It’s a huge day. The moment you fully realize that your days and nights of study are finally behind you is one of life’s pivotal moments. You only really know it happened because someone tied a ribbon around your results, handed you a robe, and took your picture holding the scroll. But you did it; you made it!
And if the newly released student in your life is looking to move into their own place, or just wants to relax with a little downtime before the “real work” begins, a turntable is the kind of meaningful gift they might enjoy receiving from you.
Luckily, Amazon Prime Day is upon us, which means some great shopping deals can perfectly matches your gift. However, I won’t dwell on that here, despite my obligation to place a link below this article…
See all the first Prime Day deals on Amazon
4 Great Turntables That Will Last Long After Graduation
Project
First Carbon EVO turntable
This mini roundup is simply the four best turntables that I recommend as graduation gifts, regardless of the deals. At the time of writing, the cheapest of the lot, the Bluetooth-compatible SonyPS-LX3BT (which is the cheaper sibling of the splendid Sony PS-LX5BT and a direct replacement for 2019’s Sony PS-LX310BT), is already 18% off, meaning you’ll now only pay $328 (down from $398) on Amazon.
One of the best in terms of price is the excellent Pro-Ject debuts Evo carbonwhich is the best turntable we recommend to most people in our guide to the best turntables. Why do I like it? It sounds so good for a relatively affordable price. Unlike the Sony above, this one doesn’t send vinyl audio to your Bluetooth headphones and is more of a traditional style turntable, requiring amplification and wired connections to sing, but that’s part of the beauty of it: they can adapt it for their future!
I want to offer them something brand new, straight from the factory and for my money, even better-more beautiful than the Pro-Ject? Meet the baby of the group, a few days old Fluance RT87. Much of its attractive appearance comes from what Fluance calls a “dual base”, but there is actually only one base with a new two-layer design, to eliminate vibration nuisance. It’s so new we haven’t reviewed it yet, but it’s from Fluance, a trusted name in audio and a little birdie tells me the early signs are overwhelmingly positive.
This is again a more traditional analog style passive amp and speaker type turntable. You can purchase it with the ultra-solid Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML stylus preloaded or, for listeners looking for a highly musical presentation, the Ortofon 2M Blue, known for its rich character and tonal detail.
What if they have a Sonos speaker they’d like to use (or you have one you’re considering giving them when they move)? I have you: the Victrola Stream Onyx Works with Sonos kit, no other connections needed. You can even get it in a stunning sage green (you’d be so surprised how many people ask me to recommend sage green decks) and the construction is effortlessly chic. Yes, it’s the most expensive model here, but when you consider that you might not need anything else to get a vinyl that taps into your (their!) home Wi-Fi, it might make more sense.
I hope you find a favorite among these, because I love them all. And I wish your recent graduate all the best on this crazy journey we call life, okay?
I became TechRadar’s audio editor in 2024, but joined TechRadar in 2022 as a senior editor, focusing on all things audio and hi-fi. Before joining the team, I spent three years at our sister publication, What Hi-Fi? test, review and generally enjoy everything from wallet-friendly wireless headphones to huge, multi-product high-end audio systems.
Before earning my Masters in Journalism in 2018, I worked as a freelance arts critic alongside a 24-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course linked to a love of music.
When I’m not writing, I’m usually throwing shapes in a dance studio to new music, or trying to surf with my other half (an incredibly good surfer and an even better football writer).
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