Top 6 Turntables Under $799
We’re starting off with our best-selling model, and what’s easily one of the greatest values in turntables today, the U-Turn Orbit Plus. This latest generation of U-Turn’s award-winning, affordable turntable is hand-assembled in Woburn, Massachusetts, with most components locally sourced.
The Orbit Plus is a manual belt-drive turntable featuring U-Turn’s new drive system with an AC synchronous motor and silicone belt for excellent speed stability. Its upgraded acrylic platter improves both acoustics and consistency, while the new OA3 tonearm uses a one-piece magnesium arm tube with precision gimbal bearings — technology you typically see on turntables costing well over $1,000.
It comes fitted with an Ortofon OM5E phono cartridge, a solid performer out of the box, and the tonearm can easily accommodate future cartridge upgrades as your system grows. Considering all this performance, build quality, and design — on an American-made turntable priced around $399 — it’s no surprise the Orbit Plus is our top seller at Audio Advice.
Next up is what we feel is another incredible value, and this one puts you squarely in the high-performance turntable world. The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 takes everything that made the original EVO such a hit and raises the bar in every way.
Built in Europe to Pro-Ject’s exacting standards, the EVO 2 features a DC/AC generator-driven motor system that improves speed consistency and accuracy. The heavy steel platter includes a TPE damping ring that not only absorbs vibration but also adds flywheel mass for even greater rotational stability. Combined, these refinements give the EVO 2 a rock-solid sense of pitch and rhythm you’ll immediately notice when the music starts.
The newly refined carbon-fiber tonearm now uses improved bearings for even better tracking and comes fitted with Pro-Ject’s excellent Pick It EVO MM cartridge — a balanced, musical performer right out of the box. The adjustable feet, also made from TPE damping material, do an outstanding job of isolating the table from external vibrations, helping the EVO 2 deliver impressive detail and clarity even on less-than-ideal surfaces.
The Rega Planar 1 has been one of the most popular entry-level audiophile turntables for decades, and for good reason. It’s built in England with Rega’s famous minimalist approach focusing on sound quality, precision, and reliability rather than bells and whistles.
This belt-drive turntable features Rega’s ultra-low-friction RB110 tonearm with precision bearings and factory-set tracking and anti-skate, so setup is even easier than the previous three models. The cartridge is already installed and perfectly aligned — just fit the belt, place the platter, and you’re ready to play records in minutes.
It comes pre-fitted with the Rega Carbon cartridge, a warm and musical moving-magnet design that’s tuned specifically for this tonearm and table. Unlike most of the other turntables on this list, the Carbon isn’t designed to be swapped or upgraded, but it’s a great match and delivers that signature Rega sound — clean, rhythmic, and full of life.
For listeners who want excellent sound and build quality without stepping all the way up to the Debut EVO 2, the Pro-Ject T1 EVO Phono is a terrific choice. It offers a noticeable performance boost over the original T1 models, with upgraded materials, better isolation, and the same clean, modern styling that makes Pro-Ject turntables stand out.
The Ortofon OM10 cartridge is a big part of that magic. It’s a genuine step up from the entry-level cartridges found on most tables in this range, offering a cleaner, more detailed midrange and smoother treble response. It’s a cartridge you can easily grow with as your system improves, and it lets the T1 EVO Phono show off its full potential.
The 8 mm tempered-glass platter adds welcome mass for better speed stability, while the precision-machined one-piece aluminum tonearm with low-friction bearings ensures excellent tracking performance. The built-in MM phono preamp makes connection simple, whether you’re using powered speakers or an integrated amplifier, and can be defeated later if you decide to upgrade. The electronic speed control lets you switch between 33⅓ and 45 RPM with a single touch.
Lenco has been building turntables for more than 75 years and was among the earliest hi-fi brands to make high-quality record players widely accessible. The company’s classic models from the 1970s were the first turntables owned by many early audio enthusiasts, including the founder of Audio Advice. It’s great to see the Lenco name still associated with affordable, well-built turntables today, and the LBT-225WA continues that legacy with an impressive mix of features and value.
The Lenco LBT-225WA is a belt-drive turntable with electronic speed control for both 33⅓ and 45 RPM, and the glass platter adds useful mass for better speed stability and a clean, modern look.
The real highlight is the carbon-fiber tonearm paired with the Audio-Technica AT-VM95E cartridge — one of the most respected entry-level moving-magnet designs on the market. The VM95E is well known for its balanced, detailed sound and offers an easy upgrade path through interchangeable stylus options, making it a smart long-term choice.
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We sell a ton of these, and honestly, it’s not hard to see why. The JBL Spinner BT combines sharp looks, simple setup, and modern features that appeal to both new vinyl fans and casual listeners. It’s one of those turntables that just makes it easy to enjoy records without a lot of fuss.
The Spinner BT includes a built-in phono preamp and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, so you can stream your records wirelessly to powered speakers, soundbars, or headphones, or connect it directly to your system with standard RCA cables. The switchable 33⅓ and 45 RPM speeds are handled electronically, and the auto shut-off feature stops the platter when the record ends so your stylus isn’t left sitting in the lead-out groove — a big convenience that’s easy to appreciate.
It comes with an Audio-Technica moving-magnet cartridge mounted on a removable headshell, making upgrades simple down the road. The tonearm is decent for this price range, but not the most refined we’ve seen, but more than capable for everyday listening.
