The Best Record Players You Can Get for Under $1000 Reviews

Let me invite you to join me in my search for the best turntable under $1000. Since I am an audiophile and have been studying vinyl turntables for a long time, I can objectively judge which are worthy of your attention. Nevertheless, time dictates its rules, and among modern turntables, you can find models equipped with additional functions, which, for a longtime music lover, do not fit into the concept of analog music. But again, objectively, I can understand why you might like this option. So, there’s a variety waiting for you here.

You won’t find a high-end turntable in this category, but these decks are much more in line with the concept of a vinyl record player than their budget versions. You will most likely have to spend on an additional upgrade, but it is worth it in the end. Also, this segment is good for a beginner just learning how to handle this kind of equipment or for an experienced music lover who understands that overpaying a couple hundred bucks for quality is better.

Our pick

REGA Planar 2

Best turntable under $1000

Every feature of REGA Planar 2 innovative new turntable is designed to extract the maximum amount of information and detail from your vinyl collection. Read the full review.

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Turntables under $1000 comparison table

Best turntable under 1000 dollars reviews

REGA Planar 2 – best overall

First in my rating is the REGA Planar 2 model, which, in addition to my subjective assessment, has received a lot of well-deserved positive feedback from users and professionals. It doesn’t surprise me at all because the brand’s history has been 50 years, and REGA produces not only turntables but also tonearms, cartridges, loudspeakers, and some other products related directly to vinyl. So, despite some compromises related to its affordable price, I can safely categorize the Planar 2 as an audiophile record player, albeit with the comment, “It will require some upgrading.”

The Planar lineup is not new to the brand’s assortment, but the series has been revamped since launch. This has extended to the design, which involves a 12.12 lb. acrylic plinth with a clear dust cover (the smoked cover is intended for the laminated walnut case) and a float glass ‘Optiwhite’ 10 mm platter. If you understand the importance of weight to anti-vibration, you’ll be satisfied with that description, especially given the special redesigned feet. All in all, REGA has tried to do the most with a relatively low weight. In practice, I didn’t notice any problems. I would call the design of the turntable simple chic; the quality is felt in every detail, and it is very pleasant to work with. Speaking of which, many brands have adopted this style. Apart from the large logo, there is nothing else on the case because Planar 2 is completely manual, as a good vinyl turntable should be. But to change the record’s speed from 33 to 45 RPM, you’ll have to change the belt, which is under the platter! I don’t know how often you listen to different records, but for me, the frequent lifting of the disk (it’s glass, after all) became a funny but tedious task.

Separately, we should mention 24V low noise, which really does not produce unnecessary extra noise for you and me. If you hear that it started to make uncharacteristic noises, check if you have not lost a bearing and if the belt is properly installed; in the end, just lubricate it. The devil lies in the details, so don’t rush to criticize the product without checking all the options.

As for the tonearm, I’m not a fan of the RB220’s straightforward design, but if you bother to study REGA’s lineup, you’ll see that even the most expensive model has one. It’s all about the brand designing and outfitting its turntables with all the accessories, so when all factors combine, the Planar 2 does an excellent job of extracting sound from the record’s grooves. However, the factory Rega Carbon MM cartridge is inferior to the famous mid-range Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, but it won’t disappoint you at first. Over time, you’ll be able to replace it with ease.

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO – also great

It was obvious that I should give second place to the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO turntable. At first glance, the similarity of this turntable with the winner of the rating REGA Planar 2 is obvious. Still, on closer examination, there are differences (mainly related to the materials of parts), which is the reason for the lower price of the silver medalist of my selection. Today, it is one of the top-rated record players in the middle segment, and I think it is well deserved in terms of price/quality combination.

So, externally, Carbon EVO completely repeats the design of Planar 2. A simple plinth with no frills (by the way, there are 8 color variants for every taste), platter with felt thin mat, straight tonearm, and dust cover. But the 13.2-pound chassis doesn’t look as impressively chic as the acrylic one on the leader of the ranking. Also, the Carbon EVO 3 has adjustable feet (aluminum), which certainly play a role in anti-vibration protection, but I personally found them to be a simpler option. Platter made of TPE-damped steel is heavy, but metal always loses to glass when it comes to vinyl. Of the notable things I can mention is that the belt for changing speeds is also located under the disk, but the manufacturer made sure that you just press the button when reinstalling the record and hide it on the bottom panel of the plinth. It is convenient, but exactly until I forgot what speed this button is set to right now. I had to turn the turntable upside down. Judge for yourself how convenient that is. The dust cover is always a bonus, but I thought it was odd not to have a rubber protector for a veneered plinth. I’m almost certain that the edges of the chassis will show marks from constant contact with the plastic over time. That’s just a guess, though. I also had quite a bit of trouble adjusting it, either too tight or too loose. I spent quite a bit of time on it, but to be fair, it’s probably a product-specific nuance.

When a manufacturer saves on construction in this price category, you can expect pleasant surprises in another area. Our model has this carbon fiber one-piece tonearm tube, usually found in more expensive models. It’s very sturdy yet lightweight, so adjusting the needle pressure force is fairly easy. The factory set includes a Sumiko Rainier cartridge, which is a purely subjective opinion because users are divided into two camps based on the reviews. Personally, I like the quality of audio extraction. Have I heard something better? Yes. But after all, we’re looking at a far-from-premium niche of turntables, so nothing is surprising here. In any case, I don’t consider it a disadvantage to have parts that can easily (albeit at an extra cost) be replaced over time.

Victrola Stream Carbon

The next vinyl player under one thousand dollars is the most expensive in my selection and causes me a variety of feelings, and not at all positive. The thing is that I am an avid audiophile, and I understand the fundamental advantages of analog sound. So if you are not a follower of digitized sound, you can go straight to the next review because you are looking at Victrola Stream Carbon, designed for the Sonos system. But being a reviewer of all types and categories of turntables, I just have to include this creation in my list because I realize that users are different, and you can’t argue about tastes.

So, externally, the device looks like a vinyl player. The case is covered with plastic, and in the black version, it looks quite simple (personal opinion) but is not cheap. I still prefer wood for the plinth (well, or gloss; it’s at least beautiful, although it requires maintenance). The platter is made of cast aluminum, which is not an advantage relative to other models in my selection. But the round regulator’s illumination and a silicone mat’s presence pleased me. It is both beautiful and, in the case of the mat – it holds the record more securely than the felt one. But for me, the advantages ended there.

Victrola Stream Carbon has a built-in phono stage. Of course, I realize that having bought a turntable for such a price, most of you probably don’t want to invest more money. But in this case, you should be satisfied with the sound the factory assembly provides. If you are an experienced music lover who can distinguish how music should sound in the original, you will definitely want an external preamplifier. The tonearm on this model is also straight, but it has a pretty good Ortofon 2M Red cartridge pre-installed. This is probably the only thing I can be frankly happy about here, although experienced users prefer the more expensive 2M Blue.

So, what I want to say with all this is that digitizing sound with Sonos wireless speakers has nothing to do with vinyl. It’s just a cute gadget that looks like a turntable. If you connect regular speakers to your record player (thank goodness they didn’t take that option away entirely), you’re left with a pretty ordinary sound with a built-in preamplifier. The next step is to buy an external phono stage. But answer me one question? Why do all this with the Victrola when you have the Planar 2 and the Carbon EVO? The latter two are far superior to the former in detail and create a much more expansive, deep soundstage sound, extracting near-perfect notes and timbres from vinyl.

Denon DP-450USB

Denon DP-450USB may appeal to many of you. There is a beautiful design with the original dust cover, a curved S-shaped tonearm (this shape is considered optimal for vinyl), and a USB port for digitizing your records (I will never understand it because I think you can find it on streaming sites, but it is there and it is modern), and a built-in preamplifier (so that you do not spend money on additional purchases), and even three speeds 33, 45 and 78 RPM. In general, such an all-in-one turntable, but let’s talk about everything in order.

Externally, DP-450USB looks like Planar 2 because it has a glossy black case. But you’ll find differences in materials (the Denon is made of plastic), weight (11 pounds), and the shape of the tonearm. Speeds are switched via a circular knob, which, unlike the Carbon EVO, is on top of the plinth, and it’s very convenient. And everything seems fine until you turn the turntable on. Due to its lightweight and plastic, the DP-450USB can easily organize its own party where it will be the main star on the dance floor. And I mean literally shuddering of the device from the loud sound of speakers or even the fact that you passed by. It generally lacks anti-resonance, and I recommend taking care of additional bottom weighting immediately. Since the tonearm is not adjustable (like most turntables of this rank, I would also recommend installing a thicker mat. I also added felt pads to the feet. This has qualitatively improved vibration resistance. But be prepared that with a thicker mat, you will have to give up the Autostop function; for me, it just stopped working, although, for me, it is a small loss.

Next, a couple of words about the dust cover are worth separate attention. It has an unusual design that covers only the platter and the tonearm and an excellent blacked-out shade. You can remove it completely and use it as a vinyl record stand. But when you’ve finished, put it back in place and gone to bed, be prepared for a completely dusty turntable in the morning (gloss attracts dust even if you close all the windows in the house and turn on the humidifier). This cover doesn’t protect anything! I got tired of wiping dust off the turntable every day several times, so I started to cover it with cellophane film. In general, there are no words, only aesthetics…

The DP-450USB has a built-in phono stage and a pre-installed factory cartridge, but during the first test, I immediately gave up the idea of listening to records in this way. No, I won’t say it was terrible; the sound was detailed and clear. It’s just that, knowing Denon’s technique and its characteristic warm, dynamic, bright sound that blends so well with vinyl, I couldn’t listen to this dull, quiet semblance of music. Replacing the components with my own, I got what I wanted. The vintage ABBA vinyl sounded as bright as new, putting me in the mood for the day.