There are many types of record players out on the market today. Some people would prefer a compact or mid-sized one that fits easily on a table or cupboard. Others would prefer the larger versions that are great for the entertainment center.
When deciding which kind of record player to buy, think about the style of music you enjoy. For those who listen mainly to rock or pop, you may want a smaller unit. If you prefer the acoustic-based music, you may want to look for the bigger and more expensive units. In this guide we discuss several types of record players and discuss what the average cost of a record player is.
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How Much Does a Record Player Cost? $115
On Amazon, you can find a record player, also sometimes known as a turntable, for $115 on average. This number may be a little deceptive however. Record players can range in price from as low as $50 to as high as $600. There are many record players on the market that are under $100 and are great for compact areas, such as an apartment. Record players over $150 such as the Audio Technica LP-120 is going has many built in features, such as a preamp, that gives its a higher quality listening experience.
Average Cost of a Record Player by Brand
There are a few brands to choose from when it comes to purchasing a record player or turntable. Crosley is a cheaper brand well known for their “suitcase” record players. Put simply, it looks like a suitcase with a record player within it. These models are highly compact and great for apartments.
Brand Table | Average Cost | Example |
Yamaha | $343 | |
Audio Technica | $139 | |
Victrola | $114 | |
Crosley | $104 |
Audio Technica and Yamaha are high end turntables. These models tend to be on the more expensive side, but come with high quality audio. Models like the Audio Technia LP-60 and LP-120 are technically turntables in that they come with a preamp, but you need to connect speakers to model.
What’s the Difference Between a Turntable and Record Player?
A record player can either be an all in one device with turntables, built in speakers, amplifier, and headphones. Alternatively, a turntable is a standalone piece of equipment with no extra built in features that can still play recorded music.
Turntables tend to be more expensive than standard record players. Some models will come with a preamp, but everything else, like speakers, you will need to add on your own.
Should You Buy a Cheap Record Player?
How much you invest in a record player comes down to the size of your listening space and your purpose for listening to vinyl. The first thing that you should think about is the size of your room and what type of music do you usually listen to. You can find these things out on the back of the player by reading the specs. They will tell you the maximum volume of the music that it is capable of playing.
You should also consider the features that a turntable has to offer. Like we said above, a turntable will not come with all the bells and whistles like speakers and an amp. That being said, full record players tend to be cheaper and overall produce lower quality sound than turntables. So it really comes down to whether you want to buy a record player because your main goal is to collect vinyl. Or you want to get a turntable because your goal is to be able to hear every crips note in a guitar solo and to listen to HiFi sound.