For those looking to elevate their vinyl experience, the Audio-Technica AT-LP8X might be an interesting option.
The Audio-Technica AT-LP8X is direct drive, so there’s no belt involved. Additionally, it is a semi-automatic turntable. It comes with a factory-installed J-shaped aluminum tonearm, but you’ll need to purchase the matching AT-L10 headshell separately. The AT-VM95E cartridge is included as standard, but you’re free to mount a different one. A nice feature is that you can use five different styluses with this cartridge—not all at once, of course, but you can choose whichever you think sounds best.
The Audio-Technica AT-LP8X supports three speeds: 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM. It also comes with a heavy rubber slipmat. The whole setup rests on height-adjustable feet. All this will set you back €999. If you also want the AT-L10 headshell, it costs an additional €59.