The highlight of 2014 was the return of vinyl records in shops.
Want to be original and buy a turntable for Christmas (for someone or yourself)? To help you in your choice, browse our selection of record players along with their accessories that you'll need to get a complete very high-quality system within your budget range.
1. The perfect Christmas gift for discovering the world of analogue
2. The perfect Christmas gift for enhancing your analogue Hi-Fi system
3. The perfect Christmas gift for top-of-the-range Hi-Fi systems
4. Accessories
5. The perfect Christmas gift of Ready-to-Listen packages
1. The perfect Christmas gift for discovering the world of analogue
This Christmas, are you looking to treat someone (or yourself!) to a gift on a highly reasonable budget without scrimping on quality? Are you new to the world of analogue and don’t know where to start?
Let maPlatine.com guide you through your choice by recommending the Music Hall MMF-2.2 turntable - it is a high quality turntable with vivid, natural playback. And on top of that, we’re throwing in a leather platter mat, which noticeably improves the sound quality of the turntable.
This record player is sold as standard with a 2M Red Ortofon cartridge. If you're looking for quality playback on a budget, we recommend pairing it with the 2M Blue stylus, also by Ortofon. You’ll be amazed at the results, especially for a turntable in this price range!
If your amplifier does not have a phono input, you’ll need phono preamp to make the whole system work. The Pro-Ject MM DC phono preamp is the perfect fit for the Music Hall MMF-2.2 turntable. The value for money is undeniable and it will make the final sound more dynamic and transparent.
Finally, the high quality QED Profile interconnect cable could be the perfect finishing touch to your setup as it provides an optimal connection between your preamp and amplifier.
2. The perfect Christmas gift for enhancing your analogue Hi-Fi system
For vinyl lovers with a slightly larger budget, maPlatine.com recommends the latest range of turntables from Clearaudio: the only turntable by this brand that costs less than €1000, and in limited edition, too! It is none other than the Clearaudio Blackmotion turntable, or its cousin the Clearaudio Bluemotion turntable. If, like us, you like the intense blue colour of the latter and the minimalist style of the entire range, you'll love this product and will be keen to put it in pride of place at the centre of your Hi-Fi system. Both models of this Clearaudio record player are delivered with a Concept MM V2 cartridge by the same brand.
To hone their sound to perfection, we advise pairing these turntables with the Clearaudio Nano Phono V2 preamp. It is the best man for the job of transposing the flawless musicality of your record player.
You could even add the QED Reference Audio 40 interconnect cable as a finishing touch - it does a great job of preserving the clarity of signal transmission from your turntable. It’s a must-have for any perfectionists out there!
3. The perfect Christmas gift for top-of-the-range Hi-Fi systems
This selection is for the music-lovers out there with systems that demand only the best high fidelity equipment, as well as a larger budget.
Just for you, maPlatine.com has selected the stuff of many an audiophile’s dreams: the Transrotor Darkstar turntable. Thanks to its signature JR Transrotor design, simple setup and impeccable sound stage, the Dark Star is a true benchmark in the world of top-end vinyl turntables.
To really get the most out of the physical and rhythmic side of this record player, pair it with the Lehmann Black Cube SE II phono preamp. This preamp excels at really capturing the emotion of your favourite records.
And, as a final touch, pair it with the Transparent MusicLink Super interconnect cable. This is one of the best cables in the MusicLink range and will really enhance the sound quality of your Hi-Fi system.
4. Accessories
- Furutech SK-III Brush
If you haven't already got your hands on a Furutech SK-III, hurry before they're all gone! Once a victim of its own success, this brush is now back in stock on maPlatine.com, much to the delight of vinyl enthusiasts everywhere. Flown directly in from Japan, it is made from the extremely soft, fine hair of a rare species of Himalayan mountain goat, which works wonders at removing electrostatic charge from your vinyl records. This brush really is a must-have, and is sure to be appreciated by any vinyl-loving loved ones opening it up on Christmas morning!
- Clearaudio Smart Matrix Pro Record Cleaning Machine
When it comes to keeping your LPs in pristine condition, nothing gets the job done better than a cleaning machine, and nothing better than the Clearaudio Smart Matrix Pro! It deep cleans the entire surface of your LP and its powerful vacuum suction removes all trace of cleaning products or dirt remaining at the end of the cleaning process. In just 60 seconds, your records will emerge looking shiny and good as new! It is an invaluable sidekick for record collectors everywhere.
- Spin Clean Washer Package
If you don’t want to invest in an automatic record cleaning machine, another option is a manual machine: the Spin Clean. To operate, simply pour the cleaning product or distilled water inside and slip in the LP you want to spin, and it will give it a thorough clean. It’s quick and simple and, most importantly, you’re at the steering wheel!
- Pro-Ject Turntable Adjustment Kit Professional
This Pro-Ject adjustment kit, which comes with its own bag, is one of the most extensive on the market. It combines almost all of the brand’s accessories designed for record maintenance and adjustment. Among many other tools, it includes a Measure It, Align It and Level It, and the bag provided with the accessories is perfect for shopping at your favourite record dealer! The whole package truly is indispensable.
5. The perfect Christmas gift of Ready-to-Listen packages
Are you looking to get into the world of vinyl, but don’t know much about it? If so, maPlatine.com is here to help you get started with our Ready-to-Listen packages. Each package is unique, but all of them contain the basics you need for starting out in vinyl: a turntable, of course, but also a preamp or amp, speakers, cables, and more! Our technicians have hand-selected the very best products for you and all the packages are prepared, assembled and set up before delivery - all you have to do is plug in! Our packages make a great Christmas gift to slip under the tree this year.
So, for starters we have the Essential II Starter Package, which contains the Pro-Ject Essential II turntable, a phono preamp, also by Pro-Ject, and an interconnect cable to connect it all to an amplifier. It’s simple but effective - a perfect Christmas gift that doesn't break the bank!
If you're looking for a system that’s a little more sophisticated and extensive, (ideal for anyone who doesn’t already own Hi-Fi equipment), go for the Discovery Ready-to-Listen package. This package contains the famous Pro-Ject Debut Carbon turntable, a Cambridge Audio AM10 amplifier (with a phono input), Speaker Box 5 speakers by Pro-Ject, and speaker cables to top it all off.
If you're looking for something a little more top-end, we suggest the REGA Prestige Ready-to-Listen package, which contains the excellent RP3 turntable installed with the Elys 2 cartridge. The package, which is almost entirely sourced from Rega, also includes a Brio-R amplifier (with phono input) and Monitor Audio Bronze 5 speakers.
Finally, if you already own a top-of-the-range system and are just looking for a new record player, maPlatine.com suggests the X-Tension 9 turntable – Ortofon Super Pack Edition. This package will plunge you head first into the music, and pairing it with one of the very best MC cartridges will bring out all of this incredible turntable’s best qualities. On top of that, this package, which comes with the Quintet Black cartridge by Ortofon, has received several of the most prestigious awards the world of Hi-Fi has to offer.
