Turntable Reviews

With the vinyl resurgence, we live in a golden age of well-made turntables, many of them at prices affordable to one and all. With that in mind, we wanted to present you with a buying guide of sorts that takes into account all types, interests, and wallets, covering a wide-swath price range starting around a baseline of $650 on up to a champagne level of around $30,000. Read Ken Micallef’s in-depth turntable primer, which should be able to help you find a truly great table that fits your current needs, handles your upgrade aspirations, and/or addresses all the essential parameters of solid design and performance for practically any price. . .

We’ve long dreamt about a true mid-fi revolution wherein affordable gear can perform at a top-tier level — and, as if right on cue, the Gold Note T-5 turntable arrived for a hands-on evaluation. Read Ken Micallef’s review to see how and why the T-5 consistently delivers great sound well above its price point. . .

Rekkord Audio carries the torch of meticulous German craftsmanship, so we wanted to see if their flagship M600 high-end manual subchassis turntable backs up that claim. Read Ken Micallef’s review to see if the M600 is capable of delivering music with energy, drive, focused imaging, and bass lucidity. . .

Introduced in 1979, the Technics’ SL-1200MK2 turntable soon became both the company’s standard bearer and the DJ’s vinyl spinner of choice. The 1200 went through endless iterations, entering the home and studio — and, in its latter variations, the 1200 also became a turntable audiophiles could love. Fast forward to today, where we now have the Technics SL-1200GR2 direct drive turntable, a quite formidable new entry in this venerable series. Read Ken Micallef’s review to see if the GR2 delivers the goods in terms of resolution, speed, textural information, and spaciousness. . .

Michell’s TecnoDec Reference turntable fits right into the sweet spot of new, high-performance ‘tables available in the $2,000-to-$3,000 SRP range. Read on to see why our ace reviewer Ken Micallef thinks the TecnoDec is one of the best turntables he’s reviewed in the past decade. . .

Some turntables can be true objects of art. Regardless of any turntable’s looks, bells, and whistles, at the end of the day, it all comes down to solid and experienced engineering. This is where Acoustic Signature’s Maximus NEO turntable comes into the picture. Read Ken Micallef’s review to find out how something that looks this classy actually performs as a top-notch turntable. . .

Thorens has a longstanding history of turntable excellence. Does the company’s new TD 1500 ’table continue to uphold that mantle? Read Ken Micallef’s review to find out if the belt-driven, suspended subchassis TD 1500 is up to spec. . .