Sa<\/span>les of vinyl have continued to soar in recent years, with more than five million albums sold in 2021, an increase of eight per cent. Furthermore, vinyls made up 23 per cent of all physical albums bought last year.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Best active speakers for listening to music<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
Best designer speakers for classical music lovers<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
The best speakers and hi-fi systems for classical music lovers<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
Best portable outdoor speakers for classical music lovers<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
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How to choose a turntable<\/h2>\n
For the uninitiated, choosing a record player isn\u2019t always easy \u2013 even John Lewis offers multiple models. At the very top end, Naim Audio\u2019s turntable, the Solstice<\/a><\/strong>, costs \u00a316,000 and if you can afford it is worth every penny. But for most first-time enthusiasts, a budget of \u00a3150-\u00a3400 will be enough, with brands such as Pro-Ject, Audio Technica and Rega overflowing with quality designs. <\/span><\/p>\n
All modern turntables will play records at 33^{1<\/sup>\u2044\u2083 rpm and 45 rpm, but if you\u2019ve collected or inherited any classical recordings on shellac you\u2019ll need a 78 rpm setting. Some turntables with pitch-shift can manage, but will require a 78 rpm stylus. An exception is Rega\u2019s Planar 78 (\u00a3400;} rega.co.uk<\/a><\/b>) which only plays the classics.<\/span><\/p>\n
Assuming you already have speakers and an amplifier, the next consideration is whether your turntable has a preamp built in. This amplifies the signal to a level that can drive your speakers. There are plenty of separate preamps available from around \u00a3150, and while it does mean more clutter, such units can be upgraded.<\/span><\/p>\n
There are alternatives, however. Bluetooth streaming turntables such as the Sony PS-LX310BT (\u00a3249; Currys<\/b>)<\/a> can stream audio to as many as eight compatible speakers, while the Juke Box E (\u00a3499; project-audio.com<\/b>)<\/a> has preamp and power amp built in \u2013 so, you just add speakers.<\/span><\/p>\n
The boom in vinyl sales has also seen a revival of the all-in-one record player, often boasting retro looks and built-in speakers. These are fun and affordable, but generally sound awful and can prematurely wear down your records, which is unforgivable. Some exceptions exist, however, including the new Victrola V1 (\u00a3399; victrola.com<\/b><\/a>) which has better quality components, Bluetooth receiver and separate subwoofer.<\/span><\/p>\n
Turntables come with a phono cartridge (with stylus), which is key to the sound quality. Isolation, vibration and tracking all play key roles, but the better the cartridge, the better the sound. There are two main types: moving magnets (MM) and moving coil (MC), with MM cartridges the commoner and harder wearing, while MC offers a more detailed and accurate sound, at a price. Thankfully, if you choose a turntable from a reputable brand, you can easily upgrade the cartridge and stylus at a later date.<\/span><\/p>\n
The best turntables on the market today<\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pro-Ject Audio A1 Automat\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
I\u2019d gleefully recommend any Pro-Ject turntable, but this, their first fully automatic design, ticks every box, with its 8.3\u2033 aluminium tonearm, built-in phono stage, Ortofon OM 10 cartridge precision mechanics and handmade build, plus fumble-proof, fully automatic operation.<\/p>\n
Key features include;<\/p>\n
Fully automatic turntable system<\/li>\n
Electronically controlled playback speeds (33 and 45 RPM)<\/li>\n
8.3\u201d aluminium tonearm with carbon fibre reinforced anti-magnetic headshell<\/li>\n
Pre-adjusted Ortofon OM 10 cartridge with elliptical stylus profile\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Precise mechanics for automatic start\/stop system\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Built-in switchable Moving Magnet (MM) phono stage\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Resonance-damped wooden chassis\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>