As such, they are useful in many mediums. Generally speaking, a turntable is a revolving platter. It rotates at a given, regular speed.ĭepending on the requirements of a particular record, turntables can be programmed to play at a speed of: A turntable is a circular surface that is flat.

To fully grasp how the turntable works, we need to take a step back and look at the basics of audio equipment engineering. However, the same can be said of the turntable, which cannot function without additional equipment. Indeed, a record player needs a turntable to operate.

As the platter on which you place a record, turntables play a dominant role in the workings of a record player. The turntable is, in fact, part of the record player. The differentiation has to do with function, not sound quality. The truth is, entertaining the comparison is misguided. In contrast, the term 'record player' brings to mind older, low-end gear. The result is that turntables are thought of as newer and more high-end record players. In the current vernacular, turntables are associated with DJs spinning records - this cultural link that many people, especially younger crowds, share, has seeped into common parlance. The terminologies themselves can seem a mystery, with some people calling record players “turntables.” Because these words are sometimes used interchangeably, you might be left wondering if you should invest in a record player or turntable, or may be wondering, is there a difference between turntables and record players? The short answer is, yes there is a significant difference. But with over a hundred years of history to catch up on, vinyl culture can be overwhelming and downright confusing. The vinyl renaissance is an exciting time to be alive.

Turntable vs record player