The Best Turntables Under $2000 in 2019

The turntables in this price range are modern complex devices that support the latest technologies. The best turntable under 2000 differs from the turntable in the budget price range by the following main criteria:

The quality of the vinyl disc itself

The pick-up mechanism in cheap turntables can spoil the record itself, leaving scratches on its surface that will distort the sound.

The base material

Producing expensive models of vinyl players, the developers always use durable and heavy material life granite, for example. In cheaper versions, they usually use fiberboard or plastic.

The tonearm construction

Aluminum is usually used in the turntables of the initial and middle price ranges. In premium-class models, the creators usually use carbon, which has less weight and reduces the wear of the needle.

The cartridge (pickup) type

Non-removable pickups are used on budget vinyl players, which make it difficult to replace them in case of breakdown or upgrade, more pricey models always have removable pickups.

So, here are three premium class vinyl players for you to choose the best turntable under 2000 to get the sound of the highest quality!

Turntables Under 2000 Reviews

Marantz TT-15S1: Innovative In All Specs

Marantz-TT-15S1

Marantz is a Japanese brand, widely known for producing premium class and HI-END audio technique. The company has released the TT-15S1 model – a professional turntable, remarkable for the advancement in all its aspects.

The TT-15S1 has a resonant white acrylic base with a figured cutout in the front, mounted on three massive aluminum stands. The basic disk is made of the GS-PMMA acrylic and equipped with a felt mat. The turntable kit also includes a special Clever Clamp in order to securely fix the vinyl record. This also improves sound resolution.

Switching between 33.3 and 45 RPM speeds is manual. The standard is also available at 78 RPM, but you will need to purchase a separate additional pulley.

The model is equipped with a Clearaudio Virtuoso MM cartridge with the ebony cabinet to minimize resistance to signals. The straight tonearm is made of anodized aluminum, has a wide range of adjustments, and equipped with a magnetic anti-skating system. The TT-15S1 also includes a high-quality built-in interconnect cable and ground wire.

I can describe the sound of the TT-15S1 as open, precise, detailed, and volumetric. The turntable is “friendly” to any musical genre, and, perhaps, only too bright upper range in dynamic, strong modern records is able to take the turntable out of its “comfort zone”.

Pros:

The non-contact magnetic anti-skating system eliminates all the unwanted loads on the needle.
A homogeneous polished silicone drive belt ensures rotation accuracy.
The TT-15S1 is provided with everything to be easily set up in a few minutes – quite a rare feature for professional, premium class turntables under 2000 dollars price range.

Cons:

The player must be placed on a very stable and vibration-proof heavy stand. If not, the needle will damage the surface of the plate.

Music Hall MMF-7.3: Turnkey Solution

Music Hall MMF-7.3

The Music Hall premium turntables are highly competitive on the international audio market for many years. Its MMF-7.3 is interesting as a complete solution with an optimal combination of elements.

The turntable looks inconspicuous but substantially. The table consists of two panels with four dampers in between that are made from sorbothane – a polymer with enhanced antiresonant properties. The supporting disc is machined from the acryl. Stabilization and switching speeds 33/45 is carried out by the electronic circuit.

The red-orange crystal-shaped body is made of the Lexan DMX material, which is highly rigid and suppresses unwanted resonances. The diamond needle with nude Fine Line sharpening fastens to the hollow aluminum cantilever. The tonearm is made on the basis of a custom-made 9-inch Pro-Ject. The output connectors of the device are ordinary RCA.

The MMF-7.3 is capable to give the idea of the real analog sound: soft but at the same time with sufficient resolution upper, rich nuances, the slightly lightweight middle, structured bass, and clear channel separation. The result is a feeling of confident, solid presentation with a comfortable sound for the ear.

The MMF-7.3 is a turntable under 2000 dollars designed for those who want to enjoy listening to records but have neither the time nor the desire to engage in the selection of components.

Pros:

Although the MMF-7.3 is a premium class turntable, the setup is impressively simple. Even the person who bought the vinyl player for the first time will cope with the process.
The turntable stably keeps pace, without any speed fluctuations even for music with a complex rhythmic structure.
The combination of acrylic and felt mat is so unusual, but it makes the construction more comfortable to use.

Cons:

The branded recessed “cup” for attaching requires tuning of the tonearm height, which is not very convenient in practice.

Music Hall IKURA: Traditional First-Class Turntable

Music Hall IKURA

The constriction of the turntable is traditionally simple and effective for Music Hall: a thick MDF skirting board rests on a U-shaped frame through three spikes, while the frame itself also stands on the spikes for a double vibro-tying.

The massive, dynamically balanced disc is also made of the varnished MDF. The belt drive system, using a mechanically isolated synchronous DC motor, also provides balanced disk rotation.

The length of the light-weight tonearm is 9 inches. With minimal inertial force during playback and a small intrinsic mass, this tonearm allows tracing the track correctly in real time. These cumulative properties of the tonearm reduce audible distortions in the music canvas and the wear-out of records.

The buyer gets the turntable fully assembled and configured. It uses Swiss bearings with teflon-coated stainless steel and an Ortofon 2M Blue MM-type cartridge. There is a dustproof cover in the set. The model is available in two colors: white and black.

The IKURA's detailed, uncolored, airy midrange can possibly make it potentially the best $2000 turntable for well-recorded voices if you appreciate its traditional character.

Pros:

The tight fit of the antistatic mat to the supporting disc of MDF allows you to get a more consistent sound picture.
Its tonearm has a cast mono-design of aluminum, which effectively resists all the parasitic vibrations, and is equipped with anti-skating.