Vinyl’s cool. So cool, that more people than ever are getting into it, or dusting off their long-dormant record collections after years of neglect. (And that includes me, after I made a key upgrade to my listening space at the start of January).
While that’s awesome, it’s also a double-edged sword, as getting the right hardware to make your music shine can be tricky, both at the entry and premium end of the market. Even if you have a turntable, there are a few technical issues to consider if you want to make the most of it. One of the biggest of which is which speakers to pair with it.
Which is why we’re constantly on the hunt for new options to recommend to the growing number of vinyl fans visiting What Hi-Fi?.
Here’s what you need to know!
A new desktop champion
First up, we have the new Award-winning Ruark MR1 Mk3, which, after months of testing, are our new recommended desktop speakers for vinyl fans – especially those who don’t want to go down the separates route.
The tiny, beautifully crafted speakers have all the hardware you need to get a turntable making noise, including 25W of Class D amplification and a surprisingly capable moving-magnet phono stage. As an added bonus for the philistines who also dabble with streaming, there’s also Bluetooth support built in.
Match the MR1 Mk3 with price-appropriate turntables (in our case, the Rega Planar 1 and Pro-Ject Primary E), and you will be treated to a simple to set-up system that will meet most people’s needs, especially if you enjoy a punchy sound with excellent rhythmic drive. Hence, their prime position in our buying guide and our reviewers’ glowing verdict:
“Their user-friendly design and lively presentation make them an appealing pair of powered speakers, and that talented built-in phono stage makes them well-suited to creating a neat and tidy turntable system.”
Read our full Ruark MR1 Mk3 review
A great-value option for people who have their phono stage and amplification sorted
If you already have a just-add-speakers system, or want to go the full separates route, the Dali Kupid are our newest go-to recommendation for vinyl fans on a budget.
Built by Dali as an unashamed “gateway to proper hi-fi”, the speakers pack a lot of hardware and sonic punch despite their low price and tiny dimensions.
We have given them five stars and a What Hi-Fi? Award already, but what earned them a place in our turntable speakers buying guide is quite how well they work when matched correctly in a separates rack, or with a just-add-speakers system. In our case, that was with a Pro-Ject Primary E turntable and the Arcam A5 amplifier, or a WiiM Amp Ultra.
Here, their fun, dynamic, rhythmically agile sound has made them a constant recommendation among the team to any vinyl fan looking to build a proper separates system without breaking the bank. As we say in our Dali Kupid review:
“These are very capable performers for their modest price and size. We find ourselves listening to song after song and never get bored; the Kupids also allow the personality and tone of each recording era to come through with little fuss – something that even more expensive speakers struggle to do.”
Read our full Dali Kupid review
A new premium standmount recommendation
If we had one complaint about the Kupids, it’s that we mean it when we say price-appropriate hardware when partnering them. The speakers’ low sensitivity and size mean they will struggle if you want to use them at higher volumes or in larger spaces.
Enter our new step-up standmount recommendation to turntable owners, the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2. The larger, more expensive passive speakers are our new recommendation for buyers with a more mid-range system. They are a solid partner for the likes of the Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 or Rega Planar 3/RS and a price-compatible amplifier (in our case, the Rega Brio Mk7 and Arcam A5+).
Offering a larger cabinet and more premium hardware, the speakers will delight any vinyl fan who values balance and control over razzmatazz. We initially found them understated and a safe, but unremarkable, listen, but the more we listened to them, the more we came to appreciate their natural, balanced, detailed sound – to the point we still use them as a reference in our listening rooms.
As we say in our review: “These Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 are up against some tough competition, but we feel their controlled and detailed presentation serves them well. They don’t try to bite off more than they can chew, and in the process deliver a superbly judged sound that works well across musical genres and with a wide range of electronics.”
Read our full Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 review
MORE:
Check out our picks of the best speakers
We rank the best stereo amplifiers
The best turntables for music fans, tried and tested
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