r/Beginner_Turntables

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Hi I want to buy my first turntable but I don’t know which to choose. I would like to have a belt driven auto stop turntable that sounds great but isn’t to expensive, does anyone of you know which I could buy?

Is the Reloop RT-1 BT good?

Hi everyone, I own an AT-LP120XBT record player, and I was wondering which speakers to pair it with. In your opinion, are active or passive speakers better? If so, I'd like to know which speakers faithfully reproduce the sound as it was recorded on vinyl, meaning without built-in bass (unless there's a crank to boost it). Please recommend any budget options, from €100 to €500. Any advice is always welcome!

I know I can’t have these speakers on the same surface as the turntable. I also don’t have room for speaker stands on either side. should I mount the speakers on the wall? or should I get some of those speaker pads to go under the speakers? any recs are appreciated.

https://preview.redd.it/oieia9acobkh1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe4e7d798c9787b9069c3282fef0f956c27311a7

Hey guys, my girlfriends birthday is coming up and she really wants a turntable setup for her vinyls. Unfortunately I know nothing about this stuff, and so I'm hoping you guys can help me out!

After a bit of research I was thinking something along the lines of an Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT or SONY PS-LX310BT (near me these both sit at $240 AUD). I was thinking of pairing it with some Edifier R1280DB 2.0 speakers ($189 AUD).

I was wondering if this setup will be ok for a beginner, or if there is better options out there for the same budget? really appreciate any advice :)

Hi all!
Shopping for my boyfriend’s birthday but I’m completely new to vinyl players. He really wants a “good” player.

I’ve researched a bit and boiled it down to Audio Technica or Fluance. Originally I wanted a Sony but it’s a bit expensive after including speakers.

Is there a big enough difference between the AT60 or Fluance 80/85+? I’ve seen people mention preamp and also adding speakers but this is all foreign to me. These are the three I’m down to, so any opinions help! I’ve watched videos to get a feel for speaker quality but most don’t even play music or they’re sponsored. I likely won’t get speakers til Christmas, just to throw that out there. So hoping to find a quality player to do until then.

Thanks!

Would appreciate your help choosing my first turntable! My budget is around €350, and after some research, the Fluance RT81+ was my clear favourite. Here is what got me excited about it:

• Built-in preamp
• Replaceable cartridge
• 3-point isolation feet
• Acrylic mat
• Felt more solid/less plasticky than alternatives (AT, for example)
• Amazing in the looks department (minimalist, clean, not a lot of knobs)

The problem? Getting one to Europe. Shipping from Fluance directly would blow my budget. I found it on my country's Amazon for around €360 but I fear what that could mean in terms of warranty or returns in case of defect. This is really the only reason I didn't "pull the trigger".

So I've been looking at Europe-friendly alternatives, but I'm now going in circles. I keep reading that at this €360 price point there are "many better options" available in Europe, especially with the potential hassle of Fluance's return and warranty logistics. Frankly, I have not been convinced so far...
The AT's either get out of my budget or look cheap. Pro-ject's options within that budget (e.g. E1.2 phono) seem to get a lot of criticism here and the more recommended models with built-in preamps are over budget. Local brands (e.g. Argon) are not giving me any confidence so far, either due to low review/discussion, affiliation with local franchises, or just seeming overpriced for the specs.

Couple of disclaimers:

• I'm very new to this and excited to learn more about it
• I am not against buying a separate preamp but when I do so, I would like to invest in a good one. This is why I would prefer to get a tt with built-in preamp for now, but obviously with option to use an external one later
• I apologise to the audiophiles out there, but I care about aesthetics - this is going to be really exposed in our living room so I'm looking for something more minimalist instead of the industrial/dj look
• I'm not too keen on buying second-hand. Right now I don't have enough knowledge to confidently check condition, maintenance, hidden defects... and I'd rather have a warranty/return option
• €350 is a hard-ish ceiling. I often see comments on similar posts quickly turning into "just spend another €200" and "make the investment properly from the start". I understand the reasoning and know that better options exist if I stretch, but €350 is already my stretch, especially since I'm also looking at speakers. I'd rather start here and upgrade later if I end up falling further down the vinyl rabbit hole

HI! A colleague is giving me a Technics SL-B202 for free, and I'm pretty excited about it. From what I understand, it's an early-1980s belt-drive Technics with the original S-shaped tonearm and auto-return functionality. The auto-return works properly, and it currently has a relatively new Audio-Technica AT-VM95C installed. I realize this isn't an SL-1200 or some holy-grail vintage deck. I'm not trying to turn it into something it's not. But since the price is free ninety-nine, I'd love to hear how you would maximize its potential in 2026. A few questions below:

• What are the first maintenance items you'd check on an SL-B202?
• Are there any known weak points on these tables?
• If you had a limited budget, would you put money into the table itself or simply upgrade the VM95 stylus (E, EN, ML, etc.)?
• Have any of you experimented with isolation platforms, mats, feet, or other tweaks that made a noticeable difference?

TLDR; I want to get the best possible performance from a vintage Technics!

Hi everyone - Keen to get into the hobby and I'm looking to purchase an RT82 as my first turntable. While I'd love to push it through a receiver (etc.) into passive speakers, I will soon (~2 years) be moving from Canada to a a 230v/50hz country.

While the RT82 can handle dual voltage, 98% of receivers cannot. Many powered speakers can.

What I want to gauge is how much of an 'audio pleasure' loss and I taking as a beginner moving from spotify -> google home to an RT82 -> YU6 instead of a passive speaker setup?

Is there anything I haven't thought of?

Hello, I’m looking to buy my first turntable and I have a budget of 400 euros for the turntable itself. I’ve been looking at the Audio-Technica AT-LPW50PB but I’m not sure if it’s any good. I’ve also been looking at the Pro-Ject RecordMaster II black. I’m from Denmark in Europe so prices are a bit high here. I’m willing to pay a bit more than 400 euros just to get something good that I can enjoy for a while.

Locally there is only really one big store I can buy from with argon but have heard that a lot of people find them bad

Hey! Ive been looking around on other posts but figured why not just add one myself… Im looking for am affordable turntable setup just for fun. I’m pretty broke, 16 and dont have a real job, but I get 60 bucks a week babysitting so thats something for sure. I only just started though, and would like to put a lot of that money towards college. Basically, I want something relatively cheap (bc records themselves are also so pricey omg) that still sounds alright and will last me at least a couple years. Im alright with having to save up for a little bit, but I dont want to spend all my money on this. Maybe max $350 for both speakers and the player itself?

Umm, what else. I am located in the USA (eugh) and id love if i could order it online. Theres like, one music store near me and its absolutely miniscule.

Ya. Thanks for the help…

Cheers!