There are certainly advantages to spending over $1,000 on a turntable, but the reality is that budget-friendly turntables can also sound excellent. The Fluance RT81, which my colleague AJ Powell reviewed and really liked, is one of them. The Pioneer PL-30-K turnable is another one.
The Pioneer PL-30-K has an Audio-Technica 3600L moving-magnet cartridge, a built-in phono preamp, and can be set up in less than five minutes. It’s also fully automatic — you just place the record on the platter, press the start button, and the metal platter, tonearm, and stylus will automatically do everything else for you; you don’t have to worry about moving the tonearm into position, as you would with a manual turntable.
The Pioneer PL-30-K turnable normally goes for $300, but Amazon is offering it for $159. Pair it with desktop speakers and your favorite LPs, and you’re good to go. The deal ends later today.