A Prominent Name in Hi-Fi Launches Its First Turntable in 20 Years

One of the biggest names in phono cartridges is back in the turntable game.

Published October 3, 2024

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Updated October 3, 2024

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Goldring is a British hi-fi company that has been around since 1906. It’s well known for its high-quality phono cartridges that are used in many other companies’ modern (and vintage) turntables.

Now, thanks to vinyl’s resurgent popularity, the venerable audio maker is getting more involved — it’s releasing its first turntable in 20 years.

Goldring GR3

Specs

Turntable	Belt drive, manual
Cartridge	Goldring E3 moving magnet
Built-in Phono Preamp?	Yes

$999 at Goldring

The star component

The GR3 is a joint collaboration between Goldring and a “renowned” — but unnamed — British hi-fi manufacturer. Its standout component is the company’s award-winning Goldring E3 moving magnet cartridge — which sells for $189 on its own.

The turntable has a built-in phono preamp and thus promises to be an easy plug-and-play solution when paired with powered or active speakers. According to the press release, it brings “together the company’s century-old legacy with modern-day convenience.”

Black and gold

At $1,000, the Goldring GR3 is positioned as a high-quality turntable that’s a step up from more entry-level models in the $300 to $500 price range.

It features a lightweight and stiff aluminium cantilever for accurate tracking. It has a “dual magnet” generator for better channel separation. Its Phenolic resin platter is designed to maximize the flywheel effect and ensure consistent rotational speed.

The Goldring GR3 is quite a sharp-looking turntable, too, with a minimal high-gloss black plinth and perspex dust cover. I do wish the “Goldring” name — which is branded in gold — wasn’t quite so prominent, however.