Turntables, ranked by critic score
3 ranked by critic score · 3 more not yet ranked · 20 professional reviews
Record players for home listening, judged on sound, setup and build.
Image: RegaRega Planar 1
4 professional reviewers tested the Rega Planar 1, and 4 recommend it. Most praised: sound quality and build quality.
The catch: Changing speed is manual, and it needs a separate phono stage.
Early score: only 4 professional reviews so far. Expect it to move as more reviews come in.
4 of these 4 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text, then adjusted the estimates against the ratings outlets actually print (ours ran slightly low). An estimate is never higher than 92.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes a score.
Of the 3 turntables we score so far, the highest-rated by professional reviewers is the Rega Planar 1: critic score 87 out of 100 from 4 reviews, 4 of them positive. Most praised: sound quality and build quality.
Early reads · 3 not yet ranked
Not ranked, listed A to Z. We publish a critic score once at least 4 professional reviews of the exact model exist; with 2 or 3 we show a provisional average.
- Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB · provisional 84 from 3 reviews
- Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT · provisional 84 from 3 reviews
- Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo · 1 review so far (StereoNET: 89 est.)
Common questions
Which turntable do critics rate highest?
Of the 3 we score, the Rega Planar 1, with a critic score of 87 from 4 professional reviews. Most praised: sound quality and build quality.
Rega Planar 1 vs Fluance RT82: which is better?
Critics score the Rega Planar 1 87 and the Fluance RT82 85. We list the Fluance RT82 under “Best for first-time vinyl buyers”. Its main drawback: it has no built-in phono preamp, so you need to buy one.