The 7 Best Record Players With Built-in Speakers (2024)
Record players with built-in speakers are great for enjoying some old vinyl recordings, which shine with their ease of use. To fully get the warm and nostalgic feels of a good old vinyl recording, you need a decent record player with good quality built-in speakers.
There are plenty of options on the market, from vintage-style to modern-style record players with handy features.
My top recommended record player with built-in speakers is Victrola VTA-200B MH, a great feature-packed record player with a stunning vintage look and modern touches.
My recommendation for tighter budgets is the ByronStatics Record Player, which has a great value for the offered price with its highly portable design and handy features.
Contents
- The 7 Best Record Players With Built-in Speakers (2024)
- 1. Victrola VTA-200B MH
- 2. ByronStatics Record Player
- 3. ION Audio Max LP
- 4. Boytone BT-38SM
- 5. 1 BY ONE Rock
- 6. Jensen Stereo Turntable
- 7. Numark PT01USB
- Can you hear a record without speakers?
- Why should you get a Record Player with Built-in Speakers?
- Can record players even be connected to regular speakers?
- How to make the Record Player louder?
- What to look for in a Record Player apart from Built-in Speakers?
- Verdict
The 7 Best Record Players With Built-in Speakers (2024)
Let’s compare these in more detail.
1. Victrola VTA-200B MH
My top recommendation, Victrola VTA-200B MH, is a stunning vintage-looking record player with handy modern features. The player offers a feature-packed design that allows you to listen to vinyl records, cassettes, CDs, and AM/FM radio. Plus, you can also use Bluetooth or the Aux connectivity to stream music from your smartphone or computer.
Pros
- Stunning vintage look
- Feature-packed design
- Different color options
- Good sound quality
Cons
- Not the most durable
The built-in stereo system speakers provide a crisp, warm, and distinct tone, while you can also connect it to external speakers for a louder sound. If you want to listen to your recordings privately, there is also a headphone jack.
The record player comes in four different colors, all vintage-looking beautiful designs for different tastes. You can play all vinyl types with its AC motor, working at 33 1/3, 45 & 78 RPM. The only drawback is the inconsistent Bluetooth connection, especially from a distance.
| Material | Wood |
| Connectivity | Wireless and Wired |
| Signal Format | Analog |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
Victrola VTA-200B MH is a great record player for vintage lovers and audiophiles who want the modern versatility of a record player. In addition, the price is reasonable for a device that looks and performs so well.
2. ByronStatics Record Player
ByronStatics offers a portable suitcase record player that comes equipped with handy features for a highly affordable price. It features auxiliary in and line-out ports to use the turntable with external speakers or stream music from your smart devices. Plus, it also has a headphone jack for private listening sessions.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Portable, lightweight suitcase design
- Handy features
Cons
- Plastic construction
- Fairly average sound quality
Another plus of the record player is its portable, lightweight design. The suitcase record player is as small as a laptop with a cover on top to protect against dust. The plastic construction is not the best quality, but it makes the record player highly portable.
The built-in stereo speakers provide an average performance, while the belt-driven motor gives enough versatility to the record player with its 33 1/3, 45 & 78 RPM playback speed options.
| Material | Plastic |
| Connectivity | Wired |
| Signal Format | Analog |
| Power Source | AC Power Adapter |
Overall, if you are searching for an affordable and portable record player with decent quality to play your vinyl recordings, this is a great choice. You can also go for the wireless version of the record player paying some extra bucks.
3. ION Audio Max LP
ION Audio Max LP is a great vintage-style record player with some modern touches providing great versatility. Features such as the aux-in, stereo RCA output, headphone jack, USB port, and Mac, and PC compatibility with EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter software for digital recording are great for the offered price.
Pros
- Great vintage look
- Feature-packed design
- Plug and use
- Adjustable tone-arm
Cons
- Average sound quality
- 78 RPM Stylus sold separately
In addition, the device has a great vintage look with a wooden cabinet and a plastic dust cover. The built-in speakers have decent quality, and the RCA output allows for external speakers to increase sound quality.
The 3-speed belt drive motor is great, but the 78 RPM Stylus is sold separately. For 45 RPM playback, there is an adapter included in the package along with a Slipmat.
| Material | Wood |
| Connectivity | Wired |
| Signal Format | Digital |
| Power Source | Electric cord |
In short, the ION Audio Max LP is a versatile and budget-friendly entry-level turntable with a beautiful vintage look. If you do not want to spend much on a record player, I suggest you check this one out.
4. Boytone BT-38SM
The Boytone BT-38SM is one of the most versatile record players in its price range with its great modern features a vintage design. It comes with two built-in stereo speakers, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, a cassette and CD player, aux-in, and AM-FM radio, along with an LCD screen, SD slot, and direct USB/SD recording from the turntable.
Pros
- Feature-packed design
- LCD display
- Good sound quality with 2 built-in stereo speakers
Cons
- Not the greatest quality construction
- Recording quality is not the best
- Not the most elegant look
Although the recording quality is not the best, the device allows you to record without the need for a computer, directly to a USB flash disk or an SD card. Plus, the built-in stereo speakers sound crisp, warm, and loud enough, but you can use the RCA output jack to use external active speakers or the headphone jack for a private listening experience.
The LCD screen and the control panel make the device easy to use, but the metallic-colored design on the front does not look great on the vintage wooden design. The overall construction of the record player is decent but could be better for the price.
| Material | Wood and Plastic |
| Connectivity | Wireless, Wired |
| Signal Format | Digital |
| Power Source | AC Power Adapter |
If you want a highly feature-packed and versatile record player with decent sound quality, Boytone BT-38SM is an ideal choice.
5. 1 BY ONE Rock
1 BY ONE Rock record player combines vintage looks and modern features excellently due to its stunning look and feature-packed design. It is more than just a simple record player with Bluetooth, USB, and Aux-in functionality.
Pros
- Good quality sound
- Great looking design
- Handy features Bluetooth, USB, and Aux-in
- High-quality components and construction
Cons
- Low-watt speakers
- Not easy to use, needs adjustments
- Does not support 78 RPM playback
The record player has high-quality parts and construction with a moving-magnet cartridge and adjustable counter-weight, along with the diamond-tipped Audio-Technica stylus, providing rich and warm sound with the built-in amp and stereo speakers.
The retro design also looks pretty lovely, with wooden construction and speakers on the front. The speakers may provide high-quality sound, yet they are not very loud. Also, it is not an easy-to-use divide as it has many adjustment options, such as the counter-weight. Lastly, the belt-driven motor only supports 2 speeds without 78 RPM playback.
| Material | Wood and Metal |
| Connectivity | Wired, Wireless |
| Signal Format | Analog |
| Power Source | AC Power Adapter |
In short, 1 BY ONE Rock is an all-in-one multimedia center instead of a record player with many handy features, good sound quality, and high-quality construction.
6. Jensen Stereo Turntable
The Jensen Stereo Turntable is one of the most affordable record players on the list, which shines with its portable and simple design. It comes with all the fundamental features such as a 3-speed belt-driven motor, Aux-in, USB, RCA line out and headphone connectivity, pitch control for the record speed, and tone control for adjusting the sound quality.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Portable design with dust cover
- Aux-in, USB, RCA line-out, and headphone connectivity
Cons
- Plastic construction
- Limited features
- The speakers are not very loud
In addition to those, it comes in a lightweight, portable design with a plastic dust cover. The overall build quality is not the best, as it is made from plastic for a lightweight design.
The features are not as versatile as other modern record players as this one does not come with Bluetooth connectivity or CD – a cassette player. But it does have the option of recording your LPs in digital format with a USB connection.
The sound is good for the price with average quality, but the overall volume is not loud enough for bigger rooms. For louder output, you will have to use external speakers.
| Material | Plastic |
| Connectivity | Wired |
| Signal Format | Digital |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
In short, the Jensen Stereo Turntable is one of the best turntables for the price for casual vinyl listeners who want a simple device with decent quality.
7. Numark PT01USB
The Numark PT01USB is a modern-style record player with a plastic construction providing high portability and a lightweight design. It has a good amount of ports, including USB, aux-in, RCA line, and headphone outputs.
Pros
- Highly portable and lightweight
- Battery power option
- Has pitch control
- Good sound quality
- A good amount of connectivity ports
Cons
- Plastic construction
- Not the loudest record player
- No Bluetooth speaker option
The Numark PT01USB offers the option to convert your vinyl recording to digital format with the USB connection and EZ Vinyl Converter software. The drawbacks are the plastic construction and the overall speaker loudness, which may not be enough for bigger rooms or environments. But that can be easily solved with external speakers.
The built-in loudspeaker provides decent quality sound while the pitch control (±10%) for playing in 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM playback speeds. The 45 RPM adapter is included in the package. A great feature is a battery-power function which allows you to use the record player anywhere with six “D” cells.
| Material | Plastic |
| Connectivity | Wired |
| Signal Format | Digital |
| Power Source | AC Power Adapter |
To summarize, the Numark PT01USB is a simple yet portable and versatile modern record player with plenty of connection ports and decent sound quality.
Can you hear a record without speakers?
Even without any speakers, a record player’s needle still vibrates with the record groove. However, the sound vibrations are pretty weak and are useless without amplification and speakers. To listen to your recordings, you must have an amplifier and speakers.
Why should you get a Record Player with Built-in Speakers?
A record player with built-in speakers is highly easy to use as you do not need external speakers, an amp, or any other gear. They are the ideal choices for casual vinyl listeners with their affordable prices. But, if you want high-quality sound, you should use record players with external speakers.
In many cases, record players with built-in speakers will not provide the best sound quality as the speakers are small and the other parts of these record players are not of the best quality. Besides premium-quality all-in-one style record players, the sound you will get from the built-in speakers will be average.
Also, these record players are hard to repair if the speakers get damaged. However, if you are a casual vinyl recording listener who needs an easy-to-use average-sounding affordable record player, these are the ideal choices.
Can record players even be connected to regular speakers?
You can not use regular passive speakers with record players without an amp in the setup. You can use powered (active) speakers with a built-in amp or a separate amp with passive speakers. In any case, your turntable must have a built-in phono preamp to allow the connection.
If a turntable has a Line output or a Phono-Line switch, it means it has a built-in preamp, and you are good. You can connect this kind of record player to a powered speaker system with an RCA signal cable or Bluetooth if it supports the connection.
Otherwise, you can connect the record player to an amp and the amp to external passive speakers to get a louder and better quality sound. Also, consider getting a record player stand if you don’t have one.
How to make the Record Player louder?
There are a few ways to make a record player sound louder. You can change the cartridge with a higher-output one, change the phono preamp with a higher-output-level one, use a more powerful amp or receiver, or use speakers with higher sensitivity.
The cartridge, phono preamp, amp, and speakers affect the overall output level in a record player setup. To get the maximum loudness from the speakers, you can change these parts with better or higher-sounding ones to make your record player louder.
What to look for in a Record Player apart from Built-in Speakers?
When buying a record player with built-in speakers, you should look for the quality of the cartridge and stylus, the portability, overall build quality, and, of course, the sound quality. Plus, the price is always an important consideration point as with any purchase.
Cartridge And Stylus
The cartridge is one of the most important parts of a record player as it is where the sound vibrations are converted into electrical signals. The stylus is the needle where the grooves of the recordings are picked up as sound vibrations.
A high-quality record table must have a good cartridge, preferably a magnetic cartridge, and a diamond stylus for the best sound quality possible. A high-quality cartridge, tonearm, and stylus will also protect your vinyl recordings from damage.
Portability
Portability is another important consideration for using the record player in different places and traveling with it. As record players with built-in speakers are great devices to travel with, a compact and lightweight design will give you more versatility of use.
Build Quality
The overall quality of construction is also crucial to have a long-lasting record player as they can be hard to get repaired when damaged. Plastic record players provide high portability but are very fragile, while wooden designs look great but are heavy to carry around. Depending on your needs, you can go for a hybrid construction as well, as they have a great balance between portability and durability.
Sound Quality
As with any music device, sound quality is maybe the most crucial aspect. The built-in speakers offer ease of use and portability, but the sound quality is often below average. Although you can elevate the sound quality with an external amp or speakers, having high-quality built-in stereo speakers would be great for any user.
Price
The price is another consideration point. Depending on your needs, you can go for an affordable record player with more minor features but good quality. Many models on this list have great value-for-price ratios for tight budgets.
Verdict
Record players with built-in speakers are great tools for vinyl recording lovers who do not want the hassle of using external amps or speakers. They are often portable and versatile devices to provide you with the warm and nostalgic feel of vinyl recordings anywhere and anytime.
My top pick is Victrola VTA-200B MH which shines with its fantastic vintage look, handy modern features, and good sound quality.
As the budget-friendly option, I suggest you check ByronStatics Record Player, a great suitcase record player with built-in speakers in a portable design.
