I have a special page on my website at that describes this system and how to set it up. Last year I wrote a column describing how to combine the AT-LP60 with a $69 Dayton Audio speaker-amp bundle to get a nice-sounding vinyl record system for under $170. It’s just a turntable, though, so you need to connect something to make the sound. If you lock down the arm and remove the platter you will be able to move it around without much problem.

I’ve long said the $99 Audio-Technica AT-LP60 is the only turntable under $100 worth considering, and nothing has been introduced that changes my conviction about this. Some turntables can handle being moved around better than others, and fortunately one of them is also the most affordable. I’ve seen some interesting vintage ones myself, but hunting down a vintage record player of this type is not practical and could be very expensive. When you were in college 50 years ago vinyl was pretty much the only music media source in widespread use so you had a lot of variations in turntables, including some good quality portable record players. Good quality turntables are precision instruments, so putting one in a suitcase and toting it around is kind of contrary to the mission. Lots of the inexpensive USB turntables on the market also use ceramic cartridges, so buyer beware! (One audiophile message board called it “shaving your records.”) If you want to use one to play kid’s records you find at a thrift store I think it would be OK, but I would be hesitant to play good vinyl on one. This deadly combination will wear out your records much quicker than even a very inexpensive magnetic phono cartridge. The portable, suitcase type record players currently on the market use ceramic phono cartridges, which typically have heavy tracking force, a stiff cantilever (the part that holds the needle) and low quality diamonds for the stylus (needle). Does such a thing exist today?Ī It does not exist, at least if you want to buy a brand-new one. In college 50 years ago I had one with good sound that treated records well. She will need something compact, a suitcase type, and I would like it to be easy on the vinyl as the records she will use are mine. She likes the blue Crosley at Target, but the reviews are terrible.

Q I want to buy a record player for my granddaughter.

Record players for sale target