Buying guides for people who play records

6 wired picks for 6 situations, from a phone-friendly budget pair to a 300 Ω open-back, plus how to connect a turntable to headphones.

6 wired picks for 6 DJ situations, chosen on one-ear monitoring, cables, spare parts and weight, with a loudness estimate for your controller.

6 pairs for 6 setups, starting from what your turntable needs: a phono input in the speakers, a preamp of its own, or an amplifier.

6 powered speakers for 6 home DJ setups, starting from what your controller or mixer plugs in with: RCA, XLR or TRS, and a pair or two singles.

6 phono preamps for 6 setups, starting from whether you need one at all, then MM or MC, and USB, headphones or a DJ mixer.

6 record players that send to Bluetooth speakers or headphones, chosen on codecs, the wired output and its preamp switch, and what you can replace.

6 ways to keep LPs, from cube shelving to a case that closes, chosen on whether 12-inch records fit and how many each maker says it holds.

6 brushes and kits, starting from one question: a dry brush for dust before each play, or a brush you use with fluid for dirt in the grooves?

6 mats to replace the felt mat your turntable came with, or to step up, chosen on the material and the thickness each maker publishes, because thickness changes your tonearm height.

6 cleaners for the four ways to clean a stylus: brush, gel pad, fluid and electronic, with each maker’s own instructions and what cartridge makers say about liquids.