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Without a dependable best turntables under $500 to play them on, even the nicest vinyl collection won’t be much use to you. Your analogue sound system’s turntable and needle, which convert record grooves into audio signals, are undoubtedly the most important parts. Even if your sound system has high-quality speakers and an amplifier or receiver farther down the signal chain, if you’re using a low-quality source, they will only be able to faithfully replicate a poor signal.
In light of this, we have put together a list of the best turntables under $500 that you can be sure will translate the grooves and allow your system to play the music as it was intended to be played. Despite all the convenience that digital listening offers music fans, many still regard vinyl as the only truly hip method to listen to music.
While an all-in-one record player that costs next to nothing is a simple way to start the hobby, we think that spending a little more rewards you with best turntables under $500 that plays records faithfully and respectfully. In any event, most people will concur that switching to analogue audio is a wise investment that puts the product of your labour into your listening environment.
Best Turntables Under $500
Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB
The AT-LP120XBT-assortment USB’s of outputs, both digital and analogue, make it compatible with almost any music system. On the digital front, you may connect the device to Bluetooth speakers to music streaming services wirelessly. The USB connector can be used by listeners to digitally copy your albums to a computers.
The built-in preamp enables you to connect the best turntables under $500 to line-level inputs on a preamp or receiver in the analogue domain. You can also connect to an external device by bypassing the preamp. The AT-LP120XBT-USB is a turntable you can hold onto for a long time even if you completely overhaul the audio system surrounding it because of its variety of output kinds.
Audio-Technica AT-LP60X-BK
The At-LP60X-BK turntable from Audio-Technica is the one to buy if you’ve been hesitant to dive into record players or aren’t sure how far you want to go down the rabbit hole. When you press the “start” button on the front of the turntable, the tonearm will lift, move, and descend into a record because it is a completely automatic turntable.
A stop button, speed change button, and digital cue lever are all included in the AT-LP60X-BK. This turntable is built by a business that takes pleasure in producing high-quality audio equipment and is incredibly user-friendly. The best turntables under $500 are widely accessible, although they are usually made as cheaply as possible.
Crosley C200 Direct-Drive Turntable
A direct drive turntable with a tough appearance is the C200. You’ll notice that the majority of what is necessary is present. However, while some of the parts are of high quality, some might not be as much. It was made specifically to perform the task and shares a lot of similarities with other best turntables under $500 in terms of appearance.
It contains a strobe speed indicator, plays 33 and 45 rpm records, and has a sliding pitch adjustment if necessary. The tonearm is composed of aluminium, has a “S” design, and includes a counterweight, hydraulic lift control, and lockable rest. It is an Audio-Technica NP5 cartridge.
Fluance RT85 Reference
A Canadian business called Fluance seems to specialise in providing audio equipment that outperform their price range. For Home Theater Evaluation in 2021, I gave a pair of their speakers a favourable review.
The unit took around 10 minutes to unpack, and another 30 minutes were needed for setup. The top of Fluance’s turntable line, the RT-85, retails for best turntables under $500. It is a belt-driven, two-speed type (33, 45), with an S-shaped arm, and it includes the Ortofon OM2 Blue pre-mounted in a headshell.
Music Hall MMF 2.3
The plant in the Czech Republic where their MMF series turntables are made has been producing best turntables under $500 for more than 50 years. Despite being a part of their entry-level range, their 2.3 turntable has excellent sound quality and many of the same parts as its higher-end competitors.
The majority of the construction and light calibration for the player are covered in this video and should take a prepared user no longer than 30 minutes to complete. The MMF 2.2 isn’t particularly fancy in terms of appearance. However, music hall turntables it still has a nice appearance. It is available in high-gloss piano black lacquer or, for a slightly higher cost, Ferrari Red.
Audio Technica AT-LP3
At the beginning of the 1960s, Audio Technica started to take seriously its role as an audiophile maker. At that time, Hideo Matsushita, the curator of Tokyo’s Bridgestone Museum of Art, began hosting listening events at his workplace where music fans could enjoy vinyl in the finest resolution possible using a high-quality cartridge.
Matsushita founded Audio Technica in 1962 in an effort to realise his dream of providing everyone with access to high-quality audio. Matsushita was moved by the enthusiastic responses these listening parties received and, in turn, inspired by the fact that not everyone could access these record players.
U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus
U-Turn put a lot of emphasis on uniqueness while creating the Orbit Plus. Turntables are typically seen as devices with very particular purposes, but U-Turn sees them as aesthetic pieces of furniture where people may display their ingenuity.
The U-Turn Orbit Plus is a straightforward, reasonably priced, high-quality best turntables under $500 that will function and function well. Yes, it does have some quirks we won’t sugarcoat that but for a far lower cost, this straightforward turntable offers outstanding sound quality right out of the box all in a stylish and user-friendly package.
Final Words
This is going to be heavily influenced by your unique situation and the kind of budget you are dealing with. The ION Audio Max is probably your best option if you’re searching for a functional record player is best turntables under $500. However, if you have a tighter budget, it could be better to buy a turntable and each of the other individual parts for a stereo setup. This turntable is reasonably best turntables under $500 and it will provide excellent value.