Cheap turntable c£150

[JamesHenley]

My lovely partners son is turning 21.

She doesn’t have a lot in the way of spare money but is doing the best she can.

She’d like to get a turntable at the £150 mark, including speakers. This is pushing the budget but I know he’d really appreciate the thought.

I’m well out of my depth…so new and suck up the bad quality? Or go second hand…in which case what are we looking at.

Any help or advice would be extremely welcome!!

[Glassman]

You might need an amplifier too, one with a phono stage.

[Panamax]

Does the son have any albums to play? Many of the new ones are absurdly expensive.

[Mr Creosote]

Under no circumstances get one of those Crosley suitcase turntables they sell in HMV. They’ll chew your records up and sound terrible while doing it.

Richer Sounds sell a couple of cheap turntables from Denon and Audio Technica that have built- in phono stages for about £120, so you could just plug it into any high system and it should work. One even has Bluetooth, so you can connect it straight to a Bluetooth speaker with no other kit required.

If you buy a traditional turntable, you’ll need an amp and speakers, and for all that you’ll need to shop second hand. Rega, Project, Audio Technica would be on my shopping list.

Speakers always seem readily available on FB Marketplace and the like - again, buy recognised brands (Wharfedale, Q Acoustics etc.)

Second hand would be my choice, IF you know what you’re doing. If not, and you buy something that needs servicing, that could blow your budget.

If there’s a hifi shop near you, go in and tell them your requirements and budget. They may have 2nd hand gear in stock too. Richer Sounds are always really helpful, and will generally respond via email with loads of details too.

[conkerman]

Buy a decent used Turntable.

I have a Funk Firm GETT! with a Goldring £E3 Cartridge, I was offered £200 trade in, you can have it for that and you can have a Yamaha RX-V 1067 AV amp with a phono stage.

Msg me if interested.

[Don1]

Either go 2nd hand or look at things like this:

https://www.richersounds.com/philips-the-stevie-ta...

Turntable, speaker and Bluetooth.

[oddball1313]

A little over budget but sounds great and looks more expensive than the £200.00 price tag suggests

https://www.thehouseofmarley.co.uk/stir-it-up-wire...

i've got the model up and connect through these speakers

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B098TPB1MW?ref_=ppx_hz...

For such a cheap little setup it blows the SONOS out the room

Edited by oddball1313 on Thursday 4th June 20:49

[santona1937]

A tad over budget at £199 but a Fluance RT80 is a stunningly good turntable for the money.... comes complete with Audio Technica AT91 cartridge.