Twenty-five years after the compact disc was launched, there is something of a buzz about the format it was supposed to replace – the humble vinyl disc. Sales of 7in vinyl singles have risen fivefold since 2001, according to the BPI, the record industry’s trade body, buoyed by trendy bands issuing collectable vinyl products and the continued high prices of CD singles, a nonsense in the era of the download.

There is also a wealth of audiophile-grade LPs being reissued for those hi-fi enthusiasts who never took to the sterile sound of CDs in the first place. DJs have, of course, long loved the sheer physicality of a needle in the groove, even if some have now migrated to digital formats.

For the rest of us, though, the idea of flipping a disc over after every 17 minutes of music is quaint but impractical. The main attraction of a turntable is to convert a long-abandoned vinyl collection to a digital format that can be stored on a computer or transferred to an MP3 player.

Nonetheless, the turntable market, niche though it is, is in rude health. At the entry level, there are cheap-as-chips portable decks such as the Numark PT01 for those wishing to play their old (or new) 7in singles and spin the odd LP. Then there are the budget designs, such as the Project Debut III USB. This model is credible in its own right for conventional playback but it can also be hooked up to a computer via a built-in USB connection.

Copying records to a computer’s hard disk is simpler using this method than connecting a laptop or a recordable MP3 player to an amplifier attached to a normal record deck. The disadvantage is that you must then break the resultant big audio file into separate tracks on a computer and name them. Given that secondhand CDs cost so little, if you want to convert albums to MP3 it would be simpler to buy the music again and rip the CDs on a computer, unless, for instance, you own rarities. How much is your time worth?

Specialist DJ decks offer robustness and fast start-up speeds and the classic Technics SL1200 is the original and best. It has tank-like build quality, albeit at a price. The proper hi-fi turntable market doesn’t truly start until you reach the Rega P3-24, a minimalist design with startlingly good sound. The sky’s the limit after this. Both the Roksan Radius5 and Michell GyroDec have a beautiful sculptural quality about their design, with the Michell adding the luxury of a clever sprung suspension to stop external vibrations from muddying the sound.

All the decks tested came with a tonearm fitted, and in the case of the Numark and Project, a cartridge too. Fitting a cartridge can sometimes be fiddly, as is setting up the deck itself. If you don’t have the confidence to do it, contact Bada (the British Audi-Visual Dealers Association) at www.bada.co.uk to find a specialist. The more you spend on a deck, the more you should invest in a cartridge, and a good rule of thumb is to spend about one-sixth of the price of the turntable.

The output from any turntable is lower than most pieces of audio equipment and as so few of today’s amplifiers have a phono input, you may need an additional “phono stage” amplifier widget between the deck and your main amp. These start at about £50. The exception is the Project, which has a built-in phono stage. In addition, this deck would not need amplification if plugged into a computer via its USB connection.

Operating a turntable isn’t as convenient as a CD player, which is why we all went digital. Most serious decks lack electronic speed changers – meaning the turntable belt must be moved to alter the speed of the deck – and the tonearm must be manually removed after each side.

However, audiophiles are happy to overlook this for the sumptuously smooth sound that vinyl delivers. Indeed, today’s decks will surprise even the strongest digital music fans. Vinyl junkies also love the romance of those big groovy discs, complete with album artwork and proper sleeve notes. Try one and you may find yourself rooting about in your loft for some long-forgotten treasures.

JARGON BUSTER

Cartridge The device that converts undulations in the groove of a record into electrical impulses. Contains a stylus, often called the needle

Direct drive Record decks where the motor directly turns the spindle, as opposed to belt-driven models. Direct drive is popular with DJ decks but is far less common on proper hi-fi

Phono stage Dedicated input on traditional amplifiers that boosts the signal from a record deck, which is lower than from other audio items. Can be added to more recent amplfiers, costing from £50

Tonearm Mechanical load-bearing system that holds the cartridge and moves it across the face of the record

STYLE GURU

Roksan Radius5
Typically £850
www.roksan.co.uk
Tremendously musical and stunning looks

The Roksan mixes high style with top engineering to great effect. Its two-tier base comes in either a transparent acrylic finish or a choice of wood veneers – all of which look striking. The deck proved fiddly to set up and the supplied Roksan Nima tonearm felt disconcertingly wobbly at first. However, patience was rewarded by wonderful sound. Whether enjoying the subtleties of Mozart or the raw power of Megadeath, this turntable gets to the heart of the music like no other. Rivals may deliver more dynamic bass, greater fine detail, or a more expansive, room-filling sound, but the Roksan captured vinyl’s natural musicality best. An excellent choice.

SPACE CADET

Michell GyroDec
Typically £1,475 (as reviewed)
www.michell-engineering.co.uk
Dazzling design and superb sound; pricey

For a no-compromise deck that doubles as a design artefact, opt for a GyroDec. Its designer also created the space station in Kubrick’s movie 2001, which inspired the shape of the GyroDec. The deck’s heavy sub-chassis rests on an acrylic base and its substantial vinyl platter has five brass weights slung underneath. As these rotate, they create a gyroscopic effect to stabilise the sound. Once fitted with a Rega RB300 tonearm, the Michell delivered a sound that was smooth and beautifully true. The deck’s finish is impeccable and even changing speed was more straightforward than most. The only bugbears were a complex set-up and the galactico price.

VINYL JUNKIE

Project Debut III USB
Typically £210
www.project-audio.com
Clever deck with decent sound; top value

This deck is ideal for converting a stack of vinyl into MP3. It can pipe music from the platter to any amplifier, or even a computer (PC or Mac) over a supplied USB lead. Unlike other USB decks, this is a proper hi-fi turntable, albeit a basic one. The Project is prefitted with a modest cartridge and simple to set up. It’s well made and has a built-in phono stage to boost the audio signal. The sound was warm – leagues ahead of budget decks. It was effective at digitising cherished vinyl. However, you must first download some software (Project suggests Audacity, free at audacity.sourceforge.net), which proved fiddly. Despite some limitations, this is a great package.

EASY MINIMALIST

Rega P3-24
Typically £398
www.rega.co.uk
Slick, straightforward and superb sound

For classy performances without investing big money this elegant Rega delivers a remarkable sound by dint of quality materials and good design. The wooden base supports a glass platter and a nicely balanced tonearm of a type used by top-end decks. A Rega cartridge can be preinstalled for £100 more. The set-up was a cinch and an optional speed-control box (£150 extra) avoids having to remove the platter to switch speed. The lightweight Rega should ideally be placed on a shelf or hi-fi rack. This done, the sound was deep, spacious and smooth with oodles of fine detail – well suited to chamber music or indeed Chet Baker. Only connoisseurs need spend more.

BEDROOM DJ

Technics SL1200 MkII
Typically £395
www.panasonic.com
Battleship with gutsy sound; lacks finesse

This has been the DJ’s friend for 35 years. The die-cast aluminium chassis makes it exceptionally robust. Better still, the classy direct-drive motor (as opposed to belt-driven) provides tremendous speed stability and near-instant start-up or speed changes. Once a cartridge (not supplied) was fitted, this deck adhered most closely to the idea of plug and play. The flimsy tonearm is a letdown. Nevertheless, spin some hip-hop or trance and it’s obvious why this is such a popular workhorse. The sound had pile-driving bass lines and firecracker dynamics. More nuanced music suffered, largely due to the tonearm. Still, this is a ballsy performer that has stood the test of time.

PORTABLE PLASTIC

Numark PT01
Typically £75
www.numark.com
Solid value all-in-one vinyl-based hi-fi

For a trip down memory lane or an exploration of a friend’s vinyl-filled loft, this lo-fi portable is just the ticket. The Numark is supplied with a basic cartridge and boasts a built-in amplifier plus a mono speaker so it can belt out tunes by itself instead of being hooked up to any external equipment. This travelling minstrel proved a versatile performer: it can be battery or mains powered and plays records at speeds of 33.3, 45, and 78rpm. The PT01 has tone, pitch and volume controls. It’s plasticky and the sound was inevitably nothing spectacular with wobbly pitch and bass. Nevertheless, when you consider the price it’s neat, simple and fun.

Reviews by David Price
Prices include Vat