12/10/2023 0 Comments Turntable manual vs automaticSome also have automatic functionality to make things even easier so you can start spinning your collection faster. Setting up a turntable can be a fiddly operation, with components that need fitting and careful adjustment, but some are much simpler than others. How easy is it to set up a budget turntable? Right now, the best phono stage at this end of the market is undoubtedly the Rega Fono Mini A2D. Generally speaking, a phono-less turntable that goes through an external phono stage before getting to the amplifier will sound best, so consider going down that route if you’re serious about audio quality. For some however, like the Rega Planar 1, a phono stage will be an additional cost, but one I reckon is definitely worth the investment. Many turntables – even those in our best budget turntables list – come already packing a built-in phono stage, as do some stereo amplifiers. This is essentially a step-up amplifier – often referred to as phono preamp – that increases the record-player’s tiny output to a level that a standard stereo amplifier can work with. If you’re boarding the vinyl train for the first time, you'll need to familiarise yourself with some key components, and in particular the phono stage. What is a phono preamp and do I need one? For example, will you need Bluetooth functionality or the ability to record via USB? On paper, these features are great to have but there's no point wasting your budget on bells and whistles you are unlikely to use and, truthfully, the tech-iest turntable is almost never the one that sounds the best. It really comes down to what you want to do with your record player. What are essential record player features? If it's tech you want, these brands should be top of your list. They haven't produced a bad model in as long as I can remember.Īustrian brand Pro-Ject offers a fantastic range, too, while more mainstream brands like Sony and Audio-Technica are good at marrying true hi-fi audio quality with more modern features such as Bluetooth and USB recording. These days, the most consistent name in turntables, let alone the best budget record players, is arguably UK company Rega. While no company has a perfect record in this area, going with the established and well respected brands, is a good place to start – a turntable is a very specialised, delicate bit of kit, after all, so you want to go with a brand you know you can trust. Should I go with the big turntable brands? If you don’t care about sound quality, then a record player probably isn’t for you and you should stick to basic streaming. What should you be looking for when shopping for the best budget turntable? It might sound like an obvious thing to say, but sound quality should be your biggest priority. (Image credit: Pro-Ject) How important is sound quality?
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