The Audio-Technica offers a carbon-fiber tonearm.
All of these turntables offer a phono-level output — an unamplified signal that needs RIAA equalization. I used a combination of gear including a Rotel RA1592 amplifier, Onkyo TX-NR696 and TX-RZ50, Q Acoustics 3050i tower speakers, and the Cambridge Audio Duo preamp.
For receivers and amps that lack phono input, you’ll need a phono preamplifier. CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg recommends the $100 Schiit Mani phono preamp as a quality budget option.
Two of the models offered a switchable line-level output — the Music Hall MMF-1.3 and the Audio-Technica AT-LPW40WN — and this is handy if you don’t have or don’t want an external preamp. You can plug these models into anything that accepts RCA cables. I also plugged these two directly into the amplifier and compared them against each other.
It’s worth noting that some of the models are unavailable outside North America, such as the Crosley C10A, Music Hall MMF-1.3, Fluance RT82 and the U-Turn Orbit Plus. If you’re looking for the best alternative to the Fluance RT82, I would recommend the Pro-Ject T1.
As part of the tests listened to a number of different albums including these four artists: Bob Marley, Slint, LCD Soundsystem and Miles Davis. On each turntable, I listened for bass response (was it boomy or clean?), midrange detail (low-level instruments and echo effects) and high frequencies (were they recessed or too loud?). The best turntables performed well across all genres.
