Collection: Turntables

A turntable, a phono stage (built into the turntable, your amplifier, or a separate box), and speakers driven by an amplifier. Many turntables include a cartridge and some include a built-in phono preamp, so check what's already on board before adding parts.

Yes — a turntable's signal has to pass through a phono stage before your amplifier. You're covered if your turntable has a built-in phono preamp or your amplifier has a phono input. Otherwise you'll add a separate phono preamp between the two.

MM cartridges are higher-output, affordable, and have a user-replaceable stylus — a great starting point. MC cartridges are lower-output and often more detailed, but need a phono stage with more gain (or a step-up transformer) and aren't user-repairable. Match the cartridge to your phono stage.

Belt drive isolates the platter from motor noise and is common in audiophile designs. Direct drive puts the motor under the platter for strong speed stability and instant start-up, favored by DJs and some audiophiles. Both can sound excellent; it comes down to the specific design.

It depends on the model — some arrive largely pre-set with the cartridge fitted, others need tonearm balancing, tracking force, and alignment. We can advise on setup, and doing it properly makes a real difference to sound and record wear.

Yes. All Elite Audio accepts trade-ins toward a new purchase. Email sales@alleliteaudio.com with what you have and what you're considering.