AudioFu Chart · November 2026
Best Turntables Under $2,000 2026
The top pick is Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Phono Preamp ($73). Reloop RP8000 Mk2 Advanced Hybrid Torque Turntable with Digital… leads the high end. Ranked by the AudioFu Index from 31 models across 13 brands, prices checked every night.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
Top 10
Full detail for the 10 highest AudioFu Index scores. Every other model is listed below.
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- Weight0.3 kg
You get a small MM phono preamp that fits easily on a shelf. It has internal metal shielding and gold plated RCA connectors, and the external power supply comes in the box. It suits you if you want a simple, compact way to connect a turntable to your system.
Pros
- Internal metal shielding helps keep hum and noise out of the signal
- Gold plated RCA connectors for the phono input and output
- Compact housing measuring 120 x 32 x 106 mm, easy to fit on a shelf
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Reloop RP-7000 MkII Professional Upper Torque Direct Drive DJ…
RP 7000 MK2 silver · Reloop
16 for sale on Reverb3 finishes at Thomann
- Weight11.7 kg
If you DJ and want a turntable you can start quickly and control precisely, this one is worth a look. It has direct drive, a quartz lock, a start brake, reverse and a battle position, which are the features DJs use most. Just remember the cartridge and stylus are not included, so plan to buy those too.
Pros
- Direct drive with high torque for quick, stable starts
- S-shaped tonearm with a satin, low-resonance material
- Height-adjustable tonearm base for easy setup
Cons
- Cartridge and stylus are not included, so you need to buy them separately
- At 11.7 kg, it is heavy to carry between gigs
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Reloop RP8000 Mk2 Advanced Hybrid Torque Turntable with Digital…
RP 8000 MK2 · Reloop
11 for sale on Reverb1 finish at Thomann
- Weight11.8 kg
You get a direct drive turntable with a die-cast aluminum platter, three speeds, and a pitch fader that reaches plus or minus 50 percent. It suits you if you want a sturdy deck for DJ work and need to change speed or pitch on the fly. Remember that you have to buy your own cartridge and stylus before you can play records.
Pros
- Upper-torque direct drive with a quartz-controlled hybrid motor
- Precision machined die-cast aluminum platter, static balanced
- S-shaped tonearm with hydraulic lift and anti-skating mechanism
Cons
- Cartridge and stylus are not included and must be bought separately
- Weighs 11.8 kg, so it is not very portable
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- Weight9.6 kg
If you are a DJ or a serious vinyl player, this turntable gives you plenty of control. The direct drive, adjustable starting and braking torque, and pitch range let you handle records the way you want. Just remember you need to buy a stylus, and plan for a heavy, large machine on your table.
Pros
- Die-cast aluminium housing gives the turntable a sturdy base
- Direct drive with adjustable starting and braking torque for precise control
- Pitch adjustment range of ±8%/±16% and a reverse play function
Cons
- Stylus is not included, so you must buy one separately
- At 9.6 kg and 453 x 169 x 353 mm, it is a large, heavy unit to move around
66AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$1,114 now$1,114€998 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
- Size8.6"
- Weight5 kg
You get a turntable with a belt drive, a 300 mm metal platter, and an Ortofon OM5e cartridge already fitted. It has a built-in phono preamplifier and a USB output, so you can move your records onto a PC or Mac. It suits you if you want to play vinyl at home and also digitize your collection without buying extra gear.
Pros
- Precision belt drive with a synchronous motor for steady playback
- Electronic speed control with 33/45 rpm and 78 speed change
- Built-in MM phono preamplifier with USB output for PC and Mac transfer
Cons
- Outputs are limited to RCA and USB-B, with no other connections listed
63AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$333 now$333€298 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
- Size8.6"
- Weight4 kg
You get a complete turntable here, with an Ortofon OM NN cartridge already fitted and an integrated phono stage. It uses a belt drive with a synchronous motor and a lightweight aluminium tonearm with sapphire bearings. It suits you if you want to set up vinyl quickly without buying extra parts.
Pros
- Integrated phono stage with switchable phono and line output
- Belt drive with synchronous motor for steady playback
- Ortofon OM NN cartridge included, ready to play out of the box
Cons
- Weighs 4 kg at 420 x 112 x 330 mm, so it needs a fixed spot
60AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$312 now$312€279 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
- Weight5.7 kg
You get a 7-inch direct drive turntable with a brushless DC motor and a straight tonearm that has rubber damping to minimise resonance. It suits you if you want a turntable with a pitch fader, three speeds and gold-plated outputs, and you already have or plan to buy a headshell cartridge and needle. Keep in mind the pickup and needle are not in the box.
Pros
- Brushless DC motor drives the platter for direct drive operation
- Straight tonearm with integrated rubber damping to minimise resonance
- Non-detented pitch fader with selectable ±8%, ±16% and ±35% control range
Cons
- Pickup system and needle are not included and must be bought separately
- Tonearm connection is made for headshell cartridges and is not suitable for Concorde systems
59AudioFu
Index↓ 4.7%since Aug 17 · lowest so far$591 · Aug 17$563 now$563€504 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
- Weight0.55 kg
You get a small black box that connects a turntable to your system. It has a phono input and a line input, plus RCA and optical digital outputs that you can use at the same time. It suits you if you own an MM cartridge turntable and want a compact, simple way to hook it up.
Pros
- Optical digital output runs alongside the analogue RCA output at the same time
- Internal metal shielding inside a compact housing
- Two gold-plated RCA inputs: one phono and one line
Cons
- Phono input is MM only, so moving coil cartridges are not supported
57AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$122 now$122€109 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
- Weight8 kg
You get a direct-drive turntable with a quartz-driven motor and three speeds: 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM. It has a balanced S-shaped tonearm with hydraulic lift and anti-skating, plus pitch control up to +/-50%, which makes it a practical pick if you want to adjust speed while playing records. Because it weighs 8 kg, plan on giving it a steady spot on your table.
Pros
- Quartz-driven high-torque direct drive with a brushless DC motor
- Starting torque of approx. 2.5 kg/cm gets the platter moving quickly
- Pitch control with selectable ranges of +/-8%, +/-16% and +/-50%
Cons
- At 8 kg and 450 x 354 x 143 mm, it takes up a good amount of table space
57AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$490 now$490€439 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
- Weight0.86 kg
This is a phono preamp, so it boosts the weak signal from your turntable to a level your mixer or amp can use. You can switch the input between moving coil and moving magnet cartridges, and you can choose how much gain it adds. It suits you if you run a turntable into a DJ mixer or hi-fi system and want control over the signal.
Pros
- Input switches between Moving Coil and Moving Magnet, so it works with both cartridge types
- Freely selectable signal preamplification lets you set the gain to suit your cartridge
- Switchable Low Cut Filter and Signal / Clip indicator help you set things up
Cons
- Only two phono or line inputs and two line outputs, so few sources can connect at once
All 31 turntables
Same index, same nightly prices — compact. Colour options of one model share a row. Tap a photo to zoom.
- 11
Pro-Ject Phono-Box E BT 5Pro-Ject54↑ 7.2%$150€134$150€134Check ↗
- 12
Thorens TD 204 walnutThorens52↓ 2.7%$758€679$758€679Check ↗
- 13
Technics SL-1210MK 7Technics · 3 finishes52Stable$1,114€998$1,114€998Check ↗
- 14
Thorens TD 403 DD black HGThorens · 3 finishes52Stable$1,450€1,299$1,450€1,299Check ↗
- 15
Reloop RP 2000 MK4Reloop · 2 finishes51Stable$390€349$390€349Check ↗
- 16
Thorens TD 101 A blackThorens51Stable$444€398$444€398Check ↗
- 17
Audio-Technica AT-LP140XP-BK Direct-Drive TurntableAT-LP140XP Silver · Audio-Technica · 2 finishes51↑ 6.8%$524€469$524€469Check ↗
- 18
Thorens TD 402 DD blackThorens51↓ 1.3%$847€759$847€759Check ↗
- 19
Korg handytraxx playKorg41↓ 2.9%$410€367$410€367Check ↗
- 20
ART DJ Pre IIART40↓ 2.7%$82€73$82€73Check ↗
- 21
Technics SL-1200MK7 TurntableSL-1200MK7 Case Bundle · Technics40↓ 1.4%$1,223€1,095$1,223€1,095Check ↗
- 22
Korg handytraxx tubeKorg39Stable$725€649$725€649Check ↗
- 23
Dual DTJ 301-1 USBDual38Stable$256€229$256€229Check ↗
- 24
Stokyo Record Runner cherry redStokyo · 2 finishes37Stable$106€95$106€95Check ↗
- 25
Sonifex Redbox RB-PA2Sonifex37↓ 0.7%$602€539$602€539Check ↗
- 26
Millenium PHP 2Millenium34↑ 4.7%$22€20$22€20Check ↗
- 27
Pro-Ject Juke Box E1 HiFi Set blackPro-Ject · 3 finishes32Stable$892€799$892€799Check ↗
- 28
IMG Stageline SPR-6IMG Stageline31↑ 11.5%$32€29$32€29Check ↗
- 29
Reloop 2x RP 7000 MK2 Club SetReloop26↑ 4.4%$1,584€1,419$1,584€1,419Check ↗
- 30
Reloop 2x RP 8000 MK Club SetReloop26↑ 4.1%$1,741€1,559$1,741€1,559Check ↗
- 31
Behringer Microphono PP400 Phono PreampPP400 · Behringer24Stable$16€14$16€14Check ↗
Turntables by the numbers
Measured across all 54 models we track, not a sample.
Median $524 — half of all turntables here cost less.
median of 40 models · 0.3 kg–11.8 kg
median of 14 models · 7"–12"
How to choose the best turntables
RIAA Accuracy
This is the big one. The RIAA curve is how records are mastered, and your preamp needs to reverse it accurately. Poor RIAA accuracy leads to muddy bass and harsh highs - it's not just a technicality; it's a sonic disaster.
Noise Floor
A quiet preamp is a good preamp. You don't want hiss or hum masking the music. Especially important for those quieter jazz cuts or classical pieces; a noisy preamp will ruin the dynamics.
Gain & Loading Options
Different cartridges need different impedance and gain. A preamp with adjustable loading lets you dial in the optimal sound for your specific cartridge, avoiding dullness or overly bright treble. This is a feature that seriously elevates the listening experience.
Dynamic Range & Headroom
You want the preamp to handle the peaks and valleys of the music without clipping or compression. More headroom means cleaner signal, especially when you're pushing the volume - crucial for gigging or recording.
Power Supply Isolation
A poorly isolated power supply can introduce noise and distortion. Look for units with robust power supplies or even external power bricks to minimize interference and keep things clean. It's the silent hero of a good preamp.
Buying guide
Alright, so you're spinning vinyl and want to do it right - that means a decent phono preamp. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to drop five grand to get a good sound; there's a ton of quality gear under $2000. We're talking about bringing your records to life, not just amplifying them, and that requires careful component selection and a well-designed circuit. Let's find you something that'll make your records sound like they should.
At this price range, you're generally avoiding the truly egregious corners cut on cheaper units, but trade-offs still exist. Don't expect fully discrete circuitry or hand-matched components - those are usually reserved for the higher tiers. Pay attention to the cartridge compatibility; some preamps are better suited for moving magnet (MM) while others excel with moving coil (MC) - or both, but often at a compromise.
Adjustable loading is a huge plus, but don't get hung up on a ton of fancy features; focus on clean, accurate amplification.
How the AudioFu Index works
Five measured signals and nothing else — no stars from strangers, no “tested by experts” we didn’t do. The weights are fixed and public. We don’t play these instruments; we measure the market around them.
This chart covers 54 turntables from the Thomann catalogue. Before you buy, read hands-on reviews and, where you can, play it. Full methodology.
AudioFu earns a commission when you buy through our Thomann links. It never changes the order — the index does.
- Demand40%
How many of this exact model are for sale on Reverb right now — what musicians actually buy and resell.
- Lineup20%
How many finishes Thomann stocks — makers expand the models that sell.
- Price15%
Where the price has moved since we started tracking in August.
- Specs15%
How completely the maker documents it.
- Maker10%
How deep the brand’s range is in this category.
Questions
What's the difference between MM and MC cartridges, and which preamp do I need?
Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges have a cantilever with a brush that reads the grooves. Moving Coil (MC) cartridges have tiny coils attached to the cantilever. MC cartridges generally offer higher performance but require more gain, so you'll often need a preamp specifically designed for MC or a step-up transformer.
What does 'loading' mean and why is it important?
Loading refers to the input impedance of the preamp. It affects how your cartridge interacts with the preamp, influencing the bass response and overall tonal balance. Experimenting with different loading settings can drastically change the sound of your records.
Can I use any preamp with my turntable?
Technically, yes. But you shouldn't. Turntables output a very low-level signal that needs to be amplified and equalized (RIAA correction). A standard line-level preamp won't do this properly, resulting in a weak and distorted signal.
I'm on a tight budget. What should I prioritize?
Prioritize RIAA accuracy and a low noise floor above all else. Those are the fundamentals. Loading options are a bonus, but a clean, accurate signal is more valuable than a bunch of unnecessary features.
I'm recording my vinyl. Does the preamp's quality really matter for the final product?
Absolutely. A poor preamp will introduce noise and distortion that's difficult to remove in post-processing. A good preamp provides a clean, detailed signal that will translate better to your recordings and give you more flexibility in mixing.





