Vinyl's comeback is no longer a gimmick—LPs have been back in style for years, and show no signs of disappearing. Perhaps it’s because they are the antidote to an era of digitalstreamingthat has done away with liner notes for the most part, or even the concept of sitting down at home and listening to music.
LPs benefit from a wide dynamic range that the analog mastering process typically preserves and the digital streaming process often squashes. Aside from that, the process of taking a record out of its sleeve, placing it on a turntable platter, and dropping the needle in place is satisfying, engaging not just our ears, but our eyes and hands—you have to expend a bit of effort to play a record, but that's part of the fun. If streaming is the music equivalent of a K-Cup, vinyl records and turntables are more like espresso machines—precise tools that require a small amount of effort and maintenance, and bring out the best in their offerings as a result.
Beyond shopping for records and listening to them, part of the fun of turntables is building up a small collection of accessories that make listening to vinyl even more rewarding. Here, we’re going to highlight a little bit of everything—our favorite turntables across various budgets, our favorite headphones for zoning out at home, and even our favorite vinyl-cleaning service (yes, it’s a thing). Vinyl can be enjoyed on a relatively modest budget—here, we’ll point out some of the more affordable accessories that can make your listening experience more rewarding, but we’ll also highlight some of the big-ticket items that are fun to drool over.
Best USB Turntable
Sony PS-HX500
Sony PS-HX500, $499
请注意,我们的USB转盘选择并不便宜。那's because there’s plenty of reason to want a USB turntable other than saving a buck (or hundreds of them). TheSony PS-HX500makes a case for elevating the category of USB turntables by providing built-in high-resolution recording. Other than that, it is very much a well-built, high-performing turntable, with a USB output for connecting to your computer or various other digital inputs.
In this price range, you can also find turntables from Audio-Technica and others that simply focus on quality performance through a USB output. And if you don’t have any desire to rip your records to digital files, you can go far cheaper in the USB realm.
Best High-End Turntable
Rega Planar 3
Rega Planar 3, $945
Sure, there are cooler-looking turntables in the $1,000 range, and many of them are also excellent in quality. But theRega P3, first introduced in 1977, recently got some upgrades to its build. It may look similar to its predecessors, but it has a newly designed and improved tonearm, plinth (the base), platter, motor, you name it—only the dustcover and dustcover hingesremain unchanged(Opens in a new window). When you mess with a classic, there's often backlash, but the hi-fi world is more or less ecstatic about how this redesign honors the original by improving upon it. If you have $1,000 to spend on a turntable, this is the one to get.
最好的让步t Turntable
Lenco L-85
Lenco L-85, $109
Of course, you can also just go the very affordable route. TheLenco L-85has a retro look and a low price—it also happens to be a USB turntable, so it’ll work with your digital setup and eliminates the need for a stereo receiver. It comes in a variety of eye-catching colors, and what it gets right is simplicity, ease of use, and features. It can also record digital files, but not quite on the same level as the Sony PS-HX500.
Best Powered Speakers for a USB Turntable
Klipsch R-41PM
Klipsch R-41PM, $249
If you want true stereo separation, a pair of bookshelf-stylespeakersis probably the answer. TheKlipsch R-41PMspeakers sound great, and have a USB port on the back so you can plug the digital output of a USB turntable directly in, or use the dedicated RCA phono input for standard turntables. There’s even a switch to toggle between typical line signals and a turntable phono signal. And if you want some extra low-frequency oomph, the R-41PM are designed to work with a subwoofer.
Best High-End Headphones for Home
HiFiMan Ananda
HiFiMan Ananda, $999
The planar magnetic drivers and open design of theHiFiMan Anandacombine for a wonderfully realistic spatial feel. When you listen to orchestral music, theheadphonesmake it sound like you’re in the music hall. Vocals are delivered with detail that lesser pairs can’t always reproduce. If you have room in your budget and you want the best headphones to use with your high-end turntable, the Ananda deliver an immersive audio experience.
最好的让步t-Friendly Headphones for Home
Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro
Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro, $79
Don’t have $1,000 to drop on headphones? No worries—for under $100, you can get theBeyerdynamic DT 240 Pro. Sure, they're headphones designed for recording studios, but they're comfortable, affordable, and deliver accurate audio at a bargain price.
If you can spend a bit more for better sound and comfort, we also recommend the $180Sennheiser HD 558or the $300Sony MDR-1A. All three of these pairs are excellent for their prices, and will bring out details of your vinyl collection that you might miss on typical bass-forward, heavily sculpted headphones.
Best Multi-Room Integration Device
Sonos Port
Sonos Port, $399
TheSonos Portis a simple, affordable way to get music from your turntable (or any gear with a stereo RCA output) to stream throughout your home—assuming you have a multi-room Sonos setup. You can control the Port with the Sonos app, and it also has an output for connecting to your powered stereo gear. You can also use Apple’s AirPlay 2 to stream audio from your iPhone or iPad, but the ability to drop the needle on a record in one room and hear it across the whole house is one of the more compelling reasons to buy into the Sonos ecosystem that we can think of.
Best Affordable Integrated Amplifier
Marantz PM5005
Marantz PM5005, $499
If you want to play your turntable through passive speakers, you need an amplifier—an integrated amp also does the job of the stereo receiver, allowing you to switch between sound sources, and perhaps adjust the treble and bass. They can be quite expensive, but in the middle ground, theMarantz PM5005($499) has the phono input you need and the power you crave—Marantz amps can dial up the bass a little without sounding unbalanced.
If you're on a tighter budget, consider theSony STRDH190(Opens in a new window)(about $150). It also has a dedicated phono input, and can stream Bluetooth audio, as well.
Best Phono Cartridge Upgrade
Grado Prestige Blue2
Grado Prestige Blue2, $125
升级你的转盘的车tridge isn't terribly difficult if you read up on it first. And the reward is a fuller, more dynamic sound from your records. Grado offers so many different styles of cartridges, and so many price tiers, just picking one can be a daunting—but nearly all of them represent significant upgrades over what many affordable turntables typically ship with. ThePrestige Blue2hits a sweet spot in terms of its pricing in the Grado realm, and it will certainly bring out more detail and dynamics in your records.
Best Vinyl Cleaning Service
Perfect Vinyl Forever
Perfect Vinyl Forever
Even if you only buy new vinyl, and the highest-quality pressings, there’s always going to be some crackle in there. If you're like me, that crackle is part of the fun, but I have friends who truly wish to eliminate the nostalgic clicks and pops from their listening experience so they can better enjoy their 180-gram LPs on their excellent turntables. That's wherePerfect Vinyl Forevercomes in.
For a fee of $5 or $8, depending on the level of cleaning required, you send in your records, they restore them to former glory (or bring out the best in new LPs), and then send them back them to you. (They have special boxes for shipping that can be purchased on Amazon.) You can always choose to clean your records yourself, if the thought of mailing away vinyl is too nerve-wracking, but to properly and deeply clean a record, you might find you’ll be investing in far more than a brush and a bottle of cleaning solution.
One note: Not all clicks and pops are the result of a dirty record, sometimes it is actually part of the pressing. But if it’s the result of a substance or material that shouldn’t be on the vinyl, Perfect Vinyl Forever will get rid of it for you.
