The Best Record Player Setup for Beginners in 2024 | Wirecutter

Adrienne Maxwell

Adrienne Maxwell is an editor covering AV gear. Her specialty is video projectors, so she spends a lot of time alone in dark rooms.

Updated September 27, 2024

We’ve updated this list with our current picks.

Whether you’re new to vinyl or rekindling a relationship with a long-dormant collection, our audio experts spend hundreds of hours researching and testing all the components you need to assemble a great turntable setup that works beautifully for you now and can be expanded down the road.

This starter component makes it easy to introduce any newcomer to the world of vinyl.

Even though today’s ubiquitous cheap record players won’t match the sound or build quality of a dedicated turntable, an affordable, all-in-one model can provide some fun for a vinyl newbie.

The Angels Horn H019 combines a well-built turntable with decent built-in speakers that sound cleaner and fuller than the competition.

The Angels Horn H019 combines a well-built turntable with decent built-in speakers that sound cleaner and fuller than the competition.

This record player shares many parts with the Angels Horn H019 and sounds quite similar, with smoother treble. But it comes from a lesser-known brand.

This record player shares many parts with the Angels Horn H019 and sounds quite similar, with smoother treble. But it comes from a lesser-known brand.

Combine these recommended essentials for a simple, Wirecutter-approved vinyl starter set.

If you’re interested in trying out vinyl playback but don’t want to spend very much, you’ll want a model that focuses on good sound quality and easy setup.

The U-Turn Orbit Basic offers good sound quality at an affordable price, and you can set it up in less than 10 minutes. You can order it with or without a phono preamp.

The U-Turn Orbit Basic offers good sound quality at an affordable price, and you can set it up in less than 10 minutes. You can order it with or without a phono preamp.

Powered speakers have built-in amplification, so you don’t need a separate stereo receiver or amplifier. Just connect the turntable to the speakers, and you’re all set. The only catch is that either the turntable or speakers need a built-in phono preamp.

This powered-speaker pair delivers best-in-class sound, looks nice, and comes with useful features like built-in Bluetooth, but it lacks a phono input.

This powered-speaker pair delivers best-in-class sound, looks nice, and comes with useful features like built-in Bluetooth, but it lacks a phono input.

This good-sounding pair is a versatile pick that works especially well for vinyl setups, since it includes a phono input for a record player.

This good-sounding pair is a versatile pick that works especially well for vinyl setups, since it includes a phono input for a record player.

This speaker sits directly underneath your turntable and connects via a single cable. It’s a model of simplicity, and it sounds great.

This speaker sits directly underneath your turntable and connects via a single cable. It’s a model of simplicity, and it sounds great.

When you’re ready for your first upgrade, here are a few higher-end pieces to try. Separate parts give more flexibility for an ideal system.

The best turntables should offer a solid combination of sound quality, ease of use, and convenient features.

The Fluance RT85N delivers an accurate sound that works great for any type of music, and it’s exceptionally well built for the price.

The Fluance RT85N delivers an accurate sound that works great for any type of music, and it’s exceptionally well built for the price.

This turntable has fantastic build quality and sound, and it’s more upgradable than the Fluance RT85N, but it’s not as sonically neutral.

This turntable has fantastic build quality and sound, and it’s more upgradable than the Fluance RT85N, but it’s not as sonically neutral.

The AT-LPW50BT features decent sound quality, a built-in phono preamp, and Bluetooth audio output.

The AT-LPW50BT features decent sound quality, a built-in phono preamp, and Bluetooth audio output.

Don’t let their compact size fool you—bookshelf speakers like these can fill a room with stereo sound. Even the most affordable options sound great compared with a similarly priced, one-piece wireless speaker.

The larger Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets we’ve heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass.

The larger Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets we’ve heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass.

These compact passive speakers emit an open and balanced sound at a price that’s hard to beat.

These compact passive speakers emit an open and balanced sound at a price that’s hard to beat.

The 3020i speakers deliver great detail and spacious sound, and their design and build quality are fantastic—but they don’t deliver as much bass as our top pick.

The 3020i speakers deliver great detail and spacious sound, and their design and build quality are fantastic—but they don’t deliver as much bass as our top pick.

Powered speakers with built-in inputs are more compact, but an amplifier or receiver setup gives you the option to upgrade speakers and add a subwoofer. These picks have a built-in phono input for hooking up turntables without extra equipment.

The STR-DH190 handles phono, Bluetooth, and more, and it delivers a lot of power for its price.

The STR-DH190 handles phono, Bluetooth, and more, and it delivers a lot of power for its price.

This cool-looking integrated amplifier has everything you could want in an affordable stereo amp: solid power, loads of features, and a phono input.

This cool-looking integrated amplifier has everything you could want in an affordable stereo amp: solid power, loads of features, and a phono input.

Adding a subwoofer to your system is the most practical way to get visceral bass notes that you feel more than you hear.

The SW-12 delivers more deep bass power than other budget models of the same approximate size, and it has all the connections you need.

The SW-12 delivers more deep bass power than other budget models of the same approximate size, and it has all the connections you need.

This good, 10-inch subwoofer comes in a slim cabinet that slips behind or under couches or mounts on a wall.

This good, 10-inch subwoofer comes in a slim cabinet that slips behind or under couches or mounts on a wall.

The Speedwoofer 10S MKII offers an ideal blend of bass power and finesse in a compact and affordable package.

The Speedwoofer 10S MKII offers an ideal blend of bass power and finesse in a compact and affordable package.

Need a little help fine-tuning that new setup? Here are the handy tools and accessories we recommend using.

These headphones are too bulky for commuting, but they’re perfect for communing with your music in private.

These comfortable, exciting-sounding headphones are difficult to beat, especially at this price.

These comfortable, exciting-sounding headphones are difficult to beat, especially at this price.

The Sony MDR-7506 offers more reliability, comfort, and better sound than many headphones twice its price and is beloved among audiophiles and beginners alike.

The Sony MDR-7506 offers more reliability, comfort, and better sound than many headphones twice its price and is beloved among audiophiles and beginners alike.

This pair delivers a spacious, balanced sound, but its open-back design lets sound in and out.

This pair delivers a spacious, balanced sound, but its open-back design lets sound in and out.

No matter how much you spend on a turntable, it sounds only as good as the record does. Although you can try manual methods to clean records, using a record washer is the easiest and most effective way to do so.

Experts we interviewed unanimously recommended getting this alongside a new turntable. There’s no more cost-effective way to clean vinyl.

Experts we interviewed unanimously recommended getting this alongside a new turntable. There’s no more cost-effective way to clean vinyl.

Dust and debris on your records causes unnecessary noise during playback. This record brush gets in all the crevices and helps prevent static, which attracts dust.

Dust and debris on your records causes unnecessary noise during playback. This record brush gets in all the crevices and helps prevent static, which attracts dust.

While these record-cleaning wipes are pricier than others, they’re free of harmful chemicals that will damage your vinyl.

While these record-cleaning wipes are pricier than others, they’re free of harmful chemicals that will damage your vinyl.

Speaker wire is one of those things that you need but that is so easy to forget. The good news is that high-quality speaker wire is very affordable.

This well-made, affordable speaker wire, in a gauge that’s suited to a wide range of speaker binding posts, will satisfy casual and critical listeners alike.

This well-made, affordable speaker wire, in a gauge that’s suited to a wide range of speaker binding posts, will satisfy casual and critical listeners alike.

Speaker wire probably doesn’t come in the perfect length for your stereo system, so you’ll need a pair of these to cut it to size.

The comfortable, spring-loaded handles, the large jaws, and the clearly marked wire-stripping holes make this tool a solid choice for AV setup.

The comfortable, spring-loaded handles, the large jaws, and the clearly marked wire-stripping holes make this tool a solid choice for AV setup.

Setting up your turntable correctly is key to getting the best performance out of it. We recommend checking out an online guide or video to help you do so, and these tools are some of our picks to set up and maintain your turntable, as well as improve the sound.

The even-tracking Nagaoka MP-110 delivers better detail and clarity across all frequencies compared to the factory cartridge that many turntables come with.

The even-tracking Nagaoka MP-110 delivers better detail and clarity across all frequencies compared to the factory cartridge that many turntables come with.

Aligning a new cartridge perfectly can be tricky. A specialized protractor can make the job easier.

Aligning a new cartridge perfectly can be tricky. A specialized protractor can make the job easier.

This gauge provides a way to make sure your tracking force is accurate instead of guesstimating.

This gauge provides a way to make sure your tracking force is accurate instead of guesstimating.