Setup Guide: Turntable, Phono Preamp, Amp or Receiver, Speakers

Audio Guides, Speaker Placement, Accessories and Vinyl Care

TURNTABLES:

With a built in phono stage preamp:

Starter turntables:

• Automatic: AT-LP60X $139 is easy setup plug and play and has some improvements over the older discontinued AT-LP60.
• Manual: Victrola VPRO-2000 $149 adds adjustable tracking force, a removable cartridge, pitch control, Quartz lock and a stroboscopic platter over the AT-LP60X.
• Manual lower budget turntables: Insignia NS-BTST21 $129 adds a speed sensor. Or there is also the Crosley C6 $129.

Better manual turntable:

• Fluance RT82 $299 adds auto stop and then an optical sensor speed controlled servo motor for much lower wow and flutter and speed variation. Pass on the older RT80 and RT81 that lack the new speed sensor. Pass on the RT83 since the cartridge is not any better.

More turntables $199 to $349 with a speed sensor, a basic built in phono stage preamp, but no auto stop that the Fluance has:

• Monolith by Monoprice Turntable with AT3600 $199.
• Monolith by Monoprice Turntable with ATVM95E $249.

Or look for a better vintage turntable from a seller who fixes them up and has them ready to demo for you before buying it.

What is a Craigslist or nearby zip code to search for used options?

SPEAKERS:

Low budget compact 4" powered Speakers: Decent for a small room or desktop setup.

• 4" Edifier 1010BT $55 starter speakers with Bluetooth then upgrade later.
• 4" Edifier R1280T $99. Optionally connect a $19 Bluetooth Receiver or a $39 Echo Dot that is a Bluetooth receiver that adds WiFi streaming audio with convenient hands free voice control or mute the mic for only app control.
• 4" Jamo S801PM $299 $149 with Bluetooth, USB, digital optical, and analog input plus a subwoofer output.

Low budget larger 6.5" passive speakers and a mini amp: For any size room. Then each part can later be upgraded one at a time.

• $112: Dayton Audio B652 AIR $65 with included speaker wire powered by a Pyle BDA20BT $47 mini amp with Bluetooth.
• $94" Dayton Audio B652 AIR $65 with included speaker wire powered by a Moukey MAMP2 $29 mini amp with Bluetooth.
• $78" Dayton Audio B652 $49 with included speaker wire powered by a Moukey MAMP2 $29 mini amp with Bluetooth.
• $67: Dayton Speaker Pair and Lepai Mini Amplifier Bundle.

Better speakers and amplification:

Amplification:

• SMSL SA100 $62.
• Fosi BT20A $79.
• SMSL A12 $81.
• SMSL A100 $92.
• Yamaha R-S202 $199 $129 with a remote.

Passive speakers on sale:

• 5" Wharfedale Crystal CR 4.2 $249 $125.
• 5.25" Jamo S803 $229 $149.
• 5.25" Polk S15 $299 $189.
• 5.25" JBL Studio 530 $599 $239. Great deal!

Plus speaker wire, Pure Copper 16 AWG. Then How to Install Speaker Wire and How To Strip Speaker Wire.

If you can afford the YU4 and SUB8, it seems like your budget is around $700. If that's correct... I would recommend these:

https://www.amazon.com/S-M-S-L-Bluetooth-Amplifier-Receiver-Speakers/dp/B09K3G1S37

https://www.musicdirect.com/equipment/speakers/wharfedale-diamond-220-bookshelf-speakers-pair

https://rslspeakers.com/speedwoofer10s-mkii

A little bit more expensive (about $800) but crushingly better in every aspect than anything you mentioned above.

For $400 you can get something that sounds way, way better than these. If you’re satisfied with their sound then be prepared to have your mind expanded.

I would recommend going without the sub. Well-chosen speakers at this budget are going to give you better bass without a sub than the Klipsch kit does with one. That’s because the Klipsch sub is not really a subwoofer. As most “subs” included in all-in-one sub/sat kits, it’s not there to play sub-bass, it’s there to fill in the midbass that the tiny satellites can’t play.

Off the top of my head, for PC use…

Get this amp: https://www.amazon.com/S-M-S-L-Bluetooth-Amplifier-Receiver-Speakers/dp/B09K3G1S37

Plus these speakers: https://www.musicdirect.com/equipment/speakers/wharfedale-diamond-225-bookshelf-speakers-pair

If you happen to already have a headphone-based setup with a decent USB DAC, and you can just pass your amplifier a signal from that instead of connecting the amplifier via USB directly, you can switch the SMSL out for a Fosi TB10D or Aiyima A07 and save a few bucks.