Best Turntable Under $200 (Reviews And Comparison)

Now we’re getting somewhere.

Unlike sub-hundred-dollar turntables, where you almost certainly have to sacrifice a feature (or several) that you really want, with the best record players under $200, you might be able to get everything you’d like.

There are a lot of players in this price range, but most are not great. I’ve looked at all the popular options and narrowed them down to the five best.

Three of them ended up being retro-styled turntables. I considered swapping one out for a more modern one, but decided against it. I wanted to present the best 5 players.

[Disclaimer: these players were priced under 200 at the time of writing and may have suffered a price increase since.]

In addition to the three retro players, the list includes one basic, but high-quality turntable and one DJ turntable. There is no portable suitcase style player.

I almost included one, but to be honest, if you want a suitcase player, you can get them for less than one hundred dollars. There are several included in my post of turntables under $100.

 

Best Record Player Under $200: Comparison Table

Product	Size	Plays	Speakers	Ports	Rating
Victrola Navigator Check Price	20.4" x 12.1" x 12" 18.9 lbs.	vinyl, CDs, cassettes radio, digital	yes	headphone jack, USB, 3.5 mm aux in, RCA aux in, Bluetooth	8.6 / 10
Audio Technica AT-LP60 Check Price	14.2" x 14.7" x 3.8" 5.73 lbs.	vinyl	no	RCA out, line out, USB	8.6 / 10
Crosley CR704C-PA Check Price	17" x 12.5" x 10" 16 lbs.	vinyl, CDs, cassettes radio, digital	yes	USB, 3.5 mm aux in	8.2 / 10
Stanton T52 Check Price	20.5" by 7.3" by 17.4" 14.6	vinyl	no	RCA output	8.6 / 10
1byone Nostalgic Turntable Check Price	15" by 12" by 21" 19.6 lbs.	vinyl, CDs, radio, digital	yes	headphone jack, USB, 3.5 mm aux in	8.6 / 10

 

Best Turntables Under $200 Reviewed

The following brief reviews will tell you why these are the best record players under $200 and will also help you decide which one is right for you. If you’re looking for higher quality models, these are still affordable, because they sacrifice features you may not need.

 

Victrola Navigator 8-in-1 Turntable

The Victrola Nostalgic Navigator Turntable has an elegant classic design. It comes in three colors and will look great in any home. It plays any size and speed of record.

It also plays MP3 music files, CDs, cassettes and streaming radio. It can also record your vinyl or CD collection to MP3 using the USB port.

It has internal speakers, but they are not as good as some of the other players on this list. And unfortunately, the RCA jacks are input only, so you can not use them to connect to an external stereo system. If you want to use real speakers, you have to use the headphone jack, which means the speakers must be powered.

Because of the weaker speakers and the lack of RCA outs, I would only recommend this turntable to those who already have powered external speakers and who really like the design.

That said, the Navigator is a Bluetooth turntable, which is a feature lacking in most players under two-hundred dollars. It also comes with a remote control for fully automatic operation. All told, it was enough to tie for the highest rating on this list: a 8.6 out of 10.

Features

• 17 by 12.5 by 10 inches — a fairly large player
• Weighs 18.9 pounds — a bit heavier than many others
• Crafted of luxurious wood — looks great anywhere
• Bluetooth enabled — play music wirelessly from any Bluetooth enabled device
• Built-in stereo speakers — these are good, but not great
• Plays vinyl, CDs, MP3s, cassettes and AM/FM radio — any format you might have
• Plays 7, 10 and 12-inch vinyl discs at speeds of 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM — plays any record
• Plays audio files from smartphones, tablets, etc — enjoy your whole music collection
• Record from vinyl or CD directly to USB — no computer needed
• Remote control — fully automatic control of everything from anywhere in the room

Pros

• Upscale and elegant, reminiscent of the players from the 1950s and 60s
• High-quality, durable materials
• Plays all record sizes at any speed
• Plays CDs, MP3 files, cassettes and AM/FM radio
• Connects to external devices via Bluetooth, 3.5 mm aux in or RVA inputs
• Remote control included

Cons

• No RCA out to connect speakers
• Built-in speakers not as good as competing units

Summary

The Victrola Navigator 8-in-1 Turntable is a great-looking and versatile player with one big weakness: the speakers and the lack of an RCA out. Apart from that, you get a ton of value for your money. You’d definitely expect it to be more expensive than it is.

You can connect any device via the various inputs: RCA, 3.5 mm auxiliary input and Bluetooth. You can record from vinyl or CD to MP3s and you can play your old cassettes or just listen to the radio.

Personally, I only buy turntables I can hook up to my existing stereo system, which makes this one a no-go for me. If you have powered speakers, that becomes a non-issue and the Victrola Navigator turntable is a great buy. You can read an in-depth review here.

 

Audio Technica AT-LP60XUSB Belt Drive Turntable

The Audio Technica AT-LP60 is a fully-automatic belt-drive turntable that has won numerous industry awards. It is one of the highest quality players you will find in this price range, but in order to achieve that level of quality, they have removed all frills.

The AT-LP60 only plays vinyl and does not have built-in speakers. It does have a USB port and a built-in switchable phono pre-amplifier with RCA output cables so you can connect to audio systems and powered speakers.

It only plays two speeds (33 1/3 and 45 RPM), but it has several quality components not generally found in a player this inexpensive, like a die-cast aluminum platter and an integral dual magnet phono cartridge with replaceable diamond stylus. This results in a sound quality beyond all other players on this list.

Features

• 14.2 by 14.7 by 3.8 inches — still fairly small
• Weighs 5.73 pounds — lightweight, but extremely sturdy
• Fully automatic belt-drive — plays at consistent speed
• USB port — connect to computer to digitize your vinyl records.
• Switchable internal stereo phono preamplifier — plug directly into components with no dedicated phono input
• Plays records at speeds of 33-1/3 or 45 rpm — most standard speeds
• Record platter made of cast aluminum and a professional cartridge — high-quality lasts longer and works better
• Dust cover — protects the unit from dust

Pros

• Extremely durable and high-grade materials
• Highest quality sound at this price level
• Can digitize audio files from vinyl records
• No issues with skipping or wobbling
• Can connect to components with no phono input

Cons

• Only plays vinyl
• No built-in speakers
• No Bluetooth
• Does not play at 78 rpm

Summary

If you want the best sound quality at this price level, the AT-LP60 Automatic Belt Drive turntable is it. It doesn’t play anything but vinyl and does not have internal speakers. Audio Technica put all of their budget into producing the best possible sound for a very low price.

If you want a complete stereo system or Bluetooth or any of the other features that come with many of the players on this list, this is not the turntable for you. This turntable only does one thing: it plays records. But it plays them incredibly well. See the full review here.

 

Crosley CR704C-PA Musician Turntable

The Crosley CR704C-PA Musician Stereo Turntable has an elegant classic design that looks great in virtually any home. It’s actually one of the more expensive unit on this list, but it plays music in any format and delivers a high quality sound from its built-in speakers.

It plays 3 sizes and 3 speeds of vinyl, MP3 music files, CDs, cassettes and streaming radio. It can also record your record collection to MP3 directly to a USB storage drive.

This belt-driven model features a diamond-tipped ceramic needle that provides warm, natural tones without damaging your records and dynamic full-range speakers that fill your room with those tones.

Features

• 17 by 12.5 by 10 inches — a fairly large player
• Weighs 16 pounds — a bit heavier than many others
• Crafted of hardwoods and veneers and smoothly finished in Paprika — looks great anywhere
• Diamond-tipped ceramic needle — sounds better and protects your valuable records
• Built-in dynamic full-range stereo speakers — warm, rich, clear sound
• Plays vinyl, CDs, MP3s, cassettes and AM/FM radio — any format you might have
• Plays 7, 10 and 12-inch vinyl discs at speeds of 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM — plays any record
• Plays audio files from smartphones, tablets, etc — enjoy your whole music collection
• Bluetooth capable — can connect wirelessly to smart devices (but not speakers)

Pros

• Upscale and elegant, reminiscent of the players from the 1950s and 60s
• High-quality, durable materials
• Great sound quality
• Plays all record sizes at any speed
• Plays CDs, MP3 files, cassettes and AM/FM radio
• Connects to external devices (iPhones, iPads, other tablets and smartphones, etc)
• Bluetooth connectivity

Cons

• No RCA jack to connect speakers
• No headphone jack
• Bluetooth can’t connect to speakers

Summary

Despite a recent price increase the Crosley CR704C-PA Musician Turntable is still priced incredibly low, especially considering all the features. In addition to 3 sizes and 3 speeds of vinyl, it plays CDs, MP3, cassettes and AM/FM radio. It also has Bluetooth connectivity.

The dynamic speakers sound great, especially considering the low cost. Unfortunately, it does not have the capability to connect to external speakers or headphones.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one stereo turntable record player with a vintage look at a low price, the Crosley CR704C-PA is easily the best option. All other similar models cost more. Click the button below to read the customer reviews on Amazon. You can read my full review here.

 

Stanton T52B DJ Turntable

The Stanton T52 was designed with DJs in mind. If you are not a DJ, you’re probably better off going with a different model. As a DJ turntable, the T52 only plays vinyl and nothing else. But it has a lot of useful features meant specifically for DJs and all components are very high quality.

The T52 has a powerful direct-drive motor that delivers a strong torque and a straight tone arm. The motor ensures consistent rotation speed and the tone arm tracks with incredible accuracy, making it great for scratching.

The Stanton T52B DJ Turntable also comes pre-installed with the popular Stanton 300 cartridge and a high-quality slipmat for greater control. These features along with the high build quality are unexpected at this price. This is a great value for both beginning and professional DJs.

Features

• 20.5 by 7.3 by 17.4 inches — about average in size
• Weighs 14.6 pounds — a bit heavier than normal turntables, but this is good for DJing
• Straight tone arm — improves tracking for scratching
• Pre-mounted Stanton 300 Cartridge — a legendary high-quality cartridge
• 2 Start/Stop Switches — good for mix or battle setup
• Pitch control fader — change the tempo/pitch with a range of plus or minus 10 percent
• High quality slipmat — gives you added control
• Plays 7, 10 and 12-inch vinyl discs at speeds of 33 1/3 and 45 RPM — plays most records
• RCA outputs — hook up to speakers

Pros

• Easy-to-operate direct drive turntable for DJs of all skill levels
• High-quality, durable materials
• Great sound quality
• Specialized turntable for DJs
• Low price

Cons

• Great for DJs, but not the best choice to just play records
• No Bluetooth connectivity or USB slot
• No headphone output
• Only plays vinyl (not MP3s, cassettes, CDs or radio)

Summary

Considering all the features and the high build quality, the Stanton T52B is a real bargain. For DJs, this is probably the best value available. Of course there are more advance turntables on the market, but they cost quite a bit more.

The Stanton features a straight tone arm for excellent tracking and comes pre-installed with the legendary Stanton 300 cartridge. It has two start/stop switches, a pitch control fader and a high-quality slipmat.

Any DJ will appreciate these features. If you are not a DJ and you want an all-in-one record player to play your vinyl collection, as well as your music in other formats, I would not recommend the T52. This is a turntable made specifically for DJs. See my in-depth review of the similar, but even better, T62 here.

 

1byone Nostalgic Wooden Record Player

The 1byone Nostalgic Wooden Turntable is one of the most popular vinyl record players on the market.

The retro design take you back to simpler time and are a large reason 1byone’s belt-driven player has become such a hit.

Despite the classic appearance, this is a very modern turntable. It can play vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, AM/FM radio and audio files from tablets or smartphones using a USB port.

It has built-in speakers that will fill your room with warm, natural hi-fi sounds. It also has Bluetooth capability that allows you to connect wirelessly to your smartphone or similar devices.

Features

• 16.7 by 13.6 by 11.8 inches: smaller than most, but a bit taller
• Weighs 18.5 pounds: lighter than most
• Old-fashioned and retro-inspired look: will look great in any home
• Bluetooth capability: connect wirelessly to your smartphone or other device and play music from it
• Belt-driven turntable: less noise distortion from the motor, so better sound quality
• 5-in-1 configuration: plays vinyl, CDs, cassettes, streaming AM/FM radio and digital files via USB
• USB and 3.5mm auxiliary input slot: allows smartphone or tablet connectivity
• Can play 7, 10 and 12″ records: all standard sizes
• Can play records at speeds of 331/3, 45 and 78 RPM: will play any record
• Dual full-range dynamic speakers and headphone port: great hi-fi sound quality for the size and price
• Diamond-tipped ceramic needle: improved audio performance and won’t damage records

Pros

• Portable and lightweight.
• Made of durable materials.
• Plays vinyl record, CDs, cassettes, streaming AM/FM radio and digital files
• Can connect to smart devices or headphones via Bluetooth
• Plays all standard record sizes and speeds
• Classic vintage design, elegant look and old-fashioned construction
• Lower priced than many competitors

Cons

• Bluetooth can not connect to external speakers
• Some users report wobbling when playing new records
• No remote
• Entire record will record as one MP3 track, unless you manually stop after each track
• Sound quality is great for the price, but does not match top-of-the-line record players

Summary

The 1byone Nostalgic Vinyl Record Player is a great option for many people. It does not cost too much and despite the low price, it comes with a lot of useful features. It can play vinyl records of various sizes at different speeds, CDs, cassettes, digital files and AM/FM radio.

The built-in speakers produce a great hi-fi sound that beats most similarly-priced units. It does not equal high-end players or a good set of external speakers, though. And fortunately, it has RCA outputs to connect to a stereo system, a complete sound system like Sonos, or external speakers.

The main selling point of the 1byone is the retro-inspired design. It costs less than many other retro units, but has the same or more features. If you like the design, this is the player to get. Read my in-depth review here.

 

Best Turntable Under $200: Final Thoughts

Once you get up near the $200 mark, you start to find some pretty good sounding turntables. They’re not going to compete with an audiophile model, but the best give you great quality for the price.

We compiled the best of them above. We made sure to include a number of different types and styles, so that there is something for everyone and every need.