the boundaries, namely high-output moving coils that get closer to the signal levels a typical moving magnet design can manage. They will even work into a moving magnet phono stage, but in our experience, this type of design usually tends to degrade the very qualities that make moving coil cartridges worth having in the first place.

Performance

What qualities? Sound, of course. We’re not saying that moving coil cartridges will always sound better, but in our experience, as a breed, they usually deliver more in terms of detail resolution and finesse. Once the prices get closer to four figures they certainly paint with a finer brush, sounding more delicate and articulate than most moving magnet alternatives.

There are also exceptions of course. A premium moving magnet such as Vertere’s Sabre MM is priced well into moving coil territory but still has the ability to impress against such competition, but such products are rare.

Things aren’t totally one-sided with sound quality though. Moving magnets tend to have a more robust presentation, quite often delivering a more muscular and punchy sound. This is probably down to their healthier outputs. We know quite a few people that are happy to forgo the refinement and clarity of a quality moving coil for the greater visceral qualities of a moving magnet cartridge. We totally understand that choice.

Price

Price comes into this too, with moving coil cartridges typically costing a fair bit more to buy. While good starter moving magnets such as a Goldring E3 can be had for £89/$189/AU$199, our cheapest moving coil recommendation is that aforementioned Ortofon Quintet Blue at £389/$569/AU$695. Quite a difference. 

Verdict

So which is the right one for you? As usual with most things hi-fi, there isn’t a straightforward answer here. In most cases, if you’ve got a suitably balanced system where the record player costs less than £1000/$1250/AU$1900, it is best to stick with a moving magnet cartridge. Stretch your budget to the point where the rest of your system can make the most of a good moving coil design and you won't be disappointed. But, there are no hard and fast rules, so feel free to experiment.

MORE: 

Ready for a new cartridge? Here's how to change the cartridge on your turntable

See our pick of the best turntables for every budget

Here's our guide to setting up a turntable

...and how to get the best sound from it

In brief

• The best turntable overall is the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition, thanks to its "rhythmically precise and dynamically exciting" performance.
• The best budget turntable is the Award-winning Pro-Ject Primary E, as it nails the basics sonically.
• Other models that fulfil the brief of what's a good turntable include the Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT (best Bluetooth), Technics SL-1300G (best premium) and the Audio-Technica AT-LP5x (best USB).

We're barely into the first third of the year, and we've already had a bunch of new turntables launching from big brands. Audio-Technica, Pro-Ject, Rega, Sony and Technics have all announced fresh turntables, proving that vinyl's popularity shows no sign of abating.

What Hi-Fi? has been reviewing turntables ever since we started in 1976, so we know just how tricky – and rewarding – buying the right turntable is. Our guide to the best turntables we've tested and expert advice below should help you sift through the many turntables out there to find which is the best fit for your listening needs and budget.

Today’s turntables (or record players) are arguably more varied than they were during vinyl’s heyday in the 70s and 80s: from high-quality purist models that prioritise sound quality to feature-packed, Bluetooth models designed for convenience all vying for your attention. There's even a couple with a CD player built-in!

Whether you’re in the market for your first record player or are looking to take your vinyl listening to the next level with a more premium upgrade, we’re here to help.

Every model in our curated list below has been thoroughly tested by our team of experts – we've listened to each deck for many days, and with a wide variety of vinyl records. This guide covers all types and budgets, and also includes advice on how to choose the best turntable for you, so it should be helpful regardless of whether you're a complete vinyl newbie or a long-standing fan.

The best turntables for every budget and type

Best turntable overall

Rega's Planar 3 RS Edition isn't just our favourite overall turntable at the moment: it's current winner of our prestigious Product of the Year Award for turntables – emphasising its superb sound-per-pound value.

RS stands for ‘Rega Special’ but it’s not a limited-edition model. It's an upgraded version of the five-star Planar 3/Nd3 that improves on it in a number of meaningful ways without asking for too much extra cash in return.

There are three key upgrades. First, it comes equipped with the step-up Nd5 cartridge uses a higher-quality diamond stylus to deliver greater tracking accuracy and detail retrieval. Secondly, it comes with the external Neo PSU Mk2, which not only means you get a cleaner power supply feed to the deck’s motor, but also adds electronic speed switching so you don’t have to manually set the belt.

Finally, the MDF plinth is wrapped in a High Pressure Laminate (HPL) skin that’s usually only used on Rega’s very top-end models (from Planar 6 upwards).

Each part on its own offers fairly incremental improvements, but taken as a whole it elevates the entire performance, boosting everything we love about the standard Planar 3. The RS Edition sounds cleaner, more detailed, more muscular and offers an even greater sense of space and openness.

We said in our review: "There is a confidence and effortless quality to the way this turntable sounds compared with the standard Planar 3; the RS Edition locks every detail, every instrument, every vocal into place in an assured way that is admirable and wholly enjoyable."

Of course, it’s possible for original Planar 3 owners to add some of these upgrades themselves (at extra cost), but having changed the cartridge and power supply of our reference deck, it still couldn’t quite match the more confident and precise performance of the RS Edition. That bespoke HPL plinth is clearly key to its talents.

The Planar 3/Nd3's price has crept up too, so it's only a £159 difference between the two models in the UK – and the RS Edition's upgrades and performance are more than worth it.

So what’s the catch? Well, it’s only available in one finish, but when it’s this classy brushed aluminium, that’s quite alright by us.

Read the full Rega Planar 3 RS Edition

Best budget turntable

For those looking for a beginner turntable and have a small budget, but are interested in good quality sound, the Pro-Ject Primary E could be just the ticket. This deck doesn't have any extra features such as USB ripping, Bluetooth or automatic operation, but its purist design and wallet-friendly price are ideal for novices on their first step to proper vinyl obsession.

This long-running model remains the best cost-effective option around at its $299/£299 price point – which isn't a huge amount to pay for such a well-made deck that prioritises sound over features. It's no wonder we keep recommending it as our best budget record player for years now.

The Primary E confidently nails the basics, from an even tonal balance to a delivery that’s clear, clean and spacious enough to keep things coherent. There's ample body and substance to every frequency, and the lively drive and momentum keep us tapping our toes and enjoying every record we spin on it.

Entertainment is high on its mind, and we said in our original review: "Though it’s not capable of huge scale or reach, it sounds far away from being small or confined, too."

It's a basic, no-frills deck, but one that works smoothly and offers far better performance than you'd get with those more stylish, all-in-one, trendy-looking record players that don't respect your vinyl records as this Pro-Ject will.

As a starter turntable, it's impossible to beat at this budget price.

Read the full Pro-Ject Primary E review

Best budget turntable with phono stage

If you're after the purist quality of a Rega turntable but want the convenience of a built-in phono stage to minimise clutter (and costs), then look no further. This Rega Planar 1 Plus is essentially the brilliant five-star entry-level Rega Planar 1 turntable fitted with the equally five-star Rega Fono Mini A2D phono stage. Both have won Awards, and Rega thought it only felt natural to combine them together. We absolutely agree.

Rega hasn't just stuck on the Fono Mini A2D and called it a day; the USB section has been taken out entirely and this cost-saving has gone into improving the audio quality of the phono stage. This means that not only does the Planar 1 Plus package cost less than if you were to buy the two audio components separately, but it also sounds a tad cleaner and times better compared with the more muscular, powerful sound of the separates option.

The Plus 1 is built to the same exceptional standards as all Rega turntables, with clean minimal lines and a very fuss-free set up. The inclusion of the phono stage means you can plug this versatile Rega deck directly into a pair of powered or active speakers, or even a Sonos multi-room system, making for a very tidy little vinyl set up – perfect if you're short on space. A rival such as Audio Technica's AT-LPW50BTRW also offers an internal phono stage and even Bluetooth streaming into the mix, but the Rega can't be beaten when it comes to sound quality.

The Planar 1 Plus sounds brilliant. It may start off a little lean, but give it a bit more time and it will reveal a full-bodied and rhythmically exciting performance. Rega's hallmarks of subtlety, agility, dynamics and drive are all on display. It sounds beautifully clean and crisp, with guitar strums, drum beats and voices all sounding very tactile and realistic.

We said in our original review: "The 1 Plus has an open, spacious presentation, with plenty of separation between instruments and vocals laid out with very little effort. It’s also highly skilled in how it handles the high frequencies."

It's a fun listen and is so versatile too. There are plenty of new turntables on the market that offer the convenience of a built-in phono stage, but none of them can quite compete with the Rega Planar 1 Plus when it comes to pure sound fidelity at this price level. If you're after a stylish, streamlined, cost-effective turntable solution, start here.

Read the full Rega Planar 1 Plus review

Best mid-range turntable

Pro-Ject's latest in the Debut range borrows technology from the Award-winning Debut Pro (a two-time Product of the Year winner, too) and combines it with a lively, fluid and easy-going presentation that's very appealing at this mid-range level.

The Debut Evo 2 swaps out the old steel platter used in the Debut Carbon Evo for a heavy aluminium platter with a dense ring of Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) damping to help reduce unwanted resonances. The same TPE material can be found in the three feet to further help abate external vibrations affecting the deck. The Evo 2 comes with a new Pick-It MM Evo cartridge fitted, while the lightweight tonearm is mounted on a new precision-milled aluminium block with low-friction bearings.

Overall, the belt-drive design works smoothly and it's easy to set up and use. We like the three-way rocker switch under the plinth that controls power and electronic speed change; what we like even more is the variety of finishes and colours that the Evo 2 deck comes in.

Our review sample is a sleek, satin red wine, while other colours (fir green, steel blue, golden yellow) look just as stylish in the minimal design and make this Pro-Ject stand out from its more conventional rivals. There are 10 finishes overall, and we have to applaud Pro-Ject for offering so many attractive hues for new vinyl fans to choose from.

Sound-wise, the upgrades have worked their magic. The Debut Evo 2 has an immediately likeable sound, with a "beautifully fluid delivery and a particularly lovely and sweet-toned midrange" that works well with vocals and instruments. There's a level of detail and delicacy that's addictive to listen to.

At this price, the rival Rega Planar 2/Nd3 turntable will give you a more authoritative sense of drive and greater rhythmic precision, but the Evo 2 has a "lively, fleet-footed presentation that zips along merrily through every song – it’s an enthusiastic performer that just wants to have fun."

It's a clean, smooth and spacious presentation, with tautly pulled bass and sparkly highs, and there's enough heft and texture to the notes to sound satisfying. Its nimble nature means it can easily relay shifts in dynamics, pace and tone as we swap records from classical to heavy metal.

We'd like a touch more grip and muscle overall – and if you do too, you can buy a couple of upgrades that fundamentally improve the Evo 2's performance. Swap out the standard power supply for the High Power it 2 fully grounded power supply (£25 / $45) and you'll get greater solidity, depth and snappier timing.

But if you can spend a bit more, we would highly recommend the Alu Sub-Platter (£115 / $199) – this instantly offers muscle, scale and authority to the Evo 2's sound that we were missing. There is even greater dynamics, subtler detail and a more spacious sound with this sub-platter upgrade.

Adding those two modifications increases the Evo 2's price to £739 / $943, but we think it's well worth the investment for the jump up in performance.

The Pro-Ject's friendly nature – not to mention that lovely way with voices – combined with the user-friendly design and choice of so many finishes, makes it a well-thought-out turntable that will appeal to many.

Read the full Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 review

Best premium turntable

Technics is a manufacturer more readily associated with DJ decks than hi-fi turntables, but that has slowly been changing, as is evidenced by the SL-1300G.

Weighing a hefty 13kg (a little more after you’ve added your choice of cartridge), the SL-1300G is built to the usual sturdy standards of a Technics deck, although the lift/lower mechanism on the ‘S-shaped’ aluminium tonearm feels a little vague.

We can’t criticise the substantial plinth, reassuringly stable triple-layer platter or smooth direct drive system that makes it rotate though. There’s no waiting around for it to get up to speed, with a button to switch between settings.

Performance is similarly solid, with a punchy and authoritative presentation. It’s rhythmically confident and surefooted, with full-bodied bass, clear and nicely separated vocals, and plenty of dynamic nuance.

Stereo imaging is wide and crisp, and even with classical music it manages to keep a tight grip on the entire orchestra. This is a turntable that’s comfortable with much more than just techno or drum and bass.

We use a high-end Technics SL-1000R turntable as part of our reference system, and the SL-1300G gives us a close approximation of this flagship performance, at a more accessible price. It's an impressive performance.

If you’re more of a low-mass, belt-driven kind of person, Rega’s Planar 8 remains a suitable alternative, but the two are so different that there’s plenty of room for them to co-exist. If it was our money, though, it’s this Technics that we’d take home.

Read the full Technics SL-1300G review

Best direct drive turntable

Even if you've never heard of a Rega or a Pro-Ject, you will definitely have heard of Technics. The brand is still going strong when it comes to turntables, both for DJs and audiophiles. While we love the high-end SL-1000R model (so much so that we use it as part of our listening room's reference testing system), the SL-1500C is much more affordable, and it's also one of the best record players we've heard at around a grand that includes a built-in phono stage.

It uses a core-less direct drive motor with clever speed management circuitry and the company's trademark S-shaped arm, which is attached to an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. The engineering and build quality of the deck is of a high quality; everything is pleasingly put together with precision and it feels very durable and robust too. It comes with a detachable headshell and adjustable arm height – bonus features that make it possible to upgrade and adjust your chosen cartridge.

Sonically, the Technics is equally pleasing. Songs are relayed with a brilliant sense of dynamism and energy, and even more complex or orchestral recordings are delivered with a tremendous amount of composure and organisation. There's clarity and precision, too, and it can track multiple instrumental strands with considerable skill.

There's subtlety to the quieter moments alongside the more bombastic crescendos. Playing Nitin Sawhney’s Prophesy album, we said in our review: "The Technics revels in the album’s complex rhythms and thickly layered production. There’s plenty of punch here, particularly at bass frequencies where the deck delivers an impressive combination of agility, punch and depth."

While some may prefer the more insightful and dynamic sound of the Rega Planar 3/Nd3, the Technics SL-1500C offers crisp presentation, a built-in phono stage and electric speed control, making it a great choice for those who want a bit more ease and flexibility as opposed to being vinyl purists.

Read the full Technics SL-1500C review

Best Bluetooth turntable

We can't think of many Bluetooth-ready decks that are as appealing and accessible as the new Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT. If you need a great, fuss-free record player but don't want to start searching at the bottom of the price pile, the mid-range Evo BT has talents across the board for getting your vinyl spinning without the hassle.

It's an easy to setup turntable, and while you'll have to fit the platter, mat, belt and dust cover, those are hardly the trickiest of tasks for anyone with half a brain. Just make sure that the tracking weight is correct, as while it should be set out of the box, we found our test unit wasn't quite where it should have been after we'd freed it from its packaging. If you want the best performance possible, it's worth checking that the tonearm is set at the precise force required for the supplied OM 10 cartridge.

Capable of playing 33 1/3 and 45 RPM speeds, the T1 Evo offers a built-in phono stage or a set of line-out terminals if you want to outsource such duties to an amplifier or standalone phono preamp. The Pro-Ject sounds great using our Naim Nait XS reference amp's phono input, though we understand that most users will simply use the built-in phono stage in a bid to keep things simple and reduce costs. Still, it's nice to know the Evo BT can stretch a little if need be.

Naturally, the Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT is Bluetooth-ready, with wireless listening toggled via a recessed switch on the plinth's right-hand side. Connection is easy, while the sound is solid, stable and satisfying via Bluetooth.

For more traditional wired listening, the Pro-Ject is a stellar choice, with a smooth, easy-going nature that doesn't miss those essential textural timbres. There's ample clout in the bass, too, offering real resonance and force at the lower end to keep tracks from appearing thin or anaemic.

As our review made clear: "However you choose to listen to the T1 Evo BT, the performance you’ll receive will reward you richly, especially if you favour an effortless, undemanding sound. We’re not expecting every user to spend a considerable sum investing in an external phono stage, but the Evo BT has the sonic capabilities to get your records purring without the need for any added expenditure."

Read the full Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT review

Best USB turntable

Audio-Technica’s original AT-LP5 turntable was a winner. Launched in 2016, its combination of solid engineering, useful features and fine sound was enough to make it one of our go-to recommendations for anyone wanting a sensibly priced, fuss-free record player with the added bonus of a USB output.

It's no surprise, then, that Audio-Technica hasn't changed this winning formula too much for the current AT-LP5x model. But the brand has made some improvements throughout the deck. There's a new cartridge that's easier to fit, the built-in phono stage can now cope with both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, and it has added a 78rpm speed option.

Aside from these neat additions and tweaks, the LP5x's audio performance mirrors its predecessor closely. It sounds a touch cleaner and clearer than before, but without losing any of its composure or dynamically pleasing presentation.

We said in our review: "Detail levels are high and all that information is rendered with organisation and composure. This deck never sounds as though it is struggling, no matter how complex the music gets." Stereo imaging is solid and composed, too.

The USB ripping feature means you can digitise your vinyl collection in CD quality WAV files up to 16-bit/44.1kHz and 48kHz (many current USB turntables only offer ripping in poor MP3 quality).

If you're after a well-executed design that's well-built, with useful features and that sounds great for the money, this appealing AT-LP5x is worthy of a spot on your shortlist.

Read the full Audio Technica AT-LP5x review

Best high-end turntable

If you are serious about vinyl and have the big bucks – and a sufficiently talented system to match – then you'll want to consider a high-end turntable. There are plenty of five-figure options from the likes of Linn, Michell, SME and Rega, but it's Vertere's 'entry-level' DG-X deck that we would highly recommend.

The DG-X may look very similar on the outside to its predecessor (the Award-winning DG-1 S/Magneto), but the third-generation DG-X has been completely redesigned from the ground up, from a more efficient manufacturing process (which keeps costs down and makes it easier to assemble) to a completely new tonearm bearing design that elevates the performance even further.

The innovative flat tonearm returns, but the bearing is a unipivot design whose point is securely located with a trio of precision silicon nitrate balls, which helps keep the tonearm extremely stable. The DG-X comes with a new cartridge (Sabre Light MM) as standard in the box, and includes a step-up power supply and the Techno Mat – both of which you could previously buy as an add-on.

Various other elements of the DG have been improved – the grounding, the mounting plate for the motor, the power button design – and the tracking weight, bias, VTA, and azimuth are all factory-set for the supplied cartridge. You simply have to plug it in, put a record on and press play.

The turntable itself is beautifully made and exquisitely engineered. The main platter is precision-machined from aluminium, bonded with layers of different materials for further damping, while the three-layer cast acrylic plinth is as unusual-looking as it is stunning to look at. The stylish, eye-catching design – especially with the internal illumination and the mirror gloss finish – certainly stands out from the sea of traditional-looking turntables.

The Vertere DG-X remains a turntable that wants you to enjoy the music rather than analyse every element, and is a terrific improvement over its predecessor in every way, from dynamics and spaciousness to stability and muscle. In our review, we said: "There are subtler dynamics revealed with each bit of pressure placed on instruments, sounding more tuneful, more tactile and more intentional, while their voices sound even purer and more natural."

There is greater width and breadth for big orchestral pieces to breathe and flourish, along with a more refined tonal balance overall – all without ever losing the Vertere's innate (and excellent) rhythmic ability and sheer energy.

In comparison, the older DG-1 S package sounds leaner and a little dynamically compressed, while the DG-X pushes the performance forward with greater confidence, textural depth and maturity. It still has an infectious sense of enthusiasm and superb rhythmic precision and punch that make it endlessly entertaining to listen to. "It sounds so physical and visceral in a way that rival turntables can’t quite match," we said.

That Vertere has been able to make such significant changes – both in the manufacturing process and engineering design – while sticking to its below-£5000 price point is pretty impressive. If you have a partnering system that is equally capable (and a high budget), we guarantee you will be delighted with the DG-X as well.

Read the full Vertere DG-X review

Also consider

Rega Planar 1: A superb entry-level and multiple Award-winning turntable that gives you all of Rega's know-how in a budget package. If you want greater detail, rhythmic precision and dynamics over the budget Pro-Ject Primary E (and you can spend £100 more), this is the one to get.

Rega Planar 2/Nd3: It doesn't come in as many colours as the same-price Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 and isn't as convenient to use, nor is it quite so delicate and forthright with the midrange. But if you prioritise rhythmic agility, control and propulsive momentum when it comes to sound, this Planar 2 with the new Nd3 cartridge package is highly recommended.

Clearaudio Compass: A smart-looking, easy-to-use turntable that offers a spacious, detailed sound with a particularly impressive taut and agile bass performance. Rival Rega is more rhythmically and dynamically adept, however.

Rega Planar 6/Nd7: If the chunky styling of the Technics SL-1300G isn’t for you, or you just prefer a belt-driven turntable to a direct-drive one, Rega’s Award-winning Planar 6 with new Nd7 MM cartridge is a wonderfully refined, articulate and precise-sounding option that’ll please the purists.

Turntables coming soon

Technics SL-1500CS: An update to the excellent SL-1500C we like so much (above), the new SL-1500CS features the advanced motor control technology seen in the more premium models (like the the SL-1300G) for greater speed accuracy and less motor vibrations. Available in a metallic grey finish, it will cost £1099.

Pro-Ject Debut Reference 10: Pro-Ject's Debut range has always been popular and filled with five-star models, and this new flagship of the range is pitched as the most accomplished Debut turntable yet. The Debut Reference 10 features a Pick it Pro Balanced cartridge on a 10-inch carbon fibre/aluminium tonearm, acrylic platter and aluminium sub-platter, and is set to cost £999.

Rega Planar 6 RS Edition: After the success of the Planar 3 RS Edition, the standard Planar 6 is given the same treatment, with key elements of the step-up Planar 8 (RB880 tonearm, new Nd9 cartridge, twin belts) combining with the brushed aluminium metallic finish. It's a full rectangular plinth rather than a skeletal model, and it will cost £2000 when available in a couple of months.

Audio-Technica AT-LP7X: A new Audio-Technica, but with a twist: a belt-drive model sandwiched between the direct drive AT-LP5X and AT-LP8X models, featuring an adjustable J-shaped aluminium tonearm fitted with the AT-VM95E cartridge, a switchable MM/MC phono stage, and an all-black design. Designed to be both minimalist and versatile, the LP7X costs £679 / $999.

How to choose the best turntable for you

What's your budget?
When it comes to choosing your turntable, first things first: decide on your budget. It should be no more than around a quarter of your system's cost, otherwise, it's unlikely your amplifier and speakers will get the most out of your deck.

Direct drive or belt drive? Do you need a phono stage or Bluetooth included?
Once you've nailed down your budget, decide on the features you require or want. Belt drive or direct drive design? Do you need a phono stage built-in or prefer a purist design? What about the cartridge – is it included or do you have to buy your own? Is Bluetooth streaming or USB recording important to you? Are you happy with a fully manual operation, or would you prefer a less fussy electronic speed change or automatic operation? Turntables have plenty of features, so it pays to check the details to find out which deck you'll be happy to live with. Make sure you have a checklist based on your needs to help you narrow the search.

Quality is key – check the specs
We would advise you against the 'suitcase'-style record players that remain trendy and are often rather cheap. Many of these turntables don't have the careful engineering or precise build quality that's so crucial to ensuring the tonearm is stable and the needle is accurately reading a record's groove, and many of these kinds of decks also don't let you adjust the tracking force of the cartridge. If this is too heavy (as we discovered with some of the cheaper Crosley decks), then this can damage your records. We don't want that.

Sound quality and system matching
Additionally, make sure you read up on the sonic characteristics of all the products in your system to match your chosen turntable and vice-versa. Not all five-star products are equal, and every hi-fi setup benefits from the right partnering.

Take time to set up, or ask a dealer
Once you have made your choice, it's also crucial you set up your turntable correctly. While some record players are relatively "plug and play", many require a little more time and effort to hear at their best. If you are buying a more high-end record player, ask the dealer if they can arrange a demo before you commit to buying.

This is a quick run-through of the basics of choosing a turntable. But if you want to know more or need more in-depth advice, read our complete guide to choosing the right turntable.

How we test turntables at What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi? has been reviewing turntables for 50 years – ever since the first magazine issue was published in 1976, and our reviews have remained independent, trusted and thorough ever since across print and online.

The current What Hi-Fi? team has more than 100 years of collective experience in reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics – and that includes plenty of record players. We have purpose-built, acoustically treated testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of expert reviewers do all our in-house testing. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring we are consistent across all product reviews and in our advice.

When testing turntables, we ensure we place them on a stable, level surface, set them up correctly with the supplied or appropriate cartridge, and partner with various price-appropriate electronics. We use a variety of amplifiers and phono stages (if it doesn't have one built-in) and also test out extra features such as Bluetooth and USB recording, if the record player has them. We also take note of the turntable's build quality and how easy it is to use on a daily basis. Most of all, we spend plenty of time listening to the turntable, and play a variety of records in a variety of music genres, to test the turntable's sound quality. These are just some of the best vinyl records we use during testing, while each reviewer will have their own collection of records to play.

All new turntables are tested in comparison with the best-in-class model at the same price level. We keep five-star and What Hi-Fi? Award-winning models across each price bracket in our stockroom so that we can benchmark and compare all turntables that enter our listening rooms. These comparisons are bread-and-butter to our reviewing process, and ensure we give buyers the best advice on which turntable to buy at any given price.

All turntables are listened to by multiple members of the What Hi-Fi? reviewing team, and the final review verdict is agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than a single reviewer. This method helps to ensure consistency and avoids individual subjectivity and biases. We are proud of delivering honest, independent and unbiased reviews for 50 years, there is never any input from the brand, PRs or commercial teams on our reviews or verdicts. That's why our reviews are trusted by customers, retailers and manufacturers alike.

From our reviews, we hand-pick only the best turntables at each price to feature in this Best Buy guide. That's why if you take the plunge and buy one of the products recommended here, you can rest assured you're getting a What Hi-Fi?-approved product.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

FAQ

Recent updates

• March 2026: We've updated the Coming Soon section with fresh turntable launch news.
• January 2026: It’s a new year, so we’ve checked availability of all our recommended products, and updated the Coming Soon section.
• December 2025: Added the Clearaudio Compass to our also consider list.
• November 2025: Highlighted the new 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award winners, and added fresh hands-on images of the Pro-Ject Primary E.
• September 2025: Added 'In brief' section.
• September 2025: Added the freshly reviewed, five-star Vertere DG-X to the main list, and updated our Coming Soon section.
• July 2025: Updated our Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 entry, streamlined our Also Consider options and added the new Clearaudio Compass to our Coming Soon section.
• May 2025: Added the five-star Technics SL-1300G to the 'also consider' section.
• April 2025: Added Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT to the main list as our favourite Bluetooth turntable. Added Sony PS-LX310BT to the also consider list.
• March 2025: Added a new 'coming soon' section for newly launched turntable news and highlight which models we have in for testing next.
• February 2025: Replaced the Rega Planar 3/Nd3 with the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition and the Rega Planar 6/Ania with the Technics SL-1300G.
• November 2024: Added Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 to the main list, and 'quick list' grid added to see all products at a glance.
• October 2024: Added new Rega Planar 3/Nd3 entry to the list and the freshWhat Hi-Fi? Award winners have been labelled.
• September 2024: Updated advice and FAQs, and highlighted our current top three turntables from the long list.
• July 2024: Added 'also consider' section highlighting other new models to offer buyers more options.
• February 2024: Updated our advice and testing process, and added FAQ section to help buyers with the most asked questions about turntables.
• November 2023: What Hi-Fi? Award-winning products are labelled following the 2023 annual What Hi-Fi? Awards Best Buys and Product of the Year announcement.

Today's best deals

If your turntable setup is in need of a refresh, it's worth considering changing the current cartridge rather than swapping out the entire record player itself.

It's a simple but effective change, and you might find yourself listening to your record collection with fresh ears thanks to a new, updated cartridge in your vinyl system.

Cartridges come in two types: moving magnet and moving coil.

Moving magnet (MM) cartridges have a cantilever which transfers mechanical vibrations picked up from the record groove straight into movements of the cartridge's magnet.

This movement of the magnet relative to the nearby wire coils induces current in those coils, which is then amplified and turned back into sound by the speakers.

To use an MM cartridge, your amplifier will need an MM phono input to boost and equalise the low-voltage signal.

A moving coil (MC) cartridge, meanwhile, has a fixed magnet and mobile coil. This coil moves within the magnetic field created by the fixed magnet, generating an electromotive force.

Because the coil's moving mass is lighter than that of a magnet there is less inertia and so the increased potential of resolving more information from the record groove.

But do note that these types of cartridges tend to be more expensive and have a much lower output than MM types.

To use an MC cartridge, your amplifier or phono stage will need the necessary gain and ideally the loading adjustments needed for this cartridge type.

We've included both types in our list of the best cartridges, which spans budget to premium models.

We have been testing turntables and cartridges since the beginning of our time (well, since What Hi-Fi? was founded in 1976), and every cartridge on this list has been tested by our experienced, in-house reviewers with the appropriate turntable and system.

You can find more in-depth advice on how to choose your cartridge and find out how we test cartridges, or simply scroll down to see our top picks.

The quick list

Best budget moving magnet cartridge

This impressive Goldring E3 is a cinch to fit and is compatible with plenty of turntables, making it a very versatile cartridge indeed.

The sound is clean and precise, with plenty of clarity and power where required. It also handles rhythm well, and has attack in spades.

The perfect accompaniment to many a midrange deck and easily one of the best cartridges we've heard at the affordable end of the price scale.

Read the full Goldring E3 review

Best mid-price moving magnet cartridge

Sumiko knows plenty about cartridge manufacturing. The company was founded in 1982 and continues to build all of its cartridges in Japan to this day.

The Rainier moving magnet sits at the more affordable end of the company’s Oyster range and looks to be a good choice for those itching for that first upgrade to their turntable.

This Sumiko is a thoughtful design that’s easy to fit thanks to captive nuts inset into the body and sensibly squared-off edges that make fitting and alignment a breeze.

Once up and running it's a surprisingly musical and engaging performer.

Detail levels are good, but it’s more the cohesive way that the Rainier delivers all that information that makes it special.

We hear plenty of punch and a great dose of dynamics when it's required. In a carefully chosen system, this is a superb performer.

Read the full Sumiko Rainier review

Best mid-price moving coil cartridge

Ortofon has been making turntable cartridges since 1948, and it seems like all its expertise went into this one.

The Quintet Blue moving coil is a true five-star product: simple to fit, not too heavy, so easy to balance out, and capable of a sound that's worth every penny of its asking price.

It's an agile sound, with a high level of sonic precision that's brimming with detail. Plenty of refinement is evident too, and it's rhythmically surefooted with a good sense of attack.

Just make sure you partner it with the right kit, otherwise it'll be like fitting pram wheels to a Ferrari.

A strong alternative at this price is the Nagaoka MP-200 – it's a moving magnet rather than a moving coil, but is a terrific all-rounder that is worthy of consideration.

Read the full Ortofon Quintet Blue review

Best premium moving magnet cartridge

The Sabre moving magnet is a carefully considered design, as we’ve come to expect from Vertere.

That bold orange body isn’t just for show. It’s machined out of a solid block of aluminium for rigidity and clamps onto the generator structure with four bolts rather than being glued on performance and alignment grounds.

The cartridge body’s top is raised at three points to ensure a solid and even contact with the headshell, and the front of the top even has a ridge to aid easy alignment.

The result is a bold performer that's confident without being in any way overbearing. Listening to Orff’s rambunctious Carmina Burana, we can’t help but be thrilled by the energy and drive of the music.

We said in our review: "The Sabre delivers this dramatic piece with all the gusto it demands. We get explosive dynamic peaks coupled with an impressive sense of control."

While the Sabre's high £845 / $1199 / AU$1695 price puts it deep into traditional moving coil territory, this is one premium moving magnet we can really get behind.

Read the full Vertere Sabre MM review

Best premium moving coil cartridge

The Pick-it DS2's body is made of a synthetic polymer and shaped by laser, in a bid to create a low-resonance base and help performance. And it works.

The sound is thoroughly robust and dynamically expressive, with plenty of punch and bags of bass. The presentation is composed, and there's a ton of detail to get your teeth into.

It's a doddle to fit and align too, thanks to its square-shaped body.

Costing £599, it's a truly capable and musical performer.

Read the full Pro-Ject Pick-it DS2 review

Also consider

• Nagaoka MP-200: This mid-price MM cartridge is a fresh Award-winner and is a worthy alternative to the Ortofon Quintet Blue MC above. It delivers an all-round excellent performance, with strong dynamics, great detail, balance and precision and pleasing punch. Superb.
• Vertere Dark Sabre: Proving a high-end moving magnet cartridge can compete with the best of moving coils, the Dark Sabre MM delivers an impressively punchy and dynamic sound and digs out phenomenal levels of detail.
• Nagaoka MP110: A cheerful budget upgrade from a reputable brand, this MM cartridge delivers a sweet midrange, subtle detail and dynamics beyond its price point. We'd like less edgy treble and more bass weight, though.
• Ortofon 2M Blue MM: If you want a step up from the budget Ortofon 2M Red, the mid-priced Blue model is a more serious affair with better grip, timing and bass weight. We'd like it to dig out greater insight to go with that even-handedness.
• DS Audio DS-003: What's an optical cartridge? We didn't know either until we tested this unique, high-end cartridge that shows there is a third option for cartridge types, and it sounds fantastic when it comes to clarity, resolution and bass weight.

How to choose the right cartridge for you

When choosing the right cartridge for your turntable, it's important to ask how much should you spend on a cartridge in the first place.

As a rule of thumb, we suggest your cartridge's price should be about a quarter to a third of the price of your turntable.

For instance, if you have a £200 turntable, then a £50-£70 cartridge should be adequate, while a £650 turntable (such as the Rega Planar 3) will require a cartridge that's about £150-£200 (such as the matching Rega Nd3 cartridge).

We have a more in-depth guide on how to change and fit a new cartridge to your turntable, but in general, most cartridges will fit onto most tonearms; you'll just need an alignment tool and a tracking force gauge if fitting the cartridge yourself. If you have a high-end turntable, it’s worth asking the dealer to set it up for you.

There are two types of cartridges – moving magnet and moving coil – and which type you go for will depend on the level (both in price and quality) of the rest of your system.

For most turntables below £1000, it's best to stick with moving magnet (MM) cartridges.

At this level, the partnering amplifier and phono stage can be of varying quality, and a moving magnet will put less of a spotlight on your phono stage's quality because it has a higher output.

If your turntable is at about £1500 and above, then it's worth looking into moving coil (MC) cartridges.

At this higher price level, the partnering phono stage and amplifier in your system will need to be of a certain higher quality level too, and you will reap the rewards of an MC cartridge more in this context.

Many standalone phono stages and amplifiers (or streaming systems) with phono stages built in will quite often support both cartridge types.

However, it's worth bearing in mind that even if a budget phono stage can support MC cartridges, it may not be worth investing as it likely won't be of good quality to show the benefits.

Your phono stage has to be of a certain quality (and therefore higher price point) for the advantages of the higher-priced MC cartridges to be apparent in your system.

And lastly, you don't necessarily have to match turntable and cartridge brands, but many manufacturers that design their own cartridges (e.g. Rega, Vertere) tune them to match their own turntables.

But there are plenty of cartridge makers whose models can be used with any turntable, especially when you get to high-end models – just make sure you read up on reviews (such as ours, of course) to ensure the sonic characteristics will match.

How we test cartridges

What Hi-Fi? has been reviewing turntables and cartridges of all types and across budgets since the magazine started in 1976, and we are proud to do all our testing in-house.

We have state-of-the-art and acoustically treated testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of experienced reviewers test everything from TVs to turntables, including cartridges.

We are always impartial in our testing and ensure we test and hear every cartridge at its optimum – fitted to the appropriate turntable and phono stage at its price level, and all placed on a sturdy and level surface.

We make sure the cartridge is fitted correctly using the required tools and give them plenty of run in time before serious listening.

We use each cartridge being tested in its best use case with the right electronics, as well as try out a few different options to see how it copes with a variety of products.

We spend ample time testing each cartridge, playing a variety of records and genres of music to get the full picture. H

ere's a selection of the best vinyl records we use to test all things turntable-related.

What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, so we listen to every cartridge we review against the current leader in its price point to gauge how it compares to the best-in-class competition.

We keep What Hi-Fi? winners and a range of cartridges in our stockroom (as well as a variety of turntables) so we can always pit new products against ones we know and love, and we do our best to review as many new models in as many markets as possible to ensure our contextual knowledge is the best it can be.

All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and bias, and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible.

There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

• These are the best record players for every budget
• Moving magnet vs moving coil cartridges: which is right for you?
• How to change the cartridge on your turntable
• Check out the best high-end record players we've tested
• How to get the best sound from your turntable

If you're looking to build a grown-up hi-fi system from scratch, then hopefully this set-up can provide some inspiration. 

For this system we've combined the old school joys of vinyl with the convenience and scope of a dedicated music streamer, aided by a serious integrated amplifier and some of our favourite bookshelf speakers. 

All four of these products are Award winners from 2021, and in this system, they blend together beautifully.

The system

Turntable: Technics SL-1500C (£899 / $1199 / AU$1999)
Music streamer: Arcam ST60 (£1199 / $1500 / AU$2495)
Amplifier: Cambridge CXA81 (£999 / $1299 / AU$ 2499)
Speakers: KEF LS50 Meta (£1000 / $1499 / AU$2495)

Total: £4097 / $5497 / AU$9488

Turntable: Technics SL-1500C

We’ll kick things off with the Technics deck. The SL-1500C comes supplied with the well-respected Ortofon 2M Red and is equipped with a built-in phono stage. There’s even a switchable auto-lift function that takes the stylus off the record once the end of the side has been reached. So it’s really fuss-free to use. As referenced above, the overall standard of build is impressive, and the SL-1500C feels solid and well engineered with a pleasing sense of precision to the way everything works. 

Surprise number one for us is that the built-in phono preamp is really good. That doesn’t tend to be the case normally, and means that you don’t have to spend extra on a dedicated outboard unit to get the best from the record player. The phono stage is intended for use with moving magnet cartridges, but should work just fine with high-output moving coils too, should the itch to upgrade strike.

The SL-1500C package, as supplied, is one of the best sounding we’ve heard at this price. It has a clean and precise presentation, one that defines the leading and trailing edges of notes with skill.

We’re impressed by the SL-1500C’s sonic agility; the way it resolves plenty of detail and manages to deliver all that information in a cohesive and musical whole. There are few rivals around this price point that do it better.

Amplifier: Cambridge CXA81

The Cambridge Audio CXA81 sets a new baseline for the best stereo amplifiers at this level. It’s a rare product that has the ability to make us switch off our reviewing brain and simply let us be wowed by the music.

Confidence is key to the CXA81’s performance. It hammers out staccato rhythmic patterns with assured conviction, snapping in time and allowing its expert handling of alternately loud and soft beats to lock in a groove. Above it, a full-bodied and expressive midrange deals out melodies that are given space to soar, yet still sound definitively part of a musical whole. There’s a richness overall to the balance, too. This Cambridge is powerful and weighty in the low end, but lean and agile enough to dance around with the most excitable bass lines, while the treble is left plenty of headroom without sharpness or rough edges.

It can, perhaps, sound a little forward, but its level of expression is such that it is sympathetic to more minimal, sombre recordings as well. Feed it a solo piano work or chamber quartet and it is only too pleased to show you its more caring, gentle side. What really shines through though is a level of clarity that makes close rivals sound even a little cloudy.

And its lack of a phono stage is no hindrance to its inclusion in this system, as the Technics deck supplies all the necessary duties on that front.

The Cambridge amp performs just as well with the digital source we are using in this system, too.

Music streamer: Arcam ST60

The ST60 may be Arcam’s first standalone, dedicated music streamer, but the company has experience in the medium, having scored some fine hits with its compact Solo Uno and more high-end SA30 just-add-speakers streaming systems. 

The ST60 uses the streaming architecture from that premium amplified sibling (stripping out the amplification stage), and so grants owners access to AirPlay 2, Google Cast, uPnP playback and internet radio, as well as analogue and digital connections and support for MQA and Roon. And this is an impressively talented performer. The ST60 is self-assured in its delivery – big, full, solid and expressive, with a pleasingly open and broad soundstage.

Over our many years of reviewing Arcam products, we have become used to the company’s signature sound and are happy to hear the ST60’s impressive tonality and clarity, combined with an easy muscularity that never feels strained. It’s a captivating performance, and more revealing of a piece of music than any rival we have heard at this price, with a firm grip on detail and dynamic insight, and impressively tight timing.

Arcam’s MusicLife App has been improved, but we must say that it’s still not a completely seamless experience and the interface isn’t as sophisticated as some. But there are ways round these issues, and when a product sounds this good we think they’re worth it. 

It’s not solely a streaming product; the ST60 also accommodates external sources through its twin coaxial and optical inputs. A USB drive can be plugged into its USB socket, which is also the port of call for software updates. Much more of a necessity for a music streamer is its outputs, and to that end the Arcam has a fine selection – coaxial, optical, RCA and balanced XLR, so it’s easily accommodated into pretty much any hi-fi system and means you can easily add a better DAC to the ST60  as and when you might feel the need.

Speakers: KEF LS50 Meta

We can’t imagine you will feel the need to upgrade the speakers any time soon, though. The KEF LS50 Meta are our standmount speaker Product of the Year for 2021 for a reason. The LS50 Meta don’t look any different from the original five-star LS50, and in many ways, they aren’t. KEF considered revising that beautifully made enclosure but concluded that little could be improved.

The one area ripe for improvement was the LS50’s Uni-Q driver array,
where the tweeter sits in the throat of the mid/bass unit. This has been thoroughly reworked, taking in all the refinements that KEF had developed and adding something new in the form of Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT).

MAT is KEF’s way of coping with the sound that comes off the back of the 25mm aluminium tweeter dome. Here, the rearward sound feeds into something about the size of an ice-hockey puck that looks like a plastic circular maze. It is layered and made up of 30 tubes, each tuned to absorb a different frequency – all with the intention of providing cleaner, less distorted highs.

It doesn’t take long to realise that the LS50 have improved significantly. While the basic sonic character is instantly familiar, the new ones have gained a level of clarity and finesse the originals only hinted at.

It’s a surprisingly full-bodied presentation with a good degree of authority for such compact speakers. It looks like the Metamaterial technology really works. These new KEFs sound so much cleaner and more sophisticated than before, particularly at higher frequencies.

Large-scale dynamics are handled well and there’s a good amount of muscle for a speaker of this size. These are refined and composed performers that rarely sound stressed unless volume levels are high.

Verdict

A big brand like Technics can do things that smaller specialist brands find very hard to achieve, with economies of scale coming into effect. Its SL-1500C is easy to use, extremely well built, and it has a good integrated phono stage. The Cambridge amplifier is the best all-round amp you can buy for below a grand, while Arcam’s first pure musical streamer is a fine-sounding piece of kit with all the essentials.

The KEF speakers too, like the other members of this quartet are superb all-rounders. These speakers, as their Product of the Year title testifies, really have no flaws at all, merely all-round excellence. All of which means that this system ends up being a great set-up with no real compromise. Which is nice.

This system provides a great listen with superb build quality. It is undoubtedly a fine set-up with no real compromise, and it’s really easy to live with.

MORE:

Enjoy your favourite music on the go with this killer portable hi-fi system

Keep things simple with this awesome just-add-speakers streaming system

How to build the perfect hi-fi system

Looking for your first turntable? Getting back into vinyl on a budget? Or just want to try a portable option?

Whatever your reasoning, there are plenty of well-made, great-sounding turntables available now that won’t break the bank.

In this guide, we’ve assembled record players that can be purchased for under the £500/$500 mark, and quite a bit less in some cases. There’s something for everyone, from purist hi-fi designs as low as £200 / $200 to beginner-friendly decks that add modern features such as built-in phono stages, Bluetooth streaming and automatic operation.

The newest entry on this list is a long-awaited Bluetooth offering from Sony, with the Sony PS-LX3BT recently proving itself to be ideal for beginners with its fuss-free operation and user-friendly features.

Our expert in-house team have tested every turntable on this list as part of a rigorous review process. They’ve sorted the wheat from the chaff so you can be sure you’re getting a high-quality turntable that won’t damage your precious records.

If you’d like to know more, you can read all about our turntable testing process or get in-depth advice about choosing your turntable further down the page.

And if you’re looking for the next step up, we also have a guide to the best turntables for all budgets. We also have a round-up of the best Bluetooth turntables if you're determined to add a touch of modern convenience, and a collection of the best high-end record players to aspire to.

But if you’re looking at the affordable end of the spectrum, keep scrolling for our expert recommendations.

The best budget turntable overall

As its current – and multiple – What Hi-Fi? Awards attest, the Pro-Ject Primary E is still our pick of the bunch as a truly affordable gateway into the world of vinyl.

The Primary E looks almost identical to the original Pro-Ject Primary, a sparsely designed turntable that also boasted a 22cm tonearm and Ortofon MM cartridge. The only real difference with this model is that the power supply is built into the deck, plus you've only got the choice of having it in a black colourway rather than the previous model's rather fetching red and white options. This model has sat steady at £199 for a good few years, although it has currently risen to £229 this year.

Its pricing isn’t much for a turntable by anyone’s estimate, but the Primary E confidently nails the basics, providing an even tonal balance and a delivery that’s clear, clean and spacious enough to keep things coherent and enjoyable. Decent body and substance cling reliably to every frequency, made all the more enjoyable by a spirited sense of drive and momentum.

We said in our review: "We lay down The National’s Trouble Will Find Me, and the Pro-Ject wilfully promotes the LP’s warmth and sweetness, communicating Berninger’s vocals as well as the contrasting sense of effort behind the track’s drum beats... By the time we reach the final track, Hard To Find, we’re asking ourselves what more we could want from a budget deck. Realistically, very little."

So impressed are we with the Primary E, that it’s won the best turntable under £200 trophy at the What Hi-Fi? Awards for six years in a row now. If you’re looking for your first turntable, this purist-design Pro-Ject is by far the better performer than all other trendy alternatives at this price. If you want to know what the big deal is with vinyl, this turntable is the first place to start.

Read the full Pro-Ject Primary E review

The best budget Bluetooth turntable

If you want a turntable with more bells and whistles and can spend a bit more, the Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT should be on your shortlist.

It brings ultimate convenience in a mid-price package. A built-in phono stage allows you to connect the Pro-Ject directly to active speakers or all-in-one systems. If your space is limited or you don't want to bother your housemates or neighbours with your music, then the turntable's Bluetooth output to stream your records to a compatible Bluetooth speaker or wireless headphones is a versatile attraction.

The turntable is also easy to set up as the cartridge, counterweight and tracking are all set out of the box. In use, the T1 Evo BT is accessible and fuss-free. You can opt to use its decent built-in phono stage or use the line-level output to connect to any amplifier with a phono preamp built in; it also means you can upgrade to a better, external phono stage in future, should you wish.

In play, the Pro-Ject delivers a wonderfully smooth, easy-going listening experience that is instantly likeable from the start. Voices and instruments sound full-bodied, with ample textural detail revealed to hold our interest.

There is a good amount of power and weight to the low-end frequencies, giving the somewhat mellow presentation a sense of grip and solidity that is pleasing to hear. Dynamically, it flows well and there's enough drama between the moody undertones and scratchy high-frequency notes in Portishead's Dummy to keep listening, track after track.

The Pro-Ject may not be the most rhythmically exciting and propulsive performer, but switching from using its built-in phono stage to an external one (or a good phono preamp in an amplifier) adds an extra layer of sparkle, spaciousness and greater precision to the overall sound. For the most part, however, the Pro-Ject's smooth, fluid balance is an engaging, involving listen.

It is also the best Bluetooth turntable we've tested so far. Bluetooth pairing is done without any hiccups, while the wireless stream is stable and satisfying. Much of the sound depends on the quality of the wireless speaker or headphones the turntable is paired to, but the Pro-Ject offers a solid, cohesive and capable base from which to stream your records.

In essence, the Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT offers a flexible way to listen and partner with products, and no matter how you listen, you will be rewarded with an effortless and likeable sound from a well-made, easy to use turntable.

As we said in our review, the "T1 Evo BT has the sonic capabilities to get your records purring without the need for any added expenditure." At this mid-price level, it's a fantastic all-rounder.

Read the full Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT review

The best budget turntable for beginners

For years, the Sony PS-LX310BT was our go-to beginner recommendation, but the Japanese electronics giant has dethroned itself with the newly released, and very similar-sounding, Sony PS-LX3BT.

Sony’s long-awaited return to Bluetooth turntable production means you can connect the PS-LX3BT to your hi-fi system through traditional methods, or hook it up to a Bluetooth speaker or wireless headphones.

You’ll get better audio quality through the traditional route, but the Bluetooth option is highly accessible – all you have to do is press the large pairing button on the top of the deck to connect your device automatically.

Adding to the simplicity is fully automatic operation, meaning all you have to do is press a button for the device to whir into life and lower its arm onto your record. Once finished, the arm will automatically return to the starting position.

Everything comes assembled in the box, too, meaning it couldn't be any easier to set up. There’s even a built-in phono stage, so there’s no need to buy and connect an external one.

And the all-important sound? Full of energy and personality, no matter how you listen or what genre you throw at it.

“We’re taken with just how composed, controlled and well-organised the Sony sounds, marvelling at the effortless cohesion and solidity it brings to the entirety of Michael Jackson’s Bad album,” our Sony PS-LX3BT review reads.

The Sony PS-LX3BT is a beginner’s dream: a plug-and-play automatic turntable with Bluetooth powers, ease of use and a sophisticated sound. Anyone looking for their first turntable will struggle to find one that does so much so well yet costs so relatively little.

Read the full Sony PS-LX3BT review

The best budget hi-fi turntable

If you're happy forking out a little bit more (around £100 or so), the Rega Planar 1 is a substantial step up from the excellence of the Pro-Ject Primary E at the top of this list.

Rega provides consistent excellence across its range of turntables, taking as much time and care with its budget offerings as it does with its high-end heavyweights. The Rega Planar 1 is the cheapest turntable Rega makes, but the fact that it's been a What Hi-Fi? Award-winner since 2016 shows just how remarkable it is for the price.

Built superbly to Rega’s typically high standards and featuring a Rega Carbon cartridge attached to a new RB110 tonearm, the Planar 1 is easy to use, simple to set up and hardly offensive to the eye.

It sounds great, too. Rega’s forensic attention to detail results in a roomy, spacious sound that never skimps on the particulars, while voices sound rich, full-bodied and alive. The Planar 1 delivers a combination of clarity and accuracy that's almost unparalleled at this reasonable price, providing an exciting and engaging experience no matter what you throw at it.

It’s a clear step up in performance from the Pro-Ject Primary E when it comes to rhythmic ability, and if you’re able to spend the extra cash, it’s absolutely worth it.

"Even as an entry-level turntable, this is the kind of player that could feasibly be the last of your system’s components you’d feel necessary to upgrade," we said in our original review. Even though it's a fully manual deck with no fancy extra features, its performance is unbeatable at this price.

Read the full Rega Planar 1 review

The best budget hi-fi turntable with phono stage

If you liked the sound of the excellent Planar 1 (above), then the Planar 1 with the added convenience of a built-in phono stage could well be music to your ears. You'll have to pay a little extra for the privilege, but, to our minds, it's worth it.

Rega tends to keep things pure on the analogue side, but it eventually succumbed to current trends and delivered the Planar 1 Plus, the first time the British brand has incorporated a turntable with its very own built-in phono stage. The result is a Rega Planar 1 turntable with the rather superb, five-star Rega Fono Mini A2D built-in (minus the USB-ripping powers).

The Planar 1 Plus also costs less than if you were buying the two components separately, so the combination of both makes sense from a financial, as well as sonic, perspective.

Rega has built a reputation for bringing style, substance and consistently high audio standards with its turntables, and the Planar 1 Plus is no different. The deck looks identical to the straight Planar 1, which is no bad thing considering its sleek aspect and general ease of use.

It’s the audio quality, though, that makes the Plus a five-star triumph. Put simply, it sounds wonderful, and while it may take a while to fully reveal the warmth and depth of which it’s capable, give it a few days and it will be purring like the best. Rega's knack for delivering terrifically agile, subtle and hugely enjoyable dynamics is replicated in the Plus, with crispness and clarity with high frequencies, too.

We said in our review: "The Plus has open, spacious presentation too, with plenty of separation between instruments and vocals laid out with very little effort." While the Planar 1 connected to a Fono Mini A2D separately delivers greater authority and muscle, the Plus combo sounds "cleaner, leaner and times a little better."

Avoid any bright-sounding partnering kit, and this Planar 1 Plus is a hugely appealing, talented package.

Read the full Rega Planar 1 Plus review

The best budget portable turntable

Ok, hear us out. The Sound Burger may look like a novelty item, but this battery-powered turntable is actually incredibly clever, well made and hugely fun for £199/$199.

The Sound Burger's unique charm lies, of course, in its minimalist design and fuss-free use. Stripped down to the essentials, it features a small 9cm platter instead of a large plinth. The pre-set tonearm and installed cartridge eliminate the need to adjust tracking weight or perform any initial setup; it's ready to use right out of the box.

Operation is simple: there are buttons for power and switching between 33⅓ and 45rpm. Simply extending the tonearm until it clicks, placing a record, and moving the arm towards the groove are all that’s needed to start your music playing.

At 7 x 10 x 29cm, the Sound Burger is small and light enough to carry in a tote bag, and there’s a transport screw at the back to hold the tonearm securely in place.

You do have to charge this turntable, of course, but the 12-hour battery never seems to drain too quickly and a flashing red LED warns you when to plug in the included USB-C to USB-A charging cable.

Bluetooth is a nice modern touch to this retro throwback, with a pairing button you hold down for swift and uncomplicated pairing to your speaker, headphones or radio.

The sound is, of course, not quite up there with conventional turntables, and we wish it were a bit more expressive with dynamics and that details were clearer. But it’s a fun listen that flows along at a nice pace, and wired listening improves things with more solidity, detail and clarity.

If you don't have the space (or inclination) for a traditional system and just want an affordable turntable for occasional use, this ultra-compact record player is worth considering. Great build quality, easy to use, Bluetooth output and a fun, lively sound make this a charming, enjoyable spinner that offers an experience unlike any other turntable.

Read our Audio-Technica Sound Burger review

Also Consider

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo: Pro-Ject's five-star spinner comes in a variety of colourful finishes that many of its pricier siblings don't. Expressive, engaging and musical, it's an appealing, affordable deck that's easy to use and a pleasure to listen to. While the newer, more advanced, five-star Debut Evo 2 is a step ahead in every way, the original Carbon Evo remains a decent option at its lower price (£449 in the UK).

Audio Technica AT-LPW50BTRW: Fitted with appealing features and boasting a smooth, easy-going sound presentation, the AT-LPW50BTRW is lovely to use and look at. The belt-drive turntable sports Bluetooth 5.2 streaming and a built-in phono stage, making it a versatile player at a sub-£500/$500 price, although be warned that the Bluetooth pairing can be a little fiddly.

JBL Spinner BT: Colourful (if you opt for the orange version as we did) and attractive deck with phono stage and Bluetooth aptX streaming, in a design that's fun to use. It delivers an open and expansive sound with good rhythm, but falls just short when it comes to subtlety and dynamics compared with rivals at the price (£380/$400).

How to choose the best budget turntable for you

Budget
First, decide on your budget and how much you're willing to spend on your record player. It should be no more than around a quarter of your system's cost, otherwise your amplifier and speakers probably won't get the most out of your deck.

Requirements and features
Once you've settled on a budget, choose the features you want. Belt drive or direct drive design? Do you need a phono stage built-in or prefer a more purist setup without one as part of the main system? A cartridge usually comes fitted with a budget turntable, but is it easy to remove if you want to upgrade in a few years Bluetooth streaming or USB recording is important to more modern users, but traditionalists often don't feel the need. Are you ok with a fully manual operation or would you prefer a less fussy (semi or fully) automatic operation? Turntables come with plenty of features these days, so it's worth checking the details to find out which deck you'll actually be happy living with.

Design and style
Looks can play a huge factor, although that's more of a requirement for some people than for others. If you have a particular aesthetic in mind for your hi-fi setup, check that you can get the turntable in the style and finish you want. We would choose a turntable on its sonic merits, but taking pride in your hi-fi's design matters for anything that you'll have to look at and live with on a daily basis.

What to avoid
We'd advise you against trendy-looking 'suitcase-style' record players, that put everything (including speakers) into a compact, cheap turntable box. Many of these turntables don't have the precise build quality or careful engineering that's crucial to ensuring a decent sound from a stable deck and a secure tonearm, and most won't let you adjust the tracking force of the cartridge. If the force is too heavy, your records can get gauged and damaged, and that's really not something you want – especially when records cost so much these days! If the tonearm area feels flimsy and plasticky and there's too much wiggle room going on, it's worth being cautious. Having speakers built into the same box might seem ultra-convenient, but the vibrations from the speaker are terrible for vinyl replay.

Advice on setting up a turntable
Once you've made your choice, you'll need to set up your turntable correctly. While some players are relatively "plug and play", many need more time and effort to perform at their best, even affordable ones.

If you want to know more or need more in-depth advice, read our complete guide to choosing the right turntable.

How we test record players

What Hi-Fi? has been reviewing turntables ever since we started in 1976, so we know a thing or two about turntables, having covered them from their popular heyday to the current resurgence, and all types of record players.

The editorial team has over 150 years of combined experience in reviewing, testing and writing about hi-fi and consumer electronics, including plenty of record players, from high-end to budget models. We have acoustically treated rooms in Reading and London with a world-class reference system, where our team of expert reviewers do all our in-house testing. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency across all products.

When testing turntables, we take ample time in setting up each deck properly and accurately, from placing them on a level surface, ensuring we use the right cartridge and apply the correct tracking force, and plugged into the appropriate phono stage and amplifier pairings. We test turntables in our trusty reference system as well as with price-appropriate system – more budget speakers, for example – and also make sure we test any extra features, such as Bluetooth streaming, USB recording, as well as how easy it is to use for beginners and veterans alike, to check that it all works as advertised and to the standard expected for its price.

We use a variety of records to assess how the turntable performs with a wide variety of music genres, recording qualities and vinyl pressings. For a taste on what kind of music and records we use during testing, check out our list of the best vinyl test records we use regularly. We are always on the hunt for new (and old) records to expand our vinyl library, too.

All new turntables are tested in comparison with rival turntables at the same price (and often cheaper and more expensive alternatives, too), and all review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than a single reviewer, helping to ensure consistency and avoid individual subjectivity. That's why our reviews are trusted by retailers and manufacturers, as well as consumers, the world over.

From all of our reviews, we choose the top budget turntables to feature in this Best Buy. That's why if you take the plunge and buy one of the products recommended here, or on any other Best Buy page, you can rest assured you're getting a What Hi-Fi?-approved product.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

FAQ

What Hi-Fi? record players coverage

Buying guides

• Best turntables
• Best high-end record players
• Best Bluetooth turntables
• Best turntable speakers
• Best cartridges

Reviews

• Pro-Ject Primary E review
• Rega Planar 1 review
• Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 review
• Technics SL-1300G review
• Vertere DG-X review

Advice

• Rega Planar 3 vs Planar 3 RS Edition: are the upgrades to the iconic turntable worth it?
• 13 of the best turntable accessories to elevate your vinyl experience
• How to set up a turntable and get the best sound
• How to easily add a turntable to your music or TV system
• How to connect a turntable to wireless speakers or a multi-room system

Recent updates

• February 2026: The Audio-Technica Sound Burger has been added as the best portable budget turntable.
• August 2025: Checked and updated prices, added mentions of new budget turntables that we are reviewing.
• May 2025: Added the new five-star Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT as our best Bluetooth entry. Meanwhile, the Sony PS-LX310BT is now our favourite pick for beginners, replacing the older Lenco L-85 model. We've also added the Audio-Technica Sound Burger in the Also Consider section.
• March 2025: Removed an entry, updated our advice for choosing a budget turntable, and refreshed the intro.
• January 2025: Checked that all products are current and rewrote the intro for fresh context.
• November 2024: New What Hi-Fi? Awards 2024 winners labelled; all information checked and updated throughout.
• June 2024: Added the five-star Rekkord F110 as our favourite fully automatic budget turntable, and included the JBL Spinner BT to the Also Consider section.
• April 2024: Updated our advice and testing process, and added FAQ section to help buyers with the most asked questions about turntables and an Also Consider section to give alternative options.
• November 2023: Award-winning products are labelled following the 2023 What Hi-Fi? Awards Best Buys and Product of the Year announcements.

If your music system includes a turntable, a phono preamp is a must-have component in the product chain. Also called a phono stage, it is essential for the playback of vinyl records.

A phono stage is what makes the music signal recorded in the vinyl groove audible through your amplifier and speakers – it raises the turntable's audio output and adds standardised equalisation for a tonally even presentation.

Many stereo amplifiers, turntables and active speakers now come with a phono stage built-in, but if they don't, you will need to buy a separate phono stage to complete your vinyl system and hear your records.

Upgrading your existing phono stage or opting for an external one is also a great way to upgrade your turntable system's sound beyond what's possible with the built-in versions. If you're thinking of giving your vinyl system a sonic lift, we recommend you consider a phono preamp upgrade first.

Phono stages can be compatible with moving magnet or moving coil cartridges – or even both. Check which type your turntable has before choosing a new phono stage.

You can check out our buying advice on choosing the right phono preamp for you, or scroll down to see our list of the best models we recommend, new and old, across all budgets and sizes.

Every model below has been rigorously tested by our experienced review team in our dedicated listening rooms, with the appropriate turntable and cartridge pairing at each price level (and with plenty of records being listened to), so you can trust our advice.

The quick list

The best phono preamp overall

We've continuously been impressed with Rega's excellent (and rather affordable) Fono MM range, so it was something of a relief that the latest model, which featured a brand-spanking new look, didn't sacrifice style for sound.

That same Rega DNA is still in there throughout the latest Fono MM Mk5 phono stage.

No, the changes aren't massive from the previous models, but what remains is the Fono MM's ability to knit music together confidently and cohesively.

When testing the phono preamp out with the Rega Planar 3/Elys and newer Planar 3 RS Edition turntable (it's a moving magnet-only model), we were once again struck by the unit's fast, punchy sound that gives your favourite tracks a real sense of weight and gusto.

Detail levels are great, too, uncovering new layers of musicality and subtle texture as it goes, especially with regard to vocals. From Beethoven to Bruce Springsteen, the Rega Fono MM is completely at home, and is "full of enthusiasm when it comes to thumping out the music’s dramatic dynamic shifts."

It's a significant step above the more budget Fono Mini A2D Mk2 (below), bringing greater power and detail retrieval. It's a terrific unit on its own and as an upgrade for your vinyl system.

Rega didn't exactly reinvent the wheel with the Mk5 model, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. That new case is certainly attractive enough, while that same agile, punchy performance gives you just the sound you're looking for if you like your music to have a bit of bite.

Read the full Rega Fono MM Mk5 review

The best budget phono preamp

If you're looking for the best budget phono stage currently on the market, Rega's Fono Mini A2D is a top contender.

This tiny, plain box was never much of a looker, and the Mk2 version is no different, with only a new glossy front panel and a neater appearance bringing it up to date with Rega's current amplifier range.

The most important part of this phono stage, the audio circuitry, remains unchanged from the original model we gave five stars to.

It features stereo RCA for input and output connections, and a USB-B output with an accompanying level control, for recording your vinyl records to your laptop as a digital file.

It's unusual to see this option on a phono stage, let alone at this budget level, but it's a fairly easy process to digitise vinyl, provided you have the time and good recording software.

We use Audacity and have no problems recording numerous tracks from vinyl to our MacBook Pro. The quality of the recordings mirrors that of the Fono Mini A2D's performance, and that’s a positive thing.

Sonically, it's as frill-free as it looks, but gets the basics right. It's a lively presentation, full of convincing and nuanced dynamic contrasts, with power and passion behind vocals.

While it's not the most refined or spacious sound, there's ample detail and insight to hold our interest.

We use both a Sumiko Rainier MM and Vertere’s Sabre MM cartridges during our testing and the Fono Mini A2D sounds balanced with both.

It has Rega's surefooted sense of rhythm and punch, plenty of low-end articulation and its overall composure when the music gets demanding is admirable.

What we find most impressive is the musically cohesive way that Rega organises and delivers all this information – for this price, there's no better alternative.

We imagine this phono stage to be an ideal go-between for, say, a KEF LSX II LT speaker system and a turntable, or if you wanted to upgrade your existing vinyl system.

Undoubtedly, it's a talented little device that delivers excellent performance for the money.

Read the full Rega Fono Mini A2D Mk2 review

The best phono preamp with headphone jack

With an offset volume dial, minimalist styling and mirrored rear labelling that's easy to read even if you're peering over the top of the unit, it's clear a lot of thought has gone into the Cambridge Audio Duo phono stage.

And no less attention has been paid to the audio quality.

The presentation is very good indeed, sounding engaging, cohesive and dynamic, with a good deal of detail and agile timing.

It doesn't quite match Rega's Fono MM for outright punch and rhythmic precision, and you'll find clearer detail and a bigger scale from the iFi Zen Phono 3, but it certainly holds its own verve with both MC and MM cartridges.

The bonus here is the inclusion of a built-in headphone amplifier with 6.3mm headphone jack, which is somewhat unusual but entirely welcome in a phono stage at this level.

It's a lovely way to upgrade your vinyl system or add a bit of modern flourish, meaning you can listen to music in peace or at night.

The smooth, full-bodied performance, coupled with the inclusion of a headphone amp, makes this stylish box certainly worthy of consideration.

If you want a simpler, MM-only phono preamp with no headphone socket, then the cheaper Cambridge Audio Alva Solo is an option.

But we think the Duo is a more versatile and long-lasting model that will work with a variety of affordable to mid-priced turntables and headphones.

Read the full Cambridge Audio Duo MC/MM review

The best mid-price phono preamp

A new What Hi-Fi? Award winner to make our list, the Graham Slee Reflex M is an unassuming but outstanding mid-priced MM phono stage that works a treat with your turntable system.

In design, it definitely falls into the category of minimalist. It is neatly made, but other than graphics on the front pane and the connections at the back, there is very little to distinguish this compact aluminium box.

The Reflex M works with moving magnet cartridges only, so you won’t find any features here beyond the phono input and output connections.

However, if you wanted to add on moving coil compatibility, Graham Slee offers an EXP Step-Up unit at additional cost, which works well.

Regardless of the cartridge and turntable you partner the Reflex M with, its sonic performance is hugely impressive.

Its generally even tonal balance leans towards the lean side, but the level of detail on offer is simply excellent, as is the way it renders subtleties such as instrumental textures and dynamic shading. Plus, it’s nice and quiet when in use.

During testing, we listened to Carmina Burana and the Reflex M’s wide dynamic range meant it had no issues tracking the recording’s demanding peaks, while its excellent organisation ensured such a chaotic piece of music made perfect sense.

However, we also played The Wailers’ Catch a Fire, where it aptly demonstrated its surefire handling of rhythms. Stir it Up, in particular, sounded wonderfully relaxed.

In our testing, we also found it “manages to deliver a wide and expansive soundstage that is as focused and precise as we have heard at this level”.

Quite simply, if you’re after a fantastic-sounding phono stage with no frills that simply gets the job done, you won’t find any better at this price point than the Reflex M.

Read the full Graham Slee Reflex M review

The best audiophile phono preamp

Phono stages tend to be, apart from the sleek Cambridge Audio Duo above, rather plain black boxes that are meant to be hidden away.

Musical Fidelity takes a different approach: this phono preamp is beautifully made, with a smartly machined front panel and nice-to-use controls.

Rather than use a series of dipswitches (as many rivals do), the MX-VYNL has a rather elegant control dial to manage the switch between moving coil and moving magnet inputs and their different loading requirements.

Alongside a standard single-ended phono input – something that will be used by the vast majority of decks around – it can also accept a balanced signal in the form of a mini XLR 5-pin connector.

Thankfully, convenience is far from the MX-VYNL's only strength – sound is wonderfully transparent and detailed, digging up low-level instrumental strands and sonic textures with ease.

We love the way it handles vocals. There's a fluidity that makes rivals seem mechanical by comparison, although it may not have the outright rhythmic cohesion found in the similarly-priced Rega Aria. But it doesn't exactly hold back when it comes to bite and attack.

It's a superb balance of attitude and refinement. If the rest of your system is up to scratch, the MX-VYNL is worth the investment.

Read the full Musical Fidelity MX-VYNL review

The best high-end phono preamp

Vertere already had a great phono stage on its hands, but this updated version manages to deliver significant performance gains, thanks to some careful housekeeping and honing of the circuit board and power supply.

The tidy little box remains the same; an orange power LED is the only addition to the design.

The new Phono-1 MkII L is a brilliant performer, with a useful selection of features and adjustments that should help you get the most from any cartridge.

Its detailed, musical delivery makes it a joy to listen to. We love the scale of performance and the way the Vertere delivers the seismic dynamic shifts of the recording with so much enthusiasm.

As with the previous generation (also an Award-winner), our main takeaway after hearing this phono stage is that it makes listening to music interesting and, where appropriate, fun. And what more could we ask from any hi-fi product?

If you’ve got an earlier version of the Phono-1, don’t worry about swapping it out for this new one. For new buyers, don’t hesitate to go for this version as it's a clear step up and worth the price hike (now around £1495 / $1895 / AU$2700).

Given a source and system of appropriate talent, it remains one of the finest phono stages we’ve heard at this higher price.

Read the full Vertere Phono-1 MkII L review

Also consider

• Moon 110LP v2: This might have recently been knocked off its perch as our best mid-price phono stage, but that doesn't mean it's not still a fantastic proposition. This well-made phono preamp works with both MC and MM cartridges, serving up a smooth, fluid and refined sound with a satisfying punch.
• Lindemann Limetree Phono II: This unobtrusive box might need to be partnered with the right equipment to get the best sound, but if you can find that perfect pairing, you've got an incredibly talented performer on your hands. What's especially notable at its £685 / $1075 price tag is how good it sounds with both MM and MC cartridges, although the Graham Slee at this price just performs that bit better.
• iFi Zen Phono 3: For its price and compact size, this model packs a lot in: MM and MC cartridge support, low-noise power supply, and a clean, refined, smooth and spacious sound. The MM-only Rega Fono MM Mk5 digs out more detail, has more energetic timing and dynamics and is more expressive overall, but the iFi is a decent and versatile alternative.
• Rega Aura: Rega's more affordable phono preamps are easy to recommend here, but even more accomplished is the brand's flagship high-end moving-coil offering. The impeccably built Aura MC phono stage costs £4000 and is fully adjustable, with terrific clarity and insight levels, impressive agility and expressive dynamics – it's hugely exciting to listen to.
• Vertere Calon: The price is prohibitive for most but performance like this never comes cheap. If you've got a turntable that requires the very best, and the rest of your system is of comparative quality, you won't find a better phono stage at enabling your records to reach their full sonic potential. The Calon is as expressive and musically cohesive as they come.

How to choose the best phono preamp for you

Which phono stage you need is entirely dependent on what your existing turntable system is, and your budget.

If you have a budget turntable, then an affordable phono stage that's simple to use and is compatible with your (most likely) moving magnet (MM) cartridge is the only parameter you need to consider.

If you're a hi-fi enthusiast with a more premium or high-end turntable, and you enjoy fine-tuning your system and swapping out different MM and moving coil (MC) cartridges like a mad scientist experimenting for the best sound quality, then you'll want a phono stage with plenty of flexible cartridge loading and gain adjustments to suit your matching high-end system, and more inputs.

Phono stages typically only have one set of inputs (for the turntable) and one set of outputs (to the amplifier). Even those on the entry-to-mid-level price range now increasingly let you switch between MM and MC cartridges – although beware that plenty still specialise in one type only.

High-end phono stages tend to be larger (separate power supply units and better components all take up space), while budget options have a smaller footprint. Compatibility trumps design in this category, although it's not hard to find nicely made boxes.

Ultimately, which phono stage you choose will depend on what's most appropriate for the turntable and cartridge you already have, so make sure you've got your deck's specifications handy. It's the same case if you're looking to upgrade your current vinyl set-up, although it's always worth looking at the next model up for future-proofing.

Of course, sound quality is the final decider: we'd recommend demoing your new phono preamp with your existing deck and system if possible, to ensure you get the best-sounding performance when spinning your vinyl records.

How we test phono preamps

We have dedicated, acoustically treated testing facilities in Reading and London, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and audio kit that passes through our door – including phono preamps (or phono stages).

Sound quality is key in forming our verdicts and star ratings. What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, so we listen to every phono preamp we review against the current leader in its field and price point to gauge how it compares to the best-in-class competition.

We are lucky to be able to keep all What Hi-Fi? Award winners in our stockroom, so we can always truly compare new products against our current best-in-class products in each price band.

We are always impartial in our testing and ensure we hear every phono preamp at its optimum – with the matching turntable and appropriate cartridge(s) of course.

We'll use them in their best use case with different partnering source kit and speakers, as well as play plenty of different types of music and records through them. Here's a sample of the best vinyl records we use during testing.

We give phono stages ample time to run in and listen to them over days and weeks to get a full picture of how each model performs.

All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than an individual reviewer, to eliminate any personal bias and to ensure we are consistent across all our reviews.

There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, and What Hi-Fi? is proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for nearly five decades.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

FAQ

Recent updates

• January 2026: The Graham Slee Reflex M replaces the Moon 110LP v2 as our best mid-priced phono stage. The Moon and five-star Lindemann Limetree Phono II are added to the also consider section.
• July 2025: No new entries, but checked prices and mentioned the new Lindemann phono stage we have in for testing.
• May 2025: Added the Vertere Calon as an ultra high-end option to the list of 'also consider' entries.
• March 2025: Added a new 'also consider' entry, updated new phono stages being tested, and checked all prices.
• January 2025: Checked all information is correct and updated where necessary.
• November 2024: Labelled the current 2024 What Hi-Fi? Award winners, and added an update log.
• July 2024: Checked through current products, prices and advice to ensure accuracy and added hands-on photo gallery for the Cambridge Audio Duo.
• May 2024: Added an Also Consider section to offer additional choices to consider when buying.
• February 2024: Updated our advice and testing process, and added FAQ section to help buyers with the most asked questions about turntables.
• January 2024: Added Rega Fono Mini A2D Mk2 entry following its five-star review.
• November 2023: What Hi-Fi? Award-winning products are labelled after the 2023 Best Buys and Product of the Year announcements.

MORE:

Need a turntable? Here's our pick of the best record players you can buy

Moving magnet vs moving coil cartridges: which is right for you?

16 of the best-sounding vinyl records for testing your turntable

When we think of the history of high-end audio, it’s not long before the Mark Levinson brand comes to mind. The company was formed in 1972, and along with the likes of Krell, Audio Research and Wilson Audio, it established the top-end market sector we know and love today.

In the early years, Mark Levinson’s amplifiers embedded the brand firmly in enthusiast’s minds, a reputation reinforced by a series of fine digital products through the 1990s. Turntables have never been part of the equation, at least until recently.

Mark Levinson waited until 2017 to release its first turntable, the No.515. This record player is still in production and currently retails for £9999 ($10,000, AU$20,0000), a considerable amount that gives the company a fair bit of leeway to introduce something more ‘affordable’ – a relative term, of course, that in this case refers to just over a third off the original’s price.

Build

The No.5105 isn’t simply a stripped-down version of its older brother, though. It’s an all-new design intended to be an ideal analogue source for the company’s 5000 series of components.

The skillset required to make a good record player is different to that needed to make quality electronics, so it makes sense for a company such as Mark Levinson to work with a turntable specialist for such products. The company was open about the partnership with VPI for the original deck but has been more tight-lipped about its partner for the No.5105, saying only that it’s a manufacturer from Germany.

Whoever it is, the partnership has done a great job with regards to the basic engineering, build and finish of this deck – it really is lovely. The plinth is made of an immaculately machined block of nearly 50mm thick aluminium. It feels immensely solid and goes a long way to explaining the No.5105’s hefty 34kg weight. 

The front panel is another chunk of aluminium, in this case around 25mm thick, bead blasted and black anodized. There’s a small tinted glass window embedded in it, echoing the styling of other 5000 series components, and this is home for the speed and standby controls. The deck sits on three adjustable feet, and there’s even a spirit level built-in on the top of the plinth to make it easier to get everything level.

The deck’s power supply is housed in the plinth and the carefully mechanically isolated DC motor has enough in the way of torque to get the heavy platter up to speed in a matter of seconds.

That platter is made of aluminium and weighs a considerable 6kg. On the underside, it’s loaded with damping material to control resonances. This platter is topped by a thin carbon fibre-look polymer mat covered with some rather brash branding that seems out of place with the overall sophistication of the deck. That extra branding is also unnecessary given that the front corner of the plinth already tells us that this is a Levinson product.

The platter is attached to a diamond-coated, stainless steel spindle that’s claimed to be much harder and so prone to lower friction than a conventional stainless steel shaft. The bearing, in which the spindle sits, is paired to it during manufacture to ensure tight tolerances.

It’s all topped off by a heavy record clamp that’s shaped to remind us of the distinct volume controls on the company’s amplifiers. The clamp is made of aluminium with a brass insert to add more mass. We listen to the No.5105 with and without the clamp in place, and prefer the extra sonic solidity and focus using it imparts.

The arm is another classy piece of engineering. It’s a 25cm design with a carbon fibre arm tube fused to a solid aluminium headshell. If you choose to go for the optional Ortofon Quintet Black S moving coil cartridge, as we have, then it will be factory-fitted right down to the tracking force being set.

Features

We’ve noticed a move from turntable manufacturers to make their decks easier to set up and use, and that can only be applauded. In the past, you either had the dealer assemble your deck, or be confident enough in your abilities to do the job yourself – great if you have the knowledge and experience, but no fun if you’re simply interested in playing your vinyl.

Like any record player, the No.5105 benefits from careful placement away from the speakers and other sources of vibration. A good, level support is a must. That said, we’re impressed by the turntable’s resistance to feedback, which points to a well-controlled chassis and good levels of isolation.

If you want to hear this record player at its best, a suitably talented partnering system is essential. We plumb the No.5105 into our reference set-up of Cyrus Phono Signature/PSX-R2 phono stage, Burmester 088 preamp (with MC phono module)/911 Mk3 amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers. We also have on hand Vertere Acoustics' Phono-1 phono stage, Naim’s Supernait 3 and ProAc’s Response D2R to gauge how this player performs in a more modest set-up.

There’s always a danger of a manufacturer struggling when it steps out of its comfort zone, but that certainly isn’t the case here. We get the impression that Mark Levinson set out to deliver a highly polished and easy-to-use, premium record-playing package, and that is exactly what it has done. The No.5105 is no harder to get working than a typical budget Pro-Ject or Rega, and that’s something to be praised.

With the cartridge pre-fitted and tracking weight already set, all we have to do is fit the platter and square-sectioned drive belt and hang the bias weight in place. Be careful when you put the drive belt on, though; make sure the belt stays free from contamination and that it doesn’t twist unduly once fitted.

Obviously, power also needs to be connected, but it’s a little surprising that Mark Levinson doesn’t supply a signal cable in the box, given how complete the rest of the package is.

While most enthusiasts would probably prefer to use their own favourite lead, the electrical demands of a phono signal will mean that not all interconnects will work well. Of course, you’ll also need to connect an earth wire to avoid hum in most installations. Still, despite all this, we’re listening to records in less time than it takes to make a nice cup of masala chai.

Sound

If you’re looking for sonic authority, this could well be the deck for you. We play Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and are impressed with the boldness of the presentation. The No.5105 sounds muscular, delivering the dynamic swings of the music with authority.

There’s a good sense of scale here, and we’re pleased with the package’s ability to render a stable yet layered stereo image. Instruments are nicely focused and their positioning doesn’t start to blur when the music becomes more demanding.

A large part of a record player’s tonality comes from the cartridge, and here the Ortofon Quintet Black S delivers exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Danish brand’s more premium offerings. It’s a clean, even-handed performer that errs slightly on the cooler side of neutral, which suits the turntable’s character well. When mounted in the No.5105, we have no issue with the cartridge’s detail resolution or its ability to track low-level instrumental strands in a complex piece of music. It’s a good choice for the turntable design and works well in context.

This Mark Levinson sounds big-boned and composed no matter what we throw at it. There’s good insight when we play Orff’s Carmina Burana, the turntable able to communicate the over-the-top drama of this piece well. Singers come through with a convincing presence and there’s no issue in revealing subtle instrumental or vocal textures.

The No.5105 is an analytical performer in the ballpark of class-leading turntables such as the SME Model 6 and VPI Prime 21+ when it comes to information retrieval, but it still falls short of being a totally convincing all-rounder. To achieve that, the deck’s presentation needs more enthusiasm and rhythmic coherence.

That much is obvious when we play Bob Marley’s Stir It Up. Here, the No.5105 gives the song a less playful feel and consequently loses some of the music’s easy-going charm. Individual notes are well enough defined, but they don’t quite come together to communicate the song’s lilting rhythm or the allure of Marley’s distinctive vocals. Basslines in particular lack a degree of articulation and expression, leaving the overall result a little leaden.

We listen to a range of music, from Miles Davis’s Kind Of Blue and Holst’s The Planets through to Four Tet’s There Is Love In You, and find that the No.5105 has distinct preferences. It excels when the music demands a large-scale and powerful presentation. There’s plenty of attack here and it’s matched to a pleasing degree of control and composure. With suitable recordings, this Mark Levinson is a convincing performer delivering a pleasing level of clarity.

But, ask the deck to have a bit of fun and it doesn’t quite have the expressiveness and dexterity to do so. It even makes the Four Tet album sound a bit lifeless, which it certainly isn’t.

Verdict

Make no mistake, there's plenty to admire here. The No.5105 is thoughtfully made and a pleasure to use, not to mention unquestionably capable in the sound department. With the right music, it delivers a strong performance. But it doesn’t quite hit the highs in this market in the way the company’s electronics routinely manage to hit theirs. That’s enough to make it worth a listen rather than an essential buy.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Features 5
• Build 5

MORE:

Read our guide to the best turntables

Read our SME Model 6 review

Read our VPI Prime 21+ review

Read our Vertere DG-1/Magneto review

Installing a new cartridge is something of a rite of passage for turntable owners. It’s a skill that once was common, but now seems to be considered some kind of black art by many.

In reality, it’s not such a hard thing to do provided you have the appropriate tools, a reasonably steady hand and some patience.

So what tools are you likely to need? Typically, cartridge bolts need a 2mm Allen key or a small, flat-bladed screwdriver depending on type of fixing used. Unless you have unusually thin fingers, a small, long-nose plier is handy too.

While things such as Allen keys, screwdrivers and pliers can be found in most toolboxes, few non–audiophiles will have a proper tracking weight gauge or cartridge alignment tool. Fortunately, neither has to cost a fortune and a budget of £20/$25 should cover the purchase of both if you stick with something basic.

Unless this is your turntable's first cartridge, you'll need to start by removing the old one. In this case, make sure you fit the stylus guard before you do anything else to prevent damage to the old cartridge. You never know if you’ll ever need to use it again.

Then disconnect the four lead-out wires from the cartridge as carefully as you can. We like to use those long nose pliers for this. These colour-coded leads are fragile, so only pull them from the metal connector at the cartridge end rather than the wire itself. Once that’s done it’s a simple matter to undo the mounting bolts and take the cartridge off.

Fitting your new cartridge

Once you’ve got the new cartridge out of the box, it’s worth checking that the stylus cover is still properly mounted. Cartridges are immensely fragile and any lack of care will usually result in catastrophic damage.

No matter how careful you are, there are times when accidents will happen. If you have a moving magnet design then it’s usually possible to get a replacement stylus assembly. This won’t be cheap though, typically costing around 60% of the total cartridge price.

If you damage a moving coil cartridge then there’s no cheaper way back. You’ll typically just have to buy another one, or get it repaired at great cost. In short, what we’re saying is: try not to break it in the first place.

We would recommend mounting the new cartridge onto the arm first. Use the supplied fixings. This can be a bit fiddly, particularly if the cartridge body doesn’t have captive nuts. Take your time and don’t over-tighten things; just do the bolts up enough so that the cartridge body doesn’t move around. Don’t worry about alignment at this point.

Next, connect the four lead-out wires. These are colour coded (red, blue, green and white) and you’ll find corresponding markings next to each of the four pins on the back of the cartridge.

This is where the pliers come in handy. If the connectors are a little loose on the pins then you can use the pliers to squeeze them a little tighter. Take care. It’s easy to damage or break those connectors.

Alignment and weighting

Once this is done, it’s time to put the tracking weight onto the rear of the arm. Don’t worry about setting the exact downforce at this point. Just turn the weight until the arm balances and then carry on further towards the arm pivot to add about 1.5-2.0g extra. This just means that the cartridge will sit properly in the record groove rather than float above. Arm bias should be set to zero at this point.

You’ll need the tracking alignment gauge next. Use the parallel lines on this to align the cartridge body. The measurement is done at two different points: one towards the centre of the platter and the other near the outside edge.

Once you align the cartridge at one of these positions, move the arm to the other and re-adjust if necessary. You may find that you have to work between the two a few times until everything lines up just so. This takes a bit of patience but, once the cartridge is aligned correctly, the stylus top will sit at the proper angle in the record groove, distortion levels will drop and record wear will be minimised.

Once you’ve got the correct cartridge position, tighten the mounting bolts fully. Don’t overdo things though, as it’s possible to damage the cartridge body if you go too far. Everything just needs to be tight enough so that the cartridge doesn’t move.

Now you can set the tracking weight properly using the scales. The cartridge manufacturer will recommend a suitable range of downforce, usually between 1.5 and 2.5g, with a specific weight listed as most suitable. That weight would be our starting point but, with production tolerances and the use of different arms, it is sometimes possible to get better sound with a bit of experimentation. It’s usually best to stay within the recommended range, though.

If the sound is a bit dull and lifeless you’ve gone too heavy, while a thin or aggressive presentation means the tracking weight is a little too light. If you overdo the lightness, perhaps in an attempt to reduce record wear, the cartridge will mis-track, damaging the record grooves in the process. Counter-intuitively, if in doubt go a touch heavier – the stylus tip will sit in the record groove with more stability, produce less distortion and cause less damage.

Many upmarket and high-end decks allow the user to adjust tonearm height. Usually, the arm is set to be parallel with a record when playing, though sometimes a cartridge may have a particular preference depending on its design. Generally though, if the arm is too high you’ll get a bright, forward sound and the opposite if the arm is too low.

While it all seems a bit of a hassle to get right, you only have to do it once. With everything properly set and aligned you’ll have minimised any distortion, reduced record wear distortion and optimised the cartridge’s performance. You can’t ask for more than that.

MORE:

• Ready to try this out? Here's our pick of the best cartridges around
• Old is gold: why I massively prefer buying old vinyl to new
• Tom Petty, Motörhead, The Doors, plus some big surprises: we reveal 10 top music journalists’ most treasured vinyl records
• Read our guide on how to set up a turntable and get the best sound

Reloop HiFi has introduced its second turntable in the UK, the TURN 5. This follows the German brand's debut TURN 3 in 2016.

The TURN 5 is a quartz-controlled, direct-drive record player that supports 33.3, 45 and 78rpm playback. Supplied with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge, the S-shape tonearm is equipped with a removable headshell for easy cartridge changes. It also has vertical tracking adjustment.

A dampening rubber base on the turntable system is designed to eliminate any unwanted resonance, and the ‘heavy-duty’ metal construction and shock-absorbing feet will further reduce vibrations. But is the TURN 5 any good? We hope to be able to review one shortly.

The Reloop HiFi TURN 5 is available now, priced £650. The TURN 3, meanwhile, is priced £389.

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