The Best Turntables
Verified by
Hadleigh V. Lead Product Analyst
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Most turntable roundups split their picks by budget tier, and the very best-sounding decks under $600, the Rega Planar 1 and Fluance RT85, all share one catch: they need an external phono preamp and a full hi-fi system before they make a sound. The Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB wins here because it removes that friction without giving up much.
It has a switchable phono preamp built in, so it plays through any amp or a set of powered speakers the moment you unbox it. It has a USB output, so you can digitize your records. It spins 33, 45, and 78 RPM, has adjustable anti-skate and pitch control, and rides on a heavy die-cast aluminum platter. Valve and Vinyl scored it 8.6 out of 10 as the best turntable under $500, and TechGearLab reached the same conclusion.
The bundled AT-VM95E is a genuinely good cartridge, and because the headshell is removable you can upgrade it later. For one deck that does everything, works with any setup today, and still leaves room to grow, nothing else near the price matches it.
What It Won't Do
It is fully manual, so you cue and return the tonearm yourself. That is a small ask, but an automatic deck is friendlier for a first-timer. The included AT-VM95E cartridge, while good, is out-resolved by the Ortofon carts on belt-drive rivals like the Fluance RT85, so if outright refinement is your priority and you already own a preamp, a belt-drive deck sounds sweeter. There is also no Bluetooth, and the DJ-style look will not suit every room.
The Audio-Technica AT-LP60X is the deck that has introduced more people to vinyl than almost any other, and the reason is simple: it just works. It is fully automatic, so you press start and the tonearm does the rest, and it has a switchable preamp built in, so it plays through powered speakers or any amp with no extra gear. SoundGuys and Vinylpickup both call it the easiest cheap entry into vinyl.
The sound punches above the price thanks to a die-cast aluminum platter and an anti-resonance design, and you can usually find it around $149. For someone who wants to start listening to records this weekend without reading a setup guide or buying a separate preamp, it is the obvious choice, and it costs a quarter of what the AT-LP120XUSB does.
What It Won't Do
The savings show up in the ceiling. The cartridge body is fixed and non-upgradeable, so beyond a new stylus there is little room to improve the sound. The base model has no USB output; you need the BT or USB variant for that. And the lightweight plastic plinth picks up more vibration than the heavier wood-plinth decks further up this list. It is the right first deck, not the last one you will own.
Who Should Buy Which
Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB
The do-everything deck that works with any system on day one
- You want one deck that plays through any system today and can digitize records over USB
- You are willing to cue the tonearm yourself in exchange for a full feature set
- You want a metal-built deck with 78 RPM, pitch control, and adjustable anti-skate
- You value a removable headshell so you can upgrade the cartridge down the line
- You do not already own a separate phono preamp and would rather not buy one
Audio-Technica AT-LP60X
The plug-and-play deck that makes starting vinyl simple
- You are new to vinyl and want to start listening this weekend with zero setup
- You want fully automatic operation so the tonearm cues and returns itself
- You are pairing it with powered speakers or an amp and want the preamp built in
- You want the lowest sensible price for a real hi-fi cartridge, around $149
- You see this as your first deck, not a forever purchase