"Millions of People are Buying This $50 Turntable" By Paul Resnikoff

It’s simple.  It’s cheap.  And it’s selling like mad.  According to
Amazon, the Jensen JTA-230 3 Speed Stereo Turntable with Built-in
Speakers was the best-selling home audio product over the holidays,
easily trumping more expensive stereo systems.

That includes the Yamaha RX-V677 7.2-channel Wi-Fi Network AV
Receiver, which placed second in the holiday ranking.  The RX-V677 is
a strong-selling, sophisticated receiver that includes support for
Apple AirPlay for seamless iOS audio compatibility, not to mention Mac
and Windows PC wireless support.  That’s been a hit for Yamaha, though
the RX-V677, discounted at $370, is out-of-reach for most music fans.

Which introduces the obvious question: who needs an expensive,
high-end digital stereo system when you can have a belt-driven, old
school turntable for $50?  The Jensen is an all-in-one,
budget-conscious solution, with three-speed support (33, 45, 78) for
any old-school vinyl playback need.  It even has a the speaker
built-in, for plug-and-play instant gratification.

For those looking for some digital accoutrements, the JTA-230 also has
a USB and aux port for attaching devices or more speakers.  There’s
also a high-end, sophisticated WiFi-enabled multi-channel EQ — just
kidding!  The JTA has none of that, though it does have a volume knob.
Indeed, simplicity is the secret of this success story, and so is the
price: for those looking for post-Christmas bargain, the Jensen is now
$48.99 on Amazon.

The surprise success story coincides with another banner year for
vinyl, with cheaper turntables filling a massive void.  According to
just-released stats, sales of LPs jumped another 52 percent in the US
alone, with a similar story emerging across the pond.   But a lot of
those sales are for LPs that are never played, because a large
percentage of buyers don’t own turntables (and typically can’t afford
them).

http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/01/07/millions-of-people-are-buying-this-50-turntable/

[From Sam: I doubt that millions have been sold. Maybe they meant it
to be "Millions of Records Will Be Ruined By This $50 Turntable"]

And...

:Technics New SL-1200G Turntable Will Reportedly Cost $4000" By Charlotte Hassan

Earlier this week at the CES convention in Las Vegas,Panasonic and
Technics announced the return of the SL-1200 class of turntable.
According to reports the product will cost $4,000, which is a massive
increase from the £1200 that it cost for the SL-1200.

The newly upgraded SL-1200G Grand Class edition comes on the 50-year
anniversary of the leading turntable company. The new version aims to
resolve some of the structural issues that have plagued some of their
older models. The new upgraded features include a core-less motor that
eliminates the vibrations that plagued the older version and
rotational positioning sensors that will even out any remaining
vibrations.

Although the updated product brings various additional benefits, there
is a potential downfall – The high price point of the new SL-1200G
places it in the luxury category, which potentially puts it out of
reach for certain price conscious customers or casual fans who do not
use turntables professionally.

Without doubt, Technics are premium pieces of musical gear, however
the price point is more than double the retail price of the previous
Technics turntable, so customers will be expecting a significant jump
in performance to justify that expenditure.  Panasonic will be relying
on DJs and music enthusiasts the part with their money.

The models won’t be released until summer, so the verdict won’t be
delivered until then.

http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/01/07/698337/