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So you might think that if you need to sample from records, there will be a requirement for a specific turntable, right? Not really! You can use any turntable for sampling, but some features can make this work easier for you. One of the primary features is a USB port. This is because it will make sampling possible directly from the vinyl to the computer.
One also wants a turntable that offers great audio quality or the result will be some bad quality samples. Finally, one always needs to consider the cost. The turntable has to be of a reasonable price. Make sure you are not overspending on the features that you don’t need. There are several expensive yet under-performing turntables in the market today. Narrowing down your search for sampling will require some research from your side as well.
But don’t stress as we have done all of the work for you! Here are the best turntables for sampling so that you save your time and effort.
Read more: Best Turntables for Scratching: Top DJ Turntables for Beginner
Turntable for Sampling Records Comparison Table
| Product Image | Product Name | Brand | Value | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Numark PT01 Scratch | Numark | $$$ | |
 |
LP120 USB Direct-Drive | Audio-Technica | $$$ | |
 |
Pioneer DJ Direct Drive Turntable | Pioneer | $$$ | |
 |
Debut Carbon DC Turntable | Pro-Ject | $$$ |
Top 4 Best Turntable for Sampling
Here are some of the best digital turntable for sampling records if you want to start sampling!
Numark PT01 Scratch DJ Turntable – The Best Overall
If you are looking for a belt-driven record player that’s perfect for sampling then Numark PT-01 Scratch is a perfect choice. This is one of the best benefits that you get and makes it a worthy product. It comes in an affordable range. The set-up of the turntable is easy and there is no requirement for downloading any additional drivers.
It also comes with a program that can accompany this model. The programs are easy to use and called an EZ audio converter and the EZ vinyl converter. Both of these are compatible with windows as well as Mac OS.
This record player is portable and one can sample and scratch anywhere that you like. This is light and small therefore you can carry it around with ease. PT01 USB Portable Turntable also has the capacity of being power-driven but one can do so with batteries.
There is a need for 6 batteries (D-Cell). You can also power it through an AC power charger. Remember in case you have a powered sampler/mic, there will be a need for vinyl sampling while traveling.
You can use a USB cable to connect the PC and PT-01. The best part is the high-quality sound that PT-01 offers. If you are new to sampling records, it can be a brilliant starting point.
- Battery-powered and portable.
- Has mini-stereo inputs for instrumental connection/ fast looper
- There is a USB port that’s needed for sampling.
- 2 outputs for headphones and an RCA output.
- There is a scratch switch.
Audio-Technica AT-LP120 – Best Audio Quality with Sampling
Although, this is an expensive option the better features like durable build quality, and an awesome sound makes it worth the money you spend. The build quality of AT-LP120 is great and is well designed. The platter is made from solid aluminum that spins nicely and looks sleek.
Another great feature is that this has a built-in pre-amplifier. When one connects the pc and record player with the USB input the audio is well amplified and can be heard with high clarity.
Being a direct drive record player its motor will be durable and offer high force operation. Once you change motor speed, you have several choices. One can set the turntable to 78, 45, and 33 RPM. This will help you in sampling the different record variations.
For the software system once can use Audacity. This will help you for recording and sampling vinyl records and works with Windows and Mac both. At-LP120 provides you one of the best sound qualities and creates precise sound quality that is good for sampling.
- Once its set-up the line-up, as well as fine-tuning, becomes simple.
- Value for money product.
- The alteration choices are more in number when compared to others.
- There is no automation and one has to work with manual buttons.
Pioneer DJ Direct Drive DJ Turntable – Best Stability For Rotations
The record player from Pioneer offers high torque and you also get great control and well-balanced rotations. Because of the higher weight, it can prevent any kind of additional vibration or disturbing resonance.
There are controls for multiple-tempo and can help in lowering or increasing the tempo. There are also additional features like a push switch and is going to help in reverting the tracks to the original tempo.
The audio and power cables facilitate the connection of the record player with the main power source and also for vinyl sampling. There are RCA jacks with gold plating that provides good sound quality with low impedance.
The major difference that makes it remarkable is its extremely varied tempo range. Apart from 8%, there is also one tempo range switch, it is present below the tonearm base and one can adjust it at 50 or 16 percent.
The record player also has features like club-grade build, control for multiple pitches, and elastic cables. This record player has been made for great vibration dampening, extremely accurate playback, and fine audio.
- High initial torque with 33 RPM in just 0.3 seconds.
- It ensures striking control and balanced rotation.
- RCA jacks are gold plated and this guarantees the best sound quality and low impedance.
- There are interchangeable power and audio cables for connection versatility.
- The bottom case material is plastic.
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Turntable – Best Design
When we just talk about the design of the turntable, this is one of the prettiest ones that I mention on the list. It has a minimalist look and a glossy finish. But just don’t stop at the appearance, many other features are sure to catch your attention.
There will be no noises that come from the motor while a song playbacks, this translates to a richer sound with consistent speed. The platter is made from heavy steel that promotes balance, limits skipping and offers tone-arm stability.
One of the features that set it apart from the rest of the record players is one-piece tonearm made from carbon. Apart from the fact that this looks awesome, it also helps with fighting resonance and has a stiff construction.
The set-up is easy and the record player will also be a good option for beginners. Apart from the standard white and black colors, there is a walnut color option as well, that looks classy yet unique.
- It has a carbon tonearm of 8.6 inches.
- Precise belt drive that syncs perfectly with the motor.
- Platter size is increased and carries higher weight.
- It is not very durable.
Buying guide for Best Turntable for Sampling
There are varied kinds of record players in the market and not all will be ideal for digitizing or sampling f your vinyl records. So make sure you have all of the concepts clear before you start. Here is the guide for helping you get the features that you need to focus one:
1. The Type of Turntable:
The record players are mainly of two kinds:
- Direct-drive record players.
- Belt-drive record players.
Both of these indicate how a record player will spin the vinyl record over the platter. The description is very straightforward. The belt drive record player has a belt attached to the motor that’s turning the platter. While with the direct-drive record player the motor gets directly connected with the platter.
2. Speed:
Mainly three speeds are usually used by record players: 33, 45, and 78 RPM. The 33 one is the most common and is used for playing LP records. Then there is 45 that works well for playing singles. The 78 RPM is less common, but some of the turntables are available with this option and you can look for it in case that’s your priority.
3. Shift and Pitch control:
This is a feature that you will commonly see in direct-drive record players. It is going to change the record player speed in the order that syncs well with the pitch.
If you buy a record player that comes with pitch control, the higher the pitch-shifting range is the better it will be. This is obvious as you will have more space for correction as well as to play around with.
4. Torque Power:
If you do plan to use the record player for sampling or scratching, look for the record player that offers higher torque. This will mean that the record player will be able to recover faster after it is stopped by manual manipulations over the vinyl record that’s playing.
5. Quartz Lock:
Again, this is a feature that is mostly seen in direct-drive record players. The drive/lock technology allows the turntable to lock the time with high accuracy. It means that this will work perfectly for mixing tracks in a party or club setting.
6. Magnetic Cartridge:
This is probably one of the most vital parts of a record player. This is also the place where the needle gets housed, as one must know that the record player needle registers the record for producing audio. So make sure that the cartridge is of high quality otherwise there will be no use of spending a lot of money on an expensive model that doesn’t provide a quality needle.
FAQs on Best Turntable for Sampling
1. Is there a need for pitch correction for the sampling record player?
As shifting and pitch correction can be achieved on your computer or laptop by using plugins and DAW or simplest tools like Audacity, there isn’t a need for the turntable to have pitch control in case all you want is transferring of the high-quality sample.
2. What does flutter and wow mean in a record player?
Just as you can understand from the term itself, this means the way sound is being reproduced when there are noticeable fluctuations while the sound is reproduced. One can get this from even low-quality record players or the tape decks that depend on mechanical parts and motors for sound-producing.
3. What is an ideal tonearm length?
For several reasons, the longer the length of the tonearm is the lesser there will be tracking errors. But this also means that there will be greater resonance and mass. Usually, the tonearm length that’s considered standard is 9 inches.
4. How do I know when the turntable needle needs to be replaced?
You can make a duplicate or similar vinyl record that hasn’t been played much. Also, make sure that you have cleaned it well so that there isn’t any dust over it. Then place it on the turntable with the needle that’s in question. In case you find any kind of sound distortion or song skipping, you need to replace the needle.
5. What a record player platter?
This is one of the most vital components apart from the cartridge for a record player. The platter is the round spin surface on which you place the record players. This is vital as a good platter assures the stability of the record as well as the lowering of unwanted noises that occurs from the surrounding mechanical parts.
6. How do I get hi-res sound from turntables?
There are two ways that you can try. The record players that have a USB connector will make the procedure easy. All you have to do is connect the record player with the computer or laptop. Then go through the instructions that come with the record player software for having hi-res sound.
Another way is through an RCA connector, this is seen in most of the record players. Here you will need to plug the record player with the phono preamp. In case the turntable already has a built-in phono preamp you just have to plug the line out through TRS to RCA adapter for the audio interface.
Final Words:
While you search for the best turntable for sampling, it’s important to consider the fact that you want to go for something that has high durability and provides great audio quality.