Vinyl Week 2026: Sony's affordable turntables reviewed, is Dire Straits better on CD or vinyl, Rega's first turntable from 1973, and more

"The four building blocks of the universe are fire, water, gravel and vinyl" – so says American humorist Dave Barry, and we have to agree. What Hi-Fi? is celebrating our 50th birthday this year, and vinyl and turntables have been the building blocks of our publication ever since we started in 1976.

The annual Record Store Day falls on Saturday 18th April this year, and we've been running our Vinyl Week 2026 event in the lead up to the big day, to celebrate this enduring analogue format.

So far, we've brought you reviews of Audio-Technica's most premium turntable yet, both of Sony's new affordable and capable turntables, and taken a look at the original Rega Planet from 1973. We've also spoken to independent record shops to find out how they are evolving beyond simply selling vinyl to become thriving community hubs, and we've reminisced about some beloved but forgotten turntables (it seems many of you had the Dual CS505-2!)

We've also been waxing lyrical about some of our favourite albums on vinyl – from Dire Straits to Rage Against The Machine to video game soundtracks – and share our picks from this year's exclusive RSD 2026 releases.

And there's still more to come: our TV/AV editor auditions a turntable in his home cinema system for the first time, we test a turntable with a CD player integrated, head to a trendy vinyl bar to find out what they're like, and get insight from hi-fi engineers about turntable design.

Check out our social media channels for exclusive videos from our test rooms, and you can stay up to date that with all the latest Vinyl Week 2026 features by bookmarking this page, or going to our dedicated Vinyl Week channel on the website, or signing up to our newsletter.

Whether you're queueing up for one of those special RSD 2026 releases or simply enjoying your vinyl collection at home, do get involved and drop us a comment to share your favourite vinyl album or record shop, what turntable you're listening on, or which new releases we should all be checking out.

Reviews

• Audio-Technica AT-LPA2 review: classy-looking turntable with a wonderfully clear, insightful sound
• Sony PS-LX3BT review: an affordable and excellent entry point into vinyl
• Sony PS-LX5BT review: a do-it-all turntable that offers a step-up performance from its cheaper sibling
• Mixx Analog+ review: Mixx extends an olive branch in the vinyl vs CD format war by integrating them both in one affordable, never-before-seen design. Does it work?
• Audio-Technica AT-VM740xML review: a polished and balanced moving magnet cartridge that does a lot right

Features

• Forgotten gems: 8 unsung turntables that deserve to be celebrated
• A hi-fi classic: meet Rega's first-ever record player, the Planet
• "It's not just a transaction, it's a conversation" – how vinyl record shops are thriving in the digital age
• This album was the 1980s poster-boy for CD – but I massively prefer it on vinyl
• I’ve started collecting vinyl records of this unusual music genre – and it’s been a lot more rewarding
• We pick 8 of the best Record Store Day 2026 releases – The Cure, Nas, Miles Davis, Pavement and more
• The 10 most valuable records sold on Discogs last month (March 2026)
• I visited one of the world's largest record shops, and it's like Disneyland for audiophiles
• Here’s why this “unerringly ordinary and, to be brutal, boring” vinyl record is worth £19,000
• This underrated Rage Against The Machine album holds a special place in my vinyl collection
• I don't have the budget for a turntable – is this solution a worthy alternative?
• “The next leap isn’t about making turntables heavier or more complex; it’s about making them more intelligently controlled systems” – Hi-fi engineers discuss where there is room for improvement in record player design
• If you’re a fan of 4K Blu-ray, then there’s an underappreciated sector of vinyl that you should explore
• Vinyl at its worst is still something special – just ask my seven-year-old
• Ask The Reader: these are the UK's best independent record shops, as chosen by you
• Pro-Ject's special edition, lightning bolt-shaped AC/DC Turntable shoots to thrill – and leaves us thunderstruck
• Is sound quality really the most important thing in hi-fi? Our recent testing has me wondering
• Controversial opinion: there’s more to collecting vinyl records than audio quality
• "It's still the best medium for the job" – the collectibles experts from Wax Poetics on why people will always buy vinyl
• Don’t call it a comeback – vinyl is here to stay, according to one of the UK's biggest music distributors
• The 16 best prog rock albums our hi-fi experts recommend for testing

Advice

• Don't dismiss the dirt – cleaning your records properly could revitalise your vinyl collection
• Vinyl on your radio? Discover 4 non-traditional but easy ways to listen to your turntable
• The A-Z of vinyl: a glossary of turntable terminology
• Sony’s new Bluetooth turntables have an ace up their sleeve – and it’s great for vinyl newbies
• The best vinyl and turntable accessories you need this Record Store Day
• Best Bluetooth turntables 2026: versatile record players tried and tested by experts

MORE:

How to set up a turntable correctly and get the best sound

How to choose the right record player for you

A brief history of the turntable and vinyl records