you don’t need tight jeans and elaborate facial hair to appreciate vinyl records. But if you want your LPs to really shine, use the right equipment.
1. Pro-Ject RPM 1 Carbon Turntable | $499
A cool Benjamin can get you something that will spin your records at 33 1/3 rpm, but why spend little on a key part of your stack? The stylish RPM 1 Carbon gives you audiophile-grade features, like a noise-resistant platter and a vibration-damping carbon-aluminum tonearm, at a decidedly non-audiophile price.
2. RCA Dishwasher Vinyl Record Care System | $15
LPs are delicate: dust, fingerprints and other dirt can ruin the listening atmosphere and decimate the life of the stylus. The brush and cleaning solution in this set will eliminate clicking, crackling, and popping, while keeping all the wax in the spin cycle.
3. GoldenEar Triton Seven | $1,398/pair
The audiophile world is rife with misleading claims, but here’s one immutable truth: bigger speakers sound better. Each equipped with a folded ribbon tweeter, two powerful mid-bass drivers and two subwoofer boomers, these 40-inch towers far exceed their size and weight, delivering stunning clarity and a sumptuous soundstage.
4. Schiit Mani Phono Preamp | $129
You can’t connect a turntable directly to a modern amplifier: you need to amplify the signal and that’s where the Mani excels. This low-noise preamplifier works with moving-magnet and moving-coil phono cartridges to reveal all the wonderful details without distortion.
5. Peachtree Audio nova220SE | $1,599
Capable of generating 350 watts per channel, this do-it-all integrated amplifier has the power to drive almost any speaker. This wood-clad beauty also comes with a built-in headphone amplifier for when your partner refuses to listen Physical graffiti One more time.
