Turntables: specifications, types

The presence of a non-removable pickup in the design of the player.

The pickup (cartridge) is a key part for any turntable; failure of this part renders the entire device unusable. Therefore, non-removable (that is, unsuitable for replacement without disassembly in a workshop) pickups are made mainly in low-cost players, where the manufacturer tries to simplify and, accordingly, reduce the cost of construction. However, even in such models, usually, it is possible to replace the most delicate part of the pickup — the needle.

Model of the pickup (cartridge) supplied with the player. The pickup is one of the most important parts of any vinyl player, the quality of the received sound largely depends on its quality. Knowing the name of the model, you can find detailed data on it and determine how satisfied you are with this particular cartridge.

The type of pickup (cartridge) supplied with the turntable.

- MM(with moving magnet). The most common type of cartridges nowadays. The electrical signal in such devices is created by the oscillation of a moving magnet connected to the pickup stylus between special coils. These cartridges give a good output level, making them compatible with the simplest phono stages, they are easy to set up, and the needles in many models can be replaced by the user himself.

- MC(moving coil). Pickups in which the magnets are made stationary, and the signal is created by a moving coil that vibrates from the vibrations of the needle. This design allows you to reduce the mass of moving parts (compared to MM), which has a positive effect on the accuracy and reliability of sound transmission: MC cartridges are capable of transmitting almost all the nuances of sound. On the other hand, their output signal level is low, which puts forward increased demands on the quality of phono stages and significantly affects the cost. So pickups of this type are typical mainly for high-end equipment.

- MI (with a movable iron element). Quite an exotic type of pickups: the coils and magnets in them are made stationary, and the vibration of the needle sets in motion a miniature piece of magnetic material (for example, iron), which moves between the coils and changes their inductance. Theoretically, such cartrid...ges can compete with MCs in terms of overall sound quality and detail, while MI technology allows you to achieve a high level of signal output, which does not require expensive phono stages. However, in fact, such pickups are rare for a number of reasons.

Anyway, for the normal operation of the player, a phono stage is required for the corresponding type of pickup; A phono stage may also be built-in (see “Characteristics”), however, if external equipment is used, it is necessary to know the type of pickup to select it.

The shape of the needle in the pickup (cartridge) that the player is equipped with.

— Conical. It may also be called spherical. The simplest type of needles for vinyl players. Such needles are inexpensive, but the sound quality when using them is relatively low — due to the fact that the shape of the needle rather weakly matches the shape of the groove on the record.

— Elliptical. Elliptical needles have a narrower shape than conical (spherical) needles, which improves contact and allows, in particular, more accurate reproduction of high frequencies, and also reduces record wear. Due to the good value for money, this option is very popular.

— Linear. The most advanced variety: sharply sharpened needles of complex shape, following the contours of the grooves on the plate as accurately as possible and having the largest contact area among all types. The downside of this is the complexity in production and, accordingly, the high cost.

The signal level at the output of the pickup supplied with the player is, in fact, the power of the signal coming from the pickup to the phono stage. This parameter is necessary, first of all, in cases where the player is planned to be connected to an external phono stage: such equipment must be designed for the corresponding power of the signal coming from the pickup.

The force of pressing the needle on the plate, which the complete pickup (cartridge) is designed for.

This force depends on the rigidity (compliance) of the needle: the greater the clamping force, the harder the cartridge, respectively, the less pliable it is. It is also believed that less pressing force wears out the record less, but it cannot be said that "light" cartridges are definitely better — there are many other nuances. So in fact, information about the pressing force of a complete pickup is needed mainly in case of its replacement. Usually, the pressing force provided by the arm of the turntable is regulated within these limits, so the new cartridge must also be rated for the same values of downforce — otherwise there is a chance that the turntable will not be able to correctly align.

The weight of the pickup (cartridge) supplied with the turntable.

The weight of the cartridge determines the characteristics of balancing the tonearm to set the optimal tracking force. However, pickups in set are usually optimally compatible with the corresponding tonearms, so there are no problems with adjusting the turntable. But when buying a replacement cartridge, you should pay attention to this parameter: it is advisable that the new cartridge does not differ too much in weight from the old one, otherwise the tonearm adjustment range may not be enough for the correct balance.

Model of the tonearm — the movable lever on which the pickup is attached — supplied with the turntable. The tone arm is responsible for the correct position of the needle and the accuracy of its movement along the grooves, which is critical for sound quality. Therefore, many music lovers try to clarify not only the general data on the tonearm, but also its specific features in each particular “turntable”; in order to be able to find this information, the name of the tonearm is given in the characteristics.

The design of the tonearm that the player is equipped with.

- Rotary. The classic and most popular design option: one side of the tonearm is fixed on an axis, and as the record is played and the pickup moves towards its centre, the tonearm rotates smoothly on this axis. The swivel mount is simple and inexpensive, but it also has disadvantages: the angle between the longitudinal axis of the pickup and the direction of movement of the track under the needle turns out to be inconsistent and gradually changes as the needle moves from the edge to the centre (despite the fact that ideally it should be equal to zero). To compensate for this shortcoming, it is necessary to make the tonearm rather long, which can create its own difficulties (see "Effective length").

- Tangential. The fastening of tangential tonearms is designed in such a way that the lever does not turn as the record is played, but moves parallel to the line connecting the touch point of the needle and the centre of the record. Due to this, the longitudinal axis of the pickup is always parallel to the direction of movement of the track under the needle, regardless of whether the needle is at the beginning or at the end of the record. This has a positive effect on the sound quality, however, tangential tonearms have a complex design and high cost, and therefore are quite rare, mainly in top turntable models.

Shape of the complete tonearm (viewed from on top). Modern players can have both straight and S-shaped or J-shaped tonearms. It is impossible to say unequivocally which one is better: the advantage of the first option is considered to be light weight, the second and third are long length and low resonant frequency, which reduces the likelihood of interference. Therefore, in practice, the choice depends on the specific situation and personal preferences.

The main material used in the construction of a complete tonearm.

— Metal. Usually, in this case we are talking about an aluminium alloy. This is a fairly light and durable material with average characteristics in terms of sound quality: it does not dampen extraneous vibrations as well as carbon fibre, but for entry-level and mid-level turntables this is quite enough, in expensive models you can use other methods of eliminating interference, aluminium is much cheaper.

— Carbon. A high quality material that is lighter in weight and has more advanced anti-resonance properties than the metal described above. The main disadvantage of carbon fibre is its rather high cost.

— Plastic. Plastic has a low cost, but this is perhaps its only key advantage: the performance of this material is quite modest. That is why it is used extremely rarely — mainly in retro-style turntables, where a plastic tonearm is a necessary part in terms of design.

The effective length of a tonearm in set is the distance from the attachment point (axis of rotation) to the stylus.

This indicator is important primarily for rotary tonearms: the longer the length, the lower the angular error, the smaller the discrepancy between the direction of movement of the track and the longitudinal axis of the pickup (for more details, see “Type”) and the lower the level of corresponding distortion. In addition, a longer length reduces the resonant frequency and reduces the likelihood of distortion. On the other hand, a longer tonearm turns out to be heavier, which requires certain technical tricks and can also negatively affect the purity of the sound. Therefore, a large length is not always a guarantee of high quality – you should also pay attention to weight (see below).

Operating weight of the complete tonearm. It is believed that this indicator should be as low as possible — in order not to create excessive pressure and to minimize the wear of the needle and records. On the other hand, a rigid pickup on a light arm can bounce on uneven records, and in general, such a discrepancy does not improve the sound quality. However, complete tonearms are usually optimally compatible with complete pickups; therefore, you should only be interested in compatibility when buying a cartridge of a different model.

A method of transferring rotation from an electric motor to a disc player.

— Belt. Also known as "passion". In accordance with the name, such a drive uses a belt drive. Its main advantages are the uniformity of rotation combined with undemanding to the quality of electric motors, which makes it possible to achieve good sound purity even with relatively simple and inexpensive motors. It is true that passive players pick up speed more slowly and are unsuitable for special techniques like scratching; however, these moments are critical only for DJs, and in normal listening to music they do not really matter. But of the unambiguous shortcomings, one can only note the need for periodic (usually once every few years) replacement of the belt.

— Direct. In turntables with this type of drive, the disc is mounted directly on the motor shaft. This allows for very fast acceleration and deceleration, as well as the use of various special tricks, making direct drive a DJ turntable almost a must. However, such a design puts forward special requirements for the quality of electric motors, since. any irregularities and vibrations noticeably affect the sound quality. Therefore, direct drive is rarely used in "audiophile" models — in the absence of obvious advantages over belt transmission, the design turns out to be noticeably more expensive.

A method for switching the disc rotation speed provided in the player.

— Manual. This option is only found on belt driven models (see above). It provides the transfer of the belt to another pulley, due to which the gear ratio and, accordingly, the rotation speed change. This method is not as fast and convenient as automatic, however, it allows you to do without unnecessary electronic circuits (many audiophiles appreciate this feature, because additional electronics can interfere and degrade sound quality).

— Electronic. Speed switching, carried out by changing the parameters of the electric motor — usually, the user just needs to press a button or move the regulator. This method is much faster and more convenient than mechanical, and for direct drive models (see above) is generally the only possible option. However, the electronics responsible for switching the speed affect the cost of the player and can become a source of additional interference; however, the latter can be compensated by installing control circuits in an external power supply (see below).

The presence of its own display in the design of the player. The display can be used to display a variety of service data, it is more informative than indicator lights; and in some models, touch screens can even be installed through which the device is controlled. However all these features are relevant mainly for advanced models with an abundance of fine settings; in simpler players, you can do without screens. Therefore, the presence of a display, usually, indicates that the player belongs to the premium class.

A remote control is included with the player.

Note that many things in vinyl players inevitably have to be done manually — in particular, turn the record over and set the tone arm to the desired song. Therefore, remote control usually covers the "electronic" functions of the device — volume settings, equalizer, input selection (if there are several), etc. However, even such limited functionality can be very convenient — in order to change the settings, the user does not have to approach the player.

The presence in the design of the player or a dust cover, or devices for its installation (the cover itself is not included in the kit).

Both vinyl records and the equipment for playing them require protection from dust: settling on the tracks, dust leads to extraneous noise and increased wear of the records and needle. Thus, for normal listening to music, it is highly recommended to have a turntable with a lid — otherwise you will have to regularly clean up. But for a DJ "turntable", the lid, on the contrary, is an excess.

An external power supply is called a power supply unit (PSU) placed outside the player's case; such a unit can be connected to the outlet with a wire or plugged directly into it using its own plug. The point of this arrangement is to minimize possible interference from the power supply electronics by removing it to the maximum distance from the circuits through which the signal passes. Therefore, an external power supply is considered the best option for audiophile class acoustics.

A phono stage is a specially designed preamp used with vinyl record pickups. Initially, the sound on such records was recorded with a distortion of the amplitude-frequency characteristic, namely, with an increase in volume from low frequencies to high ones; this is due to the technical features of the recording process. Accordingly, the phono stage not only amplifies the signal to a level sufficient to supply power to the amplifier, but also corrects the frequency response, “pulling out” the bass and reducing the volume of the high frequencies. And the built-in phono stage allows you to connect the player to the power amplifier directly, without the use of intermediate equipment. However according to the characteristics, the built-in preamplifiers-correctors are inferior to external ones. Therefore, in some models with this function , bypass mode may be provided, which allows you to send a signal bypassing the built-in phono stage to an external, more advanced one. And also there are even vinyl players without a phono stage.

— Tempo adjustment. The presence in the player of an electronic module that allows you to change the tone of the sound being played, in other words, to make it higher or lower by a certain interval, in other words, change the playback speed. This feature is also known as a "pitch controller". It is relevant primarily for DJ "turntables", as it allows you to mix tracks recorded in different keys. Some home players also have a tempo control, but its capabilities are much more modest, and a real need for such a function rarely arises.

— Adjustable counterweight. The ability to adjust the position of the counterweight mounted on the opposite end of the tonearm from the cartridge. This allows you to change the balance of the tonearm by adjusting the downforce (see above); the presence of an adjustable counterweight is highly desirable if you plan to use "non-native" pickups with the player.

— Anti -skating. The presence of an anti-skating system in the design of the tonearm. The peculiarities of the work of the vinyl player are such that during playback there is an additional force that presses the needle against the inside of the groove. This results in an imbalance in the sound of the stereo channels and uneven groove wear. To compensate for this phenomenon, anti-skating is used — a system that “pulls” the tonearm in the opposite direction, towards the ou...ter edge of the record. Anti-skating may be based on counterweights, springs, magnets, or other devices, but anyway, this function is considered highly desirable for modern turntables. However, it is not available everywhere: for example, in low-cost models, anti-skating may not be provided to reduce the cost, and in top-end devices it may be present, but not indicated in the specifications.

— Reverse playback. The reverse function allows you to play the record in reverse, playing the sound backwards. This feature is unlikely to be needed by audiophiles, but it is very much appreciated by DJs, as it expands the arsenal of available sound effects. Usually, direct drive is required for reverse (see above), although there are exceptions.

— Hitchhiking. A system that automatically stops the disc and raises the arm when the record has finished playing. Due to this, additional wear of the needle due to movement along the plate "idle" is prevented. However, in some situations (for example, when playing several records in a row), hitchhiking is inconvenient, so it can be turned off.

— Autoplay. The presence in the player of automatic playback. In such models, the user does not need to manually move the tonearm. In fact, it is enough to install the record, press the button — and the disc will start to rotate, the tonearm will lower itself to the desired position, and after the end of playback, the record will stop, the tonearm will rise (due to hitchhiking, see above) and return to its original position. Such systems make the player as convenient as possible, but they significantly affect its cost, and also (like any additional electronics) are a potential source of interference.

— Built-in acoustics. The presence in the player of its own speaker system, consisting of speakers and a power amplifier. This equipment allows you to listen to records without the use of external equipment; in fact, models with acoustics are stand-alone music centers, except that they work not on cassettes / discs / flash drives, but on vinyl discs. At the same time, the characteristics of the built-in amplifiers and loudspeakers are generally noticeably more modest than those of external ones, and additional electronics in the player's case can distort the signal. Therefore, it makes sense to purchase models with built-in acoustics if purity and high sound quality are not critical — for example, for listening to old records.

— Speed 78 rpm. The ability to operate the player at a speed of 78 revolutions per minute. To date, such records are almost never produced, but they were very popular until the 60s of the XX century. Therefore, to listen to vintage audio recordings, you will need a turntable with support for this speed. Note that 78 rpm operation may require additional equipment (such as a belt pulley or a special pickup).

— Write to media. The ability to connect an external media to the player and record the reproduced sound on it in digital form. Usually, we are talking about USB-drives (such as flash drives); accordingly, a USB Type A port is provided for their connection. However, other types of media, such as memory cards, may be supported. Recording directly to media is faster than digitizing via a computer (see "USB port (type B)" above), but the sound is recorded "as is" in this case, without the possibility of quality enhancement and noise filtering.

— Installation of the second tonearm. Possibility of installing an additional tonearm on the player, which can differ markedly from the main one both in its own features and in the characteristics of the pickup. This possibility is justified if the player is planned to be used in different modes that cannot be covered by a single pickup. For example, you can install an inexpensive pickup on the second tonearm, which is not a pity to “kill” on old worn records, or a 78 rpm cartridge for vintage recordings. Note that in some models there may be more than one additional tonearms.

— Pendulum alignment. Automatic turntable leveling system based on a pendulum (suspension). This feature is found exclusively in premium class models, designed for the highest mechanical precision. In such models, the player itself is installed on a special stand on the floor, and a massive (several tens of kilograms) pendulum is suspended from its lower part. While the pendulum hangs strictly vertically, the player's disc is in a strictly horizontal position; and due to the large mass, the suspension practically does not deviate from the vertical with small vibrations of the floor (for example, from people walking nearby). This feature is designed primarily for sophisticated audiophiles who want to get the most accurate and reliable sound.

The presence in the player of an electronic module that allows you to change the tone of the sound being played, in other words, to make it higher or lower by a certain interval, in other words, change the playback speed. This feature is also known as a "pitch controller".. It is relevant primarily for DJ "turntables", as it allows you to mix tracks recorded in different keys. Some home players also have a tempo control, but its capabilities are much more modest, and a real need for such a function rarely arises.

— USB B port. A connector designed to connect the player to a computer as a peripheral device. This connection is mainly used for converting vinyl records to a digital audio format such as MP3. At the same time, computer processing allows you to "clean" the recording from clicks and other extraneous interference; the necessary software for this may even be supplied in the kit.

— Bluetooth. The presence of a built-in Bluetooth module in the design of the player. This technology is designed for direct wireless communication with other devices at a distance of up to 10 m. The capabilities of such communication may vary, depending on the supported Bluetooth protocols. The most popular use of this feature in players is to broadcast audio to wireless headphones or speakers. Such a connection may be somewhat inferior to a wired one in terms of sound quality, but it does not require fiddling with cables and selecting compatible connectors; and the difference in quality is most often unprincipled, especially considering the characteristics of the sound from vinyl. Other options for using Bluetooth are technically possible — for example, remote control from a smartphone or tablet — but they are extremely rare.

— Audio input. The presence of an audio input in the design of the player; usually in this case it means a linear analogue audio input. In different model...s, it can use different types of connectors — for example, 3.5 mm mini-Jack or RCA "tulips". However, regardless of the type of connector, the purpose of such an input is the same everywhere — it is designed to connect an external sound source and process this sound with the player's built-in tools. For example, you can connect a portable player to the audio input and output sound through the built-in turntable amplifier.

— Digital audio output. The presence of a digital audio output in the design of the player. Usually, this output is made in the form of an S / P-DIF connector — optical or electronic; the first option is less susceptible to interference, the second does not require special delicacy when handling the cable. This connector can be useful for connecting external audio devices with digital inputs to the player. In some cases, a digital connection is preferable to an analogue one — for example, if there are no line inputs in an external device or they are all occupied. At the same time, the digital interface requires an analogue-to-digital converter in the "turntable", and these are additional electronic circuits and a potential source of interference. Therefore, such outputs are not used in audiophile-class equipment.

— Headphone output. The presence of a separate headphone output in the design of the player. Typically, this output uses a 3.5 mm mini-Jack or 6.35 mm Jack. The first variety is found in most modern headphones, the second is more reliable and typical for professional models; both interfaces are compatible through a simple adapter. Anyway, connecting headphones can come in handy in two situations: when it is desirable to keep silence and not disturb others with music, or vice versa, when it is noisy around and the sound from the speakers would be hard to hear. Theoretically, the second use case is popular among DJs — in the overall sound, it is important to hear what exactly the turntable is playing at the moment. However, in fact, DJs prefer to connect their "ears" not to the player itself, but to external equipment. Therefore, its own headphone output is typical mainly for consumer-class models.

The sampling rate of the A/D converter installed in the player. To listen to vinyl in the usual way (cartridge — phono stage — power amplifier — acoustics), it is not necessary to convert the analogue signal coming from the pickup into digital format. This function (and, accordingly, the characteristics of the ADC) is relevant only when recording to a computer or removable media, as well as when using a digital audio output (see "Characteristics").

When digitized, analogue audio is decomposed into separate "pieces" (samples), and the data for each sample is recorded digitally. The sample rate describes how many samples there are for every second of the audio being converted; the higher it is (ceteris paribus), the closer the digital audio signal will be to the original. The most modest converters in modern turntables are capable of operating at a sampling rate of 44 (more precisely, 44.1) kHz — the quality of such a recording corresponds to an Audio CD and can already be indistinguishable from high-end vinyl. And in the most advanced, this figure reaches 48 kHz (DVD and DAT level).

The bit depth of the analogue-to-digital converter installed in the player. To listen to vinyl in the usual way (cartridge — phono stage — power amplifier — acoustics), it is not necessary to convert the analogue signal coming from the pickup into digital format. This function (and, accordingly, the characteristics of the ADC) is relevant only when recording to a computer or removable media, as well as when using a digital audio output (see "Characteristics").

When digitizing an analogue signal, it is decomposed into samples (for details, see "ADC Sampling Frequency"), and for each sample, its own signal level value is indicated. The higher the ADC bit depth, the more accurately this value will correspond to the initial signal level and the closer the digital sound will be to the original. To digitize audio as an Audio CD (which is already considered quite “audiophile”), 16 bits is enough, but in modern players this figure can be even higher — up to 24 bits.

The range of frequencies that the player is capable of outputting when using a standard pickup.

The wider the frequency range, the more complete the sound picture will be, the less low and/or high frequencies will remain behind the scenes. However, from a practical point of view, it does not make sense to expand the range beyond the values \u200b\u200bof 16 – 22000 Hz — it is within these limits that the human ear hears the sound (and even then not everyone). In high-end audio equipment, including turntables, there are more extensive ranges; however, such characteristics are a kind of “side effect” of high-end technology that manufacturers use for advertising purposes.

In addition, we note that an extensive frequency range is not yet a guarantee of high-quality sound: the sound picture depends on many other parameters, from the amplitude-frequency response to extraneous interference.

The ratio between the useful signal and extraneous noise at the output of the player. It is also colloquially called "electrical noise" (although this is not entirely true).

The higher this indicator, the quieter the noise (it is impossible to completely eliminate them), the clearer the signal will be. In the case of turntables, the signal-to-noise ratio is considered to be at least 50 dB; and in the most high-end devices it can exceed 90 dB.

Note that this paragraph may additionally indicate the value of mechanical noise. Despite the similarity in name, this is a completely different indicator — it describes the volume of extraneous sounds produced by the motor, drive and other moving parts of the "turntable". Accordingly, for mechanical noise, the lower the decibels, the better. You can estimate its approximate level using special comparative tables.

The maximum knock factor that the turntable is subject to under normal conditions.

Detonation in this case is called sound distortion associated with short-term periodic irregularities in the rotation of the disk. The lower the detonation coefficient, the lower the level of such distortions; it is believed that for audiophile-class equipment it should not exceed 0.2%, although in more modest models it may be higher.

Note that for different playback speeds, knock coefficients can also be different. Manufacturers in such cases may indicate the minimum value, despite the fact that it can be achieved not at the usual 33 rpm, but at 45 or even 78 rpm. Therefore, when choosing a high-end turntable, it's ok to clarify this point.

The maximum deviation of the disc rotation speed from the nominal, which can occur during normal operation of the player. This indicator should not be confused with the detonation coefficient (see above): in this case, we are not talking about constant irregularities, but about the largest deviation possible in principle. Such a deviation can reach 1.5%, although for high-end equipment, 1% is considered the maximum value (and in general, the lower the better).

The ability to operate the player from autonomous power — batteries or accumulators. The purpose of this function and its general advantages are obvious: it allows you to use the "turntable" without being connected to an outlet (and in general, regardless of whether there are outlets nearby). In turn, the main disadvantages of autonomous power supply are the limited operating time, as well as an increase in the size, weight and cost of the entire device.

Each type of autonomous power supply has its advantages and disadvantages — replaceable batteries and built-in batteries. So, the batteries are not included in the player's delivery package, they have to be purchased separately, and, usually, we are talking about fairly solid sets — for example, 6 D-size cells. On the other hand, dead batteries can be quickly replaced with new ones, and to continue work does not need an outlet nearby. In addition, replaceable cells are produced not only in the form of disposable batteries, but also in the form of accumulators; and there are a great many models of both on the market, which gives the user a choice. In turn, built-in batteries do not require additional costs, however, when the charge is exhausted, they will need an external source of energy for charging (and it takes quite a long time to charge).

Rated power consumed by the player during normal operation.

Modern turntables are very economical: most models, even those equipped with built-in acoustics (see "Features"), the power consumption does not exceed 15 W, and there is no need to talk about any serious impact on congestion in the electrical networks (as well as electricity bills). The exception is some premium-class devices, in which the weight of the platter (see below) reaches several tens of kilograms, and the corresponding engine power is required to rotate such a mass.

The material used for the base of the turntable — or, as it is also called, the support table.

The base is actually the body of the player, the tonearm, platter and drive are mounted on top of it. Note that a set of modern turntables can include both a base and a base with a tonearm, and the most extensive option, called complete set, also includes a pickup. As for the materials for the base, they must meet specific requirements — in particular, be quite heavy in order to reduce extraneous vibrations transmitted to the device. Here are the most common materials:

— Plastic. The main and, in the case of vinyl players, practically the only advantage of plastic is its ease of production and, accordingly, low cost. At the same time, the performance characteristics of such material are quite modest, so it is the prerogative of inexpensive "turntables".

— Acrylic. Technically, acrylic is a type of the plastic described above, but in general, this material is much more advanced in terms of performance, while it is relatively inexpensive and can have an original appearance (in particular, become transparent). Acrylic tables are typical for fairly solid models.

— Metal. Metal bases are massive and highly durable, however, they are not che...ap, and therefore are found mainly in premium turntables.

— MDF / fiberboard. Fiberboards, in addition to good acoustic characteristics, are notable for their pleasant appearance, especially suitable for retro-style devices. Such material can be used in quite expensive models.

— Carbon. High-quality material, characterized by high strength and quite stylish appearance. On the other hand, it has a relatively low weight, which has to be compensated for by the significant thickness of such bases, and this affects the cost (despite the fact that the material itself is not cheap anyway). Therefore, carbon has not received much distribution.

— Granite. Natural granite is very heavy and dampens vibrations well, but it is also a very expensive material. It is used extremely rarely, mainly in premium players, not only for the sake of practical characteristics, but also to emphasize the level of the device.

The material from which the turntable's platter is made is a rotating platter on which a record is placed. The general requirements for such disks are, firstly, the minimum tendency to extraneous vibrations (to avoid interference), and secondly, massiveness (in order to ensure a constant speed even with minor flaws in the operation of the motor). Based on this, manufacturers select materials for platters. Specific options might be:

— Metal. Durable, massive and at the same time very solid looking material, is one of the most popular among modern "turntables" of all price categories.

— Plastic. Plastic is generally inferior to metal in terms of weight and vibration resistance, however, these shortcomings are not critical, and some varieties of this material are completely devoid of them. At the same time, the cost of plastic discs is relatively low. They are found in both inexpensive and fairly advanced players.

— Acrylic. A somewhat more advanced material than plastic, making it more common in mid to high end turntables.

— MDF. It is also fiberboard — fiberboard. MDF is somewhat lighter than metal, but it is characterized by excellent resistance to extraneous vibrations, and in some models it is also used for aesthetic reasons — in pair with a body made of the same material (see "Base material")....

— Glass. Glass discs are massive and resist unnecessary vibrations quite well, besides, they can be completely transparent and give the “turntable” an original appearance. At the same time, they are fragile and expensive, despite the fact that glass does not have any special advantages over other popular materials. Therefore, this option has not received much distribution.

— Ceramics. Another rather exotic material used not so much for practical reasons as for design and marketing purposes. The specific composition of ceramics can be different, but all such disks differ, on the one hand, in massiveness and vibration resistance, and on the other hand, in high cost and fragility.

Note that discs made of the same material can differ markedly in quality — in addition to the composition, the properties of the disc are determined by its weight, see below. In general, manufacturers, usually, select an option that matches the price category of the player.

Also note that, in addition to solid discs, "sandwiches" are produced, made up of layers of different materials. For such cases, the main material of the disk is indicated in the characteristics.

The diameter of the disc on which the record is placed.

The standard diameter of a 33 rpm vinyl record is 12", or 300 mm. The diameter of the platter can differ from this value in one direction or the other; in normal listening to music this does not play a special role, but for a DJ " turntables, it is desirable that the disk be wider — due to this, it is more convenient to control the rotation.

The thickness of the disc on which the record is placed. Other things being equal, a thicker disc will be more massive and, accordingly, stable, and will also be better able to cope with extraneous vibrations. Therefore, in high-end models, the thickness of the disc can exceed 100 mm.

The weight of the disk on which the record is mounted. The smoothness of the ride and the ability to compensate for uneven rotation of the engine due to the inertia of the disk directly depend on this indicator. Therefore, among audiophiles, there is a reasonable opinion that the more massive the disc, the better; in top models, its weight can be measured in tens of kilograms. On the other hand, a heavy disk accelerates slowly (in some models it even needs to be pushed by hand at the start), and scratching on such a “turntable” would be very difficult, if not impossible. Therefore, for a DJ player, a large disc weight, on the contrary, will be redundant.

The presence in the design of the player supporting legs, adjustable in height.

A stable position is extremely important for a turntable: even a slight shock is fraught not only with an unpleasant sound, but also with damage to the record or even the needle. And if one of the legs hangs in the air, even vibrations from the steps of a person nearby can cause such a concussion. Adjustable feet help to avoid such troubles: they are adjusted to the unevenness of the stand, providing the necessary stability.