What Do I Need to Start Playing Records?

Getting into vinyl can feel a bit overwhelming at first, there's a lot of gear talk, a lot of opinions, and it's easy to end up down a rabbit hole before you've even played your first record. The good news is you actually don't need much to get started properly. Here's a rundown of what you genuinely need, and a few extras that make life easier once you're settled in.

The Turntable Itself

This one's obvious, but worth spending a moment on. A turntable is more than just a spinning platter, it needs a tonearm, a cartridge and stylus (sometimes already fitted, sometimes not), and either a built in phono stage or the option to add one externally.

For a first turntable, look for something from a reputable brand with decent build quality rather than the absolute cheapest option available. Ultra budget all-in-one turntables with built in speakers can genuinely damage records over time. This is due to poor over-weighted tracking force (unadjustable in many low-end record players) and cheap styli, so it's worth spending a bit more money for something properly built, even if it means starting simple.

A Cartridge and Stylus

Some turntables come with a cartridge already fitted, others let you choose and fit your own. Either way, this is the part that actually reads the groove and transmits the message, so it's not somewhere to cut corners completely. A decent entry level moving magnet cartridge is perfectly good for starting out, and the stylus tip itself can be replaced later on without needing a whole new cartridge. If you want to understand the difference between cartridge types before choosing one, our guide on moving magnet versus moving coil cartridges breaks it down properly.

A Way to Actually Hear It: Amp and Speakers, or Powered Speakers

A turntable on its own doesn't make sound, you'll need something to amplify and play that signal. There are two common routes.

A traditional amp and passive speakers. This is the classic hi-fi setup, an amplifier connected to your turntable, then connected via speaker wire to a set of passive speakers. It offers a lot of flexibility to upgrade individual pieces later on.

Powered speakers. These have the amplifier built directly into the speakers themselves, so you just connect your turntable straight to them. It's a simpler, more compact setup that's great for smaller spaces or anyone who doesn't want a separate amp taking up shelf space.

Either route works well, it really comes down to space, budget, and how much you think you'll want to expand or upgrade individual components down the line.

A Phono Stage (Built In or Separate)

This one trips a lot of beginners up. A turntable's raw signal is too quiet and tonally incorrect to play through a normal line level input, it needs something called a phono stage to boost it and correct it properly first.

Check whether your turntable has one built in, often with a switch labelled phono and line on the back. If it does, you can plug straight into any regular input on an amp or powered speakers. If it doesn't, and your amp doesn't have a dedicated phono input, you'll need a small separate phono stage box in between the two. It's inexpensive and an easy one time addition, just don't forget it, since a huge number of "why is my turntable so quiet" questions come down to a missing phono stage. For a fuller walkthrough of wiring everything up correctly, see our guide on connecting speakers to your turntable.

Cables

Most turntables come with a basic set of RCA cables included, which is perfectly fine to get started with. If your turntable has a separate ground wire, make sure it's connected to your amp's ground terminal too, it's a small step that prevents an annoying hum.

Somewhere Stable to Put It

Turntables are sensitive to vibration, so a solid, level, stable surface matters more than people expect. Avoid anything wobbly, avoid placing it too close to your speakers if they're going to be at any real volume, and if you can, keep it away from high foot traffic areas where bumps and knocks are more likely.

Some Records

Sounds obvious, but worth a mention, new pressings, used finds from a local shop, or whatever you've already got lying around all work fine to get going. There's no need to build a huge collection before you start, even just a handful of records is enough to properly enjoy your setup while you figure out what you like.

Nice to Haves (Not Essential, But Worth It Early On)

A few extras aren't strictly necessary on day one, but they're cheap, useful, and worth picking up on the way.

A carbon fibre brush, for a quick clean before each play, genuinely helps reduce surface noise and protects your stylus from grinding through dust.

Poly lined inner sleeves, since a lot of records still ship with plain paper sleeves that are more abrasive against the vinyl than they should be. Our article on outer sleeves and poly lined inner sleeves covers why they're worth switching to early on.

A basic stylus force gauge, so you can confirm your tracking force is properly set rather than relying purely on your tonearm's built in dial. We've got a full walkthrough on using a VTF scale if you want to get this right from day one.

A dust cover or a stable place away from pets and curious hands, just to keep things protected when not in use.

What You Don't Need Yet

You genuinely don't need an azimuth block, a top tier moving coil cartridge, an acrylic or alternative platter mat, or any of the more advanced upgrades right away. Those are all things worth exploring once you've been enjoying the hobby for a while and have a sense of what you actually want to improve. Starting simple, with a decent turntable, a proper way to hear it, and a phono stage sorted, is honestly all you need to get properly hooked.

If you do run into any hiccups along the way, our guides on general turntable troubleshooting and why your record player might be skipping cover the most common issues newcomers run into.