In 1875, the genius French inventor Edison Scott, created an extraordinary device called a Phonautograph, that aimed at helping us understand sounds better. Then another genius guy we all know as Thomas Edison took this concept and transformed it into a device that could replay the sounds it recorded, doing the world a huge favor. Despite living in a modern era of Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube, where we can access all the music in the world with just a touch of a fingertip; there’s something special about listening to music on vinyl. We crave the feeling of placing the needle on a large record, watching the vinyl spin on a finely calibrated turntable, and balking at the joy of music.

Record players have made an exceptional comeback, and many people now want to reclaim memories from the past by listening to their favorite music on record players. If you’re planning on buying a turntable, but feel a bit lost, here are some buying tips that can help you out.

Will It Fit Well With Your Interior?

Before buying a record player, you need to make sure that you have a place for it. Record players vary in size, and you can also find luggable models that can be vertically mounted to provide you with more storage space. There are a plethora of designs as well, so choose a turntable that has a unique design and matches your interior style. If you’re a vintage lover, you might want to purchase a classic wooden record player to suit your vintage-style interior. However, if you prefer a modern look, you can look for subtle matte-colored designs.

Price and Budget

There’s no need to mention that you have to research the price ranges and then decide on a budget before you embark on a turntable shopping spree. What features do you want in your record player and how much do these features add to the price tag? If you’re a newbie and don’t know what features to look for, you have two options; either to seek help from a family member and listen to them telling you about their good old days and reminiscing till the next day, or do your own online research and decide if you want a record player with new features like Bluetooth, USB, or portability.

Try to opt for the best record player with speakers to produce the best audio quality and provide you with a sensational experience that takes you back in time. There are models with built-in speakers so that you don’t lug around a pair of speakers everywhere you go. Most record players don’t have wireless functions like wifi, so search for speakers with wired features or aux-in.

Preamp

Many traditional record players don’t come with a built-in preamp as well. A preamp amplifies the sound signal from a turntable level to a level that can pass through the speakers. You can buy a separate preamp or amplifier and then set it up. To set up an amplifier you have to:

• Have a hi-fi system at home

• Have a separate preamp

• Get an RCA ‘phono’ sockets cable that is red and white

• connect the turntable to your existing setup

• Connect the amplifier to stereo speakers using the same RCA cables

Auto Functionality

Record players with auto operation automate the turntable’s arm that moves the needle and follows the grooves of the records, so you won’t need to adjust your turntable’s needle position manually. Auto functionality comes with many models, some even include a built-in preamp like the ones mentioned above, so that there’s no need to buy an additional preamp to connect to the amplifier and the hi-fi system, allowing you to easily play your favorite records on your turntable.

Other Features

Record players with built-in speakers, belt drives, and 78rpm speed will probably have the best sound quality and offer more features than the traditional models. If you have a very old record collection, you can play the rare 78rpm speed records that were used before the 1950s, however, the audio quality may not be as perfect as the usual 33 rpm and 45 rpm records.

Styles

There are various styles of record players on the market. Today we have:

• Marble vinyl player: it is a relatively cheap model (however the low price does not necessarily mean that it is of low quality). Its ability to play vinyl and use an additional system to connect an amplifier or receiver means that you don’t have to invest a lot and blow a hole in your pocket. The main drawback of this style is the absence of cutting-edge features.

• Acoustic models: are usually based on a traditional design – this type of record player will allow you to hear the subtleties in your music and enjoy your favorite tracks with more authentic sound quality.

• There are numerous types of record players for every style and taste. Models with built-in speakers come in many styles from retro to modern and vintage. If you want to listen to records on your computer or laptop, you can go for a portable record player with USB connectivity that will let you record music and convert vinyl records to digital MP3 or MP4 files.

• If you want a functional turntable, then you should get an integrated portable model that does not need many additional inputs from external sources, such as your computer. These models are called battery-powered or dynamic-loading record players. They have a lot of features including Bluetooth, USB ports for playing music from USB sticks, and the ability to record music from vinyl records.

If you want to rewind and fast forward through your old albums and iconic songs, buying a record player is a great investment. Nowadays a vinyl player is the closest thing to the old classic Dansette record player of the 1960s. Follow these tips when buying a new record player, they’ll certainly help you choose the perfect record player and take a trip back in time.