First record
The beginner turntable I'd start with
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If you're getting into records, you want something that works the first night. The Audio-Technica AT-LP60X is a fully automatic belt-drive turntable — you press start, and it does the rest. The Bluetooth version, the AT-LP60XBT, is the one I'd start with, because it can play through a speaker you may already own, with no extra wire.
My pick: Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT
TurntableAudio-Technica AT-LP60XBTCheck price on Amazon- Fully automaticBelt-drive
- 33⅓ and 45 RPM45 adapter in the box
- Bluetooth 5.0SBC and aptX
- Wired tooRCA cable included
- Built-in preampPhono or line output
- About 5.7 lbReplaceable stylus
Why this one
- It's automatic. Start, stop, and the tonearm lift are on the front. You don't have to learn cueing on night one.
- It talks to a speaker you already have. Pair it with Bluetooth speakers or headphones. Official range is about 33 feet, line of sight.
- It still has a cable. The same RCA output as the wired model is in the box, so you can plug into powered speakers later.
- The preamp is built in and switchable, so it works with a regular line input or a dedicated phono input.
Already have powered speakers? The wired AT-LP60X is enough.
The AT-LP60X is the same fully automatic table without Bluetooth. Same speeds, same built-in preamp, same idea — you just use the RCA cable. If you already have powered speakers or a stereo ready to plug in, this is the simpler path.
TurntableAudio-Technica AT-LP60XCheck price on AmazonFirst record: Erykah Badu, Baduizm
If you only buy one 90s R&B record to start the pile, start here. Baduizm is Erykah Badu's 1997 debut, a 2-LP set on Motown, and it has "On & On" and "Next Lifetime." When you check out, confirm you're ordering the vinyl — this listing is the 2-LP.
VinylErykah Badu, BaduizmCheck price on AmazonAnd when you want something from this side of the decade, iDKMAN Originals and IDK-MAN Radio are on this site. A Bluetooth speaker like the JBL Charge 6 or Flip 7 will play the turntable too.
Who should get something else
This is a beginner automatic table, and that's the point. If you already collect seriously and want to swap cartridges or fine-tune a tonearm, you'll outgrow it. Start here anyway if you just want to drop the needle tonight.