Hey Frank cool video....ivd had my share of turntables over the years....my first one ..was a 1978... music centre....my dad gave me .......then in 1979 I bought the technics SLQ3 TURNTABLE..best turntable I ever bought..........then AUDIO TECHNICA LP120........early this year I managed to get an amazing deal on the TECHNICS SL1200 GR . .this for me is the best ever turntable ever....over here in the uk we have a hi.fi..store called Richer Sounds..and on our last bank holiday they offer certain discounts I got the SL1200 GR FOR £1100 uk pounds brand new boxed and a free 5 year warranty....
I recently purchased the Audio Technica ATLP120XBT-USB, and I absolutely love it. My records sound amazing on it (to my ears at least, haha), and the Bluetooth functionality was a real draw for me since I can listen to my records without a wired connection and through Bluetooth earbuds. Price was $349 ($370 with tax) and I think it is a great value for what you get. Would highly recommend!
I'm going to finally upgrade my turntable from a 1979 Realistic LAB-400 to an Audio Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB in a couple of weeks. And with Bluetooth! Where did you purchase it from ?
Yeah the LP120 is one of the best starter turntables you can get. The AT-VM95E cartridge that comes with it can also easily be upgraded to a very nice cartridge by putting a VMN95ML stylus (the red one) on it!
I’ve had my AT-LP120XP USB with the Bluetooth for about 2 weeks and it sounds almost as good as my super old Technic SL-D5. Only drawback is getting used to having no auto-stop and the Bluetooth light blinks forever when not in use and is slightly annoying. I have no regrets buying the 120XP thus far though.
Super happy with my Uturn Orbits! Own two of them. Two different cartridges. Custom colors. Options options options. US designed and made. AWESOME customer service. Top of my list.
Surprised to see the Audio Technical AT-LP120 missing from this list at only $299. It has several features that the others here are missing… 78rpm, easily swapped headshell, pitch control, strobe, etc. Some of the entry-level “audiophile” tables are notoriously off-speed, so the strobe and pitch control ensure you can always hit the right speed even if the motor is running out-of-spec. A few years back, I almost bought one as a second player, but found a another gently-used Technics SL-1200 at the right price. I did help a friend set up his AT-LP120 out of the box and can report that it sounded great. I could definitely live with one of these and be happy with it.
Crazy thing about all those belt driven turntables, none of them have a pitch control. As a kid all did. Those belts stretch over time and the pitch control helps compensate.
I have had my U-Turn Orbit Custom, acrylic plater and tone arm lift for nearly 6 years, I changed the cart a couple years ago to a 2m blue. Its not in my main system but it does living room duty now. It was a great gateway drug.
I've had a Fluance RT82 for two years now, spinning an average of 4-6 hours or more per day. It's held up wonderfully - very solid build. The Ortofon OM-10 that comes with it sounds really good but I'll be upgrading the cart and/or stylus the next time it needs changing (hedging between an OM-30 and a Blue). I also plan to upgrade to the acrylic platter ($150) next year sometime. I'm using an acrylic slipmat now and that made a noticeable difference in tightening up the bass.
Great Video Frank, I got a Fluance RT 82 and have been totally impressed with the sound & quality, cannot see my self ever owning any other brand at this point. Take Care and Stay Safe.
I've only had Technics, that's the industry standard for me. Well made, easy to maintain. I have a workhorse SL-D2 which is as reliable as you can get. It's a great entry level table and sounds great. My main driver is an SL 1700 with a goldring E3. Nothing I've heard beats it. My buddy has a project Debut Pro. I can't say it's any better than my Technics. Also have a Technics Sl-1300. Great job as always!
I also like technics my tech who services my gear said technics is the industry standard and said technics, pioneer are the best and most reliable after that sansui, marantz, Sony and he did say duals can be problematic.
@@polarbear3427 I have the D202 and still running smooth after the years. I don't know how it stacks against the D2 but I do believe most models will suit anyone. I think it's the standard barrier for TTs..
Nice review Frank. I have the Audio Technica LP5X with a Ortofon red and it sounds great for the money (uk£325). I wont spend silly money on a turntable but when I look back in my teens and remember what I played some of my records on...I am very surprised that they still sound good today. Keep on spinning !!
Aloha Frank Thanks for the insight on these turntables. I went from an all in one Crosley from "K- Mart" to a Stanton turntable & jest bout 6 months ago I bought a FLUANCE RT- 85 , when I set it up, I started opening up record albums I bought from 2016 record store days, got about 30 + more lp's to open up and play. I was waiting for a decent turntable so I could protect my Record Albums. Mahalo Ed
I had an LP120 as a replacement from my Mum's early-80's Sanyo TR-606. Honestly sold it; plasticky, no adjustable counterweight or anti-skate; I really wasn't keen on the sound tbh. Eventually upgraded to a Sony PS-HX500 after seeing the awards it garnered; it's manual but that's no big deal and I think the Black Friday price was £270 (retails for about £310 now I think?). Excellent sound, particularly no "hang over" from the bass, just perfect attack, great mid-range and built-in preamp. And when paired with the Sony STR-DH190 receiver it sounds truly great (I've forgotten the name, but the PS-HX500 and the cheaper Sony deck, retails for about £180, are built specifically to "pair" with the aforementioned amp). My only quibble is a rather low platter; apart from that it deserves all the plaudits it received (iirc best budget turntable, 5/5 stars from WhatHi-Fi and best value tt from the same publication). Moving magnet cartridge so I need to research when replacing but the turntable and amp are hefty, well-made bits of kit, I see them on s/vinyl sometimes but the Audio Technica "Technics 1210 rip off" is far more ubiquitous and personally I don't even think they sound too fantastic unless you want to drastically upgrade your cartridge. When I got my Sony I was THAT close to purchasing the Fluance you mentioned;unfortunately it was out of stock on Amazon.co.uk for some time, though! Still great video which will help out a lot of folks new to the hobby or about to upgrade! Good work Frank!
Decent choices and fair points. In the late 70's I started out with a cheap all in one my parents bought for me, the difference though was that had a decent stylus that didn't damage the vinyl. Those records are still as good to go today.
Now I know better that separate turntable and other components are the way to go, but back in the 80's I had an all-in-one Radio Shack (Realistic) Clarinette 112 (combo record changer - yes, the kind that could play 6 records in a row, cassette deck, and AM/FM radio). Cheap plastic crap, and the included speakers had super-thin walls and sounded boxy, but I still have a bit of nostalgia for that system...
The job of the turntable is to spin the record accurately and keep out noise. The sound quality comes from the cartridge. I switch out an old cartridge from my turntable a few years ago and put in a brand new Ortofon cartridge and the difference was like night and day. I didn't realize the cartridge could make that big a difference.
...And here's my ONE recommendation for a beginner's turntable, which is what I began with: Pioneer PL-300 Auto-Return Direct-Drive Turntable Find one used, have it professionally serviced, and enjoy a grossly-underrated turntable for less total outlay than even Audio Technica LP60X with less rumble (75db) and quartz phased-locked loop accuracy for less wow & flutter (0.025%) than any of those other suggestions can even touch! ;)
As a Fluance RT82 turntable buyer...a BIG yes to the RT85 as it will save you money in the long run. The RT82 is so good that you will eventually want to invest additional money to make it even better as if you bought the RT85 (acrylic platter, better cartridge) in the first place.
I went with a RT85, the N model actually with the Nagaoka MP110. It's nice, I'm happy with it. Every manufacturer has a compromise when they try to reach a price point. The Fluance seems to be strong in every area except the tonearm. For whatever reason, people say the tonearms aren't that great. They are entirely adequate, though. I may possibly consider an upgrade to a Nagaoka MP200 but if I do that, it won't be until the MP110 fails or possibly in a few years
Thanks Frank. All of your top I think are good choices. I bought the Fluance RT85 a few months ago and have been very happy with it. I think the build quality is very good and the Ortofon 2m blue sounds great. I really don't think I'll ever need another turntable and I can continue to upgrade the cartridge.
I bought the Fluance RT-81 last year, and it's a really nice table for $250. I bought my teenage daughter the Audio Technica LP-60x for Christmas last year. It's a great starter table and she loves it. Good recommendations, Frank!
I would have put the Audio Technica AT-LP 120 in place of the AT-LP 60. You get the tracking force and anti skate adjust-ability of all the others on the list for around $250. The LP 60 is the first turntable I owned but without being able to adjust the tracking force I was never confident that I wasn't damaging my albums so I ditched it in favor of the LP 120. In my mind the 60 is just a small step up from the suitcase players.
Agreed. At first my son got an LP60 for high school graduation, but within a week he had mechanical problems. He then got a 120 model (which is direct drive, no fuss with belts), upgraded the stylus from a 95E to a 95ML, and has had no regrets!
My first adult turntable was the Fluance RT 84. I love it and I know my dad would have . Just wish there was a local shop for vinyl that wasn’t an hour away.
Audiotechnica products are great and durable. My Optimis Lab 340 is a rebranded Audiotechnica turntable. I purchased it in 1995 when turntables were almost impossible to find. 26 years later it's still spinning. Yes I have replaced the cartridge with a similar AT cartridge. Next year if personal finances improve I'd like to upgrade, but for now my budget turntable remains my faithful music companion.
Personally, I'd never play any of my records, new or old, on one of those 'suitcase' record players. The sound reproduction of the ones I've heard, is mediocre at best, and the tracking weight of them, to my mind, is suspect. I'll stick with my brother's Technics SL 1200 decks, with his Ortofon cartridges, thank you. Great informative video, as always. Nice one.
@@Channel33RPM How do you like your Technics SL 1200 for sound? I have one on pre-order but not due to come in until Dec/Jan. Is the 1200 difficult to setup?
Suitcase players are garbage, and I'm a novice vinyl collector/listener. The day I replaced mine with an LP60X, I heard the difference IMMEDIATELY and I was using the exact same speakers as I did with the suitcase.
I bought the rega planar 1 (in white) last Month in Glasgow, Scotland for the equivalent of $350. Looks great, but more importantly, sounds amazing with the Denon amp and wharfedale speakers 🏴🇺🇲
I just upgraded from Planar 3 to a Thorens TD1500 and now it's like listening to my records for the first time, I thought my planar 3 sounded good but it's a big difference now, more open sound and you feel like you are inside the music and listening live when they recorded it, now I understand that there is a big difference if you go up in price, I had better pickup on my planar 3 but that doesn't help, the Thorens is on another level.
I wish now that I had purchased a Fluance instead of my high-level U-Turn Orbit turntable. My main complaint is how loose the belt is. Changing the speed from 33 1/3 to 45 is fine but it is impossible to change back to the 33 1/3 speed without the belt falling away from the platter, requiring some effort to get it back into the proper position. I have obtained replacement belts so I know that its not just a matter of the belt becoming stretched and I haven't really used the 45 speed very often because of this problem. Another problem caused by the loose belt is how easy it is to touch the belt when picking up a record from the platter. If your finger come into contact at all with the belt on the platter, it will fall off. If these problems weren't enough, the plastic dustcover will come crashing down very easily unless you are extremely careful to make sure that it is open to the maximum position. Once the belt is properly affixed and the dustcover is down, the unit works fine and the red cartridge and the built-in pre-amp work and sound fine but these problems shouldn't exist in a unit costing this much.
I'm in total agreement with your wish to have purchased a Fluance RT85 or RT85N rather than the UTurn Orbit Custom. I got all the bells and whistles possible on the Orbit (acrylic platter, Ortofon 2m Blue cartridge) but I have to admit that physically having to change the belt to listen to different speeds almost kills the experience for me and I rarely ever listen to anything at 45 RPM. I'm so tempted to just give my Orbit away to a friend and purchase a Fluance. I wonder why the higher end Fluance tables don't come with a preamp, though?
After a frustrating experience with a Audiotechnica AT.LP60XBT (stopped working after 3 months), I bought a Rega Planar 2. Planar 1 is also a great turntable. Buy nice or buy twice.
Personally I got a Lenco L-3808 which is probably the cheapest direct drive turntable, available for about £160. The speed adjustment slider and the direct drive make for accurate speed that is really stable with little wow and flutter. In the past I've found the low end belt driven models tend to drift far more than I like and I really can't be doing with moving the belt to change speed from 33 to 45.
I had a Sony PS2250 turntable. direct drive, servo controlled, with adjustable antiskate & tracking, along with pitch adjustment. I fitted an ortofon stylus & pick up to the head shell. Extremely high quality sound, with zero wow & flutter. I had this connected to a TA-1150 series amp, & a pair of Sony ULM series SS7330 speakers.
That's a great list Frank. Probably the best options (for most people) in that price bracket. We're in a great time with lots of options for everyone's budget and tastes.
I'm happy with my Fluance TR82 with ungraded AudioT VM95EN cartridge and headstock (that I bought and never put on my old Pioneer) and recent acrylic platter. Setup was quick, and I appreciate the three-foot leveling design..... they do a admirable job at isolation. I have had no problems with the auto-stop that some have complained about. Admittedly, I chose the Fluance because aesthetics still matter to me, and I required the walnut plinth to blend better with a vintage Marantz.
I would personally never recommend the u-turns. I think there is a real issue with the tone arms. For their turntables that are $199 and up, you are getting a $100 level tone arm, similar to the built of the $100 Sonys and Crosleys, and you cannot upgrade that away. When friends come to me, I always recommend the RT82 or high, and all have been super happy with them. I think the RT85s hold their own with most turntables in the $700-$800 range. All that said. I have never gotten the hate for people using cheap turntables, whether Crosley or suitcase player. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, a good portion of the listeners used cheap turntables, especially suitcase systems. The whole destroying records thing is so stupid. Great video as always Frank.
I’ve had an Orbit for about 6 years and haven’t had a single problem with its tone arm. It plays all but the roughest of records with absolutely no skipping or other issues
I bought a 1 by one turntable (189$ CAD on Amazon) as a secondary since my vintage Kenwood KD-2055 was having technical issues and I have to say that for the price, it is a good entry turntable.
I've got a TT500 Numark that i've had for 20+ years. Think I spent $900 on it. Couple years ago I had to replace the motor. Other than that it's been all good. I recommend spending the extra money on a good turntable and don't look back!
Tried a project debut turntable once. There is no vinyl magic in it, even with an expensive cartridge. It just plays music well, and that's it. But, if you have no good cd player or turntable to compare it with, you'll probably be happy with the sound.
As always thanks for the video!! I think it would be a good idea to make a video giving advices for upgrading turntables correctly (cartridge allignment, selecting suitable components...) Keep safe! :)
My favorite turntable I have this to audio technic a 120 it’s a great turntable I love it and there’s one feature I have on the audio technic a 140 which is not available in the 120 X the forward and reverse playback it is such a fantastic term table and I love the fact that you can switch had shells and cartridges to make the turntable sound great. I love the fact that you have the turntables with pitch control as well and you can slow down the tempo or you can speed it up which is great. another reason why I love the audio technic a 120 X and the 140 to 140 is a great DJ turntable and I love the fact that the audio technical especially the 120 can play 7845s and 33s which are fantastic. that’s my number one favorite turn cable my second favorite would be the techniques turntable it’s really good and I think those two are the best turn tables out there.
Great video Frank! I've got a good recommendation for those on a MICRO budget or wanting to buy a Crosley. The Target brand "hey day" turntable. It goes for about $99US. It has a built in preamp, bluetooth, 33/45 rpm, adjustable tone arm, antiskate, and AT Cart (which you can upgrade obviously)...Not a bad little table for the money. I love my Fluance RT-81 that I won from Golden Vinyl Spin Cafe a couple years ago! Solid little table. Still doesn't beat my vintage Pioneer :D
I have the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC and I love it. It sounds great and is solid. I do need to upgrade to the ceramic platter and blue cartridge however. Greta review as always! :)
Good video Frank. You are correct in you get what you pay for. That said it depends on what you can afford and what you want to work up to. I have a Numark suitcase turntable and it is fine. I play it through a small Sony micro system and works alright. The sound is nothing to write home about but it works. The real queation is does one start buying a better system new or used? Should it be component by component or pick up someone's entire system? Is that a half way point to something better? It's hard to say. I do have a 90s Sony turntable but it will need a new belt and probably a new cartridge if I get a system dedicated for it. That said it would take me to going the used route and getting components refurbished. That said I have spun an album on a $40k+ system and while i credibly impressed, realized that the system was coloring the recording so that it sounded better than really was. At this point I can see myself working up to a $3k-$5k system but that would be about it. This is based on what I currently own and how much I listen to music by itself. This would be spending a year or more planning it out and purchasing the system component by component. I think this would give me decades of enjoyment. Its also important to realize that as one ages, one's hearing tends to degrade. I play music, guitar, bass, and vocals and there comes a point to where audio perception drops. So spending lots of money on a system for bragging rights is a bit doofy. Buy the best system to your ear, always trust your ear and marketing. Also keep in mind your space and how you listen to your music. The room you play your hifi can negate many qualities of your system (a audiophile system in a single-wide trailer won't sound as good as in a well built home.) Right now my current system as said above is more than adequate to where I am living right now (old home in an improvised apartment with other stuff and cats...).
It's ridiculous I know, but I own the Fluance RT 81, 83, and 85 turntables located in various parts of my house and another dwelling as well. Needless to say, I love each and everyone of them and would highly recommend the entire Fluance line of turntables to anyone looking for beauty, quality, terrific sound reproduction......all at a very reasonable price. Oh, I own Fluance speakers as well to go with them all but I'll avoid that discussion for now.
I bought a Denon DP-400 a couple years ago & I'm really happy with it. The auto shut-off and unique dust cover were nice selling points. I will probably upgrade the stylus but the factory installed one sounds really good.
I bought the Denon DP-400 in April. I had done my research and the consensus was that the DP-400 was low noise and very accurate (RPM). It's shortcoming was it's cartridge. It's ok, but I went ahead and ordered an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I had the DP-400 for only a day and I was swapping out the cartridge for the 2M Blue. Once I got the alignment, tracking force and anti-skate set it was game on. Everyone is amazed at the sound when they come over to my place. I have about 500+ albums on vinyl and have now purchased about ten albums since i got the new turntable.
One of the things I love about the audio technic a 120 X is that it has two options the phono preamp, and a line out. I think every turn table should have the forward and reverse playback I love the fact that on the audio technic a 140 you can have the option to you if you wanna go back to a certain track on a favorite album you can hit the reverse button the forward and reverse playback button once and the music will get reversed and then you go to a certain track when it starts and then you can hit the forward and reverse playback button again and the music will be played forwards. I think back in The olden days, people are used to I think spin the record player backwards and that’s how you could get the music to reverse.The audio technical is so much easier to use the 140. This is the first DJ turntable I ever had and it’s a great machine is highly recommended. I also love the fact that the audio technic a special the 120 has a tank like field to it because it’s very heavy and heavier record players I think are better than lighter record players because you don’t have the advantage of the record skipping every time you bump it or something like that.
The audiotechnica lp60x is the ak-47 of turn tables. Although i have upgraded, I still keep it around and it never quits. I would highly recommend anyone to skip the suitcase situation and get one of these first.
That would be a Technics 1200 model. The lp-60 is the Hi-Point of turntables. Suitcase and Crosley players are the equivalent of dollar store cap-guns.
I wouldn't say that LP60X is 'no regret'. I bought it & returned it within a week. As for the Fluance it's the 1 I ended up sticking with. But I do wish I'd gotten the U-turn or Project because of the bulkiness & how low the I plater is because I wanted to put LEDs under it so I had to be creative to use LEDs & put em behind it.
I have a Project 1Xpression turntable with Ortofon 2Mbronze with a Yamaha amplifier and a Musical Fidelity phono pre amp and floorstanding EPOS speakers...sounds very good !! friendly greetings from Friesland in the Netherlands. thank for this review and wish you all the best !!
I've had the RT82 for two years and it's held up wonderfully. I'm going to upgrade it, over time, to the 85. It's a lot cheaper to just buy the 85, if you can, in the end though as the platter is $150 and the Blue cart somewhere around $230.
These are all good choices. Since you are going up to $500, I'd add the audio technica LP-1240. That's as close as you're going to get to to the old SL-2000. Especially with the brushless super OEM motor. Just my 2¢.
I got a Pro-Ject Genie 3 about 10 years ago came with a ortofon 2m res cart and only just replaced it. I love it it’s done amazing for me, £350 well spent
I'm missing one table here, as already mentioned in the comments the Audio Technica LP 120 but also another great model of them the lp140xp. For about 500$ you got the super OEM, very upgradable and comes already with a preinstalled cartridge and stylus. Looks a bit like the Technics sl1200 gr. I'm personally thinking about replacing my old Technics 1410 MK1 with this one. Just needs an ortofon om 2 bronze or black iff you want the real audiophile sound. And the cables are also upgradable
An At-lp5x (if u can find one in stock) with an ortofon 2m red stylus and it’s more than enough turntable to last u for years while u swap amps, preamps and/or dacs and speakers as u get bored of the sound and desire an ‘upgrade’. Anything above are nuances in the mechanics of the turntable. Spend your money on a good amp/preamp and nice records and your time listening to music instead.
Thanks. Good advice here. Thinking about the upgrade to your top pick, though I do like the feature of stopping automatically when the LP side is finished playing.
May i respectfully suggest that Crosley ( yes crosley) C6 is missing from you list, imo it should be considered. C6 has built in pre amp to get someone going till they can buy an external. C6 has azimuth adjustment which is somehow missing from the debut carbon. Tone arm is designed by project and some variants have a speed selector switch on the plinth. I feel project debut, uturn etc have become trendy go-to tables for name recognition, but there are other options that are less advertised that would be cool to hear about.
i like my uturn but here in south florida its hot and humid and the rubber belt wont stay on well.. i ordered new belts same problem the heat makes the belt stretch ... and it is so fun trying to get it to go back on... need some cold to help shrink the rubber i guess
Lp60 was my first turntable now i use my papas vintagr technics sl bd 35 with a pickering cartridge sounds amazing. Still want to get a manual turntable one day
I love my u turn, great value. Just ordered an Audio Technica 2022 anniversary turntable, don’t know how it sounds but looks astonishing, look forward to it.
I'm really considering a Fluance for my next table. I was torn a couple years back between those and the Denon DP-300F, which is what I ended up going with. I love it accept for the automatic function on it drops too fast onto the record, so I end up doing it manually.
Great video, as always. You could add the Denon DP-300F at about $500 for a higher end automatic TT. I have that TT in my workshop, upgrade to a Orto red and it has played flawlessly for over 3 year. Keep up the good work Frank.
Audio Technica AT LP120USB is a very good turntable which I've been using since 2016. It has all three i.e. 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm speeds, built-in pre amp, changeable headshell, anti skating, both weight and vertical aduystment at US$ 300. I believe this is the best at this price.
I find old discarded stereo equipment all the time but never a halfway decent turntable. I just found a beautiful mid 70s Marantz tuner amp and some JBL speakers. The amp needs some work, but I'd love to get off this CD phase and go back to vinyl again. The last vinyl album I bought was "Presto" by Rush in 1989. I sold close to 800 albums in 1992 but kept my Beatles collection.
The project debut carbon dc is my main turntable at the moment. I want to upgrade the sub platter try the speed box that you mentioned. I have the acrylic platter and it is a worthwhile upgrade from the stock platter for sure! I really just want to upgrade straight to the bronze cartridge from the red. I have tried the blue briefly from a friend who gave it to me when he bought a bronzevbut the stylus was well worn and I went back to the red as there was a god awful distortion with the blue. I didnt notice it until a week or so into having the cartridge installed so It was due to wear im sure. My friend has an ortofon bronze on his vpi scout and I see no reason to not try one on my project debut carbon dc.It is a very nice turntable with an excellent tonearm. I only wish there were adjustable on the fly VTA(vertical tracking angle) you could do while a record is playing to dial in the sound. I used to do this with a vta adjuster on my rega 250 tonearm mounted on a VPI Jr. Hw19 turntable. I actually need another old rega 250 or a rega 300 tonearm for this vpi turntable so I can listen to it again for a while. I'd like to have both running on two different stereo setups.
I have a project debut carbon and have upgraded to the ortofon blue cart. What I really want is a Rega RP6, but lots more money. I also want a Corvette.
I bought a Debut Carbon EVO a few months ago to replace my old Technics turntable. I am really pleased with it. I changed out the metal platter to an acrylic one and I am awaiting the arrival of the alu sub-platter for it. I have a question for you though (you can always address this in your next Q&A video). My receiver has a built-in phono pre-amp. Would you recommend I instead go with an external pre-amp? If so, what would be a good recommendation? Keep up the good work as always Frank!
I’ve had I know the name might turn some people off but the Crowley C200 Direct Drive is great at $230 I’ve had mine for 1 1/2 years and no problems at all very easy to setup. And if you want upgrading with a red2 it’s even better
I own BOTH a Fluance RT 83 and a Project Debut Carbon. Both with Red Ortofon cartridges and I love both, BUT I do like one over the other. I purchased my Fluance first and am completely happy with it. Then I wanted a secondary turntable with a white finish. So it came down to the U Turn, Rega and Project Debut Carbon. I did the research and went with the Project DC. The main factors I prefer my Fluance over my Project DC 1. The annoying anti skating weight that always disconnects with any slight movements. I haven’t had problems reconnecting the fishing string to the hook, but just the fact it disconnects at various times is annoying. 2. The automatic stop on the Fluance when the record is finished.. Easily having an auto stop is a huge advantage. Sometimes you might be multitasking, having the Fluance stop the record for you is an easy plus as opposed to the Project DC keep spinning the record until you decide to turnoff the player or lift the arm to the cradle and then either flip the record or pick another record. 3. The obvious, turning the dial to change from 45 to 33 on the Fluance as opposed lifting the matt on the Project DC and switching the ban to the 45 or 33 gear Again, I love my Project, but had Fluance come out with the white finish, RT 83 model, which is available now, I would have owned two Fluances
Sadly my Sony PS-1100 is dying so I really want a fluance turntable, it always has great reviews about quality and sound and they look great, I think I'm going to make it my goal to save for one next year
my question is, what preamp would you recommend? I am seriously looking into getting Fluance RT85. I currently have AT-LP60. I have been buying more analog only pressings and paying more attention to how the vinyl is sourced. In your opinion, have you noticed a huge difference from the AT LP-60 from the Fluance RT85? I like your channel, thanks
Hey Frank! Thank you for this review. I too have the Project, but suffer from a lot of rumble. Any advice from your side as what I can check? Thank you,
Hey Frank cool video....ivd had my share of turntables over the years....my first one ..was a 1978... music centre....my dad gave me .......then in 1979
I bought the technics SLQ3 TURNTABLE..best turntable I ever bought..........then AUDIO TECHNICA LP120........early this year I managed to get an amazing deal on the TECHNICS SL1200 GR . .this for me is the best ever turntable ever....over here in the uk we have a hi.fi..store called Richer Sounds..and on our last bank holiday they offer certain discounts
I got the SL1200 GR
FOR £1100 uk pounds brand new boxed and a free 5 year warranty....
I recently purchased the Audio Technica ATLP120XBT-USB, and I absolutely love it. My records sound amazing on it (to my ears at least, haha), and the Bluetooth functionality was a real draw for me since I can listen to my records without a wired connection and through Bluetooth earbuds. Price was $349 ($370 with tax) and I think it is a great value for what you get. Would highly recommend!
I'm going to finally upgrade my turntable from a 1979 Realistic LAB-400 to an Audio Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB in a couple of weeks. And with Bluetooth! Where did you purchase it from ?
Yeah the LP120 is one of the best starter turntables you can get.
The AT-VM95E cartridge that comes with it can also easily be upgraded to a very nice cartridge by putting a VMN95ML stylus (the red one) on it!
I’ve had my AT-LP120XP USB with the Bluetooth for about 2 weeks and it sounds almost as good as my super old Technic SL-D5. Only drawback is getting used to having no auto-stop and the Bluetooth light blinks forever when not in use and is slightly annoying. I have no regrets buying the 120XP thus far though.
Super happy with my Uturn Orbits! Own two of them. Two different cartridges. Custom colors. Options options options. US designed and made. AWESOME customer service. Top of my list.
Surprised to see the Audio Technical AT-LP120 missing from this list at only $299. It has several features that the others here are missing… 78rpm, easily swapped headshell, pitch control, strobe, etc. Some of the entry-level “audiophile” tables are notoriously off-speed, so the strobe and pitch control ensure you can always hit the right speed even if the motor is running out-of-spec. A few years back, I almost bought one as a second player, but found a another gently-used Technics SL-1200 at the right price. I did help a friend set up his AT-LP120 out of the box and can report that it sounded great. I could definitely live with one of these and be happy with it.
Crazy thing about all those belt driven turntables, none of them have a pitch control. As a kid all did. Those belts stretch over time and the pitch control helps compensate.
Thats been discontinued. at least in the US you can't get it for $299 anywhere ive looked.
The original AT LP 120 has been been discontinued, yes...but there's the LP 120X now. & also the LP 140 that doesn't have the built-in preamp.
Yeah, really! Why would anyone recommend that junk ass LP-60 over a 120, 120x, 140, etc? C'mon man.. Lol. 😅
Absolutely!
I've got the Rega Planar1 with an Ortofon 2M Red stylus installed and I'm super satisfied!
Very good list. I'd add the Denon LP-300F as a solid automatic. Upgrade the stock cart and it sings.
I have had my U-Turn Orbit Custom, acrylic plater and tone arm lift for nearly 6 years, I changed the cart a couple years ago to a 2m blue. Its not in my main system but it does living room duty now. It was a great gateway drug.
I own a Fluance RT81 & am very satisfied with the sound quality & craftsmanship. Just looking to upgrade the stylus when I can.
I love my Audio-Technica LP-140XP. I always wanted a direct drive turntable, and this one has yet to disappoint.
I've had a Fluance RT82 for two years now, spinning an average of 4-6 hours or more per day. It's held up wonderfully - very solid build. The Ortofon OM-10 that comes with it sounds really good but I'll be upgrading the cart and/or stylus the next time it needs changing (hedging between an OM-30 and a Blue). I also plan to upgrade to the acrylic platter ($150) next year sometime. I'm using an acrylic slipmat now and that made a noticeable difference in tightening up the bass.
Great Video Frank, I got a Fluance RT 82 and have been totally impressed with the sound & quality, cannot see my self ever owning any other brand at this point. Take Care and Stay Safe.
Fluance has definitely been making an impression. They offer a lot of bang for your buck.
I've only had Technics, that's the industry standard for me. Well made, easy to maintain. I have a workhorse SL-D2 which is as reliable as you can get. It's a great entry level table and sounds great. My main driver is an SL 1700 with a goldring E3. Nothing I've heard beats it. My buddy has a project Debut Pro. I can't say it's any better than my Technics. Also have a Technics Sl-1300. Great job as always!
I'm with ya there.. Technics FTW! I have a highly modified SL-1600, which is probably the best TT I have, and I have many. 👍
yeah, love my SL-D2. I read very positive reviews on the Reloop RP7000, as a sub € 500 competitor of Technics new SL1200s.
I also like technics my tech who services my gear said technics is the industry standard and said technics, pioneer are the best and most reliable after that sansui, marantz, Sony and he did say duals can be problematic.
@@polarbear3427 I have the D202 and still running smooth after the years. I don't know how it stacks against the D2 but I do believe most models will suit anyone. I think it's the standard barrier for TTs..
Nice review Frank. I have the Audio Technica LP5X with a Ortofon red and it sounds great for the money (uk£325). I wont spend silly money on a turntable but when I look back in my teens and remember what I played some of my records on...I am very surprised that they still sound good today. Keep on spinning !!
Aloha Frank
Thanks for the insight on these turntables.
I went from an all in one Crosley from "K- Mart" to a Stanton turntable & jest bout 6 months ago I bought a FLUANCE RT- 85 , when I set it up, I started opening up record albums I bought from 2016 record store days, got about 30 + more lp's to open up and play. I was waiting for a decent turntable so I could protect my Record Albums.
Mahalo Ed
I own a Crosley C8 and a Fluance RT82. Love both tables. Both well built.
I had an LP120 as a replacement from my Mum's early-80's Sanyo TR-606. Honestly sold it; plasticky, no adjustable counterweight or anti-skate; I really wasn't keen on the sound tbh. Eventually upgraded to a Sony PS-HX500 after seeing the awards it garnered; it's manual but that's no big deal and I think the Black Friday price was £270 (retails for about £310 now I think?). Excellent sound, particularly no "hang over" from the bass, just perfect attack, great mid-range and built-in preamp. And when paired with the Sony STR-DH190 receiver it sounds truly great (I've forgotten the name, but the PS-HX500 and the cheaper Sony deck, retails for about £180, are built specifically to "pair" with the aforementioned amp). My only quibble is a rather low platter; apart from that it deserves all the plaudits it received (iirc best budget turntable, 5/5 stars from WhatHi-Fi and best value tt from the same publication).
Moving magnet cartridge so I need to research when replacing but the turntable and amp are hefty, well-made bits of kit, I see them on s/vinyl sometimes but the Audio Technica "Technics 1210 rip off" is far more ubiquitous and personally I don't even think they sound too fantastic unless you want to drastically upgrade your cartridge.
When I got my Sony I was THAT close to purchasing the Fluance you mentioned;unfortunately it was out of stock on Amazon.co.uk for some time, though!
Still great video which will help out a lot of folks new to the hobby or about to upgrade! Good work Frank!
Decent choices and fair points.
In the late 70's I started out with a cheap all in one my parents bought for me, the difference though was that had a decent stylus that didn't damage the vinyl. Those records are still as good to go today.
Now I know better that separate turntable and other components are the way to go, but back in the 80's I had an all-in-one Radio Shack (Realistic) Clarinette 112 (combo record changer - yes, the kind that could play 6 records in a row, cassette deck, and AM/FM radio). Cheap plastic crap, and the included speakers had super-thin walls and sounded boxy, but I still have a bit of nostalgia for that system...
Just over a year ago,I got a Rega Planar 2. I’m very happy with it. Buying the planar 2 saves me upgrading for a while.
Nice turntable!
The job of the turntable is to spin the record accurately and keep out noise. The sound quality comes from the cartridge. I switch out an old cartridge from my turntable a few years ago and put in a brand new Ortofon cartridge and the difference was like night and day. I didn't realize the cartridge could make that big a difference.
...And here's my ONE recommendation for a beginner's turntable, which is what I began with:
Pioneer PL-300 Auto-Return Direct-Drive Turntable
Find one used, have it professionally serviced, and enjoy a grossly-underrated turntable for less total outlay than even Audio Technica LP60X with less rumble (75db) and quartz phased-locked loop accuracy for less wow & flutter (0.025%) than any of those other suggestions can even touch! ;)
As a Fluance RT82 turntable buyer...a BIG yes to the RT85 as it will save you money in the long run. The RT82 is so good that you will eventually want to invest additional money to make it even better as if you bought the RT85 (acrylic platter, better cartridge) in the first place.
I went with a RT85, the N model actually with the Nagaoka MP110. It's nice, I'm happy with it. Every manufacturer has a compromise when they try to reach a price point. The Fluance seems to be strong in every area except the tonearm. For whatever reason, people say the tonearms aren't that great. They are entirely adequate, though. I may possibly consider an upgrade to a Nagaoka MP200 but if I do that, it won't be until the MP110 fails or possibly in a few years
Thanks Frank. All of your top I think are good choices. I bought the Fluance RT85 a few months ago and have been very happy with it. I think the build quality is very good and the Ortofon 2m blue sounds great. I really don't think I'll ever need another turntable and I can continue to upgrade the cartridge.
I bought the Fluance RT-81 last year, and it's a really nice table for $250. I bought my teenage daughter the Audio Technica LP-60x for Christmas last year. It's a great starter table and she loves it. Good recommendations, Frank!
The 60 is great for young teens. Nice pick!
I purchased the Pro-ject debut carbon (DC) three years ago and never looked back. I also upgraded my needle to the Ortofon 2M blue and love the sound.
I would have put the Audio Technica AT-LP 120 in place of the AT-LP 60. You get the tracking force and anti skate adjust-ability of all the others on the list for around $250. The LP 60 is the first turntable I owned but without being able to adjust the tracking force I was never confident that I wasn't damaging my albums so I ditched it in favor of the LP 120. In my mind the 60 is just a small step up from the suitcase players.
Fair point. My thinking with including the LP60 was to include something completely entry level.
Agreed. At first my son got an LP60 for high school graduation, but within a week he had mechanical problems. He then got a 120 model (which is direct drive, no fuss with belts), upgraded the stylus from a 95E to a 95ML, and has had no regrets!
My first adult turntable was the Fluance RT 84. I love it and I know my dad would have . Just wish there was a local shop for vinyl that wasn’t an hour away.
Audiotechnica products are great and durable. My Optimis Lab 340 is a rebranded Audiotechnica turntable. I purchased it in 1995 when turntables were almost impossible to find. 26 years later it's still spinning. Yes I have replaced the cartridge with a similar AT cartridge. Next year if personal finances improve I'd like to upgrade, but for now my budget turntable remains my faithful music companion.
Personally, I'd never play any of my records, new or old, on one of those 'suitcase' record players. The sound reproduction of the ones I've heard, is mediocre at best, and the tracking weight of them, to my mind, is suspect. I'll stick with my brother's Technics SL 1200 decks, with his Ortofon cartridges, thank you.
Great informative video, as always. Nice one.
Glad you dug the vid! II have a 1200 for my main, I am not a fan of the all in ones, but my kids dig em.
@@Channel33RPM - As you say, if it gets younger people into vinyl, that can only be a good thing.
So glad I found your channel. Thank you.
@@Channel33RPM How do you like your Technics SL 1200 for sound? I have one on pre-order but not due to come in until Dec/Jan. Is the 1200 difficult to setup?
Suitcase players are garbage, and I'm a novice vinyl collector/listener. The day I replaced mine with an LP60X, I heard the difference IMMEDIATELY and I was using the exact same speakers as I did with the suitcase.
I love my AT lp60x. It's paired with my Kanto6 bookshelfs. Uturn Orbit has a lousy Tupperware cover that doesn't stay up.
I use a fluance rt81, with fluance speakers, great for what I need...
I bought the rega planar 1 (in white) last Month in Glasgow, Scotland for the equivalent of $350. Looks great, but more importantly, sounds amazing with the Denon amp and wharfedale speakers 🏴🇺🇲
I just upgraded from Planar 3 to a Thorens TD1500 and now it's like listening to my records for the first time, I thought my planar 3 sounded good but it's a big difference now, more open sound and you feel like you are inside the music and listening live when they recorded it, now I understand that there is a big difference if you go up in price, I had better pickup on my planar 3 but that doesn't help, the Thorens is on another level.
As always great vid. I picked up a Regar Planar 1 Plus. It comes with a built in phono preamp. Really nice turntable IMO.
I wish now that I had purchased a Fluance instead of my high-level U-Turn Orbit turntable. My main complaint is how loose the belt is. Changing the speed from 33 1/3 to 45 is fine but it is impossible to change back to the 33 1/3 speed without the belt falling away from the platter, requiring some effort to get it back into the proper position. I have obtained replacement belts so I know that its not just a matter of the belt becoming stretched and I haven't really used the 45 speed very often because of this problem. Another problem caused by the loose belt is how easy it is to touch the belt when picking up a record from the platter. If your finger come into contact at all with the belt on the platter, it will fall off. If these problems weren't enough, the plastic dustcover will come crashing down very easily unless you are extremely careful to make sure that it is open to the maximum position. Once the belt is properly affixed and the dustcover is down, the unit works fine and the red cartridge and the built-in pre-amp work and sound fine but these problems shouldn't exist in a unit costing this much.
I'm in total agreement with your wish to have purchased a Fluance RT85 or RT85N rather than the UTurn Orbit Custom. I got all the bells and whistles possible on the Orbit (acrylic platter, Ortofon 2m Blue cartridge) but I have to admit that physically having to change the belt to listen to different speeds almost kills the experience for me and I rarely ever listen to anything at 45 RPM. I'm so tempted to just give my Orbit away to a friend and purchase a Fluance. I wonder why the higher end Fluance tables don't come with a preamp, though?
After a frustrating experience with a Audiotechnica AT.LP60XBT (stopped working after 3 months), I bought a Rega Planar 2. Planar 1 is also a great turntable. Buy nice or buy twice.
I bought a project primary e then upgraded to a project acrylic platter and a project record clamp and it sounds amazing
Personally I got a Lenco L-3808 which is probably the cheapest direct drive turntable, available for about £160. The speed adjustment slider and the direct drive make for accurate speed that is really stable with little wow and flutter. In the past I've found the low end belt driven models tend to drift far more than I like and I really can't be doing with moving the belt to change speed from 33 to 45.
I had a Sony PS2250 turntable. direct drive, servo controlled, with adjustable antiskate & tracking, along with pitch adjustment. I fitted an ortofon stylus & pick up to the head shell. Extremely high quality sound, with zero wow & flutter. I had this connected to a TA-1150 series amp, & a pair of Sony ULM series SS7330 speakers.
That's a great list Frank. Probably the best options (for most people) in that price bracket. We're in a great time with lots of options for everyone's budget and tastes.
Thanks! We are very lucky that there are many options nowadays - something for everyone.
Great vid Frank, if I were in the market for an affordable TT, I'd go for the rega.
I'm happy with my Fluance TR82 with ungraded AudioT VM95EN cartridge and headstock (that I bought and never put on my old Pioneer) and recent acrylic platter. Setup was quick, and I appreciate the three-foot leveling design..... they do a admirable job at isolation. I have had no problems with the auto-stop that some have complained about. Admittedly, I chose the Fluance because aesthetics still matter to me, and I required the walnut plinth to blend better with a vintage Marantz.
I would personally never recommend the u-turns. I think there is a real issue with the tone arms. For their turntables that are $199 and up, you are getting a $100 level tone arm, similar to the built of the $100 Sonys and Crosleys, and you cannot upgrade that away. When friends come to me, I always recommend the RT82 or high, and all have been super happy with them. I think the RT85s hold their own with most turntables in the $700-$800 range. All that said. I have never gotten the hate for people using cheap turntables, whether Crosley or suitcase player. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, a good portion of the listeners used cheap turntables, especially suitcase systems. The whole destroying records thing is so stupid. Great video as always Frank.
I’ve had an Orbit for about 6 years and haven’t had a single problem with its tone arm. It plays all but the roughest of records with absolutely no skipping or other issues
I received a suitcase for Christmas 2020 now I've been itching to get real audiophile setup.
I bought a 1 by one turntable (189$ CAD on Amazon) as a secondary since my vintage Kenwood KD-2055 was having technical issues and I have to say that for the price, it is a good entry turntable.
I am curious about those.
I've got a TT500 Numark that i've had for 20+ years. Think I spent $900 on it. Couple years ago I had to replace the motor. Other than that it's been all good. I recommend spending the extra money on a good turntable and don't look back!
Tried a project debut turntable once. There is no vinyl magic in it, even with an expensive cartridge. It just plays music well, and that's it. But, if you have no good cd player or turntable to compare it with, you'll probably be happy with the sound.
Still partial to my old school Technics 1200
That is my main TT as well.
As always thanks for the video!! I think it would be a good idea to make a video giving advices for upgrading turntables correctly (cartridge allignment, selecting suitable components...) Keep safe! :)
I will definitely keep that in mind. Thanks for the comment.
My favorite turntable I have this to audio technic a 120 it’s a great turntable I love it and there’s one feature I have on the audio technic a 140 which is not available in the 120 X the forward and reverse playback it is such a fantastic term table and I love the fact that you can switch had shells and cartridges to make the turntable sound great. I love the fact that you have the turntables with pitch control as well and you can slow down the tempo or you can speed it up which is great. another reason why I love the audio technic a 120 X and the 140 to 140 is a great DJ turntable and I love the fact that the audio technical especially the 120 can play 7845s and 33s which are fantastic. that’s my number one favorite turn cable my second favorite would be the techniques turntable it’s really good and I think those two are the best turn tables out there.
Great video Frank! I've got a good recommendation for those on a MICRO budget or wanting to buy a Crosley. The Target brand "hey day" turntable. It goes for about $99US.
It has a built in preamp, bluetooth, 33/45 rpm, adjustable tone arm, antiskate, and AT Cart (which you can upgrade obviously)...Not a bad little table for the money.
I love my Fluance RT-81 that I won from Golden Vinyl Spin Cafe a couple years ago! Solid little table. Still doesn't beat my vintage Pioneer :D
I have the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC and I love it. It sounds great and is solid. I do need to upgrade to the ceramic platter and blue cartridge however. Greta review as always! :)
Good video Frank. You are correct in you get what you pay for. That said it depends on what you can afford and what you want to work up to.
I have a Numark suitcase turntable and it is fine. I play it through a small Sony micro system and works alright. The sound is nothing to write home about but it works. The real queation is does one start buying a better system new or used? Should it be component by component or pick up someone's entire system? Is that a half way point to something better? It's hard to say.
I do have a 90s Sony turntable but it will need a new belt and probably a new cartridge if I get a system dedicated for it. That said it would take me to going the used route and getting components refurbished. That said I have spun an album on a $40k+ system and while i credibly impressed, realized that the system was coloring the recording so that it sounded better than really was.
At this point I can see myself working up to a $3k-$5k system but that would be about it. This is based on what I currently own and how much I listen to music by itself. This would be spending a year or more planning it out and purchasing the system component by component. I think this would give me decades of enjoyment.
Its also important to realize that as one ages, one's hearing tends to degrade. I play music, guitar, bass, and vocals and there comes a point to where audio perception drops. So spending lots of money on a system for bragging rights is a bit doofy. Buy the best system to your ear, always trust your ear and marketing. Also keep in mind your space and how you listen to your music. The room you play your hifi can negate many qualities of your system (a audiophile system in a single-wide trailer won't sound as good as in a well built home.) Right now my current system as said above is more than adequate to where I am living right now (old home in an improvised apartment with other stuff and cats...).
It's ridiculous I know, but I own the Fluance RT 81, 83, and 85 turntables located in various parts of my house and another dwelling as well. Needless to say, I love each and everyone of them and would highly recommend the entire Fluance line of turntables to anyone looking for beauty, quality, terrific sound reproduction......all at a very reasonable price. Oh, I own Fluance speakers as well to go with them all but I'll avoid that discussion for now.
Which Fluance speakers do you own? I have the XL7 and XL8 towers, and really dig em!
@@Channel33RPM I also have the XL8 towers and the Signature Series 2 way bookshelf speakers for my den.
Almost forgot, I own the Ai40 powered speakers as well. And no, I do not work for Fluance, even though it may sound like it.
@@davidgena2667
I have those paired with a Douk phono tube amp. Really brings out the sound especially on jazz records and live recordings
I bought a Denon DP-400 a couple years ago & I'm really happy with it. The auto shut-off and unique dust cover were nice selling points. I will probably upgrade the stylus but the factory installed one sounds really good.
I bought the Denon DP-400 in April. I had done my research and the consensus was that the DP-400 was low noise and very accurate (RPM). It's shortcoming was it's cartridge. It's ok, but I went ahead and ordered an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I had the DP-400 for only a day and I was swapping out the cartridge for the 2M Blue. Once I got the alignment, tracking force and anti-skate set it was game on. Everyone is amazed at the sound when they come over to my place. I have about 500+ albums on vinyl and have now purchased about ten albums since i got the new turntable.
One of the things I love about the audio technic a 120 X is that it has two options the phono preamp, and a line out.
I think every turn table should have the forward and reverse playback I love the fact that on the audio technic a 140 you can have the option to you if you wanna go back to a certain track on a favorite album you can hit the reverse button the forward and reverse playback button once and the music will get reversed and then you go to a certain track when it starts and then you can hit the forward and reverse playback button again and the music will be played forwards. I think back in The olden days, people are used to I think spin the record player backwards and that’s how you could get the music to reverse.The audio technical is so much easier to use the 140.
This is the first DJ turntable I ever had and it’s a great machine is highly recommended. I also love the fact that the audio technic a special the 120 has a tank like field to it because it’s very heavy and heavier record players I think are better than lighter record players because you don’t have the advantage of the record skipping every time you bump it or something like that.
The audiotechnica lp60x is the ak-47 of turn tables. Although i have upgraded, I still keep it around and it never quits. I would highly recommend anyone to skip the suitcase situation and get one of these first.
That would be a Technics 1200 model. The lp-60 is the Hi-Point of turntables. Suitcase and Crosley players are the equivalent of dollar store cap-guns.
I'd recommend the Music Hall mmf 2.3 with adjustable antiskating for EUR 449 which is a steal in my opinion !
I wouldn't say that LP60X is 'no regret'. I bought it & returned it within a week. As for the Fluance it's the 1 I ended up sticking with. But I do wish I'd gotten the U-turn or Project because of the bulkiness & how low the I plater is because I wanted to put LEDs under it so I had to be creative to use LEDs & put em behind it.
The thickness of the Fluance body is a big factor in its sound quality for the better. It soaks up vibrations of the surroundings.
I have a Project 1Xpression turntable with Ortofon 2Mbronze with a Yamaha amplifier and a Musical Fidelity phono pre amp and floorstanding EPOS speakers...sounds very good !! friendly greetings from Friesland in the Netherlands.
thank for this review and wish you all the best !!
I upgraded my Sony ps-lx300usb turntable to the fluance RT84 back in April ! Very happy, and a HUGE upgrade from the sony!
Good pick!
Bought a Pro-ject Turntable a number of years ago - think it was about $350-400. Like it!
I got my vintage thorens turntable for $9 at a thrift store. It still works great!
Thanks frank. I've been wanting to upgrade and have been looking at the fluance. I like that you can get the basic to start and upgrade it over time
I've had the RT82 for two years and it's held up wonderfully. I'm going to upgrade it, over time, to the 85. It's a lot cheaper to just buy the 85, if you can, in the end though as the platter is $150 and the Blue cart somewhere around $230.
These are all good choices. Since you are going up to $500, I'd add the audio technica LP-1240. That's as close as you're going to get to to the old SL-2000. Especially with the brushless super OEM motor. Just my 2¢.
I got a Pro-Ject Genie 3 about 10 years ago came with a ortofon 2m res cart and only just replaced it. I love it it’s done amazing for me, £350 well spent
I'm missing one table here, as already mentioned in the comments the Audio Technica LP 120 but also another great model of them the lp140xp. For about 500$ you got the super OEM, very upgradable and comes already with a preinstalled cartridge and stylus. Looks a bit like the Technics sl1200 gr. I'm personally thinking about replacing my old Technics 1410 MK1 with this one. Just needs an ortofon om 2 bronze or black iff you want the real audiophile sound. And the cables are also upgradable
Lp120X and the LP3 are great turntables . I was very surprised that you chose the LP60 over the LP120X. 😅
I wanted to start with a really cheap one, and the 60 is pretty much as low as I would go.
An At-lp5x (if u can find one in stock) with an ortofon 2m red stylus and it’s more than enough turntable to last u for years while u swap amps, preamps and/or dacs and speakers as u get bored of the sound and desire an ‘upgrade’. Anything above are nuances in the mechanics of the turntable. Spend your money on a good amp/preamp and nice records and your time listening to music instead.
A couple of yrs back I bought a TEAC TN-200. Came with Audio Technica cartridge (Green) for $199. Absolutely No problems with it.
Thanks. Good advice here. Thinking about the upgrade to your top pick, though I do like the feature of stopping automatically when the LP side is finished playing.
May i respectfully suggest that Crosley ( yes crosley) C6 is missing from you list, imo it should be considered. C6 has built in pre amp to get someone going till they can buy an external. C6 has azimuth adjustment which is somehow missing from the debut carbon. Tone arm is designed by project and some variants have a speed selector switch on the plinth. I feel project debut, uturn etc have become trendy go-to tables for name recognition, but there are other options that are less advertised that would be cool to hear about.
Great video as always. Keep up the great work. Your review on turntables is spot on. 👌
i like my uturn but here in south florida its hot and humid and the rubber belt wont stay on well.. i ordered new belts same problem the heat makes the belt stretch ... and it is so fun trying to get it to go back on... need some cold to help shrink the rubber i guess
Lp60 was my first turntable now i use my papas vintagr technics sl bd 35 with a pickering cartridge sounds amazing. Still want to get a manual turntable one day
I love those old Pickerings!
My 1979 Thorens td166 mk2 runs like a champ 42 years later
I ended up with the Fluance RT 85 so I can swap out carts. Great list of turntables 👍🏻
Good choice!
I love my u turn, great value. Just ordered an Audio Technica 2022 anniversary turntable, don’t know how it sounds but looks astonishing, look forward to it.
you forgot to mention that the Fluance turntables come with a headshelll which imo makes them so much easier to change the cartriges when you like
Excellent point
I'm really considering a Fluance for my next table. I was torn a couple years back between those and the Denon DP-300F, which is what I ended up going with. I love it accept for the automatic function on it drops too fast onto the record, so I end up doing it manually.
I’m gonna post my comments, but I love my Fluance turntable
My Denon drops too fast also. Sounds like it's slamming the needle.
I got lucky ...I bought my Debut Carbon Evo before the $100 price increase
Great video, as always. You could add the Denon DP-300F at about $500 for a higher end automatic TT. I have that TT in my workshop, upgrade to a Orto red and it has played flawlessly for over 3 year. Keep up the good work Frank.
For sure. I think I gave Denon a shout out at the end, but can't recall off the top of my head.
I got a fluance RT83, great turntable
I have the pro-ject now but for years I used an old school budget turntable from the 80s from quasar
Great video bro.
Thanks JC.
Audio Technica AT LP120USB is a very good turntable which I've been using since 2016. It has all three i.e. 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm speeds, built-in pre amp, changeable headshell, anti skating, both weight and vertical aduystment at US$ 300. I believe this is the best at this price.
I find old discarded stereo equipment all the time but never a halfway decent turntable. I just found a beautiful mid 70s Marantz tuner amp and some JBL speakers. The amp needs some work, but I'd love to get off this CD phase and go back to vinyl again. The last vinyl album I bought was "Presto" by Rush in 1989. I sold close to 800 albums in 1992 but kept my Beatles collection.
The project debut carbon dc is my main turntable at the moment. I want to upgrade the sub platter try the speed box that you mentioned. I have the acrylic platter and it is a worthwhile upgrade from the stock platter for sure!
I really just want to upgrade straight to the bronze cartridge from the red. I have tried the blue briefly from a friend who gave it to me when he bought a bronzevbut the stylus was well worn and I went back to the red as there was a god awful distortion with the blue. I didnt notice it until a week or so into having the cartridge installed so It was due to wear im sure.
My friend has an ortofon bronze on his vpi scout and I see no reason to not try one on my project debut carbon dc.It is a very nice turntable with an excellent tonearm. I only wish there were adjustable on the fly VTA(vertical tracking angle) you could do while a record is playing to dial in the sound. I used to do this with a vta adjuster on my rega 250 tonearm mounted on a VPI Jr. Hw19 turntable. I actually need another old rega 250 or a rega 300 tonearm for this vpi turntable so I can listen to it again for a while. I'd like to have both running on two different stereo setups.
I have a project debut carbon and have upgraded to the ortofon blue cart. What I really want is a Rega RP6, but lots more money. I also want a Corvette.
Enjoyed it Frank!!
I have the DC esprit and it's pretty good
I got the top end Fluance with the Nagaoka head. I dunno, sounds amazing to me.
I bought a Debut Carbon EVO a few months ago to replace my old Technics turntable. I am really pleased with it. I changed out the metal platter to an acrylic one and I am awaiting the arrival of the alu sub-platter for it.
I have a question for you though (you can always address this in your next Q&A video). My receiver has a built-in phono pre-amp. Would you recommend I instead go with an external pre-amp? If so, what would be a good recommendation?
Keep up the good work as always Frank!
I’ve had I know the name might turn some people off but the Crowley C200 Direct Drive is great at $230 I’ve had mine for 1 1/2 years and no problems at all very easy to setup. And if you want upgrading with a red2 it’s even better
The main thing I don't like about these TTs, except for the Fluances RT line, is that the headshells are not removable...BIG deal breaker for me...
I own BOTH a Fluance RT 83 and a Project Debut Carbon. Both with Red Ortofon cartridges and I love both, BUT I do like one over the other.
I purchased my Fluance first and am completely happy with it. Then I wanted a secondary turntable with a white finish. So it came down to the U Turn, Rega and Project Debut Carbon. I did the research and went with the Project DC. The main factors I prefer my Fluance over my Project DC
1. The annoying anti skating weight that always disconnects with any slight movements. I haven’t had problems reconnecting the fishing string to the hook, but just the fact it disconnects at various times is annoying.
2. The automatic stop on the Fluance when the record is finished.. Easily having an auto stop is a huge advantage. Sometimes you might be multitasking, having the Fluance stop the record for you is an easy plus as opposed to the Project DC keep spinning the record until you decide to turnoff the player or lift the arm to the cradle and then either flip the record or pick another record.
3. The obvious, turning the dial to change from 45 to 33 on the Fluance as opposed lifting the matt on the Project DC and switching the ban to the 45 or 33 gear
Again, I love my Project, but had Fluance come out with the white finish, RT 83 model, which is available now, I would have owned two Fluances
Sadly my Sony PS-1100 is dying so I really want a fluance turntable, it always has great reviews about quality and sound and they look great, I think I'm going to make it my goal to save for one next year
my question is, what preamp would you recommend? I am seriously looking into getting Fluance RT85. I currently have AT-LP60. I have been buying more analog only pressings and paying more attention to how the vinyl is sourced. In your opinion, have you noticed a huge difference from the AT LP-60 from the Fluance RT85? I like your channel, thanks
Why is it so dang hard to find a new direct drive, fully auto table?
It's a good question... there are not many out there.
I want the project carbon pro. I'm outgrowing the AT120 ready for the big leagues
Nice list.... hard to tell if you are referring to USD or CAD ???? Great list ! Fluance TT's are incredible values. They just WORK !
Hey Frank!
Thank you for this review. I too have the Project, but suffer from a lot of rumble. Any advice from your side as what I can check?
Thank you,