Enjoying music has become much easier nowadays with the blessing of technology. All it requires is a few clicks or touch on your smartphone, and it start playing the music instantly. It is true that new and modern music components make it easier and comfortable to enjoy music. But they can never give you the real taste of music as like as the record players do. If you are a music lover, then a record player can be a great companion for you to enjoy the original taste of the music.
If you are planning to buy a record player, then you have already made a great decision. Now you need to know how to choose the best record player according to your budget. Today we will discuss on how to pick up the best turntable easily from thousands of available choices in the market.
Know the basic of the record player
The record players have an entirely different operating system when compared with the modern musical components. So you might not know about different parts of the tool. Don’t worry; we have discussed the common and most essential elements of a turntable in below:
Platter
The platter of the turntable is the place where we usually place the record while playing music. There are variations in the platter depending on their construction. This individual part of the record player is generally constructed with metal, plastic, or the rubber. There is a rod in the core of the platter which holds the record while playing.
Needle
Though we have mentioned it as the needle, the part of the record player is typically called the stylus. The stylus stays on the record player while playing music. It needs to be highly strong, and that is the reason why diamond and other tough materials are used to make it. Before putting on a record makes sure that it is clean and clear of any particles that may affect the quality of the music you are about to play, There are effective vinyl cleaners out on the market that you can use to clean an old record and can clean your stylus as well to prevent any damages that can occur.
Tonearm and Cartridge
The tonearm and the cartridge of the turntable work together. The role of the tonearm is to back the cartridge to stay in its actual location. The cartridge needs to be in a specific angle and height to trace the groove.
Pre-amp
Pre-amp is a component of the record player which helps to connect the player with the receiver. Sometimes, the pre-amp doesn’t come as a built-in device in the player. In such situations, you will need to buy an external pre-amp. Read the phono preamp buying guide to choose the find out the right one.
Things to consider while buying a record player
Here are some features that you must consider before purchasing a record player.
Manual vs. Automatic operation
There can be two types of record player according to their operation. They are automatic and manual player. The automatic record players are easy to use. In the automatic record player, everything from the off on to turning the tonearm done automatically with specific switches. Besides, the manual operation means you will need to adjust the parts of the player manually. If you are novice about the record player then simply go for the automatic record players.
Motor Type
There can be two different types of motors in the record players which are self-driven and belt-driven. The self-driven record players motors are connected with the platter of the player directly. Besides, the belt-driven record players motors connect the platter with the motor using a rubber belt. We recommend you to go for the belt-driven mechanism motor because it creates less vibration.
Construction
The construction of the record player is vital to consider as the durability of the player depends on it. Try to go for a player that comes with an optimized construction which doesn’t produce a lot of vibration and which also ensures long-term usability. Usually, you will easily understand the cheap construction of a record player by giving an in-depth and careful look on its exterior.
Speed
A record player can be operated in three different speeds. The speeds are 33 1/3 RPM, 45 RPM, and 78 RPM. A record player must support all three speeds as different speed has different operating speed. Go for a record player which comes with an automatic speed adjusting features. It will allow you to use the player comfortably to play different speeds at the same time without the hassle of changing the speed every time.
Budget
The price of the record player varies on a large scale. You will even find a record player under $100. But the problem is it will not be able to produce decent enhanced sound. So don’t fall for the cheap record players with a great look. Check the performance of the player thoroughly before you finally buy it.
A record player is a big investment, and that is why you need to choose it carefully. Hopefully, the above instructions will assist you in selecting the best record player from the market easily.