Belt Drive vs Direct Drive
Next is how the platter spins. Most home turntables use a belt-drive system, in which a small motor turns the platter via a flexible belt. That belt acts as a shock absorber, isolating motor vibration so what you hear is smooth and stable. Belt drives are known for quiet backgrounds and accurate pitch, perfect for giving you that live music feel.
Direct-drive turntables place the motor directly under the platter. They start instantly and usually have a speed adjustment control to change the pitch, which makes them the best choice for DJs.
At the higher end, a well-designed direct-drive can sound outstanding, but at entry-level prices, belt-drive usually delivers quieter, more natural playback. But there are some great direct drive turntables out there, once you get above $1,000 or so.
Cartridges and Stylus Types
At the end of the tonearm is the cartridge. This is a tiny transducer that converts the microscopic groove movements into an electrical signal. Most turntables in this category will come with a cartridge already installed and aligned, which is ideal for beginners.
These are almost always moving-magnet cartridges, which are typically reliable, musical, and easy to replace when the stylus wears out. Moving-coil cartridges can offer even greater detail, but they’re more expensive and need a more specialized phono preamp that isn’t normally found in an integrated amp or powered speakers. For your first turntable, a good moving-magnet cartridge will deliver excellent sound and make setup simple.
In addition, stylus shape affects how much detail you’ll hear. A basic spherical tip is durable and forgiving, while an elliptical stylus traces the groove more accurately and brings out noticeably better clarity. More advanced line-contact designs exist, but you’ll rarely find those on turntables below the $2,000 mark. For most listeners starting out, an elliptical moving magnet is the perfect balance of performance and practicality.
Tonearms and Adjustability
The tonearm’s job is to let the stylus track the grooves with minimal friction so it can extract all of those fine details deep in the grooves. Look for tonearms that move freely and don’t have wobble in the tonearm bearings, which are at the rear of the arm. Almost all decent turntables, unless they are preset for a specific included cartridge, will have adjustable tracking, which is the downward force, and antiskating, which keeps the stylus centered in the groove. Some may have what is called adjustable VTA, whic,h down the road, could give you more choices in cartridge upgrades.
You’ll see both fixed and removable headshells, which is the part on the end of the tonearm. Removable makes changing things easy, which DJs really love, and there are a lot of aftermarket headshells out there for rolling your own, but most decent turntables will have a fixed headshell.
Many belt drive turntables will have you physically moving the belt to change from 33 to 45. But there are a lot that do have electronic speed control, where you can change it with a switch. If you have a lot of 45 LPs, and remember a lot of audiophile LPs are now in 45, you should consider this.
Platter Design and Isolation
A heavy well well-damped platter will ensure your speed stays more consistent as it provides a flywheel effect. Heck, some high-end tables have 50-pound platters! You’ll see glass, acrylic, and metal platters; they all work well if they are damped and have some heft.
Many turntables will also have nice isolation feet, with some offering adjustability to get things level.
Convenience Features
A dust cover is always worth having if your turntable sits in an open room, and almost all in the entry category will include one.
Bluetooth and USB outputs are convenient extras, great for streaming to powered speakers or archiving your records, but wired playback will always sound best.
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