What is a Turntable or Record Player: The Complete 101 Guide

What’s the difference between a turntable vs record player?

The key difference between a turntable vs record player is that the first can be a standalone audio device, while a record player is an all-in-one device that includes the core components of turntables.

Turntables:

• Have a platter (circular surface) that spins a record and a needle (aka ‘stylus’) that follows a record’s groove and vibrates at high frequencies in the process.
• Translate the tiny vibrations generated by the needle running in the groove to a weak audio signal.
• Require additional external components, like an amplifier and speakers, to play music, unlike a record player.
• Provide superior sound quality over record players, having much higher quality components.

A record player:

• Is an all-in-one device that combines a turntable together with an amplifier and built in speakers
• Is designed for convenience over sound quality, to provide everything that is needed to play vinyl records in one compact package
• Is significantly cheaper but also less durable, being made of lower-quality parts.

Modern record players can be a great starting point if you’re a beginning vinyl collector, but a dedicated deck is a better choice if you want good sound quality.

Read more on the differences between a turntable and record player here → Turntable vs Record Player: Differences, Pros/Cons, Buying.

Key parts of a turntable

Even though turntables haven’t changed much since the 1970s and the technology isn’t super advanced, they’re surprisingly intricate. If you’re getting into vinyl, it’s good to know the key parts and terms turntable descriptions refer to.

The key parts you’ll find in most models are:

• Stylus – This part is what makes the magic happen. Also referred to simply as the needle, this tiny sensitive part is the one that comes into contact with a record’s groove. Vinyl record sound waves are stored in the grooves, with sharp twists, bends, troughs, and peaks. The needle’s job is to pick up all those minute movements and vibrates at high frequencies as a result.
• Cartridge – The stylus sticks out of what’s called the cartridge: A small box-shaped component that houses tiny magnets. The interaction of these magnets with the vibrations picked up by the needle creates a small electric current that eventually produces sound from your speakers or headphones.
• Tonearm and Headshell – The tonearm sits next to the platter (usually on the right-hand side) and ensures the needle at its end sits in a record’s groove properly. The headshell is the part at the end that holds the cartridge and its needle in place and is often detachable from the tonearm.
• Plinth/base – This is the core part of the assembly onto which all other parts are installed. It’s usually the biggest and heaviest part, made of MDF wood or other dense materials. The plinth is more than just a foundation, especially on better-quality turntables. Its key function is to aid stability and reduce interference from outside vibrations, which the super-sensitive needle can easily pick up.
• Platter – The platter is a finely balanced platform, often made up of metal, acrylic, or even glass, onto which the record sits. The platter plays a key part in ensuring the record plays at a stable speed and is often a heavy part, especially with more expensive models.
• Platter mat – Often, a thin mat is placed on top of the platter to help absorb unwanted vibrations and to protect the record from being damaged. The most common material is rubber, but you can often replace one with a mat made of cork, leather, or even acrylic. DJs prefer a mat (- a “slipmat”) made of felt, which makes it easy to keep a record in the same position while they time their mixes.
• Spindle – This is the pointy metal rod that sits at the center of the platter and aligns with the record’s center hole to keep it positioned perfectly.
• Motor – This part drives the spindle to rotate at a pre-set speed (expressed in RPM – Revolutions Per Minute). Higher quality motors ensure that rotation speed is super consistent; otherwise, you’ll hear the varying speed affecting the music you play. “Direct-drive” turntables have a motor that’s connected directly to the platter, while “Belt-drive” turntables rotate the platter with a rubber belt, which reduces motor noise from being picked up by the needle and causing unwanted background noise.
• Dust cover – Dust is a record’s enemy, and this part helps keep your deck and any records you play from gathering a lot of dust. They’re usually made of acrylic plastic and come pre-installed.

For a full explanation of all parts and their functions (including diagrams), refer to this guide → Parts of a Record Player: Turntable Anatomy 101

Typical turntable setups

Standalone turntables need additional components to be able to hear music from the sound waves recorded on a vinyl record.

Its main function is translating the tiny vibrations caused by the needle running through the record’s groove into a weak electrical signal.

You’ll need to connect it to an amplifier to boost that audio to be at a more powerful “line level signal” to hear the music from your external speakers or headphones.

Because the initial electrical signal is far lower than, for example, a CD player or a computer’s audio output connection, you also need a preamplifier (aka ‘preamp’ or ‘phonostage’).

Preamplifiers are often built into turntables nowadays, and some amplifiers/receivers also have a built-in preamp. (An amplifier is a stereo system designed specifically for single audio devices, while receivers also handle and switch between multiple audio sources as part of home entertainment systems, for example.) You can tell by the fact that such amplifiers have an input marked with ‘phono.’

Examples of turntable setups

The most common turntable setup looks like this:

1. Standalone turntable
2. Preamp (built-in or external)
3. Amplifier or receiver
4. Speakers

If you’re just starting out, you can also go for a cheaper option:

1. Standalone turntable with Bluetooth output
2. Bluetooth headphones.

Read more on this topic in this guide → 7 Popular Turntable Setup Ideas.

How to set up a turntable

While most modern record players are “plug and play,” standalone turntables need to be set up properly to play records.

Although most models are pre-calibrated, there are still a few basic steps I recommend taking:

1. Place and level your turntable: For the system to work well, it must be perfectly level. (You can use a spirit/bubble level for this) and speakers should not be placed too closely.
2. Connect the other components in your audio system: Usually, a cable with red and white plugs (“RCA cable”) is provided, which you can use to connect your deck to an amplifier or receiver.
3. Check and adjust the Vertical Tracking Force (VTF): The needle needs to sit in the record groove with a certain level of pressure, which is expressed in grams. The manufacturer (or the needle itself – sometimes they’re made by different manufacturers) specifies the range of “vertical tracking force” (or ‘VTF’) that needs to be set. Typically this is around 1.5-2.5g, and you can measure it with a small cheap gadget made for this purpose.
4. Check and adjust the cartridge alignment: Making sure your cartridge is aligned properly can make a big difference to the sound quality.

Read more here for a more detailed guide → How to Set Up a Turntable.

How much a good turntable costs

If you’ve decided to go for a turntable instead of a record player, you’ll need to factor a few external components into your budget. Your total budget would need to be around $250 to start with

A basic model with a built-in preamp by a reputable brand starts at around $150, and you can add a pair of powered speakers for under $100.

Powered speakers (aka ‘active speakers’) have a built-in amplifier, so you don’t need to buy an external one.

If you’re not on a tight budget, spending $200-300 on turntables isn’t an extravagant amount. You’ll get a good quality model to get started with, of which certain parts can be upgraded to improve performance further.

Audiophile decks tend to start from $500-1,000 and upwards.

More on this topic here → How much does a good turntable cost?