A turntable is an audio component designed to play vinyl records. It rotates a record at a constant speed while a stylus follows the grooves in its surface, allowing the recorded information to be converted into an electrical audio signal.

The record sits on a rotating platter driven by a motor. Most turntables operate at 33⅓ and 45 revolutions per minute, while some can also play records designed for other speeds. Maintaining an accurate and stable rotational speed is important for correct reproduction of the music.

A tonearm extends over the record and holds the cartridge and stylus. As the record rotates, the stylus sits inside the groove and follows its microscopic variations. These movements correspond to the audio information stored in the record.

The cartridge converts the mechanical movement of the stylus into a small electrical signal. Moving magnet and moving coil are two of the most common cartridge designs, although both perform the same basic task of converting stylus movement into an audio signal.

The signal produced by a typical phono cartridge is considerably lower than the line-level signal produced by components such as CD players and DACs. It therefore normally needs to pass through a phono stage before reaching a conventional amplifier input.

A phono stage amplifies the cartridge signal and applies the required RIAA equalisation. Some turntables and integrated amplifiers have a phono stage built in, while other systems use a separate external phono stage.

Turntables can use different methods to rotate the platter. Belt-drive designs use a belt to transfer power from the motor to the platter, while direct-drive turntables have the motor directly connected to the platter. Each approach has its own engineering advantages and is used across a wide range of turntable designs.

Correct setup can have an important influence on turntable performance. Tracking force, cartridge alignment, anti-skate and the positioning of the turntable itself can all affect how accurately the stylus follows the record groove.

A turntable is therefore a mechanical and electrical source component that retrieves analogue audio information physically stored within a vinyl record. The platter, motor, tonearm, cartridge and stylus work together to recover this information before it is amplified and reproduced through the loudspeakers.