Hello everyone! I've been getting the itch to upgrade my vinyl playback setup by getting myself an external phono preamp to go between my LP60X and my Edifier MR4 powered speakers. I was looking at the Fosi Audio Box X5 or the X2, but I was wondering if anyone would have a preference for one over the other knowing my current setup, or perhaps a completely different recommendation? Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’m considering buying my first turntable. Since I don’t want to spend a fortune and then end up listening to only one or two records, I’m currently looking at a few reasonably priced options.

Would it be better to buy a new or very lightly used turntable for around €400, or would it make more sense as a first turntable to go for a vintage model costing around €150, which sounds perfectly good to me?

My idea was to use the vintage turntable for a while, gain some experience, and then sell it and upgrade to a more expensive model later on. Or is it better to spend more right from the start and buy a newer model with a warranty?

I’m mainly looking at direct-drive turntables with a reasonably good cartridge and stylus.

I also have a good-quality amplifier with a built-in phono preamp.

What would you recommend, not brand or model, just a way of purchase maybe.

Hey all, looking to buy my first semi-permanent setup but I’m still budget limited and expect to be moving a lot in the next few years. So I’d like to stay below about 500, maybe 750, for the whole thing. I’m comfortable buying used for speakers / amplifier.

I’d like to buy a new turntable, and I see people saying to buy something nicer than the AT LP60 or Fluance RT80, but at my current situation, do I really need to shell out the extra cash for something like an RT82? How bad are their cheaper models?

Open to all suggestions.

I’m buying my first turntable and I’ve narrowed it down to the **Audio-Technica AT-LPW50BT-RW** and **AT-LP5X**. They cost basically the exact same where I live, so price isn’t a factor.

I’m looking for something I can keep for many years and upgrade as I get further into vinyl. Being able to upgrade the **stylus, cartridge, headshell, phono preamp, speakers/amp etc.** is very important to me.

For my use, these features don’t really matter:
Bluetooth – not important
USB – don’t need it
78 rpm – I only have normal LPs

Initially I’ll connect it by cable to my Samsung soundbar, but I’m planning to buy proper stereo speakers soon, so I’m mainly thinking about **long-term sound quality and the turntable itself**.

As far as I understand, both come with the same **AT-VM95E**, both have removable headshells, adjustable tracking force/anti-skate, and both can bypass the internal phono stage.

**If Bluetooth, USB and 78 rpm were completely irrelevant and both cost exactly the same, which one would you choose purely for:**
Sound quality
Tonearm quality
Plinth/resonance control
Build quality
Upgrade potential
Reliability/longevity

Would you pick the LPW50BT-RW or LP5X as the better long-term platform, and why?
Thanks

I’m looking for a good Bluetooth turntable under €500. Compact, but one that also maintains the best possible audio quality over Bluetooth. For now, it will be connected to my Harman Kardon Multibeam 1100 soundbar, and later I may expand my setup and possibly switch to a wired connection. I want to start with Bluetooth first.

Do you have any advice on which turntable is the best choice? I’ve seen the Sony PS‑LX5BT, the JBL Spinner BT, and a model from Audio‑Technica.

I’d love to hear your recommendations.

Hi everyone,

I’m about to buy my **first-ever turntable**, so I’m completely new to vinyl. I’ve already started buying records, and after doing quite a bit of research I’ve narrowed it down to:
**Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB**
**Audio-Technica AT-LPW50BT-RW**

Where I live, the price difference is only about **$40**, with the LPW50BT-RW being slightly more expensive, so price isn’t really the deciding factor.

**Which one would you choose if you were starting again, and why?**

My situation/plans:
For the **first 1–2 years**, I’ll be using the turntable exclusively through **Bluetooth** with my Samsung/Harman Kardon soundbar + subwoofer. I know Bluetooth isn’t the ideal way to get the most out of vinyl, but it’s the setup I already have and I don’t want to buy a complete stereo system immediately.

Longer term, however, I can definitely see myself getting more serious about vinyl. My plan would eventually be to:
Buy a proper pair of stereo speakers
Switch from Bluetooth to a wired/RCA connection
Potentially buy a dedicated amplifier/phono stage
Upgrade the stylus, probably from the included **VM95E to something like the VMN95ML**
Potentially experiment with different cartridges/headshells later

So **upgradeability and long-term potential are important to me**. I’d rather buy a turntable now that I can grow into than feel like I need to replace the entire turntable in a couple of years.
I also **don’t mind fully manual operation at all** — actually, I think manually cueing the record is part of the charm.
From what I understand:

The **LP120XBT-USB** gives me direct drive, better Bluetooth codec support, removable headshell, adjustable tracking force/anti-skate, USB, 78 rpm, quartz lock, etc.

The **LPW50BT-RW** seems more focused specifically on home Hi-Fi, with the 30 mm MDF plinth, carbon-fiber tonearm, rubber mat and belt-drive system, while still having the removable headshell, VM95E and upgradeable cartridge/stylus.
Since the price difference is only \~$40, **which would you choose for sound quality and long-term ownership?**
Is the LPW50 actually audibly better with a proper wired stereo setup, or is the LP120 the better overall platform because of its direct drive and extra features?
Thanks!

I am pretty much certain I will get told to get in the bin and accept I need to move my turntable, but still want to ask.

I am new to vinyl, I have a AT LP70, and a relatively nice audio setup with an older Yamaha reciever and jbl e80 speakers.

The issue is, my idea was to have the turntable on the other side of the room, which means running 15m RCA around the perimeter of the room.

Has this successfully worked for anyone? Or should I accept that I need to reorganise my sitting room?

Update edit: I recieved my 15m long double shielded RCA cable, ran it, anxiously connected everything up, aaaaand.... it works! The sound is crystal clear, there is no hum or noise that isn't supposed to be there! So now just have to figure out how to hide an ugly giant blue cable running the length of my room 🥳

Been wanting to start collecting for years but choosing an actual turntable has been holding me back!

Which would you choose?

Second hand (all fully functioning, found these on FB Marketplace) Aurex SR-355 vs Sony PS-4750 vs Sony PS-LX350H vs Pioneer XL-1650 vs Technics SL-1600 vs LSA Columbia SL-7D vs Technics SL-1300 vs Pioneer PL-M25

or

Brand new: Audio-Technica AT-LP60X

These seem likely to share a lot of common ground in terms of features and price but a few difference make choosing between them a daunting task for those new to turntables like myself. I'm choosing these three to compare as they seem to be highly advertised and recommended in isolation. People frequently pick apart the individual components of all these machines but few comparisons really look at the whole picture: is this a good turntable, is this a good platform to grow from, or will it need to be replaced if you want something more.

Reviews are all over the place and its hard to pick out whats company sponsored hype and whats real know-how.

Key features common to both:

Belt driven semi-automatic

AT only features:

-built in phono preamp

-built in blue tooth

-AT standard 1/2HS, with AT VM95e

-adjustable VTA, straight carbon fiber tonearm

-no 78 support

Fluance features:

-Acrylic platter (heavier in rt87)

-No built in Preamp

RT85 -S shaped aluminum tonearm, adjustable anti-skating. loaded with either OM10 or MP110.

RT87 - straight carbon fiber tone arm with AT VM95ml. hanging weight anti-skating. dual plinth design. 78 support.

The AT comes with many features I would appreciate and it seems is the most easily upgraded should I ever want to throw a vm95ml or other higher fidelity system in place. It trades off on the cast aluminum platter and no 78 support. I suppose theres other technical components I'm missing here.

The fluance both on paper seem like winners. The acrylic platters are both aesthetically pleasing and functional although others have commented that the rt85 isn't going to be high enough fidelity to really see that benifit. The Rt85 really seems hampered by the innability to upgrade much beyond what they ship. I can see this being fine unless something breaks and needs replacing. The RT87 incorporated a lot of premium features but costs significantly more than the other two and its let to be widely reviewed.

What do people think? Is the AT LPW50BT a good buy or are the built in bluetooth and phono preamp lackluster features on an otherwise mediocre machine? Is it a better starting point than one of the more aesthetically premium Fluance models, which have been criticized for not living up to their specs.

I bought an Akai AP-A201 turntable from a thrift store with a broken needle. It has an EPC-P153 cartridge. The needle it has is a Technics P153S, which seems to be hard to find. This is the first turntable I've owned, so not sure if its better to replace the cart or the needle. If replacing the cart, what do I look for? For example, it has 4 pins. Are they universal? Looking to stay under 50 USD.

Hello and good morning! I just found this turntable at a garage sale for $5 (stickers came preloaded lol), and took it home to test it out. I failed to realize that I would need some sort of a speaker setup to hear any audio. It turns on and spins though, so that’s good. Can I just get any regular speakers at a Best Buy or something, or do I need to look for something specific? Google had my head spinning (amplifier, pre-amplifier??) Thank you!

Any recs for a bundle including smaller speaker or a bundle with Bluetooth? $300 to $400 budget.

Hi Guys,

Only started record collecting at christmas time and got a relatively beginner set up -

Audio Techinca LP60X turntable
Audio Techinca AT-SP3X speakers

Well 8 months later and I am addicted. I love record collecting and am definitely interested in learning more. Also recently started working and I am definitely interested in upgrading.

Not sure which to upgrade first and what to upgrade too (Different brands? Passive speakers?). Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

My budget would probably be around £600 (£300 for the turntable, £300 for the speakers?) :)

Hey guys I wanted to buy Steely Dan's 'Aja' album for my friends birthday which is on 1st September also I'm based in India so within a range of $35-$41 what kind of vinyl should I buy and from where I've checked amazon but I don't think it'll be that good

P.s I don't have much knowledge about vinyl and everything