Turntables Worth Hearing, From Portable to Flagship

The Pro-Ject Audio 6 Perspex Balanced combines an immediately recognizable transparent acrylic base with engineering intended to isolate the record-playing assembly.

Its Corian subchassis rests on three magnetic fields, avoiding the mechanical suspension components that can introduce unwanted noise.

Three individually height-adjustable, TPE-damped aluminum feet support the structure. A quiet AC motor drives the platter by belt, while DC-based motor control provides electronic speed changing and is intended to maintain stable rotation. The turntable also carries Pro-Ject’s 9-inch 9 cc EVO carbon tonearm, built around a reverse-gimbal bearing with four stainless-steel points. The addition of a balanced output connection distinguishes this version within the established 6 PerspeX design.

The Benny Audio Odyssey is a large-scale design developed from the ground up to sit above the company’s Immersion II.

Benny Audio redesigned the drive system, platter bearing, platter, plinth, base and 14-inch tonearm rather than treating the Odyssey as a modest revision of an existing model.

Its construction is notably substantial. The three-part platter assembly combines a black Delrin upper section, a steel middle section and a smaller lower disc, while the plinth uses sturdy aluminum. Production follows the earlier prototype, and the source notes that customers should expect a wait after ordering.

The Thorens TD 124 DD Exclusive revisits one of the company’s most recognizable turntable lines through modern direct-drive engineering.

It builds on the revived TD 124 DD platform with components intended for the top of the Thorens range, while retaining a clear visual and conceptual connection to the historic TD 124.

Its principal upgrade is the 12-inch TP 124 tonearm. The additional length is designed to reduce tracking error and associated distortion. Thorens pairs the arm with the Tondose 124 Exclusive cartridge developed by EMT, creating a complete flagship record-playing package rather than requiring the buyer to select a cartridge separately.

The Rega Planar 6 follows the company’s low-mass, high-rigidity approach rather than relying on a heavy plinth.

Its load-bearing sandwich structure places a Tan-Cast 8 polyurethane foam core between high-pressure laminate outer layers, with the intention of combining stiffness, damping and low weight.

The matte gray finish is edged in glossy black polymer, and the surfaces are described as resistant to scratches and dirt. A hand-assembled RB330 tonearm handles tracking duties. Rega offers the Planar 6 with factory-installed Ania moving-coil or Exact moving-magnet cartridge options, allowing buyers to choose according to the phono stage and system in use. The dual-layer platter concentrates additional mass around its smoky acrylic rim, while a dust cover and aluminum feet complete the package.

The Dual CS 460 represents a strand of turntable design that has become uncommon in the current market.

It is the longest-standing model in Dual’s present range and retains much of the design character associated with the company’s earlier record players.

That continuity is the central reason to consider it. Rather than following the minimalist template adopted by many modern turntables, the CS 460 brings together Dual’s established manufacturing history and a design rooted in the company’s earlier hi-fi products. The supplied source does not provide enough technical detail to make more specific performance or feature comparisons.

The Audio-Technica AT-SB727 Sound Burger is built for situations in which a conventional full-size turntable would be impractical.

Its compact body, rechargeable battery and Bluetooth connection make it suitable for temporary listening spaces, social gatherings and small rooms.

An auxiliary output also allows it to feed an amplifier or powered speakers through a wired connection. The belt-drive mechanism supports 33 1/3 and 45 rpm records. A spring-loaded dynamic-balance system applies pressure at the stylus to help the tonearm remain stable while preserving the player’s portable format. Battery operation extends to as much as twelve hours, and charging is handled over USB.

The Audio-Technica Hotaru treats a turntable as both a playback device and a visual installation.

Its name means firefly in Japanese, reflecting a design built around responsive illumination that changes as a record plays.

Audio-Technica combines this lighting system with magnetic levitation and describes the result as an experience intended for both ear and eye. Availability is deliberately restricted to one thousand units worldwide. Its presentation at a major design event rather than a conventional audio exhibition also underlines the intended audience: collectors and design-focused listeners for whom appearance and atmosphere carry unusual importance. The Hotaru is consequently very different from a conventional value-oriented hi-fi turntable.

The Luxman PD-151 adapts ideas from the company’s PD-171A into a simplified and more accessible design without abandoning substantial construction.

Vibration and resonance control are central to the turntable, with a 4 kg aluminum platter, a belt drive that mechanically separates the motor from the platter and a motor positioned well away from the supporting disc.

Its bearing combines a hardened-steel spindle, a bronze housing and a polymer ball, with molybdenum-based oil used for additional damping and longevity. The brushless motor employs feedback control for stable rotation and faster start-up. Push-button selection covers 33, 45 and 78 rpm, and fine speed adjustment can be checked through an LED indicator. A single-pivot, S-shaped tonearm completes the design.

The AudioDeskSysteme Premium Silent Core One is not a record player but a fully automatic ultrasonic vinyl-cleaning machine.

Its inclusion is relevant to turntable owners because dust and contaminants lodged in record grooves can increase playback noise and obscure detail, regardless of the quality of the turntable itself.

Rather than scrubbing the record through conventional physical contact, the system uses high-frequency cavitation bubbles to remove contamination from within the grooves without physical abrasion. The Silent Core One is the latest evolution of AudioDeskSysteme’s established cleaning platform, with a completely redesigned drive motor as its headline change.

The Audio-Technica AT-LPW40WN is a conventional fully manual belt-drive turntable aimed at listeners who want a prepared cartridge and familiar hi-fi construction.

Its substantial MDF chassis is designed to resist vibration and resonance, while natural wood veneer gives the player a warmer appearance than the more common gloss or matte finishes.

A balanced cast-aluminum platter turns at 33 1/3 or 45 rpm, with a rubber mat providing additional damping. Speed changes require moving the belt between the motor pulley’s grooves. The straight carbon-fiber tonearm carries Audio-Technica’s removable AT-HS4 headshell and a factory-installed, adjusted AT-VM95E moving-magnet cartridge.