turntable system

[josh conquest]

been doing some research into turntables and seen a few that i like the look of. however im not really sure what i actually need to buy. so many sites all contradict themselves as to what compnents you need. 

 

it seems to me that i need to have: a turntable, a cartridge, a pre amp, an amplifier and some speakers.

 

i know a lot of modern turntables have a built in pre amp and so i can usually just connect it to either PC speakers or im hoping to use a stereo pair. 

 

im just a bit confused about all this so if anyonme could point me in the right direction or give me a few recomendations to certain pairings it would be much appreciated.

[josh conquest]

also should probably mention, i dont want to be spending too much more than £300 on the entire system but would prefably be looking for something around the 200 - 250 mark

[Volbet]

There are basically four things you need for a turntable setup: Turntable (obviously with a cartridge) → phono pre-amp → amplifier → speakers or headphones. 

These things can be built into one another. As you said, the pre-amp can be build into the turntable and the amplifer can be build into the speakers. 

The main exception to this are systems that utilize a ceramic cartridge, which don't need a pre-amp.

 

My go-to recommendation at that price point is to look for used equipment on Craigslist or eBay. Even though the prices have inflated a lot in the last decade, deals can still be had. 

 

If you want something new, I would recommend getting either the Audio-Technica LP60(X) or the something from the Victrola Pro-series. Both are good value for money. Then buy a pair of powered speakers to plug the turntable into and you're golden.