Buying guide · Speakers
Best speakers for vinyl
Six pairs for six setups, picked from the makers’ own spec sheets. First question: does your turntable plug straight in, or does it need a preamp or an amplifier on the way?
No scores, no lab claims. Shop links are plain links; they may earn us a commission later. How we pick
Powered · Phono input with ground screw · Bluetooth, optical, USB · remote and 4 m speaker wire in the box See it at Klipsch
Powered · Phono input with ground screw · HDMI-ARC for the TV · 4.5-inch woofers See it at Klipsch
Powered · Two RCA line inputs, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth · remote See it at Edifier
Powered · 5-inch woofers · RCA, optical, Bluetooth · sub out · remote and speaker wire See it at Fluance
Powered · 16.4 cm deep · front headphone jack and aux input · RCA, TRS, Bluetooth See it at Thomann
Passive · 87 dB at 2.83 V · 6 Ω · 25–90 W amplifier · no cable in the box See it at Q Acoustics
First: what sits between the turntable and the speakers
A turntable’s cartridge puts out a tiny signal that has to go through a phono preamp, which also applies the RIAA equalisation curve, and then an amplifier before a speaker can play it. Speakers differ in how much of that they do themselves.
- TurntableCartridge and stylus read the groove.
- Phono preampIn the turntable, the speakers, the amplifier, or a separate box.
- AmplifierBuilt into powered speakers; a separate box for passive ones.
- SpeakersTwo boxes, joined by speaker cable.
- Powered, with a phono inputPreamp and amplifier are inside. Any turntable plugs straight in. Picks 1 and 2.
- Powered, no phono inputThe amplifier is inside, the preamp isn’t. Fine for a turntable with a built-in preamp (often a Phono/Line switch on the back); otherwise add a phono preamp box. Picks 3, 4 and 5.
- PassiveNeither is inside. They need an amplifier or receiver; with a Phono input on it, nothing else is needed. Pick 6.
Not sure whether your turntable has a preamp? Look for a Phono/Line switch on the back, or “built-in preamp” in its manual. Our vinyl headphones guide walks through the same chain with headphones at the end.
One preamp, not two. If the turntable’s preamp is on and the speaker’s Phono input is on as well, the sound comes out loud and distorted; with neither, it is barely audible. Klipsch’s support page says to set both the turntable and the speakers to Line to use the turntable’s preamp, or the speakers to Phono if the turntable has none (Klipsch support). Kanto warns, for its own speakers, that running both preamps at once can damage them (Kanto’s setup guide).
Reading the spec sheet
Inputs
The phono input is the one that matters for a turntable without a preamp. After that: a spare RCA line input for a CD player or streamer, optical or HDMI-ARC for the TV, USB for a computer, Bluetooth for the phone. A subwoofer output lets you add bass later.
| Speaker | Phono | RCA line | Optical | Coaxial | USB | 3.5 mm aux | Bluetooth | HDMI-ARC | Sub out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klipsch R-40PM | Yes | Same input, set to Line | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Klipsch The Fives | Yes | Same input, set to Line | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Edifier R1280DB | No | Two | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | None listed |
| Fluance Ai41 | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| PreSonus Eris 3.5BT 2nd Gen | No | Two | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | None listed |
| Q Acoustics 3020c | Passive: no inputs of its own. Everything plugs into your amplifier, which may have a Phono input. | ||||||||
Read from each maker’s published list of inputs and outputs, checked 27 Oct 2026. “None listed” means the maker lists no such output.
Power: read it the way the maker wrote it
Every maker states amplifier power differently. Klipsch gives total system power, a peak figure and continuous watts per channel at under 1% distortion; Edifier gives RMS watts per side; Fluance gives a continuous average and RMS; PreSonus gives watts per side without saying how they were measured. Those numbers don’t line up, so we show each one as published and don’t rank them. The same goes for maximum loudness: Klipsch states 109 dB at 1 m for The Fives as a stereo pair and 100 dB with no conditions for the R-40PM, PreSonus a 98 dB peak at 1 m, and Edifier and Fluance give none. Within one maker the figures are fairer to compare: Klipsch rates The Fives at 160 W total against 70 W for the R-40PM.
A passive speaker has no amplifier, so its maker publishes what it needs instead: sensitivity (how loud it plays from a given voltage), impedance, and a recommended amplifier power. Under the Q Acoustics 3020c we turn those into an estimate of how loud your amplifier will play it.
Shelf or desk: check the depth
On a bookshelf, depth is usually what decides it. Shallowest first:
- PreSonus Eris 3.5BT 2nd Gen 16.4 cm
- Fluance Ai41 19.3 cm
- Edifier R1280DB 19.6 cm
- Klipsch The Fives 23.5 cm
- Klipsch R-40PM 25.65 cm
- Q Acoustics 3020c 28.1 cm
Depth as published, converted from millimetres to centimetres where the maker gives mm.
What’s in the box
Powered pairs come as one speaker with the amplifier and the inputs, joined to the other by a cable. Klipsch, Fluance and PreSonus list speaker wire in the box; Edifier’s box list doesn’t mention one. The passive 3020c comes with no cable at all. Four of the six list a remote.
The picks in detail
Each pick says what it suits and what to watch for, using only the published specs below it. Where a maker doesn’t publish a spec, we say so rather than fill it in.
Pick 1 · Best overall: the turntable plugs straight in
Klipsch R-40PM
Turntable plugs straight in
A powered pair with a phono preamp built in. A turntable without its own preamp plugs into the Phono/Line input, the switch goes to Phono, and that is the whole system. The remote, speaker wire and a subwoofer output come with it.
Why it suits records
- The Phono/Line input has a ground screw, so a turntable without its own preamp plugs straight in and its ground wire has somewhere to go.
- Powered: Klipsch rates it at 70 W total system power (240 W peak), 35 W per channel continuous. No receiver or amplifier needed.
- The remote, 4 m of speaker wire to join the two speakers and a USB cable are in the box, and one RCA output takes a subwoofer later.
- Bluetooth, optical and USB inputs take the phone, the TV and the computer, so the same pair plays everything.
Watch out for
- If your turntable has its own preamp switched on, set the speaker’s switch to Line, not Phono. Klipsch’s support page for the same switch on The Fives says to set both to Line to use the turntable’s preamp.
- Klipsch doesn’t say which cartridge type the phono input is for. Moving-coil cartridges need a different kind of phono preamp; Kanto’s setup guide calls them rare.
- Each speaker is 25.65 cm deep, so measure the shelf. On a desk they sit a long way forward.
- For a bigger room, Klipsch’s R-50PM is the same design with a 5.25-inch woofer and 120 W total system power (240 W peak).
Published specs
- Type
- Powered (amplifier built in)
- Phono input
- Yes: a Phono/Line RCA input with a switch and a ground screw
- Cartridge type
- not published
- Inputs
- Phono/line RCA, 3.5 mm, USB, optical, Bluetooth
- Bluetooth
- Yes; version and codecs not stated
- Amplifier power, as published
- 70 W total system power (240 W peak); 35 W per channel continuous at under 1% THD
- Maximum output, as published
- 100 dB (distance and conditions not stated)
- Drivers
- 1-inch aluminium tweeter on a horn, 4-inch woofer
- Size
- 30 × 14.5 × 25.65 cm (11.8 × 5.7 × 10.1 in), height × width × depth
- Weight
- 8.3 kg (18.3 lb) for the pair
- Subwoofer output
- Yes, one RCA line-level output
- In the box
- Remote control with 2 AAA batteries, 4 m speaker wire with soldered tips, 2 m power cord, 2 m USB A-to-B cable
- Klipsch R-40PM spec sheet (PDF): type, phono input, inputs, Bluetooth, power, maximum output, drivers, size, weight, subwoofer output, what’s in the box. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
- Klipsch R-40PM and R-50PM manual (PDF): cartridge type for the phono input (not published). Checked 27 Oct 2026.
- Klipsch R-50PM spec sheet (PDF): the same design with a single 5.25-inch woofer, 120 W total system power (240 W peak) and 60 W per channel continuous. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
Pick 2 · Bigger room, and the TV as well
Klipsch The Fives
Turntable plugs straight in
Bigger and more powerful than the R-40PM on Klipsch’s own figures, with the same kind of Phono/Line input plus HDMI-ARC, so one pair plays the records and the TV.
Why it suits records
- Same kind of Phono/Line input with a ground screw as the R-40PM, so a turntable without a preamp plugs straight in.
- More amplifier and a bigger woofer: Klipsch rates it at 160 W total system power (320 W peak) with a 4.5-inch woofer, against 70 W total and 4 inches for the R-40PM.
- Klipsch’s maximum output is 109 dB (1 m, stereo pair) against 100 dB for the R-40PM, whose figure doesn’t state the conditions, so treat the gap as a rough guide.
- HDMI-ARC: the TV plays through the same speakers, and the remote and an HDMI cable are in the box.
Watch out for
- Klipsch’s support page: if your turntable has its own preamp, set both the turntable and The Fives to Line; if it doesn’t, set The Fives to Phono. Unplug the RCA cables before moving the switch.
- The two speakers aren’t the same: the primary has the inputs and weighs 5.35 kg, the secondary 4.85 kg, joined by the 4 m cable in the box.
- 304.8 mm tall and 234.95 mm deep each: a sideboard or a big shelf rather than a desk.
- Klipsch also sells The Fives II, with separate phono and line inputs and 5.25-inch woofers, but publishes no amplifier power for it, so we picked the original.
Published specs
- Type
- Powered (amplifier built in)
- Phono input
- Yes: a Phono/Line RCA input with a switch and a ground screw
- Cartridge type
- not published
- Inputs
- HDMI-ARC with CEC, phono/line RCA, 3.5 mm, USB, optical, Bluetooth
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0; SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD
- Amplifier power, as published
- 160 W total system power (320 W peak); 60 W LF, 20 W HF
- Maximum output, as published
- 109 dB (1 m, stereo pair)
- Drivers
- 1-inch titanium tweeter on a horn, 4.5-inch woofer
- Size
- 304.8 × 165.1 × 234.95 mm (12 × 6.5 × 9.25 in), height × width × depth
- Weight
- Primary speaker 5.35 kg (11.8 lb), secondary 4.85 kg (10.7 lb)
- Subwoofer output
- Yes, one RCA line-level output
- In the box
- Remote control with 2 AAA batteries, 4 m 4-conductor speaker cable, 1.5 m HDMI cable, 1.5 m USB cable, 2 m power cord
- Klipsch The Fives spec sheet (PDF): type, phono input, inputs, Bluetooth, power, maximum output, drivers, size, weight, subwoofer output, what’s in the box. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
- Klipsch The Fives manual (PDF): cartridge type for the phono input (not published). Checked 27 Oct 2026.
- Klipsch support: The Fives, connecting to a turntable: how to set the Phono/Line switch with and without a preamp in the turntable. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
Pick 3 · Best if your turntable has its own preamp
Edifier R1280DB
Turntable needs its own preamp
No phono input, and that is fine if your turntable has a preamp built in, as many do. In return you get two RCA line inputs, optical, coaxial and Bluetooth, a remote, and side knobs for bass and treble.
Why it suits records
- Two RCA line inputs: the turntable (with its preamp on) in one, a CD player or streamer in the other, with no cable swapping.
- Optical and coaxial inputs for a TV or CD transport, plus Bluetooth 5.1 for the phone.
- A remote for inputs and mute, and bass, treble and volume knobs on the side panel.
- 196 mm deep and 234 mm tall, so it fits an ordinary bookshelf.
Watch out for
- No phono input. If your turntable has no preamp built in, you need a separate phono preamp between it and the speakers; Edifier says so in its FAQ.
- 21 W + 21 W RMS into 4-inch woofers: a pair for near-field listening on a shelf, not for filling a big room.
- No subwoofer output is listed. Edifier’s R1280DBs adds a Sub Out port.
- Edifier gives the weight as 4.9 kg without saying whether that is one speaker or the pair.
Published specs
- Type
- Powered (amplifier built in)
- Phono input
- No: Edifier says a turntable needs a phono preamp, built into the turntable or a separate one
- Inputs
- Two RCA line inputs, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.1; codecs not stated
- Amplifier power, as published
- 21 W + 21 W RMS (left and right); 42 W total
- Maximum output, as published
- not published
- Drivers
- 0.5-inch silk tweeter, 4-inch woofer
- Size
- 146 × 234 × 196 mm, width × height × depth
- Weight
- 4.9 kg net (Edifier doesn’t say whether that is one speaker or the pair)
- Subwoofer output
- not published (none listed)
- In the box
- 3.5 mm-to-RCA cable, RCA-to-RCA cable, optical cable, user manual; the page also mentions an included remote
- Edifier R1280DB product page: type, inputs, Bluetooth, power, maximum output (not published), drivers, size, weight, subwoofer output (not published). Checked 27 Oct 2026.
- Edifier US R1280DB page (FAQ): phono input, what’s in the box. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
- Edifier R1280DBs product page: the sibling model with a Sub Out port for a subwoofer. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
Pick 4 · Bigger woofers and a subwoofer output
Fluance Ai41
Turntable needs its own preamp
Five-inch woofers, the biggest here, and a 90 W amplifier as Fluance rates it. It has a subwoofer output and a remote; like the Edifier, it wants a turntable with a preamp.
Why it suits records
- 5-inch woofers, the biggest among the powered pairs here, driven by 90 W (2 × 45 W RMS, as Fluance states it).
- A subwoofer output: with a sub plugged in, the speakers hand everything below 80 Hz to it.
- Remote, batteries and 8 ft of speaker wire in the box.
- Optical and Bluetooth next to the RCA input for the TV and the phone.
Watch out for
- No phono preamp: Fluance says the speakers don’t have one, so the turntable needs its own or a separate box.
- Only one RCA input: a turntable and a CD player can’t both stay plugged in, unless one goes through optical.
- With a subwoofer plugged in, Fluance says the speakers cut the bass below 80 Hz; that only works out if the sub is in the room too.
- No maximum output figure is published, so we can’t compare loudness with the Klipsch pairs.
Published specs
- Type
- Powered (amplifier built in)
- Phono input
- No: Fluance says the speakers have no built-in preamp
- Inputs
- One RCA pair, optical, Bluetooth
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0; AAC codec
- Amplifier power, as published
- 90 W Class D, continuous average output (2 × 45 W RMS)
- Maximum output, as published
- not published
- Drivers
- 1-inch silk dome tweeter, 5-inch woven glass fibre woofer
- Size
- 27.7 × 16.5 × 19.3 cm (10.9 × 6.5 × 7.6 in), height × width × depth
- Weight
- Active speaker 3.86 kg (8.52 lb), passive speaker 3.37 kg (7.44 lb)
- Subwoofer output
- Yes, with an automatic 80 Hz low-pass
- In the box
- Remote control with 2 AAA batteries, 8 ft 18-gauge speaker wire, 6 ft power cable, quick start guide
- Fluance Ai41 product page: type, phono input, inputs, Bluetooth, power, maximum output (not published), drivers, size, weight, subwoofer output, what’s in the box. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
Pick 5 · Best for a desk
PreSonus Eris 3.5BT 2nd Gen
Turntable needs its own preamp
Small powered monitors for a desk: 21 cm tall and 16.4 cm deep, with a headphone jack and an aux input on the front. No phono input, so the turntable needs a preamp.
Why it suits records
- Small enough for a desk: 21.0 cm tall and 16.4 cm deep, the shallowest pick here.
- A headphone jack on the front; plugging in mutes the speakers, so late-night records go to headphones without touching a cable at the back.
- RCA and balanced TRS inputs at the back for a turntable with a preamp, a front aux input and Bluetooth for the phone.
- In stock at Thomann when we checked.
Watch out for
- No phono input: the turntable needs a preamp built in, or a separate one.
- 3.5-inch woofers and 50 W (25 W per side): near-field speakers for a desk, not for a living room.
- No remote is listed; volume is the knob on the front.
- PreSonus gives 3.1 kg without saying whether that is one speaker or the pair.
Published specs
- Type
- Powered (amplifier built in)
- Phono input
- No: PreSonus describes line-level inputs only
- Inputs
- Two unbalanced RCA, two balanced ¼-inch TRS, one front ⅛-inch stereo, Bluetooth 5.0
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0; codecs not stated
- Amplifier power, as published
- 50 W (25 W per side), Class AB
- Maximum output, as published
- 98 dB SPL (peak, at 1 m)
- Drivers
- 1-inch silk dome tweeter, 3.5-inch woven glass fibre woofer
- Size
- 21.0 × 14.1 × 16.4 cm (8.3 × 5.6 × 6.5 in), height × width × depth
- Weight
- 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) (PreSonus doesn’t say whether that is one speaker or the pair)
- Subwoofer output
- not published (none listed)
- Headphone output
- Front ⅛-inch stereo jack; plugging in headphones mutes the speakers
- In the box
- Speaker wire, ⅛-inch TRS to stereo RCA cable, ⅛-inch to ⅛-inch cable; no remote listed
- PreSonus Eris 3.5BT 2nd Gen product page: type, phono input, inputs, Bluetooth, power, maximum output, drivers, size, weight, subwoofer output (not published), headphone output, what’s in the box. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
- Thomann: Presonus Eris 3.5BT 2nd Gen: listed as in stock on 27 Oct 2026; Thomann’s own list adds a 1.5 m cable from the left to the right speaker. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
Pick 6 · Passive pair for your amplifier or receiver
Q Acoustics 3020c
Needs an amplifier
If you already have an amplifier or receiver, ideally one with a Phono input, a passive pair is all you add. Q Acoustics publishes sensitivity with its measuring conditions, so you can work out how loud your amplifier will play them.
Why it suits records
- With a receiver or amplifier that has a Phono input, this is the whole chain: turntable into the amp, speaker cable to the speakers.
- Sensitivity is published with its conditions (87.0 dB at 1 m, 2.83 V, 1 kHz), which is what you need to estimate loudness from your amplifier’s rating. Our estimate is under this pick.
- Q Acoustics recommends 25–90 W of amplifier power.
- A 120 mm bass unit in the biggest cabinet here; two foam bungs come in the box.
Watch out for
- No speaker cable in the box: buy it with the speakers.
- 6 Ω nominal and down to 3.7 Ω: check that your amplifier is rated for 6 Ω speakers.
- 281 mm deep, the deepest pick here; a shallow bookshelf won’t take them.
- Q Acoustics gives 5.5 kg without saying whether that is one speaker or the pair.
Published specs
- Type
- Passive (needs an amplifier or receiver)
- Phono input
- Not on the speaker: a passive speaker has no inputs of its own, so the phono input has to be on your amplifier or receiver, or in a separate preamp.
- Inputs
- Speaker cable from your amplifier; no line, digital or Bluetooth inputs.
- Recommended amplifier
- Recommended amplifier power 25–90 W
- Impedance
- 6 Ω nominal, 3.7 Ω minimum
- Sensitivity
- 87.0 dB at 1 m with 2.83 V at 1 kHz
- Drivers
- 22 mm tweeter, 120 mm (4.75-inch) bass unit
- Size
- 279 × 175 × 281 mm (11.0 × 6.9 × 11.1 in), height × width × depth
- Weight
- 5.5 kg (12.1 lb) (Q Acoustics doesn’t say whether that is one speaker or the pair)
- In the box
- 2 speakers, 2 foam bungs, 2 grilles, owner’s manual; no speaker cable
- Q Acoustics 3020c product page: type, power, impedance, sensitivity, drivers, size, weight, what’s in the box. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
How loud from your amplifier? Our estimate. From Q Acoustics’ sensitivity (87.0 dB at 1 m with 2.83 V) and the 6 Ω nominal impedance:
| Amplifier power | Volts into 6 Ω | Level at 1 m, one speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 25 W | 12.2 V | about 100 dB |
| 50 W | 17.3 V | about 103 dB |
| 90 W | 23.2 V | about 105 dB |
Assumptions, not measurements. The amplifier delivers its rated watts into 6 Ω; many are rated into 8 Ω and give somewhat more into 6 Ω. The figures are for one speaker at 1 m. From a sofa 3 m away, take off about 9.5 dB in open space; a room’s reflections give some of that back, and two speakers add a few dB.
Side by side
Power is in each maker’s own terms (total or per side, RMS, peak or continuous), measured in different ways, so don’t rank the pairs on that row.
| Speaker | Needs | Power, as published | Woofer | Size | Weight | Remote | Speaker cable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klipsch R-40PMBest overall | Turntable plugs straight in | 70 W total (240 W peak) | 4-inch | 30 × 14.5 × 25.65 cm | 8.3 kg the pair | Yes | 4 m speaker wire |
| Klipsch The FivesBigger room and TV | Turntable plugs straight in | 160 W total (320 W peak) | 4.5-inch | 304.8 × 165.1 × 234.95 mm | 5.35 + 4.85 kg | Yes | 4 m speaker cable |
| Edifier R1280DBTurntable with preamp | Turntable needs its own preamp | 21 W + 21 W RMS | 4-inch | 146 × 234 × 196 mm (W × H × D) | 4.9 kg (pair or one?) | Yes | Not listed |
| Fluance Ai41Bigger woofers, sub out | Turntable needs its own preamp | 2 × 45 W RMS | 5-inch | 27.7 × 16.5 × 19.3 cm | 3.86 + 3.37 kg | Yes | 8 ft speaker wire |
| PreSonus Eris 3.5BT 2nd GenDesk | Turntable needs its own preamp | 50 W (25 W/side) | 3.5-inch | 21.0 × 14.1 × 16.4 cm | 3.1 kg (pair or one?) | None listed | speaker wire |
| Q Acoustics 3020cPassive, with an amp | Needs an amplifier | Amp of 25–90 W | 120 mm (4.75-inch) | 279 × 175 × 281 mm | 5.5 kg (pair or one?) | None listed | Not in the box |
Everything as the maker publishes it, checked 27 Oct 2026. Edifier, PreSonus and Q Acoustics don’t say whether their weight is one speaker or the pair.
How we picked
- One clear setup per pick: a turntable with no preamp, the same in a bigger room with a TV, a turntable with its own preamp, bigger woofers with a subwoofer later, a desk, and an amplifier you already own.
- What the turntable needs first. Phono input or not, powered or passive, then the inputs, the published power, the size and what comes in the box.
- Specs from the maker. Every number on this page comes from the maker’s product page or spec sheet, checked on 27 Oct 2026 and linked under each pick. Gaps are marked “not published”.
- On sale today. We left out pairs whose maker lists them as coming soon, sold out or replaced.
We have not listened to or measured these speakers for this guide, and we don’t give scores. Where Max has used a pair himself, his notes will appear under that pick. The full method is on How we pick.
Not published by the maker:
- Klipsch R-40PM: cartridge type for the phono input, Bluetooth version and codecs
- Klipsch The Fives: cartridge type for the phono input
- Edifier R1280DB: maximum output, subwoofer output, Bluetooth codecs, whether the weight is one speaker or the pair
- Fluance Ai41: maximum output
- PreSonus Eris 3.5BT 2nd Gen: subwoofer output, Bluetooth codecs, whether the weight is one speaker or the pair
- Q Acoustics 3020c: whether the weight is one speaker or the pair
Considered but left out: Kanto Yu4 (2nd Gen) (phono input, optical, USB-C and Bluetooth, but Kanto’s page said Coming Soon and Sold out on 27 Oct 2026); Kanto Yu6 (2nd Gen) (the bigger Yu4 with 5.25-inch woofers, also Coming Soon and Sold out on Kanto’s page on 27 Oct 2026); Klipsch R-50PM (the R-40PM with a 5.25-inch woofer and 120 W total system power (240 W peak); we picked The Fives for the bigger room because it adds HDMI-ARC for a TV); Klipsch The Fives II (newer, with separate phono and line inputs and 5.25-inch woofers, but Klipsch publishes no amplifier power for it); Klipsch R-41PM (replaced by the R-40PM: Klipsch’s UK list of powered speakers no longer shows it); Audioengine A2+ Wireless and A5+ Wireless (audioengine.com answered our checker with a bot challenge, so we could not confirm their specs at the source); Audio Pro C20 (a one-box stereo speaker with a moving-magnet phono input, but sold out in Audio Pro’s UK shop); Edifier R1280T (the R1280DB without Bluetooth, optical or coaxial inputs); Mackie CR3.5BT (much like the Eris 3.5BT, with a front headphone jack, but on backorder at Mackie and its page doesn’t list what’s in the box).
Questions
Can I plug a turntable straight into speakers?
Into speakers with a phono input, yes: picks 1 and 2 here, with the switch set to Phono. Into any other powered speaker only if the turntable’s own preamp is switched on, and then into a line input, not a phono one.
Do I need a separate phono preamp?
Only if nothing in your chain has one: not the turntable, not the speakers, not the amplifier. If one of them does, use exactly one. If none does, our phono preamps guide picks one for each setup.
Powered or passive speakers?
Powered speakers are one purchase and one box fewer: the amplifier is matched to the speaker and often brings Bluetooth and digital inputs. Passive speakers make sense if you already have an amplifier or receiver, or want to choose one separately; budget for speaker cable too.
Is Bluetooth good enough for records?
Bluetooth sends a compressed digital stream, using codecs such as SBC, AAC or aptX, and adds a short delay; a cable doesn’t. Connect the turntable with the RCA cable and keep Bluetooth for the phone.
Which phono cartridges do the built-in preamps take?
Klipsch doesn’t say for either of its pairs. Moving-coil cartridges need a different kind of phono preamp, and Kanto’s setup guide calls them rare. If yours is moving-coil, use a preamp made for it and set the speakers to Line.
Do I need a subwoofer?
Not to start. The Klipsch R-40PM, Klipsch The Fives and Fluance Ai41 have a subwoofer output for later. Fluance says the Ai41 cuts its own bass below 80 Hz once a subwoofer is plugged in.
Can the speakers stand next to the turntable?
Better not on the same shelf. A turntable picks up vibration through whatever it stands on, and at high volume the speakers’ bass can come back through the stylus as boom or skips. A separate surface, or at least some distance, avoids it.
Pictures and sources
- The pictures are our own drawings: we found no reuse-licensed photo of any of the six pairs.
- Sources for every spec are linked under each pick. Phono/Line switch: Klipsch support: The Fives, connecting to a turntable. Cartridges and preamps: Kanto: how to set up and connect any turntable to Kanto speakers.