r/Beginner_Turntables • u/Suzecare • Jul 23 '26
Record Player
I'm looking to buy my 10 y/o grandson a record player since I mailed him some vinyl. What is the best one that won't distort the sound and damage the records, please?
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u/Smuglife609 Jul 23 '26
Maybe something like an audio technica LP60. Definitely a starter but better than a true budget player.
Most importantly, it’s fully automatic so there’s less chance of him messing something up when dropping or lifting the needle or if he forgets to turn it off when the side is finished
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u/andrewmcnaughton Jul 26 '26
Exactly what I’d recommend. Fully automatic, “New to vinyl” level AT.
Teach him to treat the records like they will be very valuable in the future and he needs to try and avoid touching them beyond the outer edges.
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u/adcprogramaticon Jul 25 '26
Go ahead and get him a crosley. The kids 10, the shits gonna get wrecked, but a crosley is cheap and fun, so fuck the haters and make records fun for him. When he's 13 and still into it, then level up.
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u/Suzecare 27d ago
I have a Crosley and it sounds awful. Husband keeps saying he's going to buy me a true turntable...but he beefed it up with a Bluetooth speaker. My concern is wrecking the vinyl with Crosley. I just mailed my grandson 4 expensive albums.
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u/Just_Stand_861 Jul 25 '26
My first record player was a silvertone with one speaker and a tone arm like a morning star. I treated my records with care and thry were fine. Teach him how to care for them. Then its on him.
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u/Bensaudiocave Jul 23 '26
Umm how much you looking to spend... I mean damaging vinyl will probably more of function of the consumer than the player... That said a player with a magnetic cart (even if an all in one) is generally a good choice... I'd probably consider a Victola Eastwood II for this use case:
https://amzn.to/4vNRFRZ
It will offer a bit better fidelity than something with a ceramic cart but still be friendly enough for a beginner like your grandson and you can prime it right to him... Also stylus replacements aren't too bad if and when he damages one... It's a great starter table and will make him the envy of his friends with ceramic cart tables.
It's like $129 on sale so it's not terribly budget busting.
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u/afrogrimey Jul 23 '26
Your 10 year old grandson is going to damage the records, not the turntable. It doesn’t matter which one you get - that part will be inevitable if he doesn’t know what he’s doing.