How to choose a turntable (without becoming an expert)

Most people who come to us have the same starting point: a box of records and no idea which player to trust. You do not need to learn hi-fi to choose well. Four questions do most of the work.

1. Do you want speakers built in, or a system?

If you want to put a record on tonight, choose a turntable with its speakers inside the cabinet. The whole range here works that way: plug in, lower the arm, listen. If you already own an amplifier and speakers, look for an RCA output so the turntable can join them later. The Heirloom Four has both.

2. What is on the end of the tonearm?

This is the part that touches your records. Cheap players use a ceramic cartridge pressing hard on the groove. A magnetic cartridge such as the Audio-Technica AT-3600L fitted to the Heirloom One and Four tracks more lightly and sounds clearer. If you only remember one spec, remember this one.

3. Which speeds do you need?

LPs play at 33⅓ rpm and singles at 45. If you have inherited shellac 78s, you need a three-speed turntable: the Heirloom Classic or the Heirloom Carry. If you have none, two speeds are all you will ever use.

4. Where will it live?

A turntable needs a level surface and a little room for the lid to open. The One is 43 cm wide; measure the shelf before you order. For a living room, the Four fills the space on its own. For a kitchen or a student room, the Carry closes into a case.

Our shortlist

• First proper turntable: Heirloom One.
• Big room, one box: Heirloom Four.
• You own 78s: Heirloom Classic.
• It has to move around: Heirloom Carry.

Still unsure? Call us. A person who has set up every model in the range answers the phone seven days a week.