The warmth of vinyl: Best record players

Music fans will tell you there’s nothing that compares to the rich sound of a record player, and the booming sales of vinyl over the past decade reflect the format’s longevity. CNET has rounded up and tested some of the very best record players on the market right now.

CNET take: The Fluance RT82 offers everything you could want except an onboard preamp, so if you have a receiver or amplifier with a dedicated phono input, this is the model to get. We were mightily impressed by the Fluance’s well thought-out inclusions. Auto-start on/off, adjustable feet and even a little bubble-level were included with the user in mind. This high-quality turntable had one of the most entertaining sounds of all of the $300 players, with plenty of insight into recordings as well as a healthy bass kick.

CNET take: If there’s a turntable on this list that represents a ridiculous amount of value it’s this one. It may look like a lot of other record players under $300, but it also sneaks in a USB connection and Bluetooth capability. It used to be that USB meant compromise but not in this case — the Monolith sounds good using the usual analog connections, and Bluetooth is easy to get up and running. Add in a dedicated speed switch and a defeatable phono preamp and you have a great package.

CNET take: The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo offers everything you want in a player for the money: excellent sound quality, ease of setup and use, and striking looks. You would have to spend twice as much on another brand (cough, Rega) to get better sound.