We admit, we thought it may be just a fad. We thought that along with skinny jeans and beards that the revival of vinyl records would pass by in a matter of time. Surprisingly, though, vinyl record sales in 2018 only skyrocketed further than the already shocking numbers of sales in 2017. In fact, this vinyl revival is so legitimate that top record players were featured at CES 2019. The nostalgia of playing records mixed with the genius age of technology has made for some incredibly fun sound systems. Here are our top picks for most noteworthy turntables of 2019.
The Turntable Returns: Best Vinyl Record Players
Best Sound – Alva TT
When it comes to playing records versus any other form of music (i.e. digital, CD, 8-track, etc.), the overall sound quality should be king. Don’t limit turntables to the ‘cool’ retro factor of playing something that is old, but enjoy the fact that something old can be reinvigorated and create something beautiful. The Alva TT is the turntable that we believe is the best suited to create that beautiful something.
This turntable is the first of its kind to support the aptX HD Bluetooth codec, which supports 24-bit audio file transmission to any compatible wireless devices. With the aptx HD there is lower noise distortion and better signal to noise ratio.
Sexiest Turntable – Audio Technica AT-LPW40WN
While there are legitimate reasons to like the Audio Technica AT-LPW40WN the biggest reason will stare you in the eye. It just looks sexy. With a beautiful walnut stained woodgrain base, this turntable will melt perfectly into your living room as another piece of furniture and not a huge electronic eyesore.
Budget Conscientious Turntable – Sony PS-LX310BT
This turntable supports Bluetooth streaming but not as impressive sound quality as with the Alva TT. There is also a built-in phono stage so the TT can be plugged right into an existing sound system.
The PS-LX310BT also has an automatic tone arm, which is typically a feature only seen with the high-end turntables. With an automatic arm the TT will move the arm from its resting place, place it carefully onto the record and remove/return the arm to its resting place when the record ends.
The Vinyl Revival may well be here and gone by next year’s CES, but we hope it isn’t. It has been and continues to be a fun journey of seeing exactly where technology can take audio. If you are new to being retro, start small with the Sony PS-LX310BT at the reasonable price of $199 you can learn or re-learn what it means to “put a record on”.