That being said, Byerly explained that portable record players will have their speaker close to the turntable, and “resulting vibrations from any normal level of listening will transfer from the needle back to the speaker,” making for wonky playback. Your playbook is simple: Know thine needs.

You could be in the market for a big turntable setup, or you might want to go with a portable, all-in-one suitcase player (that will look damn cute at the function). Whoever you are today, we got you.Įveryone is looking for a different kind of chemistry with their first record player. You might be a Victorian-Era ghost seeking a gramophone reproduction, or a Wes Anderson fan who needs a primary-colored, portable suitcase for crying to Françoise Hardy on a cold beach. You may be in the market for a DJ-worthy turntable with a belt drive, or a set-up that comes with two wumbo speakers.

(But also: Tell it to us like we’re broke, because some of us don’t have hundreds to drop, but still want to hop to the bops and feel more informed in our purchasing power.) “Design aesthetic,” he said, is obviously “totally subjective,” and “know that the more automatic features you find, it’s likely your table will wear down faster.” There’s a balance of convenience, aesthetics, and longevity that you have to strike. We sought his expertise with one goal: When it comes to understanding what the best record players are, tell it to us like it is. “The honest answer maybe that there isn’t a good record player for every budget, but there is a record player for most budgets,” explained Kris Byerly of Amoeba Music.

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