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With the vinyl resurgence in full swing, now is the perfect time for budding collectors to pick up a turntable. While collecting vinyl as a hobby can come with its fair share of nostalgia, today’s turntables have the luxury of combining charming, retro designs with all of the advantages of modern technology.
What Are the Best Retro Turntables?
Some of the best vintage-inspired and retro turntables would look right at home in a 1950s diner. However, features like vinyl to MP3 recording and wireless streaming earn them a place in the 21st century. If bold aesthetics is not your main priority, there are minimalist turntables with warm sound output that still puts you in the frame of mind of eras gone by – even if you’re spinning the latest from Taylor Swift.
While the turntable’s design is unquestionably important, the other main factor to consider when selecting a model is whether you want to build upon its setup in the future or not.
Simple, compact, portable players don’t require additional accessories for setup. As long as you have vinyls on hand and a place to plug in the turntable, you’re ready to start enjoying your favorite albums. These are a great option for music lovers who want to enjoy the warm, high-fidelity sounds of vinyl records without having to learn about the technical intricacies behind building an at-home sound system.
However, if you want this purchase to be the start of a long-term hobby, it’s best to select a turntable whose setup can expand with your knowledge. These turntables will be more technical and also require outside accessories such as speakers. However, this gives you more control over your listening experience, as you can pick speakers that fit your own preferences and upgrade them over time. Also, you can upgrade the needle.
No matter your budget or design preferences, there’s a retro-inspired turntable that will bring new life to your favorite records.
