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Analogue

Turntables in Ottawa

A turntable is the record-playing deck that carries the tonearm and cartridge which trace the groove. Every deck we sell in Ottawa is auditioned, assembled, and calibrated by hand so it performs exactly as its designer intended.

Book a Listening Demo Our Selection
Clearaudio turntable

High-End Turntables, Set Up by Hand

The right turntable for you balances drive type, tonearm quality, and cartridge matching against your room and budget. We carry belt-drive decks from entry-level to reference, calibrate each one on site, and support it for the long term with stylus replacement and re-alignment.

Drive type How it works Best suited to
Belt drive An properly designed belt isolates the platter from motor vibration, lowering the noise floor Critical home listening and most audiophile decks
Direct drive The motor spins the platter directly for high torque and speed stability DJs and anyone needing instant start and stop

Our Selection

Brand New Pro-Ject turntable

Pro-Ject DC Carbon Evolution Series II Turntable with Tonearm

$849.95
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Floor Demo Pro-Ject turntable

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO Turntable Package

$699.95
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Floor Demo Pro-Ject turntable

Pro-Ject T1 Turntable Package with Ortofon OM5e

$399.95
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How do I choose a turntable?

Start with the deck and tonearm, then match a cartridge and phono stage to suit. Drive type sets the character of the foundation: most audiophile decks use belt drive to isolate the platter from motor noise, while direct drive trades a slightly higher noise floor for instant, rock-steady speed.

Across every deck below, the plinth, bearing, and tonearm matter more than the drive type alone — which is why we audition before we recommend.

Curated Decks

Hand-selected models from the world's most respected analogue manufacturers.

Cartridge Matching

Tonearm mass paired to cartridge compliance for an ideal 8–12 Hz resonance.

Expert Installation

Precise alignment of tracking force, anti-skate, azimuth, and VTA using professional tooling.

Long-Term Support

Ongoing maintenance, stylus replacement, and performance tuning.

Turntables in Ottawa: A Buyer's Guide

A turntable is the source component that reads music from a vinyl record, and its sound is shaped far more by the plinth, bearing, tonearm, and cartridge than by any single headline spec. It is the heart of an analogue system for the listener who values the ritual and the tonal richness of records. Our current decks are belt-drive designs, prized for isolating the platter from motor noise.

Key Takeaways

  • A turntable's performance is set by the plinth, bearing, tonearm, and cartridge — more than by drive type.
  • Our current decks are belt-drive, valued for a low noise floor.
  • You need a phono stage — built into some amplifiers, or as a separate box. See our phono preamplifiers.
  • Professional setup (tracking force, anti-skate, alignment) protects your records and unlocks performance.
  • Price range: Pro-Ject Debut PRO $1,399; Oracle Paris Series V $5,999; Clearaudio Performance DC $8,498.

What Should You Look for in a Turntable?

Look first at the parts that touch the signal. A rigid, well-damped plinth and a precise main bearing keep noise and resonance out of the music; a good tonearm tracks the groove accurately and lets the cartridge do its job. Drive type matters less than build quality — the belt-drive decks we carry span the Pro-Ject Debut PRO at an attainable $1,399 up to the Clearaudio Performance DC at $8,498, with the Oracle Paris Series V at $5,999 in between.

Do You Need a Phono Preamp With a Turntable?

Yes — the signal from a turntable is tiny and needs RIAA equalization before it can drive a line input. Some turntables and integrated amplifiers include a built-in phono stage; if yours does not, or you want to upgrade, you will need a dedicated phono preamplifier matched to your cartridge type (moving magnet or moving coil).

Why Does Professional Setup Matter?

Setup directly determines both sound quality and record wear. Tracking force, anti-skate, overhang, azimuth, and vertical tracking angle all need to be set within fine tolerances so the stylus sits correctly in the groove. We set each parameter with alignment protractors and a tracking-force gauge, which keeps tracking accurate, channels balanced, and stylus and record life long.

Our Turntables at a Glance

Not sure where to start? Book a listening session and we will demo a deck in your budget, set up correctly, on speakers you can hear it on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Expert guidance on choosing the right turntables for your system.

Belt drive or direct drive — which is better? expand_more
Neither is inherently superior. Belt drive isolates the platter from motor vibration and is favoured by many audiophile decks for its low noise floor, while direct drive offers strong torque and rock-steady speed stability, which is why it is preferred by DJs. For home listening, the quality of the plinth, bearing, tonearm, and cartridge matters far more than the drive type itself.
Do I need a separate phono preamp? expand_more
A turntable's signal is very low level and needs RIAA equalization before it can drive a line input. Some turntables and integrated amplifiers include a built-in phono stage, in which case no extra box is required. If neither does, or if you want to upgrade sound quality, a dedicated external phono preamplifier matched to your cartridge type (moving magnet or moving coil) is needed.
What is the difference between manual and automatic turntables? expand_more
An automatic turntable cues, lowers, and returns the tonearm for you, which adds convenience and protects the stylus from mishandling. A manual turntable requires you to place and lift the arm yourself, but it omits the extra mechanism in the signal path and is generally favoured on higher-end decks for its mechanical simplicity and performance.
Why does cartridge alignment and professional setup matter? expand_more
Proper setup directly determines sound quality and record wear. Tracking force, anti-skate, overhang, azimuth, and vertical tracking angle all need to be set within fine tolerances so the stylus sits correctly in the groove. A professional setup using alignment protractors and a tracking force gauge ensures accurate tracking, balanced channels, and long stylus and record life.

Ready to hear the difference?

Book a Listening Demo
Analogue Phono Cartridges