However you got here, welcome. Vinyl is one of the most rewarding—and, if we’re being honest, high-maintenance—ways to enjoy music. Unlike digital music streaming, a turntable is a mechanical system.

Editors’ Choice 2025 turntables show prices are up and cheap decks still disappoint. Choosing a long-term table now takes more thought—but pays off in music.

Vinyl record players have been around for many decades, but they enjoyed high popularity in the ’60s and ’70s. Before vinyl, records played at home were made from shellac, a hard material similar to ...