Best Audiophile Turntable Under $2000

Best Audiophile Turntable Under $2000


Today, we will look at the best audiophile turntable under $2000 for people who are into vinyl records. Whether you listen to audiobooks, music from vinyl records has a much richer and fuller sound than cassette tapes or CDs don’t match up to. Today we’ll help you choose between turntable models based on our experience and what customers had to say about them. Then, we’ll review each audiophile turntable in detail, so you know how they stack up against each other and more expensive models in the future! We sought out the highest quality turntables available at an affordable price and scoured through all the choices to bring you three of the best there are to choose from on a budget.

Things to know before buying any audiophile turntable are speed belt-driven system, components (fundamental sound-reproducing components), vibration damping (For music enjoyment without excess vibrations, turntable’s platter (For smooth and steady rotation), tonearm (For excellent tracking and lowers noise operation), shallower tracking across the record (helping to reduce distortion), motor works (For rotation ) soft felt mat screw-on record clamp that keeps your records tightly coupled to the platter, stress-free connections (Like RCA connectors), vibration-damping adjustable feet ultra-quiet operation, finish and turntable design, etc.

Related: Best Phono Cartridge Under $200

Our Top 3 Recommendations

Best Pick Audio Technica AT-LP60X Turntable Audio Technica AT-LP60X Turntable

Simple to set up

Operation with 2 speeds

High fidelity audio

Most Popular Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC

Excellent entry level turntable

Increased platter size

Stunning carbon fibre arm

Budget Pick Marantz TT-15S1 Turntable Marantz TT-15S1 Turntable

Build Top-end tonearm

Three adjustable feet

Dense solid acrylic platter

Our Recommendations For Best Audiophile Turntable Under $2000

Award Image Model Price
Best belt drive turntable under $2000 Audio Technica AT-LP60X Turntable Audio Technica AT-LP60X Turntable See On Amazon
Best entry level turntable Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC See On Amazon
Best audiophile automatic turntable Marantz TT-15S1 Turntable Marantz TT-15S1 Turntable See On Amazon
Best value audiophile turntable Pro-Ject T1 Turntable Pro-Ject T1 Turntable See On Amazon
Best USB Turntable Audio Technica AT-LP120XUSB Audio Technica AT-LP120XUSB See On Amazon
Fluance RT85 Truntable Best turntable system under 2000$ See On Amazon
Best quality turntable record player U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus See On Amazon
Best Dj Turntable Under $2000 Audio-Technica Dj Turntable Audio-Technica Dj Turntable See On Amazon

Top Audiophile Turntable Under $2000

Best Audiophile Turntable Under $2000 Reviews

Audio Technica AT-LP60X Turntable (Image credit: Amazon)

Audio Technica AT-LP60X Turntable

Best belt drive turntable under $2000

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand Audio-Technica Turntable | Color Black | Connections Wired, RCA Output Cables | Belt drive speeds 33 1/3, 45 RPM | Platter Die-cast aluminum platter | Outputs Phono output or line-level output| Type Belt Drive Turntable | Mat Black felt mat

REASONS TO BUY

Simple to set up

Operation with 2 speeds

High fidelity audio

No gimmicks

Redesigned tone arm base

Die-cast aluminum platter

High-quality Technica cartridge

Switchable phono pre-amplifier

REASONS TO AVOID

Light-weighted turntable

This TT is built of plastic

Low Quality Buttons

Bluetooth quality little bit low

The first one is Audio-Technica, and this stereo turntable comes in elegant black colour. The AT-LP60X-BK Turntable body design seems lovely, and for your best audiophile setup, this Turntable is excellent. The AT-LP60X-BK Turntable has a transparent solid plastic cover for muddy dust protection. The Turntable felt mat has black and is much good-looking, and if we talk about felt mat strongness, the mat has solid quality. The turntable silver disk is made of cast aluminium material which fits easily on the Turntable. You will get brilliant Hi-Fi audio if we talk about turntable audio quality. The AT-LP60X-BK is a belt-drive turntable and can efficiently operate with two speeds of 33-1 and 3, 45 RPM and make very minimal vibration due to the solid quality die-cast aluminium platter. The altered tonearm can brilliantly track and reduce resonance, and a pre-installed Audio-Technica cartridge (diamond stylus- ATN3600L) comes with it, which is of very high quality and also replaceable. For user-friendly connectivity, its built-in pre-amp will give you both phono output and line-level output. After buying an AT-LP60X turntable, you also get a 45 RPM adapter and RCA output cable, which is 3.5 mm male to dual and can easily De-attach whenever you want. Overall this belt-drive stereo turntable is the best audiophile turntable under $2000.

 How To Install Audio-Technica AT-LP60X-BK Turntable

  • Slides off the transparent turntable plastic cover.
  • Take your die-cast aluminium platter and hold the rubber band, and after placing the platter, you have to set the rubber on the gold side perfectly.
  • Now, put the felt mat on the platter and place and press down the 45 RPM adapter in the turntable back slot.

Related: Best Cartridge For Audio Technica ATLP120

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC (Image credit: Amazon)

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC

Best entry level turntable

SPECIFICATIONS

Speed 33.45 | Drive principle belt drive | Platter 300mm metal | Mains bearing stainless steel | Wow & flutter 33: +/- 0.60%, 45: +/- 0.70% | Speed Drift 33: +/- 0.19%, 45: +/- 0.17% |Signal to noise 68dB | Tonearm 8.6”, Carbon | Effective arm length 218.5 mm | Effective arm mass 6.0 g | Tracking force 10 - 30mN | Power connection 110/120 or 230/240 Volt - 50 or 60 Hz

REASONS TO BUY

Excellent entry level turntable

Increased platter size

Stunning carbon fibre arm

Sorbothane motor suspension

8.6" carbon tonearm

Premium Cartridge included (2M-Red)

REASONS TO AVOID

No mains in socket

Works perfcet with external preamp only

The second is the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon turntable which has a beautiful shine design and looks perfect for your black audiophile setup due to its Piano Black design. The turntable platter’s build quality is superb and made of medium-density fiberboard, but in weight, it is heavy and sturdy. Due to the high-grade quality of its platter, it will cause unwanted vibrations and noises. The Pro-Ject Debut turntable has installed rubber feet, which also aid in preventing outside unwanted noises or vibrations. The turntable comes with a simple, transparent dust cover made of premium material, covers the turntable from muddy dust, and maintains its shine super clean. Its carbon fiber arm increases stiffness and decreases unwanted resonances, resulting from the brilliant sound quality.

The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon is one of the best-selling turntables in the world and is from project audio systems; the project was launched by a music lover and audio distributor back in the early 90s; the hope was that by creating a line of quality yet affordable turntables having booming vinyl Renaissance and there’s something special about putting the needle down adhering the warmth of a vinyl record the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon is a manual turntable this means that if you want to play a 45, you lift off the platter and move the belt to the 45 pulleys replace the platter and lower the tonearm onto the record if this sounds like the kind of experience. The debut carbon is an excellent option under $600 and provides simple sounds and can be set up in around three minutes before we dive in.

The turntable looks straightforward and has a clean design that will never go out of style; well, this high-gloss black is a classic look; it may not be for everybody lucky. The debut turntable is also available in shiny red, green, blue, yellow, silver, or white one thing that may have jumped out at you at first glance is the carbon fiber tonearm; this is where the debut carbon gets its name; not only does it looks great but it’s also durable lightweight, and from a rational perspective it’s virtually immune to resonance typically you’ll only find carbon fiber tonearms on much more expensive turntables so this is unique in its class the photo cartridge provided with the debut.

Read: Best Phono Preamp Under 500

Marantz TT-15S1 Turntable (Image credit: Amazon)

Marantz TT-15S1 Turntable

Best audiophile automatic turntable

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer Marantz | RPM 33 1/3 & 45 RPM | Feet 3 heightened Aluminum Feet | Signal Ratio 80 dB signal | Coming Cartridge Type MM (moving magnet cartridge) | Platter Thick, Heavy Platter | Belt Material Silicon belt | Anti-skating system Yes | Mat Clever Clamp(felt slip mat) | Others White gloves, Bearing oil

REASONS TO BUY

Build Top-end tonearm

Three adjustable feet

Dense solid acrylic platter

Silent AC motor

Clear audio virtuoso cartridge

REASONS TO AVOID

No dust-cover

Hole in the plinth

The next one is the Marantz tt-15s1 turntable, and this best white turntable is perfect for your white audiophile setup. The Marantz turntable is superbly designed by the company and comes in a transparent white color, which looks pretty luxurious. The turntable is a belt-drive, and it comes with a belt made of silicone material and a non-servo AC motor installed in it. It will provide insane performance without creating any motor noise.

The total power consumption of the TT-15s1 turntable is 5W and has a frequency response is 20Hz to 20kHz; and comes with high and solid aluminium feet, which gives a solid base and stability; you can quickly put this turntable on a plane or irregular surfaces. The thing you never get with the Marantz turntable is a transparent dust cover, and if you want to protect your Marantz tt-15s1 from dust, you have to purchase a dust cover on your expenses. Overall the classic white Marantz tt-15s is the best audiophile turntable under $2000.

Pro-Ject T1 Turntable (Image credit: Amazon)

Pro-Ject T1 Turntable

Best value audiophile turntable

SPECIFICATIONS

Model Name T1 | Brand Pro-Ject | Color Walnut | Material MDF Motor Type DC Motor |Power Source Corded Electric | Platter Thick bead-blasted glass (8mm) | Cartridge Ortofon OM5e Cartridge

REASONS TO BUY

Sound crisp and good.

Ultra-precise motor.

Comes with dust cover.

Sub-platter design.

Vibration free bearings.

REASONS TO AVOID

Low quality belt.

The fourth one is the Project T1 turntable which has a simple Walnut colour design and its pre-installed transparent dust cover, giving it exceptional protection. The turntable base is made of solid MDF material with installed rubber feet, perfecting its balance. The T1 Turntable platter has 8mm thickness and is a bead-blasted glass platter.

The turntable is designed wonderfully, and all parts are entirely mechanical, which will give you smooth and excellent playback. The coming cartridge with T1 Turntable is Ortofon OM5e (A Moving Magnet Cartridge), and you can easily mount the cartridge and align it to the top of the bottom headshell. For non-stop performance, the T1 turntable has ultra-precise which is belt systemized. The size of the tonearm is 8.6 and is made of aluminium material. The total effective length of the arm is 218.5 mm, and overall it is the best audiophile turntable under $2000.

Audio Technica AT-LP120XUSB (Image credit: Amazon)

Audio Technica AT-LP120XUSB

Best USB Turntable

SPECIFICATIONS

Model Name AT-LP120XUSB-BK | Brand Audio-Technica Connection Wired | Target light Popup stylus target light | Motor Type DC Motor | Signal Format Analog | Motor Speed 33/45/78 RPM speeds

REASONS TO BUY

High-fidelity audio

Direct-drive

Great RPM speed

Adjustable dynamic anti-skate control

Balanced S-shaped tone arm

Popup stylus target light

Features a stroboscopic platter

Hydraulically damped lift control

Lockable rest

Variable pitch control

Quartz speed lock

REASONS TO AVOID

No tonearm counter weigh

The fifth one is the Technica turntable, and this black design turntable has a brilliant dc motor with 33/45/78 RPM speeds. Its body design seems comprehensive, and its pre-installed four feet perfectly balance when you put this turntable on smooth and rough surfaces. The turntable features anti-skate control and the tonearm, which will fully help you to control small outward forces, and with a quartz speed lock, you can easily control the variable pitch.

The beautifully designed S-shaped tonearm has insane features and comes with lockable rest; also, you will get a hydraulically damped lift. You can also convert your vinyl records into digital audio files using MAC and windows personal computers. The Technica turntable solid plastic dust does a great job in protecting the turntable from dust, and overall, the one is the best audiophile turntable under $2000.

Fluance RT85 Truntable (Image credit: Amazon)

Fluance RT85 Truntable

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand Fluance Connection |Wired Color Piano Black | Material Wood | Signal Format Analog | Motor Type AC Motor | Performance Analogue Performance | Cartridge Ortofon 2M Blue | Sound 3-dimensional sound

REASONS TO BUY

PURE ANALOG PERFORMANCE

Detailed high resolution sound

Solid wood plinth cabinet

High density Acrylic platter

SPEED CONTROL FOR PRECISION

Passion for Great Audio

REASONS TO AVOID

Low quality dust cover

The sixth one is a fluence turntable made of wood and has an elegant piano black colour design cabinet. The turntable will give you full analogue performance, and you will enjoy warm, natural music by using the fluence turntable. You will find Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge pre-installed on the tonearm of the fluence turntable. The fluence turntable seems solid, and if we talk about balance damping feet, four are installed on it and make continue stable balance; you can also adjust these damping feet. The fluence turntable has an excellent quality platter made of ACRYLIC Material, and about performance, the turntable platter gives you 3-dimensional sound quality. The installed type AC Motor in the turntable can perfectly handle speed control, and you will not feel any vibration or noise.

U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus (Image credit: Amazon)

U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus

Best quality turntable record player

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand U-Turn Audio | Connections Wired | Color Black | Motor Type AC Motor | Pluto preamp Built-in | Cartridge Ortofon OM5E cartridge | Platter Acrylic platter | Dust cover Yes | Counter-weight Adjustable

REASONS TO BUY

Built-in Pluto preamp

High-performance turntable

Easy to set up

OA2 gimbal arm

Preset anti-skate

Adjustable counterweight

Two-Speed Belt Drive System

Low-Resonance Acrylic Platter

Built-In Preamp

REASONS TO AVOID

Belts do not stay

The seventh one is the Pleasant USA assembled a black U-Turn turntable called the best slim turntable has excellent quality machined platter and an insane precision tonearm that comes with the company pre-installed Ortofon OM5E Cartridge. The U-Turn Audio turntable has an excellent quality dust cover installed for dust protection, making it secure from Cement dust, Metallic dust, and Muddy dust. The turntable counterweight can also be adjusted easily, and overall the U-Turn is the best audiophile turntable.

These are entry-level turntables that you can get into a very high-end a, very quality vinyl experience with a wholly made America product, which is fantastic. There are a couple of upgrades: a platter that is acrylic versus MDF now; MDF is medium density fiberboard, and speaker cabinets are made out of MD MDF is good because it’s a shallow resonance material. It’s suitable for platters and record player plants which we’ll get into later. Still, if you want to upgrade even beyond that, the acrylic material is more noise-isolating and vibration-isolating than MDF.

Audio-Technica Dj Turntable (Image credit: Amazon)

Audio-Technica Dj Turntable

Best Dj Turntable Under $2000

SPECIFICATIONS

Operation 3-speed | Speeds 33-1/3 RPM, 45 RPM,78 RPM | Turntable Platter 332 mm die-cast aluminum | Starting Torque >4.5 kgf.cm | Braking System Electronic brake | Anti-skating Range 0-3 g | Tone Arm Type Static balanced S-shaped tone arm | Drive Method Direct drive

REASONS TO BUY

Built like a tank

Beautiful design

Built for demanding DJ use

Detachable head shell

Compatibility with DJ mixers

Professional DJ features

Rock-solid playback

REASONS TO AVOID

Counterweight not heavy

Next is the Technica AT-LP1240USB DJ turntable, similar to all other listed turntables, and its elegant black design seems durable. If we look at AT-LP1240 feet, that is some higher and exceptionally balanced turntable. The turntable features many DJ features that every DJ demands, like Direct-drive, high torque and much more. You will also find some buttons like Dual buttons, which help you start/stop, and you get complete control on the pitch by variable pitch controller for selecting RPM Speeds up to 33/45/78; you can use the brake controller for adjustments. Overall the AT-LP1240USB is the best audiophile turntable under $2000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do wireless speakers work with LP1240-USB XP turntable?

You cannot use wireless speakers with an LP1240-USB XP turntable without additional equipment. The reason why you are not able to use wireless speakers with the LP1240 turntable is that you will not get any built-in wireless or Bluetooth capability.

Can you skip through songs on AT-LP60X-BK?

No, you will not be able to skip through songs on AT-LP60X-BK because the turntable doesn’t select songs automatically and for songs selecting, you have to do it manually.

What is the best DJ turntable of Audio Technika?

If you are finding a DJ turntable, then LP1240-USB XP is your best DJ turntable. The turntable comes with 3-speed Operation and has an excellent braking system. The table lets you take complete control of the Pitch and has a high torque with many DJ features.

Charles Lyell
Hi, I'm Charles Lyell. As a gamer, I have lots of knowledge about gaming, computer hardware, software, and the latest devices. Also, my favorite hobby is learning programming and new languages. I am founder of Techikaya website. Here I love to review the latest products and write blogs about the newest tech information. I am from California, Los Angeles, US, and study BSCS at California Institute of Technology.
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