5 Highly-Rated Vinyl Record Players Worth Your Money

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If you have a collection of vinyl records, then you need a good turntable to play them. After all, if you've spent countless hours (and way too much money) filling your shelves with such gems like the LPs every classic rock fan should already own, the essential vinyls for every '60s music buff, and these records for '70s diehard fans, then dropping the needle from a banged-up turntable you picked up off of the curb seems silly, no? What you need is a highly-rated turntable that is worthy of your collection, one that makes your records sound like they were pressed to solid gold.

Record collecting is for everyone, whether they spend every weekend digging through crates or if they only buy one or two records a year. The following list has some serious entries in it, for those who are willing to spend some money on a highly-rated record player. But there's also a recommended all-in-one piece for someone who might not want an elaborate setup. After all, everyone deserves to enjoy their records, and every record deserves to sound good. And you can make vinyls last even longer when properly cared for. Prices may vary.

Let's get the sticker shock out of the way: A Technics SL turntable, brand new, will set you back at least $1,000. The Technics Direct Drive Turntable System II – SL-1200GR2 turntable retails for around $2,499.99. Turntable Lab is selling the SL-1200 MK7-S at $1,299.99, and you can find comparable prices over at Guitar Center and Sweetwater. However, if you dig around online, you can find a few options between $500 to $800. But this record player will last you a long time.

Technics are viewed as essential for any professional DJ who spins vinyl. As a collector, why would you want this? Well, these are considered the Aston Martin or Rolls-Royce of the record-playing world. You can buy one of these and never buy another record player for the rest of your life. Is it overpriced luxury, or is it quality worth every dollar? You decide. Or read what others have said, "Everything about this table is good. The feet, platter, plinth, and arm do a great job. It's obvious this [turntable] was engineered to be audiophile grade," reads one of the 5-star reviews over at Sweetwater.

The Crosley C100A-SI boasts "a high-quality analog experience with pristine sound," but what might appeal to record collectors is its price: $299.00 directly from the story, though you could find one on Amazon often under $200. The C100 has the industry standard for excellent audio: an aluminum tonearm with a cueing lever, an adjustable counterweight, and anti-skate control, allowing you to ensure that the needle never skips whenever you play that ultra-rare color variant of your favorite LP.

Crosley has a whole line of record players that won't break the bank. Affordability is in the DNA: Powel Crosley Jr. created the affordable "Harko" radio in 1920, meaning Crosley has been in the audio game for over 100 years. With decades of experience, Crosley is a trusted brand that continues to satisfy audiophiles. "Whether you're just getting into turntables, or if you have been into record collecting for years, this is an awesome turntable to acquire," reads one of the 5-star reviews on Amazon. 

Audio-Technica might be the Adidas to Technics' Puma — two brands that rose around the same time, and are viewed as top of their field. Technics started up in 1965, owned by Panasonic (back when it was called Matsushita Electric, which was named after founder Kōnosuke Matsushita). Three years prior, Hideo Matsushita founded Audio-Technica. The inspiration came after Hideo hosted listening parties at the Bridgestone Museum of Art and witnessed the effect that high-quality audio has on people. He wanted to ensure people could experience that at home, so he got to work. For most of the company's history, the focus was on tonearms, cartridges, and diamond styluses.

In 2007, the brand launched its first turntable, and over the two decades since, Audio-Technica has made waves with high-quality turntables. The LP120X is a direct-drive turntable with anti-skate control, a selectable phono preamplifier, and a USB output that allows connection to your computer. This means you can digitize your records in FLAC format so you don't have to suffer low-quality streaming compression rates. At $399.00 from Audio-Technica, it's a more attractive price that doesn't sacrifice the sound.

Turntables don't have to be black, brown, and silver. If you want a highly rated turntable that has a touch of class and a splash of color, you can't go wrong with the Majority Stylo. Founded in Cambridge, U.K., in 2012, Majority has a wide range of audio products, including its Stylo and Folio lines for vinyl lovers at heart. The Folio is an all-in-one option, but dedicated vinyl collectors will want to turn their eyes to the Stylo — especially in these lovely colors. Just look at that British Racing Green. Gorgeous!

The Stylo is a belt-drive turntable that plays 33⅓ and 45 RPM records (for your LPs and 7-inch records, which have an interesting origin story). It comes with an aluminum platter, adjustable counterweight, anti-skate control, cueing lever, and pitch adjustment. You can hook up speakers via its RCA input or broadcast via Bluetooth. "This is an impressive value-for-money record player that blends classic vinyl appeal with surprisingly refined modern features, making it feel far more premium than its price suggests," wrote one user on Amazon (where it's listed for $229.43).

The fine folks at The New York Times' Wirecutter dubbed the Angels Horn H019 as the best all-in-one record player. These players, which usually combine the turntable with the amplifier and speakers, are often looked down upon in the record collecting community because they frankly don't sound great. Plus, if the speaker is under the record player, a rumbly bass line might send vibrations upwards, affecting playback. However, Wirecutter says that the H019 has a sound that's "much clearer and fuller" than your average all-in-one.

Having an Audio-Technica cartridge helps the H019 achieve that high-definition audio. Plus, it has a belt-drive system and a counterweight, allowing for more customization than most all-in-ones. Plus, it's Bluetooth-compatible, and you can connect external speakers to expand on the sound. For $195-215 on Amazon, it's a good record player for the casual fan. "Angel's Horn just feels more sturdy, reliable, and sounds better to my ears," wrote one satisfied fan on Amazon.