Best Turntable Under $100
What is the Best Turntable Under $100?
If you are reading this post, you have probably made the decision to buy a turntable and you are most likely a beginner trying to make your first uncertain steps on the path. If this is the case, what you need is to understand what would be the best choice for the money because it’s not an easy one to make.
It’s not like choosing a CD player, it is mechanics, so the construction of the turntable does matter. That’s why we have put together and are going to review the best options of decent quality vinyl record players under $100 to help you choose yours.
Best 8 Turntables Under $100 in 2024
- 2-speeds (33-1/3 45 RPM)
- Hi-Fi audio, Automatic, Built-in stereo speakers
- Integral Dual Magnet phono cartridge with replaceable diamond stylus
- 3-speeds (33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM)
- Bluetooth
- Auto stop, Built-in Speakers
- 3-speeds (33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM)
- CD & cassette player, FM radio, Bluetooth, and Aux & headphone jack
- Record from Vinyl to MP3, Built-in stereo speakers
- 3-speeds ( 33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM)
- Bluetooth
- RCA and headphone Jack outputs
- 3-speeds (33-1/3, 45, 78 RPM)
- Bluetooth, Built-in speakers
- USB Connect & RCA line-out
- 3-speeds (33-1/3, 45, 78 RPM)
- AUX in & RCA out
- Built-in stereo speakers
- 3-speeds (33, 45, 78 RPM)
- Bluetooth, Built-in stereo speakers
- AM/FM Radio
- 3-speeds (7", 10" , 12" vinyl records with 45 RPM)
- Bluetooth, Built-in Stereo Speaker
- AM/FM & Aux-in & RCA out & Headphone jack
Record Player under $100: Detailed Overview
As you can see from the table the presented options have both similarities and differences so it could be quite difficult to make the choice. So, let’s look into the turntables we recommend in more detail.
Author’s Choice
Audio-Technica is a brand name that speaks for itself being in the market for over 60 years which already can deserve our trust. The AT-LP60X is the improved Audio-Technica AT-LP60 turntable, which in its time received good experts’ opinions.
The tonearm has been improved with a redesigned headshell structure and a modified plinth structure. According to the Audio-Technica brand itself, the changes will significantly reduce negative vibrations that can degrade the sound.
The turntable has a built-in phono preamp, so you can easily connect your new turntable directly to speakers of a stereo system, which will save you the money and the trouble of buying extra devices.
The AT-LP60X comes with a removable cover to protect it from dust and is available in 4 colours: black (AT-LP60X-BK), brown/black (AT-LP60X-BW), gunmetal/black (AT-LP60X-GM), and red/black (AT-LP60X-RD).
Yes, you can argue that it costs more than $ 100, but, believe us, it’s totally worth it. The model by Audio-Technica has got everything a good turntable must have (no extra expenses needed) and it will serve you for a long time due to its quality.
Considering the above, choosing the AT-LP60X would be the right thing to do as it combines all the basic principles for Choosing the Best Beginner Vinyl Turntable Review according to the author of our previous post too: belt drive, built-in preamp and autostop.
Pros:
- Decent quality for a reasonable price
- User friendly - one of the best beginner record players
- Built-in phono preamp
Cons:
- The turntable weighs only 5 lbs, which does not provide enough resistance to external vibrations
People’s Choice
Victrola Vintage is the absolute winner with the public due to its cute design and awesome variety of colors (33). It’s a great idea for a gift too. Its first and obvious advantage is portability. You can take it wherever you want, it’s compact and durable. Apart from its attractive looks and portability, it has also got a pretty good quality for the price. The company featured its first turntable in 1906, so you are buying from a trusted producer. The 3 speeds allow you to play any kind of record and, what’s really convenient, it has automatic adjustment of the platter’s speed.
Naturally for the price, the platter is made of plastic and the tonearm is somewhat flimsy. Plus there’s no mat on the platter to eliminate the vibration, but you can buy it separately.
The built-in speakers compensate for the common problem of all the suitcase turntables — their lack of loudness. If you really enjoy the bass, you can hook up external speakers or use headphones as connectivity is another advantage of Victrola Vintage. You can use Bluetooth, aux or a built-in headphone jack. So if you are really into fashion, beauty and flexibility, Victrola Vintage is the best portable record player you can find.
Pros:
- Design
- Portability
- Connectivity
Cons:
- Plastic platter
- Flimsy tonearm
Premium Choice
For those who appreciate the warm home atmosphere created by a retro looking turntable, Victrola 8-in-1 would be the right choice. It comes in 5 classic colors: black, white, espresso, mahogany and oak to match your decor style and what’s really nice is the fact that it looks much more expensive than it actually costs.
Victrola 8-in-1 is not only a vinyl record player, it’s a whole music center: you can listen to CDs and record from them, use cassettes and even stream your favorite music from your smartphone or listen to the radio thanks to its Bluetooth, USB and cable connectivity options.
The built-in speakers give a much better sound than those of the previous turntable we reviewed, so for an average listener they could be quite sufficient.
The model comes with a remote control which is very convenient, though it has to be switched on and off manually. Victrola 8-in-1 is made of high quality materials and the company provides a one-year warranty. Therefore, without doubt, we can call it the best vintage record player for the price.
Pros:
- Variety of using options
- Good built-in speakers
- Connectivity options
Cons:
- No power button on remote control
Best Budget
Crosley CR8005D-TU Cruiser Deluxe is also the #1, entry-level turntable. It's a cute, compact case that is a retro vinyl record player at the same time, with three playback speeds. This ensures that the turntable can deliver satisfactory performance regardless of the type of recording being played. As this unit uses a belt-driven motor, you needn't worry about the unwanted vibration.
The most attractive feature is surely its unique design: the case can both decorate your apartment and be easily carried around and literally travel with you, providing you with music wherever there is access to power. The variety of colors of this model (including turquoise, tweed gray, pink, black, and others) is sure to pleasantly surprise you. With this flexibility, you can easily find a color that matches your personality and the interior design of your home. Another great feature is the built-in stereo speakers. However, they are powerful enough only for comfortable listening in a medium sized room, while for a large party you will need an external audio system.
Bluetooth 5.0 is supported in "receiving" format: you can listen to music from your phone or laptop but you won't be able to get the sound out to your speakers without wires. In addition you get a headphone jack and RCA audio output.
Please note that the cartridge cannot be replaced (which makes it impossible to upgrade), you can only replace the needle, this model fits the Crosley NP6.
All of this being said, we can recommend the Crosley CR8005D-TU Cruiser Deluxe as the best portable record player with built in speakers.
Pros:
- Belt-driven
- Built-in stereo speakers
- Cute design
Cons:
- High tracking force of the needle may damage LPs
Best Vintage
Udreamer Vinyl Record Player is another turntable for those who love the vintage style. While it is a nice addition to your home decor, it’s also a modern device with Bluetooth support which means you can play your favourite songs directly from your smartphone or your tablet. It literally doesn’t require any setup so it’s really good for the entry level users.
If you want to enjoy the warm sound of an LP you needn’t worry about what size it is as the turntable can play all of them.
The built-in speakers come with a woofer for you to feel the groove. For even a greater sound you can easily connect external speakers via Bluetooth, RCU or USB.
It’s belt-driven so you won’t have the unwanted resonance. The only drawback seems to be the light weight of the needle so it might skip tracks sometimes.
Pros:
- Belt-driven
- Connectivity options
- Built-in speakers with a woofer
Cons:
- Lightweight needle
Simple Design
For those who don’t like excessive details we recommend considering Wrcibo Record Player. It is a three-speeder with a classic wooden design.
Though belt-driven, you might still feel some vibration because of the light weight of the turntable (7.55 pounds). On the other hand it’s portable, so the light weight as well as the compact size could be an advantage depending on your goals.
There’s no Bluetooth support, but there’s aux and RCA to connect it to your CD player, headphones or external speakers, which, by the way, you might consider using if you like listening to loud music. The built-in speakers do not sound loud enough.
The tonearm is semi-automatic which is very convenient because you don’t need to get up to raise the needle after the record has finished. The model comes with a removable transparent plastic cover to protect it from dust.
Pros:
- Belt-driven
- Portable
- Semi-automatic tonearm
Cons:
- Vibration because of the light weight
- No Bluetooth support
Best Wooden Style
The plinth of the HOFEINZ Vintage turntable is made of solid wood which gives you the genuine warm feeling of the 60’s. It’s sturdy and durable, a really refreshing alternative to plastic and metal. Although pretty lightweight (5.9 Pounds), there are no issues like vibration or skipping thanks to the belt drive, a solid tonearm and a diamond stylus.
Another outstanding feature is its built-in 15 W speakers loud enough not to bother buying and connecting external ones. This is the detail which makes HOFEINZ Vintage turntable the best sounding record player on our list. However, if you want to throw a party, there’s a Bluetooth out support to hook up to a stereo system. Speaking of which, there’s no Bluetooth in support that can cause some inconvenience for those who would like to connect the unit to other devices.
A truly retro feature is the AM/FM radio, so you can enjoy cosy home evenings listening to your favourite podcasts.
Pros:
- Made of wood
- Loud stereo speakers
- AM/FM radio
Cons:
- No Bluetooth in
Best with Headphones Support
The VOKSUN Vintage Turntable is a decent beginner record player for the price. The three speeder has got everything you might want from a turntable. Its elegant vintage design is combined with contemporary features like Bluetooth in for you to stream music directly from your gadgets, aux in and RCA out to hook up a pair of external speakers and of course a headphone jack that can come handy if your family or roommates don’t really share your music preferences. Like the previous turntable we reviewed, this one has got a sleek wooden design to fit any interior style, an AM/FM radio support and rather loud built-in speakers as well to save you the trouble of buying extra ones.
The absence of a cover is definitely a drawback as well as the flimsy tonearm, which, nevertheless does not influence the sound quality.
The fact that the turntable is really user friendly combined with an affordable price are sure to deserve your attention.
Pros:
- Connectivity options
- Expensive look
- User friendly
Cons:
- No dust cover
Best Turntable Under $100 — Buyer’s Guide
We realise the amount of information and similar features can be overwhelming for someone who is new in the hobby, that’s why we have prepared this Buyer's guide to help you choose your new favourite item.
How to choose your Best Turntable under $100?
First you should think about what purpose you need the turntable for. To listen to music, we understand, but what else? Maybe you want to travel with it or take it to the country — then pay attention to more portable models.
If you want it to stand in one place for you to enjoy the music in the atmosphere of evening leisure and relaxation — then a model with an interesting design and a solid plinth to fit in your interior would be more suitable.
The next step is to understand what functions you want it to be able to perform: whether you need Bluetooth, an option to convert music to mp3, or to connect headphones.
There are four main criteria to consider: price, design, quality and sound. When it comes to choosing a turntable, they are all interrelated. As for the price, you know in this post we are only reviewing budget options to help you find your best record player under $ 100.
Design
The design of a vinyl turntable is as important a selection criterion as its sound. The prettier turntable and the better it fits into our interior, the more we love it.
Quality
Vinyl players are a special kind of music equipment. Naturally, the experience of using them is way too different from using acoustic centers, soundbars, subwoofers and speakers. If you want to choose a cool turntable, we recommend you pay attention to the following parameters:
- Plinth material. Avoid turntables with a plastic plinth, because this material distorts the sound. Give preference to a plinth made of glass, acrylic or solid wood. However, before buying, always check their integrity and the quality of the assembled parts’ fit to each other - if they are not tightly assembled, after a while the plinth will start making cracking noises and also distort the sound.
- Platter material. The situation here is about the same - avoid plastic and look for aluminum, steel or glass units. Also, there had better be a mat and you should check it for thickness and tightness of fit, as this is what will eliminate the vibrations.
- Drive type. The drive is responsible for smoothness of work and correspondence of playback to the chosen speed. There are only two of them: belt drive (passive) and direct drive. In general, they are equal in the number of advantages and disadvantages. In the belt drive, the motor is as far away from the headshell as possible, which allows to reduce distortions from its vibration. Let's leave the direct drive to the DJs: they have specific requirements for the equipment, not directly related to the quality of playback.
- Tonearm and its length. An elaborate device with an interesting name is used to keep the headshell in the correct position in relation to the record. The accuracy of the sound depends on it. We recommend looking out for record players with a tone arm from 9 to 12 inches. A long tone arm will allow for less angular error when playing your vinyl.
- Cartridge. Contrary to popular belief this is the most important part of a turntable. The cartridge directly affects the sound quality as it is responsible for reading music from the record. A quality turntable must support needle and cartridge replacement. A piece of advice: choose turntables with cartridges from well-known manufacturers, which include Audio-Technica, Ortofon, Grado, etc.
Sound
Vinyl record players are valued for their analog sound, which preserves live performance without being digitally processed. The record contains grooves — tracks that are identical to the sound wave form.
If you're buying a turntable just to listen to your favorite music in the background without obsessing over the nuances of sound, then any, even the most inexpensive model will do.
If you want to connect it to speakers and make your records as loud as possible, there are successful models with built-in phono stages in this price niche, but to achieve the best possible sound quality, it is better to buy these components separately. However, we suggest options like this for more advanced users, who have already tasted all the magic of vinyl and wish to continue your hobby and to expand your collection of records.
How to use a Turntable?
First, let's understand what the turntable is made of:
- the turntable's plinth is the non-moving base;
- the platter is the disk on which a record is placed;
- he tonearm (arm) is a device for positioning the needle;
- the head shell consists of a needle and a cartridge which transforms mechanical vibrations into sounds and transmits them to speakers.
If a turntable has built-in stereo speakers you can easily take a record and turn the turntable on, if you want to connect your turntable to speakers, you will need a phono stage. Many turntables have it built-in so you don't have to buy an additional one.
If you have found your favorite turntable and want to add volume to it, you should consider buying a phono stage. We have already talked about it in detail here — How to Connect a Turntable to Speakers
Of course your choice will depend on a number of factors starting from the price and finishing by your specific needs or your taste. Hopefully, our review was useful to you and will help you decide which vinyl record player will soon become yours.
Best Turntable Under $100 — FAQ
What is the difference in turntables’ speeds?
Most turntables have three speeds: 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM. The standard speed for a record is set to 33 RPM. The difference between 33 and 45 is the size of the record:
- if it is 12 inches — 33 RPM
- if it is 7 inches — it’s better to go with 45 RPM
- you need 78 RPM if you listen to very old records from the 50's
What is better: automatic or manual control?
This is a tricky question. On the one hand, automatic is more convenient because you don't have to bother adjusting the tonearm, switching speeds, and you'll save your records from wear during idle spinning. However, it also has a huge disadvantage. When the mechanisms loosen, the tonearm can fall on the record and damage it. In addition, if the model does not have an adjustment of the pressing force, your records are sure to wear and their tracks will damage. Manual control is not so comfortable, but it allows you to avoid the disadvantages of the automatic control.
Does the turntable’s weight influence the sound quality?
A good turntable must have a decent weight. As a rule, devices weighing less than 15 pounds are designed for the most unpretentious users. In particular, the turntable's platter should be heavy. On the other hand, some modern manufacturers began to make platters and tonearms from carbon. This relatively lightweight material allows the quality to be maintained even with low weight.
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