CNET reviews: The best record players
Monolith by Monoprice Belt Drive Turntable features a USB connection and Bluetooth capability. Credit: CNET/Ty Pendlebury
Music fans will tell you there's nothing that compares to the rich sound of a record player, and the booming sales of vinyl over the past decade is testament to the format's longevity. There are a vast number of turntables available, but some of the features to look for are adjustable feet and a speed switch, while a few of the following models also come with Bluetooth connectivity. Here are three of the best available from budget models to something more top of the line.
WHAT Fluance RT82
THE COST $299.99
AVAILABLE FROM fluance.com
The Fluance RT82 offers everything you could want except an onboard preamp, so if you have a receiver or amplifier with a dedicated phono input, this is the model to get. You'll be mightily impressed by the Fluance's well thought-out inclusions. Auto-start on/off, adjustable feet and even a little bubble-level were built in with the user in mind. This high-quality turntable had one of the most entertaining sounds of all of the $300 players, with plenty of insight into recordings as well as a healthy bass kick.
WHAT Monolith by Monoprice Belt Drive Turntable
THE COST $199.99
AVAILABLE FROM monoprice.com
If there's a turntable on this list that represents a ridiculous amount of value, it's this one. It may look like a lot of other record players under $300, but it also sneaks in a USB connection and Bluetooth capability. It used to be that USB meant compromise but not in this case — the Monolith sounds good using the usual analog connections, and Bluetooth is easy to get up and running. Add in a dedicated speed switch and a phono preamp and you have a great package.
WHAT Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo
THE COST $599
AVAILABLE FROM pro-jectusa.com
The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo offers everything you want in a player for the money: excellent sound quality, ease of setup and use, and striking looks. You would have to spend twice as much on another brand to get better sound. If the power cord was a little longer, this would be absolutely perfect.
The following CNET staff contributed to this story: editor Ty Pendlebury and copy editor Jim Hoffman. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit cnet.com.
'I did not live up to the standards that I try to hold for myself' Justin Timberlake appeared in a Sag Harbor court Friday to plead guilty to a lesser charge in his drunken driving case.
'I did not live up to the standards that I try to hold for myself' Justin Timberlake appeared in a Sag Harbor court Friday to plead guilty to a lesser charge in his drunken driving case.
