It has been a great year for turntables. In fact, we have had more new models pass through our test rooms this year from a wider variety of brands than in the last few years combined, including AVID, Dual, JBL, Majority, Pro-Ject, Rega, Victrola and even newcomer Rekkord Audio. We've also heard a handful of high-end new releases from Linn, SME, Michell and Wilson Benesch. Indeed, we've been utterly spoilt for choice when it comes to vinyl playback this year.
But this year's best turntables category at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2024 sees the return of one of the industry's legends. The Rega Planar 3 was dethroned two years ago by the excellent Pro-Ject Debut Pro, but now that legendary model is back with a vengeance. The British brand actually didn't make any changes to the deck itself, instead simply offering a brand-new cartridge – the Nd3, a decade in the making – fitted as standard on the Planar 3. What's more, the price has been kept the same as the outgoing Planar 3/Elys 2 package – no mean feat in today's climate. This new cartridge combination has brought with it such a leap in performance in all areas – greater detail, refinement, precision and dynamics – that there was no doubt as to Rega winning the trophy once more in the £500-£1000 category.
Such is the improvement in the Planar 3/Nd3's rhythmically engaging and nuanced performance that the 2023 Award-winning Technics SL-1500C has also been knocked out of the Awards this year, owing to the small price difference between the two decks. The Technics remains an excellent direct-drive model, but this new Rega package outperforms it at a lower price. Coupled with the fact that the Pro-Ject Debut Pro model has sadly been discontinued, the path was clear for the Planar 3/Nd3's win at this level.
The other winners in the category have remained the same, which might surprise you given how many new contenders are vying for the spotlight, but there's no denying the quality – across build, ease of use and sound – of these returning winners at their respective price bands.
It's a testament to certain long-standing brands getting the basics of turntable-making so right that, even with plenty of budget spinners with trendy features flooding the market, the Pro-Ject Primary E remains our go-to recommendation (for the seventh year now!) for those looking for a super-affordable turntable. Despite the proliferation of phono stage-equipped, Bluetooth-toting, automatic decks, it's difficult to recommend anything over the Pro-Ject if you're after sheer value and have a tight budget. It just sounds so good for (relatively) so little money.
The step-up performer is the ever-reliable Rega Planar 1. Although we have tested new models in the price bracket above from both of these turntable titans to five-star success – the Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 and the Rega Planar 2/Nd3 package – neither of them quite gave us the all-round performance we were hoping for, and it wasn't quite enough to bag the coveted Award win. Yes, there is a bit of a price gap between the Planar 1 and Planar 3 winners – but them's the breaks.
At the premium end, the sophisticated Rega Planar 6 wins once more, while the exquisite Vertere DG-1 S/Magneto remains our most advanced Best Buy winner for systems that demand a more high-end vinyl source.
MORE:
Record players are getting better, it just isn't obvious
Best turntables 2024: top 9 record players tested and recommended by our expert reviewers
See all the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2024 winners
