Are you prepared to purchase your first turntable? Take a look at these four tips before you begin shopping.

      While it may hurt my bank account, I find some satisfaction in the fact that I’ve passed my passion for collecting vinyl records to my teenage daughter. Admittedly, her fascination with vinyl is primarily driven by the artwork, cool posters, and inserts, as well as showcasing her fandom through collecting albums of her favorite artists. Regardless of your reasons for collecting, you’ll want to play those vinyl records, and for that, a turntable is essential.

      Purchasing your first record player raises several questions: how much should you spend, what type to consider, do you need a phono preamp, what is a phono preamp, and what exactly is a cartridge? Fortunately, we have years of experience reviewing turntables and are here to clarify your queries. Here are four things I wish I had known prior to acquiring my first turntable.

      How much should you invest in a turntable?

      First off, I always start with this question when someone asks about buying a turntable — what’s your budget? Check out our guide to the best turntables for a quick overview of costs; however, prices will vary depending on your intended use and expectations. Keep in mind that, as with most products, spending more generally yields better quality.

      If you’re a novice or have a child (like mine) with a small collection of records they wish to enjoy casually in their bedroom, or if you appreciate the atmosphere of spinning records at social events, there are numerous excellent entry-level options available for under a few hundred dollars. These are typically basic units that come pre-assembled and ready to play right out of the box, often featuring convenient push-button automatic play.

      For those with a bit more budget to spend, you can enhance both sound quality and longevity. With an investment starting at a few hundred dollars, you can find turntables with upgradeable components, such as headshells, tonearms, cartridges, and styli (which we will discuss shortly), significantly improving sound quality and making for a worthwhile long-term investment. Additionally, incorporating some turntable accessories can be beneficial.

      What is a phono preamp and is a built-in one necessary?

      A phono preamp, or phono stage, is needed to amplify the low signal output from a turntable’s cartridge and stylus so it can be used with your speaker system. Essentially, a phono stage is needed at some point between the turntable and your powered speakers, amplifier, or any audio playback system you’re utilizing. This component can be integrated within the turntable, included in powered speakers, or found as a “phono input” on many older stereo receivers and integrated amplifiers.

      Many contemporary turntables come equipped with a built-in phono stage, which can often be turned on or off as needed, providing flexibility in connecting to your equipment.

      For example, if you possess powered speakers with a phono input (which includes a built-in preamp), you don’t require a turntable with a preamp; it’s taken care of. If the turntable has one included anyway, you can disable it and utilize the speakers’ preamp.

      Moreover, if you decide to use the turntable’s built-in preamp, you can activate it and connect the turntable to the speakers’ “line input,” if available. Line inputs lack a preamp boost, which is why a phono stage is necessary beforehand. Are you still following?

      As previously mentioned regarding upgrades, if you have a little extra to spend, many audio enthusiasts opt for external phono preamps (we maintain a list of the top phono preamps for reference). These separate devices often deliver superior sound quality and dynamics than the built-in alternatives. Their prices range from under $100 to several hundred dollars, and they can be explored later on.

      For most individuals, particularly casual listeners or beginners, a turntable with a built-in preamp is an excellent, hassle-free solution, and the encouraging news is that many modern record players come equipped with this feature, so you don’t have to overthink it.

      What else do I need with my turntable?

      As touched upon earlier, besides a turntable and a phono stage somewhere in the connection, you will need two additional components to produce sound from your new record player — amplification and speakers.

      There are various approaches to achieving this. The traditional method involves using what’s referred to as separates or components. A basic configuration would consist of a stereo receiver or integrated amplifier driving a pair of passive (non-powered) speakers. This setup is preferred by most, especially audiophiles, as it yields superior sound and allows for each component to be chosen, swapped, and upgraded according to your preferences regarding budget, space, audio quality, and more.

      Another option is to utilize powered (or active) speakers that have built-in amplification and often include features like integrated phono stages and connectivity options such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (which we’ll discuss shortly), HDMI, optical