Entry level turntable recommendations?

I decided I'd finally like to spend way more money than I have to on the music I want to listen to.
So, Sup Forums what are some good middle-line turntables that aren't huge or break the bank? None of that cheap hipster shit.

Audio Technica ATLP120

or if you're willing to spend a bit more: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon II

Avoid anything that's affordable and brand-new, they all suck in terms of what you get vs what you pay for.

So go to eBay and look for a midrange 80s turntable from one of the big Japanese manufacturers, or a late-70s Phillips. Avoid the over-hyped and overpriced vintage meme turntables, and buy something that's reliably mid to high range and in good shape and built in Europe or Japan. They're cheap used, and their build quality curb-stomps anything you can buy new today for under $1000.

P-mount turntables are better for easy out-of-the-box use, but standard mounts give you more flexibility in terms of cartridge upgrades. With a decent midrange cartridge though, there won't be any appreciable difference in sound quality though.

Yeah I've been looking already on eBay and finding a lot of overpriced shite marketed to people who wouldn't know better. Thanks for the tip.

I have a Technics SL-QD33 running a decent midrange audio-technica cartridge. It's a direct-drive like an SL-1200, but it's a P-mount and doesn't have the manual adjustment of the 1200, so it's worthless for DJ-ing and flies under the radar price-wise.

I actually have a pretty decent receiver/speaker setup that would probably cost you the better part of a grand to put together from eBay, but I'm still not at the point where the bearing noise from the direct drive or the lack of adjustability or fancy meme cartridge selection for the p-mount setup has any appreciable effect whatsoever on the quality of the sounds that I hear.

Furthermore, it's built like a fucking tank and the solid state 80s era Japanese quartz speed control is absolutely flawless.

I'm not worried much about DJing or additional setup for now. I've found a couple used, Japan made players locally, but they all seem quite low line? I have no idea how much vintage should sell for.

Find one that you like from someone like Sony/Technics/Phillips, that people don't think is a POS on the music artist forums (Google is your friend), and wait until you find one or something close to it for under $100, and spend the rest of your budget on a good cartridge.

*music autist forums

UHHHHH HUUUAAAH UHHHHHH I THIIIIINK THAAAT THIS BEST TURNTABLE CUUUZ ITS A BESTSELLRRR ON AMAZON HHHHUUUUAHHH UHHHH SO THAT MEANS IT HAS TO BE BEST

The Fisher-Price SL-1200 lol

Looks good enuf for me user

>mfw I work in a record store
These anons are posers. Most "audiophiles" are posers. The Audio Technica LP120 is a really good turntable. Take it from somebody who works with turntables day in and day out. An expensive turntable isn't going to sound THAT much better. It's like expensive wine vs regular wine. That shit tastes the same. Only posers act like they can tell a difference.

Yeah not this op. It works fine but it's also popular and that's uncool.

I mean, I don't know if you're just memeing or not but there's the occasional pricey obscure wine that really is worth it. Not the case with turntables?
I don't want to be in the "ooooo I only listen on my $3k phonograph" circlejerk but I don't want to be stuck with mediocre either.

The LP120 is fine. I own one. It's pretty good. Just dont act like an idiot when you drop the needle down. Take your time. I've seen so many people drop the needle down like morons and bend it.

About a year ago I got a Technics SL-Q2 for like $20 and its pretty good. Just has the basics and the dust cover hinges are broke but it gets the job done.

You have zero excuses to not get a decent used Technics. They go for dirt cheap. Could get a top model for less than you'd pay for an LP120.

Just buy a Crosley and shut the fuck up

as someone who has owned many turntables including the lp120, I wouldn't recommend pickng one up unless it's under $150. the internal preamp is garbage and makes a lot of noise and the tonearm base is made of cheap plastic. they even put a metal slab inside of the plastic construction to make it feel like it weighs more. the stock AT95 cartridge that comes with it out of the box is terrible, etc. 2.5-3/5 at best

Also it's Chinese made (not a bad thing in itself but obviously mass produced and not quality checked on a 1:1 basis).

OP do yourself a favour and get a Rega or a Pro-ject. Both brands models are handbuilt in Europe (not sure about Rega but for Pro-jects every single minute part is machined in-house) and not rammed full of convenience/pointless features like pre-amps (not required, just get an amp with a built in phono stage), pitch adjust (face it, you're not going to be a DJ) and cute stobe lights.

Also don't worry about the belt drive vs direct drive debate. Belt driven turntables produce less background noise and the belt can easily be replaced. Pretty much 99% of all audiophile-grade turntables are belt driven and have straight tonearms.

Long story short, don't buy a cheap plastic meme SL1200 knockoff, get some quality European wood.

I agree, the LP120 has many meme features that are literally useless to most people buying them. like the fact that it has a 78rpm speed implies that you could play a 78 with a stock cartridge, but if you tried to do that the needle wouldn't even reach far enough into the groove to play the music. and it even gives you the convenient option of breaking your needle by playing records backwards!