You could have the sweetest vinyl collection, but it won’t do much good without a reliable turntable to play them on. Even if you have a quality amplifier or receiver and excellent turntable-friendly speakers further down your sound system’s signal chain, they’ll only serve to accurately reproduce a subpar signal if you’re using a low-quality source. Luckily, Audio-Technica makes some amazing affordable turntables that are an even better deal than their usual under $500 price point thanks to October Prime Day (aka Amazon Prime Big Deal Days).
Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK $249 (Was $349)
Tony Ware
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The AT-LP120XUSB-BK is compatible with virtually any music system, thanks to its variety of outputs, both digital and analog. On the digital side, listeners can use the USB port for copying albums digitally to a computer. In the analog domain, the built-in preamp connects the turntable to line-level inputs on a preamp or receiver. You can also bypass the preamp to connect to an external unit. Thanks to its multiplicity of output types, the AT-LP120XUSB-BK is a turntable you can hold onto for a long time, even if you completely change the sound system around it.
If you’re more concerned with budget than rocking beats, Audio-Technica also offers a more affordable belt-driven Bluetooth option, the AT-LP60XBT-BK, as well as the Audio-Technica AT-SB727 Sound Burger. First released in 1983, the Sound Burger—originally called “Mister Disc” in the US—was made for on-the-go analog enjoyers. The Sound Burger now comes with a USB-C charging cable and Bluetooth connectivity—so consider a portable speaker. It also includes a 3.5mm male to dual RCA male audio cable in case you want to connect your nice speakers. And, just like the original, enjoy the music for yourself when you connect some headphones (which we also love if you’re mixing music), so check out those options below.
