Best All-in-One Record Players & Turntable Stereo Systems!

Author: Brian Campbell | Updated: | This post may contain affiliate links.

These days, getting started with vinyl can get pretty expensive!

Thankfully, “all-in-one turntables” offer a good starting place on a solid budget. These turntable models include built-in speakers alongside the turntable itself.

Here is my list of five quality all-in-one turntables that can get you listening to your records in “record” time! (Hey, don’t hate on my Dad jokes!)

5 Great All-in-One Turntables for Vinyl Debutants!

1. Victrola Navigator

If you’re a collector of all things analog, then perhaps vinyl records are just one part of the puzzle. After all, there’s also CDs, cassettes, and radio!

If this describes you, then Victrola’s Navigator is an all-in-one turntable on a whole new level. Besides playing vinyl, it can also play CD’s, cassettes, and tune into the radio.

Additionally, Victrola prides itself in its authentic vintage look. While admittedly secondary in importance to audio, it does sport an impressive wooden, retro look.

Victrola made conscious efforts to pack its features in a way that reduces vibrations. As the biggest turntable on this list, it wasn’t built with portability in mind. However, this trade-of does leave more room (literally) for improving sound.

It does have a built-in preamp – like any all-in-one turntable needs for its speakers (I’ll explain what preamps are later). However, you can use RCA cables to plug the turntable into an external preamp and stereo speakers – essentially making an upgrade without having to buy a brand-new turntable.


2. 1byOne High Fidelity Turntable

The best all-in-one turntables will strive to minimize the negative aspects of their all-in-one builds. In 1byOne’s High Fidelity turntable’s case, they took tremendous pains to hone in on multiple problems – fortunately to resounding success for us!

First, they included a counterweight mechanism on their tonearm, and a full-sized platter to match. This means that your spinning records will be fully supported, and any extra pressure on the needle and disc can be alleviated.

Additionally, they fit the High Fidelity turntable with a cartridge from Audio-Technica. Audio-Technica is a widely respected audio company, and the extra cost for the turntable is worth it for this investment alone.

Lastly, for what it’s worth, 1byOne designed the speakers to absorb at least some of their own vibrations.

Pair all these perks with a quality, durable build, and you have a budget turntable that easily rises above the rest. If you have the extra money to spend, 1byOne’s High Fidelity turntable is worth the money.


3. Boytone BT-28SPM

What if you could buy a turntable and speakers at the same time, for a relatively cheap price, and still have them separate? Well, as it turns out, Boytone had that exact idea!

Their BT-28SPM model comes in three parts: a turntable and two stereo speakers. It also includes Bluetooth connectivity to your devices, and cassette and CD players too.

At a price that’s only a tad higher than the previously mentioned turntables, the BT-28SPM is the best all-in-one stereo system with a turntable. Rather than spending more money on both elements separately, you can buy both in one pack for a lower price.

Of course, it won’t be upper-end quality. But for a budget all-in-one stereo system that also comes with a turntable, it’s an excellent choice.


4. ION Audio Premier LP

ION Audio Premier LP takes a minimalist approach to all-in-one turntables, while still allowing for customization and extensions. It has the smallest body of all turntables listed here, meaning that there is less room for vibrations. However, it still delivers loud, punchy volume from its internal speakers.

If all you need is a turntable and speakers – which is what the majority of readers are looking for with this article – then ION Audio’s Premier LP will work perfectly well. However, it can also play cassettes and CD’s – with a catch.

It’s similar to both Victrola’s Navigator and Boytone’s BT-28SPM, but functions in a unique way. Essentially, it’s “speakers with a turntable,” instead of a “turntable with built-in speakers.”

This is because it includes input/ouput plugs for external cassette and CD players. So, while it doesn’t have them built-in, other devices can still be used with its speakers.

This is helpful because it separates the speakers from the other media players, which isolates vibration interference. While it might be an extra step for some folks, this might be a useful feature for others.


5. Amazon Basics Turntable

Last but not least, we have good ol’ Amazon Basics! Looks like the Amazon brand’s got their feet in everything these days, from batteries and hygiene to cooking and camping.

As with any large and diversified franchise, it can be easy to be skeptical. Their signature turntable will certainly not meet the same quality standards as several others listed here.

However, for a beginner on a tight budget, the Amazon Basics Turntable is still an excellent choice. Rather than slapping together any easily marketable product, they made some conscious choices to help it deliver quality output.

First, it’s built on rubber feet. This simple addition helps reduce some of the reverberating vibrations in the machine. Second, they provide a spare needle for when the first one gets worn down.

Lastly, and most importantly, they fitted it with an automatically calibrating internal belt.

That sounds scary, but it’s not hard to understand. A turntable belt spins the platter, like chains on a bike wheel. The platter is on one “end” of the loop and the motor is on the other.

By separating both parts into isolated areas, this helps reduce noise. The auto-calibration allows it to measure the needle’s pressure and adjust accordingly. This corrects any sound warping or unnecessary pressure.


Why Are Regular Turntables So Expensive?!

It’s official: vinyl is back in style again.

Actually, it has been for quite a while. Beginning in 2006, the vinyl market has been aggressively increasing its revenue.

There are several reasons for this. First, their lovably imperfect hardware gives them a nostalgic charm. In conjunction with this, music appreciators understand the importance of physical media in music history, and can take pride in keeping that tradition going.

Third, vinyl has an unmistakably clear sound quality. When properly cared for, vinyl discs provide some of the most authentic audio experiences out there, closest to the intentions of the original artists and producers.

And lastly – certainly not least, either – is the diverse community that gathers around vinyl.

However, as with anything in life, there is a catch.

Getting into vinyl is EXPENSIVE!!

New records often start at $20 minimum, and that’s just getting started. Especially considering you can’t just start with a single disc – you need a turntable too!

If you’re interested in knowing more details about why vinyl is as expensive as it is today, you can check out this dedicated article that I wrote on this topic recently.

Hopefully the turntables recommended above will help you find a budget-friendly way to start spinning your favorite albums on vinyl. However, given that they are in a “low” price range of around $50 to $180, it begs the question: why are top-notch turntables so expensive?!

There are two primary reasons why professional-grade turntables are so expensive – often north of $300. First, companies want to make sure they’re using quality material and building processes.

Second, turntable companies cater towards audiophiles that customize their setup as much as possible. You’ll often find that expensive gear is pretty useless alone. This makes it seem like they’re ripping you off, but they’re not.

Sound systems are a complex chain of hardware, with each element being affected by the other. By giving consumers complete control over every element, turntable companies give consumers all the customizable options they can.

When it comes to turntables specifically, we are talking about the mechanisms that spin the disc and read the audio signals. This does not include speakers, wires, and preamps (which we’ll discuss later).

There are three separate elements in a turntable that make it effectively read a disc.

First, we have the platter. This is the circular piece of metal or plastic that the record sits on.

Second, we have the motor. This is the machine “under the hood” that makes the platter spin.

Third, we have the tonearm. This is the “stick”/”arm”/”whatchamacallit” that holds the needle.

Lastly, you have the needle and cartridge. Technically, they’re two different things – but since they often come together, we’ll consider them together.

The needle makes contact with the disc and reads the physical grooves. The cartridge is the small red box that holds the needle.

Although it looks trivial, the cartridge is actually the most important part of the entire turntable. It takes the physical movement of the needle and translates it into the electric signal that eventually feeds to the speakers.

Alone, each of these elements can easily cost $100+ dollars! Put together in a single turntable, it’s easy to see why turntables are expensive.

This is why all-in-one turntables are so appealing to aspiring audiophiles. They provide everything you need for a complete listening experience, all for a relatively low cost.

Their entire audio chain, from vinyl disc and platter to broadcasting speakers, are self-contained in the turntable’s little box.

Now, you might be thinking “well, DUH!” Why not automatically include all that extra stuff?

Well, the straight truth is that there are noticeable downsides to all-in-one turntables. But as full disclosure, given the fact that we just recommended five, we don’t think they’re worthless.

There’s nothing wrong with getting one, if you understand the full picture. Let’s look at the downsides, and why you would still want one.

The Downsides of All-in-One Turntables

The biggest problem with all-in-one turntables is that they crowd their features together. Many of them are made with portability in mind, meaning that they are made as small and compact as possible.

Why is this a problem?

Simply put, it’s all about vibrations. When you play music, you get vibrations everywhere: in the physical media, in the speakers, in the air, and in the hardware between.

You need them to make the music, of course. However, if they get too big and too close together, they interfere and negatively impact the final playback quality. This can result in white noise or unclear audio.

This is the biggest problem, and the rest are related to it in some way. Here are several more:

First, due to compact design, all-in-one platters often have a smaller diameter than the records they play. This means that at the start of each play, the tonearm is pressing down on vinyl that isn’t supported.

Second, some all-in-one motors are built directly underneath the platter. This produces unnecessary vibrations and noise directly underneath the source of audio.

As a combination of the first and second reasons, small platters and clunky motors can cause the tonearm to wobble, resulting in warped audio.

Lastly, all-in-one turntables often have subpar preamps.

By itself, a turntable can read vinyl audio, but it can’t amplify the sounds for speakers. This is where the preamp comes in; it takes the quiet turntable signal and increases it for the speakers.

Why Get an All-in-One Turntable?

Given all these setbacks, why would anyone want an all-in-one turntable?

The answer is simple: because they’re cheaper and more convenient! Both those words can sound scary in a consumerist, capitalist economy. But they don’t have to be.

You have to be a beginner before you’re an expert. You have to walk before you can run. You have to paddle before you swim.

To be completely honest, if you’re an aspiring audiophile and vinyl connoisseur, you’re not going to notice these small differences. You’ll be happy just to go through the ritual of setting up and listening to a record.

The good news is that there’s nothing wrong with this! If you don’t know if you’re going to fall in love with vinyl, there’s no reason to drop $1000 right away.

You may even be perfectly content with a budget system. But if you decide to upgrade, you’ll be able to do so without any problems!

At the end of the day, it’s up to you! All-in-one turntables are an excellent way to get started fast and cheaply with vinyl.

It is worth noting the problems with budget turntables – especially how they can negatively affect your records over time. But if you’re just getting started, there’s nothing to worry about.

Conclusion

All-in-one turntables are a great starter option for vinyl debutants on a budget. While they do have setbacks in terms of audio quality and long-term usage, their temporary use and money-conscious prices justify their use.

If you are looking for a quick and convenient way to try out vinyl, you should definitely check out the five turntables we recommend. If you happen to find that vinyl strikes your fancy, you’re in for a lifelong journey of joy and discovery!

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About Brian Campbell

Brian has been playing piano since elementary school and started learning guitar in 7th grade. He teaches K-8 students in Columbus, Ohio, and writes lessons covering a broad spectrum of genres. As a child, he moved back and forth between Colorado and West Africa. He credits those experiences with opening his eyes to the cultural and artistic diversity he appreciates today. Several of his favorite musicians include J.S. Bach, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Radiohead. When not doing music and teaching, you can find Brian reading, hiking, traveling, or making just one more shot of espresso.

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