6 Best Turntables under $500 to Produce Music from Vinyl Records

Today, we’re here for all the music lovers. Well! If you are thinking to explore your dad’s  vinyl records or it just come up to your mind to listen just like that and now you’re looking up for the best turntable and most importantly that should be in the budget.

No need to worry about. With the best Experts’ deep analysis and testing, we’re listing some of the best turntables under $500. Why only under $500? Because I personally think you can find a good turntable between $300-$500.

This is the only range that I find worth it to invest in the turntables. Without spending thousands of dollars, you will get the best turntable to put in your bucket and that too in just $500.

To all the music lovers who are here today to get their one, it’s the best place and I assure you’ll get the best out of the core as per your requirements and preferences you can choose the one from the list of the best turntables under $500 that you feel is the one for you.

Here’s the list of all the best turntables under $500. Let’s go and have a quick look over one by one.

1. Pro-Ject Debut Carbon
2. Rega Planar1
3. Pro-Ject T1
4. Rega RP1
5. U-Turn Audio- Orbit Plus
6. Denon DP-300F

1.Pro-Ject Debut Carbon

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon is the one we’ve put on the top of the list, the best turntables under $500. This is an ideal turntable in this budget range and assures you the value for your money. The Debut Carbons comes with the first-class quality Ortofon cartridge that is combined with a sleek 8.6″carbon tonearm.

The most amazing quality of this Pro-Ject Debut Carbon is that it doesn’t skip even a single sound, the turntable literally produces each and every tune you play on your vinyl records.

With Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, you get 9 color choices to pick from. It provides you the mind-blowing sound & music quality that once you’ll start listening you won’t be able to get your ears off, you can literally feel the warmth of the music, and yes, you’ll be feeling and falling in it!

The turntable has amazing looks, easy to set up, and easy to control. The brand is well known in the industry for so long and assures the product quality at a reasonable price. The company was started in the 1950s and since back then is simply possessive about their customers and believes in making happy customers.

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon uses ThermoPlastic Elastomers (TPE) for damping in it. With this adjustable TPE, the top best turntable under $500 includes aluminum feet, a TPE damped platter, the motor that works with both mechanical & electrical energy and all- new  Sumiko Rainier Ortofon cartridge.

2.Rega Planar1

THIS PRODUCT IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE, HERE IS AN BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO THE CURRENT PRODUCT

Rega Planar1 is acquiring the second position in the list of the best turntables under $500. Not so much behind the Pro-Ject, the top on the list, with just a slight difference, Rega Planar1 is on the second in the list.

Rega Planar1 is not that simple to operate. It requires some manual efforts to operate it but that’s adjustable I guess. It comes with a flexible tonearm and gives you an amazing sound quality that’s what matters the most.

When it comes to music, this is all what is the foremost requirement, If an instrument is able to bring out the excellent sound quality, this is it. Everything else can be adjusted further.

Rega Planar1 is absolutely user-friendly except for the fact that the Planar1 requires some manual setup. It’s no less than a good modern turntable. The turntable doesn’t provide you automation but with its flexible tonearm comes wonderful speed. You can easily adjust the tonearm with multiple options to select as per your choice.

Specs-

• Absolutely user friendly except for the fact it requires your brain to exercise☻
• Budget-friendly of course
• Available in Gloss Black and Gloss White
• The material used- Brass
• Planar1 weighs 9.26 Pounds
• Uses AC Motor
• The supported signal format is Analog
• Low noise aluminum pulley

Rega Planar1 is designed to bring the maximum performance out of it. It’s using brass that’s actually minimizing the transfer of potential energy. The second best-considered turntable in the list under $500 features a phenolic platter with an enhanced flywheel effect.

Rega is quite popular in the market obviously, that’s the reason it’s placed on the 2nd position in the turntables under $500 reviewed 2021. The Planar1 is actually the first launch offering a 24volt synchronous AC motor.

If you want to have some upgraded version and not starting with an entirely new track, this Rega Planar1 is the one with a reference drive belt, a wool mat, and the Rega Bias2 magnetic  cartridge.

3.Pro-Ject T1

Pro-Ject T1, the third one on the list reviewed 2021 the best turntables under $500. As we already know the brand is in the run since 1950s and till date, it’s Pro-Ject leading over all others in the industry.

It’s an honor to gain this much and to maintain it actually for such a long period. When it comes to the world of music and especially the turntables, there are no chances that we can ignore Pro-Ject.

The only focus is on assuring the best product quality and yes, it’s the only principle in the Marketing to prioritize quality over all other aspects if you actually wanna go a long way. Where there is quality, there is the thing.

Also, there’s a saying, ‘One Happy Customer can give you Thousand Potential Customers while One Unhappy Customer can snatch Thousand Potential Customers’. Always believes in Quality over Quantity!

Every single time, when there is a Pro-Ject launch, the company never fails to amuse us. I guess Pro-Ject is the only company with such 5-star ratings and literally the flock of the happy customers. All the models are so well designed and provide you high-end performance.

There are 2 versions available as of now- the basic version priced between $349- $399 and the one with phono preamp priced at $399. Pro-Ject T1 has 3 variant colors in it. Sooner or later, the company will be soon entering the market with its all new Bluetooth version.

The sound quality is outstanding with an attractive sleek design. Pro-Ject T1 is considered to be the beast in the list of the best turntables under $500. The turntable has an 8mm thick bead-blasted glass platter.

4.Rega RP1

THIS PRODUCT IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE, HERE IS AN BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO THE CURRENT PRODUCT

 

There is a neck-to-neck competition always between Rega and Pro-Ject. And, this is the Rega only that can beat Pro-Ject in the upcoming days. I mean we’re not sure about this beating and all but yes, the level which is rising up every single day with the launch of each new turntable, it’s gonna be really interesting.

Out of the 6 best turntables under $500, the top 4 positions are already been occupied by 2 companies only- Rega and Pro-Ject. Undoubtedly, both the brands are good, provide high product quality, and claims to have the best performance.

Honestly, there’s no harm in choosing any of these two. Both the brands are so nice that it’s going really difficult to find something faulty. There’s nothing to put in the flaws of the two. Two of them are leading over all others and didn’t let the third one occupy the top 4.

In this budget, getting such high-end brands is like anything. Rega and Pro-Ject are the best listed in the best turntables under $500. Be it about reliability, performance, efficiency, sound quality, there’s nothing best.

Specs-

• Assembled with Rega RB101 tonearm
• Sub-platter assembly
• High-Quality Assurance
• Low vibration motor
• Magnetic cartridge
• Phenolic resin for speed stability
• Available in cool gray, titanium, and white

Rega RP1 has 3.9 out of 5 stars. The turntable weighs 9.2 pounds. The dimension of the RP1 is 17.5*15*4 inches. Manufactured by the well-known Rega of course. Rega RP1 as tested by us performs beyond your expectations. It’s just a once-in-a-lifetime investment and I would recommend you to go for each of the turntables deeply and then decide what to go with.

The only drawback with Rega RP1 is that there is no automation. You manually have to set up the turntable. But in this budget when you can have such loads of amazing features with the only thing that you yourself have to set it up, that’s digestible. Still, if you want not to add this to your list, no worries, we have more options too.

5.U-Turn Audio – Orbit Plus

THIS PRODUCT IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE, HERE IS AN BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO THE CURRENT PRODUCT

Finally, there is something else in the best turntables under $500. Well! The top 4 positions are acquired by the Pro-Ject and Rega models. There’s no doubt for their fame in the market. And, hence it was expected.

Coming to the U-Turn Audio on the 5th position in the best turntables under $500, the turntable is no less when it’s to perform. Well! Yeah, the performance provided is decent. The sound quality of the turntable is also pretty good. This is the cheapest turntable on the list.

The body of U-Turn Audio is very sleek and also an appealing factor of the turntable. Ones who love things to be slim trim, this is the one for those. Its blue color is amazing actually. In this budget, getting such a sleek vibrant body is like just put it in the bucket.

Specs-

• Wired connection
• Available colors- Walnut and Blue
• U-Turn Audio weighs 17 pounds
• Ortofon 2M Red cartridge
• Cue lever
• Acrylic platter
• Gimbal tonearm
• Anti-skating support

U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus uses the premium quality Ortofon 2M cartridge that is responsible for providing high-end music quality. Also, there is an external belt in the turntable for eliminating motor noise and ensuring consistent speed.

6.Denon DP-300F

Denon DP-300F is extremely on the last position in the best turntables under $500 reviewed 2021. Available at $329, assures full automation unlike the Rega models listed above. So, If you want fully automated turntables, you can opt for Denon DP-300 also.

Denon DP-300F features a mount headshell, MM cartridge, and DC servo motor. With this turntable, you can adjust the speed either at 33 1/3 or 45 rpm. One can literally have an all-new experience with the turntables and follow the passion for vinyl.

For better performance, Denon DP-300F has low vibrations. Well! the slim-designed Denon has a heavy base construction that ensures low vibrations and hence achieving high sound quality.

Denon DP-300F with the vinyl material, the turntable weighs 12.1 pounds. For an amazing noiseless and rich quality sound, at this budget, Denon is the one. Such smooth and gentle automatic motions Denon provides just with the touch of a button.

The tonearm can easily be adjusted as per your preference and hence making sure there are no scratches or any damage to your records. Herein, the Denon DP-300F also has an in-built phono equalizer that makes sure your vinyl records be true to their original recording. Since the turntable is absolutely automatic, easy to set up, and easy installation.

Summing Up

This is all about the best turntables under $500 reviewed in 2021. Rediscover Your Passion with the Vinyl Records using the listed best turntables that can completely change the language of your music.

Look for the turntables providing automation and hence easy to set up & install without putting in any extra efforts. All these listed turntables are in the budget and user-friendly. Though Rega and Pro-Ject are the ones leading over all but with Rega, you need to add some extra efforts to get it setting up and installed properly. In such a budget, you have these best featured turntables listed under $500.