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11 turntables that look weird and sound insane

In case you haven’t heard, vinyl is in the midst of a big comeback. And you might be surprised to learn it’s not just the hipster and DJ crowd responsible for its resurgence. Vinyl records, both used and new, are experiencing some healthy sales online and in local record shops, and the people who are buying them are just like you and me. What newcomers to the classic music medium may be unaware of, however, is that there’s always been a an underground group of audiophile elite – call them the 1 percent of audiophiles – who never gave up on vinyl. In fact, they may never have loved anything else. 

To call these people eccentric might be a bit of an understatement. These are enthusiasts who spend most of their time in their wood-paneled libraries, sipping expensive whiskey and listening to records on insanely expensive turntables through equally opulent tube pre-amps and headphones that cost more than your car. But before we go too far calling their priorities into question, let’s give them thanks, because if it weren’t for them, nobody would make turntables as outrageous as these. Enjoy our pick of the most out-of-this-world turntables ever made. 

Caleb Denison
Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…
Mixx packages a Bluetooth turntable with wireless speakers for $300
Mixx Analog System 5 turntable and Bluetooth speaker combo.

Mixx Audio, a relative newcomer to the budget audio category, has an intriguing new package for those who want to dip their toes into the world of vinyl -- without spending a fortune or foregoing the convenience of wireless digital audio. The Mixx Analog System 5 combines a Bluetooth-capable turntable with a pair of Bluetooth bookshelf speakers, for $300. The system comes in either black or white color options and you can grab it right now on Amazon.

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The Audio-Technica AT-LP70X turntable.

I don't know if you've noticed, but being the vinyl and turntable nerd that I am, I can't stop seeing and (to my wife's chagrin) pointing out every record player I see cropping up in seemingly every TV show or movie I've watched over the last little while. They're everywhere — from Mr. Milchick rewarding Helly R. with a dance party from a Thorens-like deck in Severance to Agatha All Along trashing a perfectly good TEAC TN-280BT — it's official: turntables are cool again, and you should get one.

Whether you're rediscovering the satisfying ritual of putting on a record, are new to the world of vinyl, or you're already neck-deep in LPs, having a decent turntable or record player is essential. But there are so many to choose from that it can get confusing. Many come ready to go out of the box, with built-in phono preamps for easy connection to powered speakers or receivers and integrated amplifiers, and a range of features that make them easy to get the hang of. If you're curious and want to dip your toes in slowly, one of our favorite entry-level turntables is the
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, a budget-priced basic deck that looks great, too.

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The Audio-Technica AT-LP70X turntable.

Compared to a lot of other devices that Digital Trends reviews on a regular basis, testing out the newest and best turntables can be capricious. While modern turntables have become much more user-friendly and plug-and-play compared to your dad's old-school deck, many still have delicate moving parts that often require assembly and fine-tuning, which can make the review process tricky, but also a lot of fun. There's also a bigger range of turntables available now than ever before -- some are well worth the money, some are not, and we don't want you to waste your hard-earned cash on the latter.

From tonearms, headshells, and cartridges to plinths, platters, and styluses (styli?), here's how we put a turntable to the test.
In the box

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