Let us have a look at what you need to know to buy a record player
Where do I start ?
Like many who have rediscovered their passion for vinyl records, I had a small collection of vinyl records but had nothing to play them on. After being sold on the ideas of CDs and later digital music we had long got rid of any record players that we owned and were now into the digital age. Fast forward to my 50’s and we have come full circle. I now own six record players of varying degrees of quality, and I have had to learn how to buy a record player online through trial and error. I now have a better understanding of what to look for and where to go to find decent quality record players. So let us talk about the key things to look out for when buying a record player online.
How Easy is Choosing a Good Record Player?
My first record player was bought for me by my family, and it was an all-in-one system. It has a CD player, radio and an in built amp setting. It has a retro look which many of these new reproduced record player companies have tapped into with the sale of vinyl records. It sits neatly on one of the shelves in my record room and I play it quite regularly as it is quick and easy to get going. I also have a DJ set up of two turntables and a battery-operated DJ setup.
So, you need to decide what you want to get out of playing your records. Will it be just an ornament to show off to your friends? Will you be wanting top quality sound from your record player? Will the record player need a separate amplifier and speakers? When choosing a good record player you need to consider several things, such as, is the manufacturer reputable? Will you be purchasing a brand-new record player or a used one when you look online?
Would a Record Player Be a Good Investment?
As mentioned, I have several record players (my wife is very understanding 🙂 and they all have their place at home. I may will look to buy more and may sell some of my existing record players in the future. Whilst they may not increase in value they may hold their own. I will be upgrading my DJ setup and keep the original Numarks for when I play out. I bought these second-hand and dirt cheap and they have more than paid for themselves via my paid gigs.
I started out by attending open vinyl events where you were only allowed to play 3 records. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to start my own events which meant investing in turntables that could take a bit of ‘wear and tear’ by let’s say, less experienced aspiring DJ’s and selectors. Some of whom had never used a record player and had to be shown how to place a needle on a record. So, for me, a record player has been a worthwhile investment not only for my wellbeing and the wellbeing of others but for the sense of joy it brings which is more than any monetary reward. Yes, you can play music digitally through your phone, laptop etc but for me nothing seems to give as much joy as hearing an original piece of vinyl being played on a record player.
How Much Does a Record Player Cost?
The amount you will spend on a record player is entirely up to you, for example, your interest in vinyl records and where you see yourself playing. Will it be just at home or do you see yourself playing in a bar or club? I know that when I first started it was just my little record player at home and although I have not played at a big festival, I have had several hundred people listen to me play my vinyl records which is exciting, right?There are some technical people who are only interested in playing on the ‘best of the best’ turntables to give them a chance to show their skills on Hi-tech, high-quality systems. However, like me, you do not need to buy top of the range record players to enjoy good sounding music as you can equally still do this on a budget.
Let’s look at the different types of record players available and where your entry point may be.
A record player or turntables can be purchased for as little as £50 to as much as £3000. For example, I bought my two second hand Numark’s for £50 each. My belt driven Audio-technica turntable cost me around £300 and does not get much of a run as it needs its own amplifier and speaker set up. A second hand Technics SL1200 turntable would start at around £1200 but you can also pick one up new for the same price.
What Should I Look for In a Record Player?
Let me change this question around a little to record player v turntable?
Record players tend to be all-in-one units that do not need external components, as they already include the turntable assembly, preamp, amplifier and speakers.
A turntable operates as a standalone unit which requires additional components to play music such as amplifiers, mixers and speakers.
For the purpose of this article I felt it best to group them together under one genre and call them record players. There are so many different types of record players so what you would like the record player for will depend on you or the person you are buying it for. Will it purely be for great sound quality, will it be purely for aesthetics or could it be both. The look of the record player may be the overarching reason for your purchase.
Some would recommend buying a record player with an internal preamp and amplifier which means you only need to buy a record player, rather than buying a turntable that can require a separate preamp and amplifier as a novice it took me a while to work that out and many calls to my friends for assistance.
What do I Need to Buy For a Record Player?
You will definitely need replacement record player needles also known as styluses. You may also need speakers unless they are built in. You will also need a record stand and a pair of good headphones!
I will give guidance on where to buy your record players in future articles. More info in the video below regarding turntables
Take Your Time and Research Properly
So, if you are going to buy a record player online make sure you do your research properly. For those of you that you are enthusiastic about playing records and buying a record player make sure you are doing it for the right reasons as it can be an expensive past time.
If you have any question you would like to ask or would like to give feedback then please comment below I will do my best to help whenever I can