Gadgets: Great turntable for beginners and beyond

Whether you're new to turntables or are getting into them, the U-Turn Audios Orbit Basic Turntable is a great choice. As the name says, it's a simple analog external belt-driven turntable. It would be ideal if you're a beginner or someone like I was a few years ago, with a collection of albums from my youth wanting them to make a comeback in your life.

U-Turn Audio they specializes in high-quality, affordable, U.S.-made (Woburn, MA) minimalist turntables at affordable prices. After spinning just a few records, it's easy to see how these standards are accurate.

The Orbit Basic entry-level turntable is easy to use, works great, and looks even better. It's built with an OA3 tonearm, a one-piece magnesium arm tube, and a pre-installed Audio-Technica cartridge. While these names might not mean anything to a beginner, you need to know that they are excellent quality and ready to play right out of the box.

An AC power supply is included, and the only other part of the setup is installing the external belt. The silicone belt attaches in seconds, going around the top-sided pulley groove and then around the main platter. The turntable plays at 33 and 45 RPM speeds, which are controlled by moving the belt from the upper groove for 33 RPM and to the lower groove for 45 RPM speeds.

A power switch has to be turned on or off, and the tonearm must be manually brought on and off the records. The AC power is connected on the back, where there are also RCA plugs for connecting your sound output.

Other optional add-ons include a built-in phono preamp ($80) and an electronic knob to change the record speeds (33/45). There's also an option to upgrade the platter from the included basic, which is made from medium-density fiberboard with a black powder coat finish, to a precision machined acrylic platter ($95), which is said to deliver superior speed consistency and a clearer and more detailed playback.

Color choices of the $249 Orbit Basic Turntable are powder-coated black, white, red, blue and green. Upgrade wood choices are available in walnut and oak for $120 extra. A clear dust cover is included.

As for performance, using the U-Turn Audios Orbit Basic Turntable right out of the box was perfect in my world. Listening to my old records brought back great memories. For an out-of-the-box plug-and-play, it can't be any easier, with great results. But like any other audio equipment, your end result is how you hear it.

One last tip if you're new to turntables and the vinyl world: Hit some garage sales. You'll be amazed at the number of people selling off record collections. I've had incredible success scoring an extensive collection for nearly nothing. When you get ready to spin the records, I recommend a record cleaning cloth first. Getting rid of the dust will only help.

In my case, U-Turn Audio sent me a pair of their Ethos-powered speakers ($449) to test with the turntable, which was a great combination. The speakers are described as old-school analog power with a smart acoustic design. Like the turntable, there isn't much to set up. Plug in the included power cable and then connect the speakers. There are multiple choices for connecting with the speakers, but since the turntable and the speakers both have RCA connections, that is the route I went.

Other choices include speaker cables for the left (powered) and right (passive) speakers, a 3.5 mm AUX input, and Bluetooth 5.0. The power switch is right above where the power cord plugs in, and a front-side control knob is easy to access.

The Ethos has a smart acoustic design, enabling the analog turntable sound to broadcast with genuine clarity.

Inside each speaker is a 4-inch mid-bass and a 1-inch tweeter to produce top-notch quality sound. Each 5.75 by 7.5 by 9.5-inch speaker is housed in MDF cabinets in black, white and walnut. The standard model has the front-facing speakers exposed. Grills are available for $30 in black or white.

https://uturnaudio.com/products/orbit-basic-turntable

https://uturnaudio.com/pages/speakers