Find The Best Value Turntable For Your Price Range
Ivor Tiefenbrun, founder of Linn and the man who invented the Linn LP12 turntable in 1973 came up with a concept that was revolutionary in its day. Obvious in retrospect, and taken for granted today, the notion of “garbage in, garbage out” (also called “source-first”) in a hi-fi system was a challenge to the conventional wisdom of the day, which held that the loudspeaker was the most important part of the hi-fi system. Ivor proved that if the quality of the signal at the source was compromised there was nothing the rest of the system could do to rectify it.
Which means choosing a turntable can be a very important decision especially if it’s your main source of music because it sets the standard for the quality of sound your system will give you. Here at Audio Trends we deal with some of the best turntable brands on the planet and choosing the right one can be a lot of fun. So, let’s take a relaxed ride through some top value-for-money options at different price levels to help you get a better handle on which type of turntable you might prefer.
If you're dipping your toes into vinyl for the first time, the Denon DP-29F is a wonderful place to start. It’s fully automatic, so you just place your record, hit play, and let the turntable do the rest - no fuss, no setup headaches. It’s the kind of turntable that welcomes you into the world of vinyl without demanding a learning curve, and that makes it perfect for casual listening and enjoying the moment.
Stepping just a bit further along, you’ll find the Lenco LBT-188, which strikes a balance between budget and build. It delivers clean, no-frills playback without hurting your wallet. It has a kind of unassuming charm - a smart looking record player that quietly does its job, letting the music shine without drawing attention to itself.
The Lenco LBT-188 Turntable - Modern Belt-Drive Turntable with Bluetooth & USB
Ready for something that starts to sound more “alive”? The Music Hall MMF-1.5 is often praised for adding texture and warmth to your tunes without demanding a fortune. It leans slightly more toward the “audiophile-friendly” end of things, offering deeper engagement with your records - especially when you start noticing the bits of detail in quieter tracks or subtle brass notes that weren’t as clear before.
At the mid-range sweet spot, you’ve got the Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2, a sleek, solid performer loved by folks who want reliability and just enough tweakability to grow into. It comes in some truly sumptuous colours, looks good, plays great, and delivers a musical experience that feels accessible yet satisfying.
Then there's the Rega Planar 3, a piece with decades of audio heritage behind it. It’s built with serious attention to mass, rigidity, and minimal vibration - design features that help you hear music with a sense of clarity and purity that really draws you in. It’s the kind of classic turntable that makes you feel connected to music in a trusted, refined way.
The Rega Planar 3 - Classic Design and High-Performance Vinyl Playback
Next we have a visually stunning and technically competent player - the Audio-Technica AT-LPA2. This is a fully manual, belt-drive beauty with a transparent acrylic chassis and platter that not only looks sleek and modern but also serves a triple purpose - dampening vibrations, resisting resonance, and giving the setup a laid-back, mesmerizing aesthetic. It comes with a high-quality Moving Coil cartridge, a carbon-fibre tonearm, and a separate control module to keep electrical noise away from your music. Every time you drop the needle, it's as much a sensory experience as an audio one.
If you want to go up another notch, the Rega Planar 8 is a beautifully refined turntable that leans into high-performance craftsmanship - with lighter materials, precision mechanics, and performance-oriented engineering. Listening on the Planar 8 gives you clean, expressive sound with clarity and a wonderful sense of openness.
Rega Planar 8 - High-Performance Belt-Drive Turntable for Serious Vinyl Fans
And for those chasing the ultimate vinyl experience, there’s the Linn Majik LP12 MC Turntable - a legendary piece of gear that brings luxurious detail, depth, and musical nuance to your listening. It’s the kind of turntable that turns good albums into immersive experiences, where every layer of sound feels alive and captivating.
In the end, your best choice depends on how hands-on you want to be, how much you'd like to invest, and how deeply you want to connect with your music. Whether you’re starting with the straightforward Denon, diving into beautiful detail with the AT-LPA2, or chasing finesse with the Planar 8 or Linn LP12, there’s a sweet-spot turntable out there that’s perfect for your vinyl journey. Let the sound take you - one groove at a time.
Written By Wes - August 2025