The Audio-Technica AT-LP60X is, for us, the best all-round turntable for most people: fully automatic, easy to connect to anything and from a brand that knows how to make a cartridge. Here is what it does well, and where its limits lie.
Audio-Technica has been making turntables and cartridges for decades, and the AT-LP60X is the deck the company points first-time buyers towards. That experience shows: it does not feel like a gimmicky gadget, it feels like a properly thought-out, fuss-free record player at a sensible price. That blend of simplicity and sound is exactly why it is our best overall pick in this comparison.
| Model | Price | Drive | Speeds | Cartridge | Rating | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ★ Top pick Audio-Technica AT-LP60X Belt-Drive Turntable | £124.99 | Belt-drive, fully automatic | 33 1/3 and 45 rpm | Audio-Technica conical, pre-fitted | ★ 4.5 | View → |
£124.99
Belt-drive, fully automatic · 33 1/3 and 45 rpm · Audio-Technica conical, pre-fitted
The verdict from Nathan Cole, hi-fi reviewer
Our best overall pick. The AT-LP60X is the deck we point most first-time buyers towards: it is fully automatic, has a decent built-in phono stage and a proper Audio-Technica cartridge, and it just works the moment you lift the lid. You can plug it straight into powered speakers or any amp. It is not built for tinkerers and the cartridge is not upgradeable, but as an honest, hassle-free way into vinyl it is hard to beat at the price.
Clean, even playback with the lid down; the auto-return means you can drift off mid-side without a worry.
The AT-LP60X is the right deck if you want to start, or restart, playing records with the least possible fuss. It is fully automatic, so you place a record, press start, and the arm lowers, plays the side and returns itself; there is nothing to set up and very little that can go wrong. With a built-in switchable phono stage it connects to almost anything, from a proper amplifier to a pair of powered speakers or even a soundbar with a line input.
It is less suited to the listener who wants to tinker, upgrade and chase the last word in sound quality. The cartridge is integrated and cannot be swapped for a better one, and the cables are captive. If that is you, the Fluance RT81 gives you a standard, upgradeable cartridge and a real wood plinth for a little more money. For a clean, reliable way into vinyl, though, the AT-LP60X is hard to beat.
For an entry-level deck, the AT-LP60X sounds genuinely good. The supplied Audio-Technica cartridge tracks cleanly and pulls a clear, tidy sound out of a record, with none of the harsh, heavy-handed character of cheap suitcase players. It will not resolve the fine detail that a deck three times the price can, but plugged into a decent pair of speakers it is musical and easy to enjoy, which is exactly what most buyers want.
This is where the AT-LP60X really earns its place. Full automation means you cannot fumble the cueing or scrape the stylus across a record, which is reassuring for a beginner and convenient for everyone. The switchable phono stage removes the most common setup headache: if your amplifier has a phono input you select phono, and if it does not you select line and plug straight in. Setup takes minutes, not an afternoon.
The plinth is plastic and the deck is light, which is the honest compromise at this price. It does not feel as solid as the heavier decks here, and the lighter build means it is a little more sensitive to knocks and footfall on a springy floor. In daily use, on a stable surface, this rarely matters. The styling is clean and compact, and it tucks neatly onto a shelf or a sideboard.
The AT-LP60X has two real limitations, and both come from keeping it simple and affordable. First, the cartridge is integrated, so you cannot upgrade it to lift the sound later, although the stylus itself is replaceable when it wears. Second, the cables are captive rather than detachable, so you cannot swap in better interconnects. Neither is a flaw so much as a consequence of the design brief: this is a plug-and-play deck, not a platform to build on. If you know you will want to upgrade, start with the Fluance RT81 instead. If you want something that just works, these limits will never bother you.
Yes. The AT-LP60X is fully automatic, has a built-in switchable phono stage and a pre-fitted cartridge, so there is nothing to set up. You lift the lid, place a record, press start and it plays, then returns the arm on its own. That makes it one of the easiest decks for a first-time buyer.
Yes, it has a switchable built-in phono stage. You can set it to phono if your amplifier has a dedicated phono input, or to line to plug it straight into any line input, powered speakers or a soundbar. That flexibility is a big part of why it is so easy to live with.
No, and this is its main limitation. The AT-LP60X uses an integrated cartridge and stylus that you cannot swap for a higher-quality one, although the stylus itself is replaceable when it wears. If you want an upgrade path, the Fluance RT81 fits a standard, swappable cartridge instead.
The AT-LP60X is our best overall pick because it gets the things that matter most to a new vinyl listener right: it is genuinely easy, it connects to anything, and it sounds good while treating your records kindly. It is not built for upgrading and the plinth is light, but neither will trouble the buyer it is aimed at. For a first or returning deck that you can set up in minutes and simply enjoy, it is the soundest choice here. If you would rather have an upgrade path and a sturdier build, read our Fluance RT81 review, and if you are weighing up the whole setup, our buying guide and our explainer on phono preamps will help.