Five great record players for vinyl lovers Reviews

If we’re talking about the best value turntable then the Rega Planar PL1 (2021) is at the top of the list. Pound-for-pound it offers great performance for its £275 asking price.

There is little to say about the PL1’s design, which we found to be very simple and doesn’t mess around with the formula turntables have been laying down for decades. There is a choice of matte white or matte black options, which is a change from the Planar 1. While there’s little in terms of design flourishes, our reviewer found the build quality to be more than acceptable for the price.

Where more substantial refinements have been made include the RB110 tonearm, which is pre-fitted with a Rega Carbon cartridge and offers an integrated clip for securing the arm as well as automatic bias adjustment. Inside is a new, powerful synchronous motor with a redesigned PCB and aluminium pulley, the first time it’s been placed in an entry-level Rega deck. The new EBLT drive belt has been moulded, cryogenically frozen, and then barrelled to be perfectly round. All of this is integral for accurate speed and stability for the best tracking and performance possible.

On the sound front, the PL1 offered up a big, wide soundstage with some excellent separation and plenty of room for every element of a song to breathe, making Rega’s entry-level record player an enjoyable and easy listen. The low end offers texture and detail with treble equally as convincing, while the mid-range is packed with detail and character. Our reviewer found there was a unity to the PL1’s performance that made it an engaging listen. In every meaningful respect, the Rega delivers the performance you’d want for an entry-level model.

Reviewer: Simon Lucas
Full Review: Rega Planar PL1

If your knowledge of vinyl and record players is trending towards the more advanced, or are looking to upgrade for a more affordable turntable, the Debut Pro from Pro-Ject is high on our list of turntables to consider.

In our reviewer’s words, the Debut Pro is “pound-for-pound” one of the best turntables around in terms of its performance. The low frequencies it exerts are controlled, well-formed and respectably deep, hitting with real purpose in the vinyl records played. The top end of the frequency range is area we found to be equally rewarding to listen to, with treble sounds biting but refraining from becoming grating. And where midrange detail ad information is concerned, the Pro-Ject is an eloquent performer.

In terms of features, the Debut Pro is equipped with the Pick It Pro cartridge, which is actually an adaptation of Ortofon’s well-regarded 2M Red cartridge. There is height adjustment available for the tonearm that no only helps to change the vertical tracking angle and azimuth settings, but also makes it easier to experiment with different cartridges should you want to. Record playing speeds include 33.3, 48 and 78rpm, though to play at the latter speed requires having to replace the flat drive belt with the round version Pro-Ject supplies with the player.

The design is as you’d expect if you’ve ever used a turntable before. There are adjustable feet to help keep the record player flat on any surface it’s on, with an aluminium platter and belt-driven motor the other design elements of note. In essence, this is good build and finish quality.

Reviewer: Simon Lucas
Full Review: Pro-Ject Debut Pro

After launching the PS-HX500, a player that delivered on affordability and performance; the PS-LX310BT repeats the trick but adds Bluetooth connectivity to its feature-set.

We’d admit that it’s not the most attractive of turntables, and though it is light the construction is sturdy enough to not give any impression that it would fall apart.

Convenience is the main selling point of this Sony turntable, from the set-up all the way to listening to it. It comes with a built-in phono stage and the set-up process only requires you add the platter and belt-drive. If you’re learning the rope about vinyl, this would be a rocksteady option to start with. Then there is the Bluetooth support, with a button to initiate pairing that couldn’t make the process any easier.

And once it’s up and running it’s a solid performer that favours smoothness, our reviewer felt it extracted enough detail from vinyl tracks to make for an enjoyable listen. There’s decent heft to the bottom end, and what we felt to be acceptable drive and momentum to the presentation. While the top end of the frequency is played safely, it’s an enjoyable listen. There is Audio Technica’s AT-LP60XBT to consider that offers similar features at a less expensive price, but we feel the Sony produces the better sound quality.

As as expected, we did feel that the Sony loses a bit of detail in Bluetooth mode compared to when it is hard-wired, but at this price it’s an excellent stab at a wireless and accessible turntable.

Reviewer: Simon Lucas
Full Review: Sony PS-LX310BT

The Clearaudio Concept Active is a record player that aims to making playing records more convenient but still exude high-end style. The deck has been nicely finished and looks excellent in whichever colour it comes, and we found it was little surprise the Concept Active offered no compromises with the quality of its design.

The integrated phono stage stacks up well against standalone alternatives, although our reviewer felt those separates have a little more feel for rhythmic expression. As is the norm for Clearaudio, the feature set is good: the plinth is designed to reject resonance and the driver decoupled to protect against vibrations.

It’s at this point where the Active model diverges from the standard Concept deck, the ‘active’ aspect of the player allowing for a more straightforward plug and play functionality. There are several rocker switches to deal with: one to turn a subsonic filter on and off to minimise low frequency background noise, another to change the gain control and a third to switch between passive, variable and active inputs for the RCA output.

Choosing passive bypasses the integrated phono stage, while variable allows for use of it but enables control over volume with an amplifier. Active uses the on-board phono stage and playing with the volume using the deck’s roller control. Once the configuration/switches have been sorted, it’s simply a case of plugging in and playing music.

As a listening experience, we found the Clearaudio to be an informative and expansive listen with a wide soundstage produced. They’re a precise-sounding record player but not in the sense that they lack passion. A play of Pixies’ Bossanova had our reviewer raving about the accuracy they offered, alongside the animated and engaging telling of the track. There’s plenty of ‘oomph’ to the low end, while the mid range is expressive and acts as a vital component of the wider frequency range; the top end is refined, filled with plenty of substance and detail. Not as great is listening to music through the headphone output, which does not offer the most engaging performance.

Reviewer: Simon Lucas
Full Review: Clearaudio Concept Active

The Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 follows on from the original, offering wired and wireless Bluetooth streaming for connecting to wireless speakers or headphones. The Alva TT V2 is one of the few that can offer (lossy) Hi-res Audio streaming at a 24-bit/48kHz in aptX HD. that offers more convenience (and higher quality playback) for those who find the world of vinyl a little disorientating.

Not much has changed on the design front with its aluminium platter, chunky platter, and direct drive design. Where it has changed is the new design for the tonearm, bringing counterweight adjustment and anti-skate features; and the headshell is detachable coming pre-fitted with a Cambridge Audio moving coil cartridge. There are dedicated inputs for stereo RCA connections, along with support for 33.3 and 45rpm speeds.

Our reviewer found there was a remarkable consistency to the Alva TT V2’s delivery over wired and wireless connection. There’s weight and detail to its sound, and while the top end can sound understated, there’s still plenty of attack and bite. The low end has a good level of extension, and the mid range packs in lots of detail. We found there was a remarkable cohesion and unity to the overall sound of the Alva TT V2, too.

We did note that a hard wired connection provided better handling of lower frequencies but for those who prefer convenience, then Bluetooth playback is a simpler solution than hooking up various separates. If the price strikes you as too high, a more affordable option to consider is the Sony PS-LX310BT or Cambridge’s own Alva ST player.

Reviewer: Simon Lucas
Full Review: Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2