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Best turntables under $500: Top 10 Reviewed

The RT85 is the best turntable under $500.
  • Picture of Ed Lansink Ed Lansink
  • Last updated on: May 24, 2023

If you’re in the market for a new turntable under $500, this is the guide for you.

I’ve been researching the best turntable models in this price range to help my friends in the vinyl community. (I also really enjoy geeking out over turntables!)

This guide will help you make the decision yourself. With so many turntables out there, it can be tricky to find the best pick. Don’t worry; this guide is here to show you all the best turntables under $500!

Fluance RT85

Great quality construction, highly rated Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, quiet steady motor. My top pick without hesitation.

Click for best price
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Build quality
Sound quality
Features
 5/5
 5/5
 4.5/5

Pro-Ject T1

A great alternative and close second from a reputable audio brand. Glass platter, stylish looks and well-performing Ortofon OM5e Cartridge offer good value.

Click for best price
RUNNER UP
Build quality
Sound quality
Features
 4.5/5
 4.5/5
 4.5/5

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK

A turntable with pedigree and originally built for DJs, it’s a solid all-round turntable for enthusiasts just as well.

Click for best price
CONTENDER
Build quality
Sound quality
Features
 5/5
 4/5
 5/5

How I tested these turntables

To get the most accurate comparison of these turntables, I used a controlled and accurate testing system. By using the same equipment and vinyl records and only changing the turntable, I got a clean comparison between each model, and I could hear the exact differences in performance without worrying that anything else was affecting the sound output.

I like to test with a mix of musical styles so I can get a good perception of how the deck sounds. Old and new music (and different genres) can have drastically different sonic characteristics so it’s good to check a wide range.

Some turntables sound better for different types of music too. I tested more products than what’s included on this list, but the below are my top picks for the best turntables under $500.

Equipment used for testing:

  • Pre-amplifier: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
  • Amplifier: Denon WX-3300
  • Speaker wire: GearIT Pro Series 18 AWG Gauge
  • Passive Speakers: Dali Zensor 5 and Dali E-12F subwoofer.

Records used for testing:

  • The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Time Out (Jazz)
  • Pearl Jam – MTV Unplugged (Live performances)
  • João Gilberto and Stan Getz – Getz/Gilberto (Latin-tinted instrumental + vocal)
  • Bonobo – Fragments (EDM)
  • Foo Fighters – In Your Honor (Rock/pop)
  • The Beatles – The Beatles (an original pressing – fairly flat mastering).

Top Best Turntable under $500

This section reviews each of the top-recommended turntables in this price range, the best of which are included in my overview of best turntables.

Top pick – Fluance RT85

Fluance RT85: The best turntable under $500.
Click for best price

The Fluance RT85 is ideal for the vinyl enthusiast, and I rate it as the best turntable under $500.

Due to the fantastic value, this model also competes with turntables in the sub $1000 range too!

One noticeable feature is the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, which offers pristine audio quality and increased channel separation with minimal distortion. It would cost you $239 to get the same cartridge on its own, so you’re getting great value for money.  This is easily the best-sounding turntable on this list, and rivals other audiophile turntables that cost a lot more.

The overall construction of this deck is top-notch, and you can tell a great amount of attention to detail has been put in during the manufacturing process, for every individual part. It uses a heavier MDF wood plinth with adjustable feet, both of which help to reduce external vibrational interference.

It features a dense acrylic platter that reduces interfering vibrations, creating a tighter bass sound, with a rich mid-range and high detail and clarity. The platter is heavier than the Fluance RT84 (number 3 on this list) and offers even more stability and isolation than its predecessor, and you won’t need to use a platter mat.

The motor is noticeably quiet, effectively silent, so you can focus purely on the music you’re listening to. It also has minimal wow and flutter, assuring the record spins at a consistent, stable, and accurate speed.

Otherwise, it’s easy to set up and comes with all the calibration you need. This sounds fantastic and has a tonne of detail, and even competes with decks closer to $1000. It’s an all-around super high-quality build with low noise and high accuracy – and I rate it as the best turntable under $500 for a range of reasons! If you love vinyl and sound, you won’t be disappointed with this.

Strengths

  • Ultra-quiet, stable motor.
  • High-quality cartridge (worth $239), creating an audiophile-grade sound.
  • All-around excellent engineering and design.

Weaknesses

  • Exposed belt makes it easier to wear and touch during handling.

Verdict

Currently one of the best mid-range turntables on the market, with lots of value at a very reasonable price.

Runner Up – Pro-Ject T1

Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB turntable.
Click for best price

Pro-Ject is another fantastic turntable brand, and their T1 model is a popular intermediate pick. It’s definitely one of the best turntables they offer in terms of quality and value for money.

This sleek-looking turntable features a stylish wooden chassis with no plastic or hollow sections.

A notable feature is the unique thick glass platter that offers great isolation and stable rotation.

This Pro-Ject deck comes set up and calibrated for the high-quality Ortofon OM5e Cartridge. It also has counterweighting and VTA adjustments, so you can always swap it out for a better cartridge later on. It’s a single-piece tonearm with a built-in headshell, so you can’t replace the whole stylus array, but swapping cartridges is good enough.

It uses high-quality parts for clean accurate playback, the motor creates a minimal amount of noise. But not as quiet as the Fluance above. The belt-driven motor is highly precise with minimal wow and flutter and tracks records at a consistent speed.

The overall experience is really high with this. It has slightly less overall detail than the winner, but I think it looks a bit more stylish, which is attractive to some collectors. This is similar to the Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo which is another recommendation.

Strengths

  • Unique, attractive appearance.
  • High-quality glass platter.
  • Fantastic clear sound.

Weaknesses

  • Integrated headshell (part of the tonearm), although you can change the cartridge.

3 – Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK turntable
Click for best price

An affordable direct-drive DJ style turntable from Audio-Technica. Ideal for budding vinyl DJs who want a solid, well-featured deck without forking out too much cash. Despite being a direct drive, it still has a good sound with minimal motor noise, unlike other DD decks. This could easily be the best budget turntable for upcoming vinyl DJs,

It features an anti-resonant aluminum platter with a felt slipmat, which minimizes vibration noise and lets you easily scratch, and jog the record into time. The direct-drive motor assembly is high torque and offers 3 speeds. It features a thick, well-made base with strong isolation and reduced low-end vibration interference.

Moreover, it comes with adjustable calibration – counterweight and anti-skate, and a removable  universal headshell. The variable pitch slider offers +/- 8-16% control, which is a larger range than some more expensive decks. It also comes with all the other standard DJ trappings like the strobe lights, ridged platter, cue lever, and a quartz lock.

It features an ATVM95E phono cartridge, made by Audio-Technica itself, which sounds great and is good for scratching. This version of the  Audio-Technica ATLP120 direct-drive turntable also includes a USB port enabling you to rip vinyl direct to digital files on your PC, which is a huge attraction. You can also find a Bluetooth turntable in the Audio-Technica ATLP range.

All of these features culminate in a great-sounding DJ-friendly deck that is easily one of the best turntables under $500 for DJs.

Strengths

  • Designed for DJs
  • Great build quality
  • Improved speed stability over predecessors
  • USB output.

Weaknesses

  • Cartridge is fine, but lacks quality over the above models
  • Slightly noisier than above models.

Other Best Turntables Under $500

4 – Fluance RT84

The Fluance RT84 turntable.
Click for best price

The RT84 is another intermediate turntable from Fluance. Again, this offers excellent quality and great value for money.

The S-shaped tonearm has a removable headshell so you can swap it for better models later on.

The solid wood plinth offers decent vibration resistance, and it comes with adjustable feet for further isolation. The electronics offer a super clean signal, with no annoying buzz or hum, and let you experience your records with clarity and detail.

There is only a little difference between the RT85 – namely, the platter being lighter and comparatively less stable (though still fantastic). I think the price difference is fair, and if you want to save a bit of money from the full $500 then this is still a great choice.  But if you can afford it, the RT85 is worth the extra cash.

Standout features:

  • heavy acrylic platter
  • super-low noise floor
  • consistent, quiet motor.

Strengths

  • Great sound and overall quality for the price
    • Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge ($239 value on its own!)
    • External Belt Drive
  • Well Designed.
  • More durable and sturdier than cheaper Fluance models.

Weaknesses

  • No Preamp
  • Exposed Belt.

5 – Denon DP-400

Denon DP-400
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Denon has over 100 years of audio equipment experience, and this really shines through in the DP-400. This belt-drive turntable is ideal for those who love vinyl, and it offers three speeds – 33, 54, and 78 RM.

It has easy-to-use controls and a stable belt-driven platter with a speed sensor ensuring accurate rotation. This fully automatic turntable offers a clear sound that lets your vinyl collection sing, particularly when paired with other quality audio gear in your sound system.

It’s compatible with either moving magnet or moving coil cartridges, so you can always upgrade later for extra high fidelity. It has a high-quality adjustable tonearm, and the chassis features a built-in preamp with EQ, so you don’t have to rely on using an outboard phono preamp.

It is super easy to set up and the cartridge is installed and aligned from the factory. It also features a dust cover and dust cover stand. Although the dustcover can’t be used when records are playing, and it doesn’t fully enclose the deck, so dust and dirt can enter from the sides – not great if you live in a dusty environment or have pets.

Strengths

  • Reliable Denon quality
  • Built-in preamp
  • Quality sound
  • Universal headshell mount.

Weaknesses

  • Lacks some calibration areas
  • Not a fully enclosing dust cover.

6 – Pioneer DJ PLX-500-K

Pioneer DJ PLX-500-K direct drive turntable.
Click for best price

Pioneer are another household name in the DJ scene, and this is their affordable direct drive turntable. It features all-around solid engineering features, which are great for DJs.

It has all the elements you need to scratch and mix, it also works really well with Rekordbox and VDJ control software, mostly thanks to the fact it also features USB output. That can also be used for digitally capturing your record collection.

The high torque motor comes up to speed quickly and rotates consistently with low wow and flutter, and minimal noise interference. It offers +/-8% variable pitch control for beatmatching, which is decent, although not as wide as the Audio Technica model above.

The unit offers all-around fantastic dampening and vibration resistance, comes in either a black or white finish, and even comes with a dust cover with a built-in sleeve display stand for showing the loaded album.

Strengths

  • High torque Direct Drive
  • Great affordable model for DJs
  • Low Noise.

Weaknesses

  • Offers less pitch control than the above.

7 – Yamaha TT-S303

Yamaha TT-S303
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The Yamaha TT-S303 is a modern audiophile turntable with a minimalistic aesthetic from one of the best-known brands in audio. It features a straight tonearm with calibration and a removable headshell with universal mounting. It also comes with a built-in phono stage preamp, so you don’t need an extra amp with a phono input.

This is an interesting turntable and sounds great when paired with your favorite set of powered speakers. It offers low motor noise with super-accurate rotation, and adjustable feet, although not as far as others. With generally great build quality, there isn’t much to criticize, although it does feel a little overpriced in comparison to the best turntables on this list.

Strengths

  • Sleek appearance
  • Full-featured calibration controls
  • Yamaha Quality
  • Phono Preamp.

Weaknesses

  • Slightly overpriced for the value you get.

8 – U-Turn Audio – Orbit Plus

U-Turn Audio - Orbit Plus turntable.
Click for best price

The U-Turn Orbit Plus is a USA-made quality turntable offering high fidelity audio and accurate tracking. These models include built-in phono preamps for boosting to line level and offer a decent analog sound. It features a straight tonearm with an adjustable counterweight and removable cartridge.

It comes with an Ortofon OM5E – a great cartridge that sounds fantastic right from the box. The Orbit Plus is the perfect table for all vinyl enthusiasts, from newbies to old-schoolers. With a dust cover included, setup is a breeze and it includes a 3-year warranty issued by U-Turn Audio themselves.

It has calibration for the counterweighting, although there is no anti-skate of vertical tracking angle settings. Although this shouldn’t be a massive issue as the cartridge is fixed. Another slight gripe is the lack of cueing lever, although you can fit an optional one.

Strengths

  • Excellent sound thanks to cartridge
  • Minimal motor interference
  • Built-in phono stage preamp.

Weaknesses

  • No VTA calibration
  • No cue lever.

9 – Audio-Technica AT-LPW40WN

The Audio-Technica AT-LPW40WN turntable
Click for best price

This would make an excellent starter turntable and is equally suitable for experienced collectors alike. This budget turntable is fully manual and offers two speeds. It comes with a universal headshell mount fitted with an AT-VM95E cartridge, which can be easily upgraded if you please.

The straight carbon fiber tonearm features an anti-skate control and counterweight and also includes a hydraulic lifter. The resonance reducing wooden plinth is decorated with a walnut style coating and houses the built-in phono preamp to boost the signal up to live level.

Audio-Technica turntables are always fantastic and this lives up to expectations.

Strengths

  • Carbon Fiber Tonearm
  • Attractive wooden finish
  • Reasonable price.

Weaknesses

  • Lower sound quality
  • Weak tonearm array.

10 – Fluance RT82

Fluance RT82 turntable.
Click for best price

This is a lower cost option from Fluance, which can still make for a solid choice.

It comes with much of the same features as their other models, although the overall build quality is lower than the best turntables on this list.

It really offers you everything you need, although it could be more refined.

Saying that it does come with a good range of features.

This belt-drive deck has a universal headshell mount fitted with an Ortofon OM10 cartridge, an S-shaped tonearm with counterweighting and lifter, and an exposed belt platter. If you’re on a tight budget then this could be the best turntable under $500 (or $300!).

It doesn’t come with a phono preamp, although you will have cash left over to get a better amp setup if you pick this model.

Strengths

  • Affordable
  • Decent sound for the price
  • Relatively high build quality.

Weaknesses

  • No phono preamp
  • No VTA adjustment
  • Higher noise floor
  • Comparatively lower quality.

What to look for in a $500 Turntable?

When choosing turntables (or record players) in this price range, there are a few factors to consider. $500 is a good amount to spend on a deck and will get you a high-quality piece of equipment. Turntables in this range will be significantly better than cheaper models, with a noticeable improvement in audio quality, functionality, and durability.

These will be suitable for intermediate collectors. Some of the top models touch on audiophile quality too.

  • Cartridge – In this range, you can expect a decent cartridge with a much greater level of detail compared to cheaper, integrated models. Most decks at this price have interchangeable cartridge mounts, meaning you can upgrade them later. Better cartridges tend to be heavier, so check the weight capacity of the tonearm. Entry-level TTs usually support cart weight of 3-6g, but if you’d want to upgrade to a 2M Black (top-quality), that’s a 7.2g cart.
  • Audio Quality – There are several factors in a turntable that affect this, mainly the cartridge, electronics, and motor. Decks in this price bracket should have quiet, stable motors, and quality electronics, with no noise, buzz, or interference. The weight and general build of the turntable also increase the audio quality, thanks to isolation and stiffer materials that are more resistant to bumps.
  • Motor Quality – The quality of the motor has several effects on the turntable’s sound. There are a few areas of measurement, accuracy, stability, wow and flutter (inconsistent modulations in playback speed), and the level of noise the motor creates. Turntables in this range should be at the top end of quality.
  • Overall Design – With cheaper decks, you often find annoying little design flaws and cut corners. Turntables and record players in this price range should avoid these nuisances.
  • Calibration – Unlike budget turntables, these models will include precise and versatile calibration controls that help to get the best tuning possible. This usually consists of variable counterweights and anti-skate.
  • Adjustable Feet – These let you get the right balance for the deck; they also help with vibration interference.
  • Preamp – Some, but not all, will include a built-in phono preamp. A built-in phono preamp can be nice, but buying an external one is a good way to improve audio quality. You should decide whether you want to go without a built-in (and have more of the $500 value go to the core platform) or have a built-in preamp that you can bypass (switch) in case you want to get an external preamp later.

What additional value do you get if you spend more?

Spending more on a turntable results in improvements in a range of areas. If none of the best turntables under $500 take your fancy, you might consider looking at the $1000 mark.

Going into this next range can offer turntables and record players with even better quality in several areas.

The sound quality will be noticeably improved; this comes from superior cartridges and electronics. Secondly, the motor is another area of significance and will be even more stable, quieter, and more accurate.

The overall engineering will have more attention to detail, with maximum isolation. You will also find a more accurate and extensive level of calibration. A less technical element is the style and design, with premium models looking as tasty as they sound.

Resources

  • Fluance RT85
  • Pro-Ject T1
  • Fluance RT84
  • Fluance RT82
  • U-Turn Audio – Orbit Plus
  • Denon DP-400
  • Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK
  • Pioneer DJ PLX-500-K
  • Yamaha TT-S303

FAQs

What is the best value for money turntable?

The best value for money turntable right now is the Fluance RT82 with the Pro-Ject T1 coming in a close second. These are both very solid turntables to start with and give you a good level of quality and options for the price paid. For more options check out my guides on the best turntables under $500 and under $300.

What turntable brand is best?

What turntable brand is best is hard to say because there are a lot of factors involved in evaluating them, and there are many great brands competing in this space. Some of the top turntable and record player brands include Rega, Technics, Pro-Ject, Audio-Technica, Pioneer, and Fluance. Brands may have a particular specialization, for example, Technics and Pioneer make great DJ turntables, and the other brands make models designed for home listening.

Are high-end turntables worth it?

High-end turntables are worth buying if you have a keen ear for detail and quality in sound reproduction. It really depends on your level of interest in vinyl and your level of enjoyment of quality audio. If you care about audio quality then you will appreciate a high-end turntable, and you will quickly become frustrated with budget models. However, if you are new to the hobby, and have basic other equipment (speakers, amp, etc), then the extra cost of a high-end deck might not be the best investment.

Do high-end turntables sound better?

Yes, high-end turntables sound better than mid-range or budget models, provided your other connected equipment (amplifiers, speakers, and/or headphones) has the quality to match. High-quality turntables have better components, which result in a cleaner sound with more detail and fewer disturbances. However, if you run a top-end deck through a pair of trashy speakers, you might not notice the improvement over a low-quality deck. So, yes, high-end turntables sound better, but the overall setup is equally important.

Have any questions or feedback?

Leave a comment below and I’ll get right back to you!

Picture of Ed Lansink
Ed Lansink

I'm a passionate vinyl collector, analog fan, and lifetime enthusiast of most things audio.

On VinyliQ I help fellow vinyl collectors enjoy their hobby to the max, sharing my knowledge about and passion for vinyl.

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