If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Building a beginner vinyl setup may seem like an overwhelming, complicated and pricey task at first. But that couldn’t be further from the truth — today’s budget-friendly record players will do the trick with impressive sound, letting you start spinning your records straight out of the box.
Vinyl sales have continued to grow over the last few years, per the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), even outselling CDs in 2020. And while some may write it all off as a nostalgic trend, the increased interest makes sense, as more artists continue to release box sets and vinyl exclusives for their fans to enjoy beyond a streaming platform. In other words, there’s never been a better time to invest in a new record player if you want another way to explore your favorite music.
If you’re shopping for a turntable on a budget, sites like Amazon and Urban Outfitters are good places to check out, but another great way to score an affordable turntable is by scouting out used players at your local record store or on eBay. We consider the site to also be one of the best shopping experiences for anyone who’s hunting for rare, used albums, and it’s one of our go-tos for cheap record players too, when you can’t find something you like online or at the store.
Related: The Best Shelving for Your Vinyl Records
Affordable Turntable Buying Guide
You don’t need to be familiar with record players in order to use any of the turntables in this guide. You can simply move the tonearm or press the start button and get to listening — it should be that easy. But think about if having features like Bluetooth or, say, a portable, suitcase-style design are important to you when building your setup.
Think about what records you’re spinning too. Do you need better speakers to blast your beats? Do you want warmer, more detailed sound? Or are you just playing around with vinyl and need a starter record player for casual, everyday use?
Buy Collect More Vinyl Amazon
Editor’s picks
Here’s what else to look for when shopping for the best budget turntables and record players under $100.
Speeds: All of the turntables in this guide can play records at three speeds, including 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM. Most players at this price point are three-speed turntables, which we consider your best option for getting the most out of your setup and stacks of LPs and EPs.
Speakers, Connectivity and Bluetooth: One of the best features about the best turntables under $100 these days is that it’s easy to find ones that come with their own speakers and built-in preamps, making it fast and simple to play music the moment after unboxing. That said, all of the record players in this guide give you the option to connect them to powered speakers or wired headphones. That way, you won’t have to solely rely on the player’s speakers, which do the job but may not produce the same high-quality sound you’ll find in a pair of bookshelf speakers or your headphones.
Almost all of today’s under-$100 record players include Bluetooth so you can sync up your phone or tablet to also listen to your music through a streaming service. Having on-board Bluetooth is a nice addition, though ultimately we suggest upgrading to a separate Bluetooth speaker for better sound and greater portability if you’re trying to stream music.
Design and Portability: Most record players are lightweight enough and include their own speakers, making them easy to move between rooms or to take with you on a trip. Below, we’ve included some players that have the ability to shut like a suitcase, protecting the interior of the turntable, while others feature covers for an extra protective layer from household spills or dust. The turntables in this guide range from a little over 2.5 pounds up to over eight pounds, but it’s worth noting that you may have a tougher time moving the units once they’re connected to the speaker system you choose.
Related Stories
Related: The Best Audiophile Turntables for Your Home Audio System
What Are the Best Turntables Under $100?
Familiar brands, including Crosley, Audio-Technica, and Victrola, all produce stellar beginner turntables that are actually worth buying for anyone looking to get into vinyl. Here are some of our favorites for enjoying your collection.
(Note: Prices were under $100 at time of writing.)
1. Crosley Bluetooth Suitcase Turntable
This suitcase-style record player from Crosley is easily one of the best beginner turntables for those on a budget.
The three-speeder has everything you need to spin a record, and can play LPs at 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM. With the turntable’s speakers, you can listen to your records right away. That said, if you want an upgrade your future setup, the turntable has RCA and audio jack hookups so you can plug the Crosley into a pair of bookshelf speakers.
Once you get to the end of Side B, you can easily pair your phone to the turntable’s Bluetooth speakers to keep the music playing while you pick out your next album. Crosley’s designed this record player in over 20 different colors and patterns, from floral to tweed.
Buy Crosley Cruiser Turntable $64.95
2. Wrcibo Vintage Turntable
A minimal style and warm wood base give this turntable a vintage feel that pairs perfectly with the natural cracking and fuzzed-out sounds of old vinyl LPs. But although it has plenty of retro appeal, it comes with a host of modern features for listening to your music library.
A 3.5mm headphone jack lets you connect your stereo system, CD player or your over-ears to listen to vinyl. While the record player has its own speakers designed on the bottom of the turntable base, there are also RCA connections for pairing with separate bookshelf speakers, which we highly recommend buying if you want your records to sound louder — and, ultimately, better — than they will coming from the included speakers. (If you need help deciding on the best speakers to buy, check out our guide here.)
The turntable comes with a dust cover to protect your record while it’s spinning and to avoid dust buildup when you’re not using it.
Buy Wrcibo Vintage Turntable $87.99
3. Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player
Another suitcase turntable, Victrola’s record player features two speakers underneath the platter, so you or the person you’re gifting it to won’t have to sweat it if they don’t have speakers right away. We like that you can lock the lid shut when you’re not using it, and it also makes it possible to move the turntable between your office or family room when the occasion calls for spinning some vinyl.
This is a three-speed turntable, and you can play 7-, 10- and 12-inch singles as well. Like other record players in our guide, this Victrola lets you stream music via Bluetooth, but you can also plug in your headphones to listen to your records, which is a welcome feature if you live in a dorm or apartment and have roommates.
The turntable only weighs about 2.7 pounds, making it one of the most portable players on this list. You can buy it in a wide array of colors, too, and you’ll also get an additional stylus you can keep handy for when you’ve worn out your needle.
Buy Victrola Bluetooth Record Player $52.70
4. Audio-Technica AT-LP60X-GM Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable
Hear us out — if you have some spare money to spend, consider this budget-friendly Audio-Technica turntable. Yes, we’re cheating a bit by including it in this list, but that’s because it’s from an audio brand we trust and love. The turntable is a great entry-level model that lets you build out your vinyl setup the way you want it. It comes with its own phono pre-amp inside, along with a set of RCA output cables to hook up to shelf speakers or your stereo setup.
Audio-Technica added a removable dust cover that you can shut once you’re done playing your record. While you don’t need one in order to listen to your vinyl, it’s a key component for protecting your turntable’s platter and base over the long run and will ensure debris won’t get in the way of your vinyl and your stylus.
Buy Audio-Technica Automatic Turntable $149
5. Victrola All-In-One Bluetooth Record Player
Reserve some space on your credenza — like the name describes, this stylish-and-classy All-in-One record player from Victrola is a versatile choice for any record collector. It’s a wooden three-speed player, complete with Bluetooth for streaming Spotify playlists and even a headphone jack for hooking up your wired cans (our editors love these Sony headphones). Bonus: It’s the only turntable on this list that lets you tune into FM radio right from the base itself.
Buy Victrola All-in-One Record Player $70
6. Ion Audio Max LP Record Player
Built-in speakers and RCA outputs make this Ion record player a great entry-level turntable for your space. With the USB output, you can easily connect it to a laptop if you want to convert your records to digital audio files. This player spins at three speeds: 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm. While you can conveniently listen to music right from the player itself, we like that you can connect stereo speakers for upgraded sound down the road, too. It comes with its own slipmat, plus a dust cover to protect your records.
Buy ION Audio Max Record Player $156.26
7. Kedok Vinyl Record Player
When it comes to the best record players under $100, this deeply discounted model gets the job done with two built-in stereo speakers, Bluetooth connectivity, and its three-speed setup. You can easily connect it to external stereo speakers through the RCA line-out ports or a CD player using the AUX input, as well as use wired headphones to listen to your vinyl thanks to the jack on the front of the player. Along with its minimal design and vintage appeal, it also comes with a protective cover that you can shut or even remove. A bestseller on Amazon, the Kedok player boasts over 4,500 ratings with a 4.4 star (out of 5) review. Bonus: It’s currently marked down by up to 50%, bringing the price down to below $50.
Buy Kedok Record Player $45.99
Vinyl Shopping Guide
Want to find a great record to play on your new turntable. Here are a few of the best-selling records to spin right now.
Buy Taylor Swift, ‘Midnights’ $34.98
Buy Kacey Musgraves, 'Golden Hour' $21.98
Trending
Buy George Harrison, 'All Things Must Pass'… $907.99
Buy 'The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill' $39.98
Buy Harry Styles, ‘Harry’s House’ $37.98
Buy The Rolling Stones, 'Let It Bleed' $26.98
Buy Bob Dylan, 'Greatest Hits' $20.98
FAQs
What is a good entry level turntable? ›
Our favorite turntable
The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo is easy to set up, has fantastic build quality, and is the best-sounding turntable we've tested. The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo is easy to set up, has fantastic build quality, and is the best-sounding turntable we've tested.
...
- Pro-Ject Debut Pro. What Hi-Fi? ...
- Rega Planar 3/Elys 2. ...
- Rega Planar 1. ...
- Technics SL-1500C. ...
- Sony PS-LX310BT. ...
- Rega Planar 1 Plus. ...
- Rega Planar 2. ...
- Rega Planar 6/Ania.
Basic tonearms on cheap turntables do a relatively poor job of this, resulting in poor quality sound and high record wear and tear. In better quality turntables, the tonearm, and its mounting and bearings, improve in their precision which results in a higher quality sound.
What is the most sought after LP? ›- The Beatles: Yesterday & Today - $125,000. ...
- John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy - $150,000. ...
- The Beatles: Sgt. ...
- Elvis Presley: 'My Happiness' - $300,000. ...
- The Beatles: The Beatles (White Album) - $790,000. ...
- Wu-Tang Clan: Once Upon a Time in Shaolin - $2 million.
The only reason to suggest that an older turntable might sound better is that it is going to add some more distortion to the records, or not track them as well, which you might find pleasing for nostalgic reasons.
Does a better turntable actually sound better? ›Cheap, poorly designed turntables exacerbate groove noise and tend to sound screechy. Most budget 'tables have limited bass power and poor bass definition. Audiophiles know LPs sound vastly better when played on a great turntable.
What makes a high quality turntable? ›Good turntables have isolated motors with electronic speed control. Best turntables have completely seperated motor units. The bearing must guide the cartridge in the groove. If the tonearm is too heavy and slow with a lot of fricti- on, the cartridge cannot track the details accurately.
Do old turntables sound better? ›It is true that most vintage record players, given a little TLC, sound better than the $150 budget tables of today. Be wary of buying a turntable from the same place you buy your jeans!
How much should I pay for a vinyl player? ›To get an entry-level turntable that won't damage your records and has good sound quality, expect to spend between $250 and $500. While there are definitely some decent options below $250 that won't damage your records, they typically won't sound as great as more expensive models.
What to look for when buying a turntable? ›- Size and Speed. Size and speed are both very important when dealing with vinyl. ...
- How Do They Work? ...
- Can You Use Them? ...
- Manual vs Automatic. ...
- How Much to Spend. ...
- Maintenance and Upgrade Costs. ...
- Where Are You Going to Put It?
Are crosleys good for beginners? ›
Crosley Gig Retro Belt-Drive Bluetooth Turntable
Streaming from a digital device is as simple as switching the function knob, and this is super easy to use right out of the box, making it a perfect gift for kids and newbies to the vinyl world.
- Consider the amount of space you have for the turntable, speakers, and other components.
- Think about your room setup when deciding how many speakers you want and where they will go.
Another essential part of setting up your turntable is to make sure it's level (which is rule number three). If it's not, the stylus will exert extra force in the downhill direction (due to gravity), potentially affecting the rotation speed.