Question: How do I choose speakers for my Audio-Technica turntable?

Answer: If you recently bought or were given an Audio-Technica turntable, you may now be in the market for a pair of speakers. Or perhaps you’ve had your turntable for a while, but are looking to change your stereo setup. So what kind of speakers should you get? Below we cover the essentials for selecting speakers to go with your A-T turntable.

First off, if your turntable is Bluetooth-capable, such as the AT-LP60XBT or the AT-LP120XBT-USB, you may want to choose Bluetooth speakers. We are not going to cover those in this blog post, but any Bluetooth speaker should work for you.

You have a couple of options when choosing wired speakers. First, let’s talk about powered speakers. These are speakers that have a built-in amplifier. They, generally, will plug into AC power and have a volume control. Some even have EQ controls. Powered speakers are quite popular with our turntables because there are not a lot of components to hook up. All of our turntables are equipped with a red and white RCA cable (right and left audio) that will plug into speakers or a stereo system. Although not completely necessary, it’s great if the speakers you choose have RCA inputs as well or you will have to use adapters of some type, such as RCA-to-3.5 mm stereo. One other thing to know is that some speakers have a built-in phono preamp. If it does, the inputs will clearly be labeled “Phono,” or there will be a switch to select “Phono” or “Line.” Our turntables have a built-in preamp as well, with a switch labeled “Phono”/“Line” on the back of the turntable. When the switch is set to “Line,” the preamp is turned on. When connecting to any input on a speaker not labeled “Phono,” set the switch on the turntable to “Line.” Also, note if the speaker has a 3.5 mm stereo input; these types of speakers are always expecting a line-level signal, so, again, set the switch on the turntable to “Line.”

If you choose passive, non-powered speakers you must have an amplifier or a receiver such as you will find in a home stereo system. Passive speakers will not plug into AC power, nor will they have a volume control on them.

Enjoy your vinyl records! If you have further questions, feel free to contact the Audio Solutions Department for assistance.